Glen Brook Farm
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Glen Brook Farm is a family-owned resort in the town of Round Top, New York located in the Catskill Mountains of Greene County. The resort is open in the summer months and provides guests with three meals a day and basic motel-like accommodations. Originally owned by Fred and Helen Mueller, the resort is currently owned by the Gerstberger family: Tony and Sophie Gerstberger, their son Tony Jr., and his wife Debbie.
The property includes a small animal farm, a lake, a dining hall, a snack bar, and a kuhstall. While kuhstall is a German word that literally means "cowshed," the term kuhstall is slang for tavern or beer garden. The kuhstall at Glen Brook Farm includes a bar, several tables, a small stage, and a dance floor.
While it is rumored that animals are raised on-site to feed the resort guests, it is also rumored that the animals are just for show and that the Gerstbergers maintain the minimum number of livestock to qualify as a working farm for federal and state tax benefits. The turn-over of livestock and the eventual fate of the animals are highly debated topics among regular resort guests.
The resort primarily caters to families from the New York City Metro area. Many groups and extended families vacation the same week every year. The Gerstberger family does not advertise the resort. Instead, they rely heavily on word of mouth to attract guests. While the lodging is very basic and rustic, the owners have made continual improvements and additions over the years. The affordable price and the family-like atmosphere have helped sustain Glen Brook Farm while nearby Catskill resorts have closed.
[edit] Resort Activities
The resort includes a small arcade, a pool with a water slide, a baseball field where organized games are played daily, a basketball court, tennis courts, volleyball courts, shuffleboard courts, bocce ball courts, horse shoes, playgrounds and several ping-pong tables. Resort activities include a fishing contest, children's hikes, scavenger hunts, and ceramics. During the peek weeks of the summer, a children’s masquerade party, a weenie roast and fireworks are held on Thursdays. Local residents often come to view the firework show.
During the summer months, the Glen Brook Kuhstall hosts bingo night, Karaoke night, and local disk jockeys (Phil De La Cruz and Eddie F). Throughout the 1990's, Joe "Elvis" Eigo, a Catskill area oddity, was a regular kuhstall performer. "Horseracing" is another popular kuhstall activity. Guests bet on wooden horses that "run the track" based on the roll of the dice. In the final race, the horses are auctioned and owner of the winning horse gets the pot of money.
While the property includes a large lake, there is no boating and no water sport activities. Fishing is permitted and there is a walking trail around the lake.
[edit] Local Area
The Glen Brook Farm resort is situated in the foothills of the Blackhead Range of the Catskills in Greene County, New York. The resort is 12 miles from the Catskill (village), New York and 22 miles from Woodstock, New York.
Nearby attractions include:
- Blackhead Mountain Lodge and Country Club, an 18 hole par 72 course, is less than two miles away.
- The Zoom Flume Waterpark, the Catskills' largest water park, is a 15 minute drive from Glen Brook Farm.
- Hunter Mountain (ski area) is 22 miles to the west.
- Less than a mile from the resort is Hartmann's Kaffee Haus, a family-owned cafe and bakery specializing in German pastries and desserts. They also serve breakfast and lunch.
- Another nearby attraction is Shinglekill Falls, which is a 32' high waterfall that drops into a 12' deep basin. The falls are adjacent to the Tumblin' Falls Bed & Breakfast. While access to the falls in now closed to the public, the basin of the falls was a popular swimming area for local residents and vacationers.
