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The Bush farm was our first filming location of the day. Our goal was white tremolite, and possibly dravites. Just like Bowers Farm the day before, it is open to the public as long as you talk to the farmer first. Justin called Mr. Bush and got permission for us to go to the location and film, so we were off to trapse through a dairy cow pasture

There was supposed to be a path leading to the collecting spot, but we found that it was long since gone. So we just walked back to the hedge-row, across the field.

Once we got to the trees, we saw an opening, and decided that it had to be it.

It turned to be the right spot. Right away we saw an outcropping in the middle of the overgrowth.

The tremolite was very plentiful,

and we even found some dravit too.

Then it was back across the pasture…

Driving around, we found investigated some other spots we read about in some guide books, but they turned out to be closed to collecting. On the way to Scott’s house, we saw a rockcut with an exposed vein of calcite. Justin had read about this location in an old copy of Matrix magazine, so we decided to drive back to it and give it a look.

It was posted as private property, so we decided that we would go and talk to the owner.

The land belonged to a lady named Cindy who lived in a farm house down the road. She told us that she had been dooped and lied to by a collector before, and therefore didn’t let anyone collect at the site anymore. However she suggested that we meet her friend Robert Paul Rice that lived down the road. She said that she would show us where he lived if we follwed her in our car. We said ok, and were off on what would turn out to be a fun adventure.

Paul Rice is a member of the St. Lawrence County Rock & Mineral Club, and has been collecting in the surrounding area for over 40 years. He showed us some of the minerals he had collected from nearby Pine Hill Rd., and then offered to give us a little tour. Here is Paul with a plaque the club presented him with for his excellent lapidary skills.

So we all piled in the car, and drove out to Paul’s Brown Tourmaline dig. We follwed as he quickly lead the way.

This location is actually Paul’s claim, but he allows people to collect from his tailing piles with prior permission.

Next it was off to a gravel quarry to collect fossils in round glacier washed stones.

Paul explained the geology of the area to us while he showed us around.

After taking us to the “Lost Fluorite” Location, he then directed us to where he likes to dig for quartz. He showed us his best find from the spot, so we were excited to check it out for ourselves. So we bid Paul good-bye, and thanked him for all his help.

The quartz location was marked by a pile of quartz gravel spilling down a hill at a pull off.

We walked up the hill, and followed the trail back untill we came to some outcroppings.

We were not dissapointed, and collected some pretty good pieces in a matter of minutes.

By this time we were tired and ready to head back to Scott’s house for diner. We drove through the town of Gouvernour on the way back.

I had seen the giant pack of LifeSavers in the town center before, but didn’t have time to stop. This time we made sure to.

Local resident Edward John Nobel was the owner and origanater of the LifeSaver, and the first flavor was peppermint.