By Melanie Lekocevic
Capital Region Independent Media
Longtime local columnist Bob Beyfuss has died. Beyfuss was 72.
Beyfuss wrote the Weekly Gardening Tips column for many years. His work appeared each week in the Ravena News-Herald, Greenville Pioneer and many other local newspapers.
His death was announced by a friend, Tony Melluzzo, on Friday.
“Bob passed away yesterday while playing softball with his buddies in Florida,” Melluzzo wrote. “He collapsed on the field. They tried to revive him with CPR but he did not respond.”
Melluzzo remembered Beyfuss as a loving person.
Beyfuss wore many hats — in addition to his longtime column, he was an educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties for many years, sharing his extensive knowledge about gardening and, in particular, the cultivation of ginseng, which he specialized in. He retired from Cornell Cooperative Extension in 2009, but continued to teach classes, particularly on ginseng.
Cornell Cooperative Extension released a statement Saturday.
“For those who weren’t fortunate enough to have known Bob, he was a long tenured member of the CCE Greene staff, nationally renowned ginseng specialist, a talented educator and so much more to us personally and professionally,” according to Cornell Cooperative Extension. “Without Bob, there would be no Agroforestry Resource Center today in Acra.”
“Those of us who were privileged to call him a friend are heartbroken,” the statement continued. “As we deal with our collective loss, we will share special photos, stories and thoughts from staff and volunteers of Bob over the next few weeks.”
Beyfuss’s gardening advice was renowned in the region, particularly for his expertise in the growing of ginseng, an interest that started early in his career.
He received a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University in 1973, majoring in Botany, and a master’s degree in agriculture from Cornell University in 1987, where the title of his Master’s Project was “The History, Use and Cultivation of American Ginseng.”
He also wrote several booklets and fact sheets about the growing of ginseng and mushrooms, including “American Ginseng Production in NY State,” “The Practical Guide to Growing Ginseng,” “Ginseng Production in Woodlots,” and “Companion Planting,” among others.
Beyfuss traveled throughout the U.S. and Canada, sharing his knowledge of ginseng, a topic he felt passionately about.
In his final Weekly Gardening Tips column, Beyfuss wrote about being a “snowbird,” spending winters on the Gulf Coast in Florida and living the rest of the year in New York. He commonly shared his experiences and gardening knowledge about both regions of the country.
Beyfuss was also an Internationally Certified Arborist.
