Submitted by: CCE Madison County Master Gardener Volunteer – Patty Catalano
Summer is here and the Madison County farms are ready to celebrate! July means that Open Farm Day is quickly approaching. Open Farm Day is your chance to enjoy the bounty of some of Madison County’s wide array of farms. On July 30th between 10 am and 4 pm, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County invites you to take a behind-the-scenes look at your local farms during its annual Open Farm Day. According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture there are 691 farms in Madison County, and we are lucky to have 26 of those farms opening their gates to the public free of charge.
Visitors will be treated to farm tours, rides, product samples, farm animals, recipes, and an all-around good time provided by Madison County’s booming agricultural community. New this year; CCE Madison at 100 Eaton Street in Morrisville will be stop number 27! This BONUS stop will show you the people and the place where the Open Farm Day magic happens. Enjoy meeting the staff & volunteers plus you can tour the building, use our public restrooms, there will be lunch for sale and more!
Are you planning on attending Open Farm Day this year? Whether you are a first-time participant or returning visitor keep these few tips in mind to get the most out of your Open Farm Day experience:
- Check out the farms: The most up-to-date farm profiles are available by visiting www.openfarmdaymadisoncounty.com. Read each farm’s profile to get a snapshot of what each stop has to offer. There are a wide variety of farms this year and with 26 farms participating there is something for everyone!
- Pick a lunch location: There are multiple farms offering lunch options this year! Where do you plan to be? There are lunch spots located all throughout the county. So, grab some lunch, take a seat, and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the local agriculture.
- Plan your route: Don’t miss out on some of the special scheduled activities that will be running at different farms throughout the day. You never know what you are going to see at Open Farm Day! Of course there are lots of special and fun activities that you can only see at Open Farm Day. There are so many new and returning farms all with great experiences to offer, the hard part is choosing just a few!
- Bring a friend: Open Farm Day is a great day for all. Adults and children of all ages will find activities perfect for them! So grab a group and make an entire day of it. All participating farms are open for visitors from 10am to 4pm!
- Pack a cooler: Last, but definitely not least, do not forget to pack your cooler! There will be many farms with products for sale. On what we hope will be a beautiful and sunny July day, you won’t want to turn down the chance to keep your meat, cheese, or vegetable samples fresh!
Open Farm Day Passports will be available at 10 Price Chopper locations in CNY, in local Madison County newspapers, in Madison County libraries, and local farmers’ markets.
For more information on Open Farm Day participants or to download a passport instantly visit www.OpenFarmDayMadisonCounty.com – or follow Open Farm Day on Facebook to keep up-to-date on the latest Open Farm Day news. Be sure to make it to as many farms as you can – visit three or more farms with your passport and you will receive a free Open Farm Day giveaway! Don’t miss your chance to experience agriculture at its finest with your friends and family at this year’s Open Farm Day!
Open Farm Day would not be possible without the support of our sponsors: CNY Latino, Price Chopper, Dairy Farmers of America, Workforce Development Institute, KeyBank, Martha’s on Madison, Flour & Salt Bakery, Madison County Farm Bureau, Oneida Health, Cazenovia Equipment Company, SUNY Morrisville, Farm Credit East, Community Bank N.A., Tri-County WIC/CAP, Hamilton Eatery, Ray Brothers Barbeque, Eagle News, Country Folks, The Gorman Foundation, Colgate University Upstate Institute, Organic Valley, DeRuyter Farm & Garden Co-op, The Hub & Jewett’s Cheese House.
For more information on Cornell Cooperative Extension Madison County, please visit our website at madisoncountycce.org and ‘like’ our Facebook page @CCEMadison. You can also contact us at 315-684-3001.
