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It is commencement weekend here in Madison County, and that means all three of our institutions of higher learning are sending young minds off into the real world.  It also means a large number of people visiting our fine communities.  Let's welcome them with open arms and thank them for spending tens of thousands of dollars here over the last four or five years.  Beyond the graduations this weekend, there are several great events taking place.  Here is a sample of what you and your family can do this weekend.
1. Farmers Markets -- Both the markets in Cazenovia and Hamilton are in full swing for the season.  This weekend's weather will be perfect for working in the garden, so head on our to the markets and pick up some plants for vegetables, landscaping and more.  The Chittenango Garden Club will also be holding its spring plant sale too in Stickel's Park at the intersection of routes 5 & 13.
2. The Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum is open for the season on weekends this month.  Head on over with the family and learn about how Chittenango was the center of the boat building universe along the Erie Canal.  It is the 25th anniversary of this great museum this year, and it is a gem in our own back yard.
3. The Madison County Historical Society will host its first ever donation auction.  They have a ton of great items that have been donated and they are yours for the bidding.  Head on over to the Historical Society on Sunday for bidding at 1pm.
4. OneSong will perform live on Sunday at historic Madison Hall in Morrisville.  Ron & Nancy OneSong specialize in traditional American Music including country, bluegrass, western and gospel. They have performed at Ryman Auditorium and internationally in Canada, France and England and opened for many country music legends like Tammy Cash, John Anderson and Mickey Gilley. The show begins at 2 PM Sunday afternoon... Madison Hall, Route 20 in Morrisville, NY. $15 admission.
For more great events in Madison County this weekend head on over to the events calendar and find out more.
 
 
Coming up on their third season, Wolf Oak Acres is once again aiming for the stars.  The typical harvest festival activities for this 150 acre fall destination (including a 10 acre corn maze, corn cannons, jumping pillow, gem mining, cow trains, pig races, just for starters) will begin mid – September and last through Halloween, plans are already underway for several new special event weekends. The festival hosts are now actively looking for community support to make this a wonderful event for the area.
 The main focus for this year will be on a Hot Air Balloon and Pride of NY Farmer’s Market – featuring wineries, breweries, food, and other NYS made products.  Pilots from around the northeast will be flying the skies over the pristine valleys on the outskirts of Oneida during prime fall foliage, Oct. 15 through the 17th.  Five main launches will take place Friday through Sunday evenings, as well as at dawn Saturday and Sunday mornings.  The tents will open from 10-5 on both Saturday and Sunday to showcase the best of NY made products.  Those interested in participating as vendors, will be able to showcase, sample and sell their products direct to their consumers.  Vendors, sponsors, volunteers for balloon crews, or those wanting to obtain flights throughout the weekend, are asked to contact Wolf Oak Acres as soon as possible to participate in this year's event.
Katrina Blanchard , 315-762-3090, www.wolfoakacres.com or Katrina@wolfoakacres.com
 
 
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A nice spring weekend for mom!
There are a lot of ways you can take mom out and show her your appreciation.  You could take her to brunch, you can take her shopping, or you can pick a great event the entire family can enjoy.  Here are some event ideas for this weekend to help your family celebrate Mother's Day.
1. Last weekend the Hamilton Village Farmer's Market opened for the season and this weekend the good people of Cazenovia get the ball rolling on their summer farmers market.  The Hamilton market is open from 8-1 on the village green.  The Cazenovia market can be shopped at from 9-5 in Cannon Park.
2. The Colgate Bookstore in Hamilton will host the "Meanest Mother"  It is geared towards kids 3-7 and you will hear from them about how mean their mom is.  Then everyone will make presents to give to mom on Sunday.
3. The Earlville Opera House will host Voices of Tabernacle/Blue Parsley Boys – Choral & A Cappella . The Voices of Tabernacle will sing a CHORAL POTPOURRI: with country....blues......jazz and pop!” This mixed chorus has 42 singers led by Anita Humer. Special guests on the program will be the Blue Parsley Boys. Their harmonies are rich and sonorous. A cappella selections will include folk songs, religious anthems and spirituals, barbershop tunes, doo-wop and old standards. $12, $10 members, $7 student.
4. How about a good old fashioned chicken BBQ?  The United Methodist Church of Canastota is hosting a chicken barbeque on Saturday May 8th, 2010 from 11am until sold-out. The church is located at 144 Center St in Canastota. Part of the proceeds from this event will be donated to a United Methodist Mission team which is scheduled to depart for Haiti in late May. The menu includes a half chicken, salt potatoes, cole slaw, roll with butter, beverage and dessert. Donation is $8 for adult, $3.50 for kids 5-11. Take outs are available and the church is handicap accessible.
 
May is here! 04/30/2010
 
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The trees are in full bloom
The headline is 24 hours premature, but you get the point. Say goodbye to April showers and hello to May.  Right on cue the weather for this weekend is supposed to be in the 70's and 80's.  Perfect for getting out and enjoying Central New York.  Here are a few options for fun this weekend in Madison County.  For a full list of events, check out our events page.
1. The Spring Migration Nature Art Festival at the Great Swamp Conservancy in Canastota is a great family and art lover's event this weekend. Madison County's only Nature Center, the Great Swamp, has been hosting this event for 11 years now.
2. The Hamilton Farmer's Market opens this weekend with lots of fresh meats, crafts, baked goods and more.  Make sure to make the farmer's markets a weekly stop and support home grown food and businesses.
3. The Palace Theater in Hamilton will host Simple Gifts on Saturday.  The show starts at 3:00pm Tickets are $10 (public) and $7 (students and seniors) THE CASHORE MARIONETTES are unmatched in artistry, grace and refinement of movement, internationally acclaimed and redefining the art of puppetry. Through a combination of virtuoso manipulation, beautiful classical music, theatrical illusion, and artistic insight, the original vignettes presented in Simple Gifts provide an entertaining and sensitive vision of what it is to be human.
We will look at two more events after the jump.
 
 
Submitted by Steve Miller (originally printed at the Madison County Courier)

In this part of the country, it would seem that there couldn’t be very much that is locally produced when there is 10 inches of snow on the ground, but there is.

You will find maple syrup, baked goods, meats, eggs, specialty cheeses, root vegetables, apples and, yes, fresh herbs and greens at the market.

There are two Winter Farmers Markets available in Cazenovia.

They are:

Dave’s Diner, Route 20, Cazenovia on Saturdays March 20 and April 17 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and Circa Restaurant, Route 20, Cazenovia on Saturdays March 27 and April 24 from 9 a.m. to noon.

Steve Miller is FMNP Coordinator for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County.
 
 
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A note from Matt and Juanita Critz owners of Critz Farm straight out of their spring eblast.  "We've been looking forward to this for quite a while!  This year we have expanded our "Sugar Operation" to include an additional section of woods with 800 more taps!  Now we are collecting crystal clear sweet sap from about 2000 taps on 40 acres of maple woodland. In addition, we are purchasing raw sap from a neighboring sugar bush. With the added taps and some new equipment, we can make over 80 gallons of delicious pure maple syrup in a day when the sap is really running! Be sure to ride out to the woods to learn about the sap collection process, and ask about the "RO" when you are in the Sugar House visiting for a tour!"  If you want to keep up with what is happening at Critz Farms, join their ene
 
 
As found this morning on the Madison County Courier website:

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean that Central New Yorkers can’t enjoy locally-produced foods. Meadowood Farms and Circa Restaurant of Cazenovia have organized a “Fourth Saturday” Winter Farmers’ Market.
On Saturday Feb. 27, from 9 a.m. to noon, a group of local producers will gather at Circa Restaurant to sell their farm-raised products. Meadowood Farms will offer pasture-raised lamb and beef, wool blankets and sheepskins. They will be joined by several other local producers, including Ingallside Meadows Farm, selling pastured pork, beef, and eggs; Dutch Girl Cheese, selling artisan goat and cow’s milk cheeses; and Owen Tallman, selling gourmet mushrooms.
In addition, Alambria Springs of Lebanon will share information about their Community Supported Agriculture program.
Bee Tolman, manager of Meadowood Farms, explains that in past winters, her customers have had to come to the farm to pick up their lamb and beef.
“They risked life and limb, leaving the tropics of Cazenovia and Manlius, to brave the blasts of frozen precipitation up here on the ridge,” Tolman said. “Now our customers can pick up their meat in a warm place, even relax and have a cup of Alicyn’s coffee if they’d like.”
Furthermore, she says, it’s a nice environment for the farmers in the winter.
“Winter can be isolating,” Tolman said. “Now we get to chat with one another. I talk to Daniel [of Ingallside Meadows] about his pasture management and visit with Renata about her experiences making incredible cheese.”
Circa Restaurant’s chef and owner, Alicyn Hart, has long been a supporter of locally-produced food, Tolman said. All of the farmers at the Fourth Saturday market also supply her restaurant with menu ingredients.
“I like hosting this market because it offers my customers and the larger community an opportunity to meet the farmers who grow our food,” Hart said. “It’s an extension of the farm-to-fork initiative that I’ve been part of for the last four years.”
The Fourth Saturday Winter Farmers’ Market at Circa Restaurant will also be held Saturday, March 27 and Saturday, April 24, from 9 a.m. to noon. Circa Restaurant is located on Main Street by the traffic light in the center of Cazenovia.
The farmers at this new market invite everyone to come and discover the variety of local farm products available, even in the depths of winter.
 
 
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The annual Buy Local Week focusing on local farms and their products will be July 18-25th in 2010. The very popular Open Farm day will take place on the 25th.  You will be able to tour local farms, taste local products and even buy direct from the source.  Check out the Agriculture Economic Development site for more information and when we get closer to the date the Passport that will be available!
 
 
The fourth and final installment of the Tastes of New York State features Madison County once again.  This webisode shows off winter activities across that state and at the 5:42 mark of the video Madison County is featured.  They visited Critz Farms, Nelson Farms, the village of Hamilton and had dinner at the Copper Turret.  Check it out!
 
 
Create a stunning scarf in only a few hours and learn about the fastest-growing fiber technique called feltmaking. During class you will create an amazing lightweight fabric that will result in a beautifully soft and cozy scarf for the winter weather. Easy to learn, you will be felting a small amount of colored merino wool with the wet felting technique.  No felting experience is necessary. Come ready to get wet and roll your holiday cares away! 
Dates Offered: Saturday, Nov 7th, Sunday, Nov 29th or Sunday, Dec 13th
Time: 10AM to 4PM (Bring your lunch and a beverage)
Class Cost: $45.00 per person
Skill Level: Everyone
Instructor: Elizabeth Moldenhauer
Materials Cost: $20, payable to instructor 
Materials Required:
Instructor will supply merino wool & felting tools needed for class. Cost of wool for scarf - $20.00.
PLEASE BRING THE FOLLOWING:
·         Several sponges as well as a couple of newspaper bags or plastic grocery bags
·         Olive oil bar soap or dish soap
·         Quart size container
·         Several towels (2-3)
·         Scissors

OPTIONAL ITEMS TO EMBELLISH SCARF:
o   Needle and thread
o   Beads
o   Yarn- 75 – 150 yards of novelty yarn, ribbon yarn and/or wool yarn

Please call Elizabeth Moldenhauer - fibre artist
Fibre Heart Originals
118 Malden Road
Syracuse, NY 13211
315.214.8355
Email: emoldenhauer@twcny.rr.com

A portion of the class fee will benefit Divine Nature at BMR Acres Wildlife Rehabilitation.
All classes are held at BMR Acres, 2542 Pine Ridge Road, Canastota, NY 13032
For directions, call 315-697-5476 or go to www.bmracres.com
They will also host, "An Experience in Spinning", A one day spinning course.  This class is an introduction to spinning. Students will use a drop spindle, and will cover drafting techniques, different fiber types and preparations, and a bit of the history of the drop spindle.  Using a spindle is a very economical way to learn hand spinning for a beginner. They are inexpensive to buy, and also very easy to make.  Once you have mastered the spindle you will have learned the steps needed for spinning on the spinning wheel. During class you will have the opportunity to try spinning on a couple of different spinning wheels as well as various drop spindles.  

Skill Level: Beginner 
Instructor: Elizabeth Moldenhauer
Dates Course Offered: Sunday, Nov 1st, Sunday, Nov 22nd, or Saturday Dec. 5th
Time: 10:00am - 3:00pm
Class Cost: $40.00
Materials Cost: Will depend on fiber used and spindle choice
Class Size: 5 student maximum so reserve your place today!
Materials List:
·         Drop spindle  (available for purchase day of class) Drop Spindle Kit available for purchase in class ($10.00)
·         Ball winder and/or Niddy Noddy (optional)
·         Fiber – to be purchased the day of class with the instructor’s guidance 
·         Please bring your lunch and a beverage.  

Please call Elizabeth Moldenhauer - fibre artist

Fibre Heart Originals
118 Malden Road
Syracuse, NY 13211
315.214.8355
Email: emoldenhauer@twcny.rr.com
 

A portion of the class fee will benefit Divine Nature at BMR Acres Wildlife Rehabilitation.

All classes are held at BMR Acres, 2542 Pine Ridge Road, Canastota, NY 13032

For directions, call 315-697-5476 or go to www.bmracres.com