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Last year it was a report of a gentle giant roaming the hills of Madison County, in past years, Stratocasters, ladybugs, eagles and horses have graced the fields of Jimmy and Janine Golub. This year Golub’s Our Farm has designed its corn maze to look like an ice cream cone to celebrate a once in a lifetime visit to their farm by Jerry Greenfield, the co-founder of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream!

Jerry is an old personal friend of the Golubs, and he is personally driving a car full of ice cream from his factory in Vermont. On Saturday the 16th, Jerry will scoop Ben & Jerry's ice cream until it's all gone. "I'm really excited to see for myself what Jimmy and Janine have created on their farm....I mean Our Farm. I want to experience everything, the corn maze, hayride, the horse, pumpkin picking, and maybe Jimmy will let me pull the trigger on Boris, the catapult. They say pumpkins do fly", says Jerry. If you choose to come that weekend you could meet Jerry and enjoy all that Our Farm has to offer.

Our Farm is an award winning family farm that has been growing and selling farm fresh produce at a roadside stand since 1985. In the fall of 1988, horse rides, a petting zoo, hayrides, and U-pick pumpkins began. In 2007, Our Farm was granted the Emily Marshall Champion of Tourism Award given to the business in Madison County that has had great impact on tourism in the County.

Our Farm is open to the public starting on the weekend of October 2nd from 1-5PM. They will be open every weekend and Columbus Day through the month of October (stand is open every day). There is a $5 admission charge that covers all activities (horse ride, hay ride, petting zoo, corn maze, catapult). The only additional charge would be for pumpkins or refreshments purchased. We are also available to school and other groups on weekdays by reservations. Call 655-8453 for week day group rates.

There is a barn that serves as an indoor picnic area with educational displays. These displays focus on wool, dairy, and horses. Our Farm can accommodate week day groups of up to 125 at a time. For the fifth year, Boris, the trebuchet, will be throwing pumpkins, to the delight of the public. This popular spectacle is exhilarating. Click here to see this actually happen when a local newscaster came to see Boris. It is without a doubt one of the best fall family locations in all of Central New York!

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Wolf Oak Acres in Oneida is hosting a weekend of great fun for all on October 15-17 with its annual Balloon, Wine and Farmer’s Market Festival. The fun starts Friday night as the gates open at 4pm and the first balloon launch taking place within minutes!  The harvest festival grounds are open for regular admission to provide: 10 acre corn maze, pig races, gem mining, corn cannons, pedal carts, pumpkins, FAMILY MOVIE & Free Glowsticks for kids (sponsored by Price Chopper) and more!

On Saturday Wolf Oak Acres Harvest Festival grounds open at 10 am, along with the Pride of NY wine and farm market tents.  At 7am and 4pm there will be balloon launches. Vendor tents close at 5pm - but do have the option of remaining open until festival grounds close at 10pm. Stay for the night maze, family movie & free glowsticks for kids at the harvest festival (sponsored by Price Chopper). At 8 pm you do not want to miss the balloon glow followed by fireworks.

On Sunday, there will be a balloon launch at 7am (open free for public viewing). The Wolf Oak Acres Harvest Festival grounds open at 10 am, along with the Pride of NY wine and farm market tents, until 5pm. Last balloon launch is at 4pm.

Wolf Oak Acres is open EVERY weekend this October and can be found just outside of the City of Oneida along Creek Road. Admission is $7.50 for all ages 3 and up. Group pricing is available for 10 or more people.

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Wolf Oak Acres will be host to their 3rd Annual Big Toys For Big Boys Weekend.  Their official Harvest Festival begins Friday night from 4-10pm with flashlight maze and family movie (Disney Pixar CARS - as a segway into the weekend events!) Saturday from 10am-10pm  and Sunday from 10-5pm the farm will have vendors from around CNY display and demo some unbelievable products!  Bobcat, Massey Ferguson, New Holland, tractors, implements and equipment will be on display.  Atv's, utv's, and amphibious vehicles (performing demos on the 2 acre pond), and more - including CNYBMX kids performing stunts and exhibitions, and live radio remotes.  NYS Champions - the Hayes Team will be bringing their award winning Super Stock Tractors for display as well!  
Regular harvest festival activities, including: 10 acre corn maze, pumpkin patch, wagon rides, pedal karts, cow train rides, duck derby, hay maze, corn crib, gem mining, corn cannons, spud slingers, jumping pillow and pig races are open Fridays through Sundays each weekend in October - through Halloween. 

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Wolf Oak Acres is the newest agri-tourism destination located in the heart of Central NY.  This past weekend marked the beginning of their third season, hosting an array of activities and events that will pack every moment of their seven week season. Everything fall can be found  on the 150 acre farm, nestled in the outlying valleys of Oneida.  Pumpkin patch, pig races, gem mining, pedal karts, animal barn, corn crib, corn cannon, spud slingshots, jumping pillow, a 10 acre corn maze and tons more.  Caramel apples, fudge, apple blossoms, cider, hot beef sundaes and a vast array of treats and foods are available. Hay bales, corn stalks, mums, and a huge variety of gourds and pumpkins are available for all of your fall décor.
Special events take place each weekend; including:  Sept. 25&26: Autism Fall Family Fun Weekend - families and persons affected by autism will receive discounted pricing  all weekend - those who are members of CNY Autism Society of America, Families for Effective Autism Treatment, or Dietary and Nutritional Intervention for Autism may register in advance with CNYASA or families may contact Wolf Oak Acres for information.  In October: Big Toys for Big Boys - hosting NYS Super stock tractor champions THE HAYES TEAM, antique and new tractors, implements, atvs, utvs, CNY BMX demos just to begin!  Single Action Shooters - cowboy trick shooting hosting competitions.  A Hot Air Balloon/ Pride of NY wine & farm market weekend - with live bands, balloon launches, balloon glow, fireworks, and unbelievable vendors selling all the best in local wines and fare. Farm Days - with farm themed events, games, and prizes; and Halloween Trick or Treating on the farm.  Friday and Saturday nights in October will be the flashlight maze and family movie nights this year sponsored by Price Chopper!
There's always tons to do and see, with activities for all ages - young and young at heart!  Weekends in September: Saturday and Sunday hours - 10-5pm, in October Flashlight maze and family movies will be hosted on Fridays 4-10 and Saturdays until 10pm, in addition to regular 10-5 hours.
For additional information on field trips, group outings, special events or anything else, contact: www.wolfoakacres.com or 315-762-3090.
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Wolf Oak Acres Corn Maze
Oftentimes I get asked "Just what is Agritourism?"  Well if I could bottle this upcoming weekend and hand it over to the inquisitive soul, they would have the perfect answer.  The best part about early fall in Central New York is the abundance of the harvest. This weekend we are all about it and I have some great ideas for you and your family to enjoy.  Don't forget to check out all of our events on our webpage.
1. Celebrate all things hops this weekend at the 15th annual Madison County Hop Fest.  From hop mustard, to great craft brews made with local hops, you will enjoy this educational, culinary, beer tasting event in Oneida.  Grounds open at 11, food and beer pairings are at noon, beer tasting begins at 2:30.
2. Have you ever wanted to see how honey is extracted from the bee hive?  Well this fall is your chance.  Tomorrow Johnston's Honeybee Farm will be open to the public for the annual extraction event. The honey house utilizes a gravity flow system that allows bottling of raw honey without the use of pumps. Located at 3653 State Route 26, half way between Eaton and West Eaton, the driveway is due north of the intersection of Bradley Brook Road and Route 26. Honey and candles will be available for sale; there is no charge for the demonstrations.
3. It is the annual Fall Migration Festival at the Great Swamp Conservancy in Canastota.  It's Madison County's only nature center and they will be celebrating fall this weekend with an antique show and Kids Konservation Days. 10am-4pm.  There will be environmental displays, food, music, and outdoor fun to highlight the day. $2/adults $1 children..
4. Critz Farms is open for the season.  Come and see the Harvest Moon Cider Press in action.  Taste fresh cider, shop at the Balsam Barn Gift Shop and explore the Firetruck Corn Maze.  You will find pumpkins galore as it is one of the biggest crops in a long time!  They are honoring firefighters this weekend with free admission.
5. Wolf Oak Acres is open for the season.  This year their corn maze features hot air balloons.  This week is their Live to Learn Teacher Appreciation weekend.  If you are a teacher and you received a post card from Wolf Oak Acres your admission is free.
6. Farmer's Markets-- Of course the farmer's markets in Cazenovia and Hamilton are overflowing with a huge selection of fruits and vegetables grown locally by local farmers.  Get out and enjoy the bounty!
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Time to get the pumpkins and fall decorations out.  Two of Madison County's biggest and best agritourism venues open for the season tomorrow morning.  Critz Farms in Cazenovia and Wolf Oak Acres will open their gates to thousands of families looking to have a great time.
At Critz their opening weekend is also the start of cider pressing at the Harvest Moon Cider Mill.  There will also be live music, the cafe will be open and you can enjoy their famous apple fritters.  One of the highlights of the fall festival is the corn maze and this year it is a tip of the hat to our wonderful volunteer firefighters with a firetruck corn maze.  Firefighters and their families get in free this weekend.
Over in Oneida at Wolf Oak Acres, they open the season and their corn maze Saturday too.  They will be honoring hard working teachers with their Live to Learn Weekend.  It means free admission for teachers if they bring the postcard they received in the mail with them.  The corn maze at Wolf Oak Acres this year focuses on Hot Air Balloons which reminds us to remind you to mark your calendar for the 2010 Pride of NY Wine, Farm Market and Balloon weekend October 15, 16 and 17. 

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Michelle Gabel, Syracuse.com
The Northeast Hop Alliance will be celebrating its second 2010 Field Days event, the Hop Pickin’ Picnic, August 28th from 10am-3pm at Foothill Hops Farm in Munnsville, NY. Tickets are $10 for NeHA members and $20 for non-members. A delicious lunch will be provided by Holy Smoke BBQ along with thirst-quenching samples of Empire Brewing Company’s Empire State Pale Ale – brewed by Brewmaster Tim Butler with 100% local hops grown from Foothill Hops Farm. To register, please call 315-684-3001 ext. 125. The Northeast Hop Alliance is 501(c)(6) not-for-profit created to reestablish a hop culture in New York and the Northeast and to preserve the hop heritage and architecture of the past.
Kate and Larry Fisher, owners of Foothill Hops Farm (Larry is also President of the Northeast Hop Alliance) have been growing and selling hops for 9 years. They started with one rhizome in 2001 and have grown their operation to over 2,000 hills. The Hop Pickin’ Picnic provides a hands-on opportunity to walk through the hop fields and see the Foothill Hops harvester and separator – build by Larry using expired patents. The Fishers will be harvesting Willamette and Cascade varieties this year along with several varieties of certified organic hops. The Fishers sell pelletized and dry leaf hops to local breweries and home brewers. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to witness a small-scale “field to dryer” operation.
Following the Hop Pickin’ Picnic will be an exquisitely prepared four course dinner and beer pairing at the Ye Olde Landmark Tavern in Bouckville. Cooperstown Brewery will be in attendance to showcase their variety of brews. The dinner will begin at 5pm and is $40 per person, tax and gratuity not included. Seating is limited, so call (315) 893-1810 to reserve your seat today. If you are traveling from far, the Ye Olde Landmark also has a limited number of colonial style rooms still available for an overnight stay. To reserve a room, call (315) 893-1810. The dinner and beer pairing menu is as follows:

Summer Vegetable Terrine
Arugula pesto, parmesan crisp
Nine Man Golden Ale

Spicy Corn Soup
cilantro oil, crispy tortilla
Back Yard India Pale Ale

Grilled Pork Loin
molasses barbecue sauce, toasted barley salad, roasted green beans
Strike Out Stout

Pecan Brownie Tort
buttermilk ice cream, caramel sauce
Benchwarmer Porter

The Hop Pickin’ Picnic is brought to you by the Northeast Hop Alliance, Madison County Agricultural Economic Development Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County, New York State Brewers Association, Madison County Tourism, and the Empire Brewing Company.
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The culmination of Madison County’s Buy Local Week 2010 is the third annual Open Farm Day on Saturday, July 24, from 10 am to 4 pm at 37 farms and 3 farmers markets throughout the county.  Buy Local Week's feature event is an opportunity to experience first-hand the work that goes into the food we eat and the local products we consume.
 
Hosted by Madison County's Agricultural Economic Development Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County, Open Farm Day showcases the broad variety of “local” available to Central New Yorkers – organic and hydroponic produce; elk, sheep, goats, alpacas, and llamas; chickens and eggs; perennial and annual greenhouse vegetables and ornamental plants; grains milled into flour and cereal; cider and honey; Angus and Kobe beef; milk, yogurt, cheese, and butter.
 
An Open Farm Day “Passport” can be downloaded from http://madisoncountyagriculture.com/buylocalweek/2010passport.pdf and provides everything you need to visit the farms of your choice, including a full description of each farm, as well as address, phone number, and owners’ names.   Once en route, “Open Farm Day” stop signs will identify participating farms, which are divided into four regions:  Region 1 – Sullivan, Lenox, Canastota, Wampsville, Oneida, Chittenango, and Lincoln; Region 2 – Fenner, Cazenovia, Nelson, DeRuyter, and Georgetown; Region 3 – Stockbridge, Smithfield, Munnsville, Eaton, and Madison; and Region 4 – Lebanon, Hamilton, Brookfield, and Earlville.
 
Participating farms will offer tours and rides, free samples, farm stands and stores, and supervised interaction with and observation of a variety of animals. Collect a stamp from at least three farms to qualify for a special Buy Local prize at the last farm visited. Visitors to farms in all four regions will be eligible for the Grand Prize – a weekend stay at Endless Trails Farm Bed and Breakfast in Hubbardsville.
 
Local sponsors of Buy Local Week include Price Chopper, Cazenovia Equipment, National Grid, Cornell University’s Cooperative Extension of Madison County, Central New York Bounty, Madison County Tourism, Shapna Tea and Coffee, Off the Path Media, and Serendipity Catering.
 
Complete information on Open Farm Day 2010 can be found online at http://madisoncountyagriculture.com/buylocalweek.  A printable map of farm locations is available at http://madisoncountyagriculture.com/buylocalweek/2010map.pdf.  For more information on Madison County’s Agricultural Economic Development Program, visit www.madisoncountyagriculture.com.

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Summer is in full swing and so are all the fun events that make Central New York such a great place to live and visit.  Here are a few events that you don't want to miss this weekend:
1. Fresh Gala-- The FRESH! Gala will be held on Sunday and it is a fund-raising event that celebrates the diversity and vibrancy of Madison County agriculture. The Fresh! Gala will be held at Endless Trails Farm in Hubbardsville with local food prepared by Serendipity Catering, live music, a silent auction, and beer from the Empire Brewery made with Foothill Hops Farm hops. You can still get tickets for the event at Price Chopper and a few will be available at the door.
2. Cazenovia Counterpoint--A festival of contemporary music, art & writing featuring regional artists, CNY natives & guests, presented by the Society of New Music. This 30th year of the festival features The Arts & the Natural World 'ear to the ground & eyes toward heaven'
3. Lorenzo Driving Competition --Join us for the 32nd annual driving competition. Horse and carriage driving competition featuring tests of skill, timing, and style. Exhibits, sales, refreshments, demonstrations. The show runs 8am until 5pm both days and admission is free.
4. Farmer's Markets-- The bounty from Central New York's fields is on full display at farmer's markets in Oneida, Cazenovia, Canastota, and Hamilton this weekend.  Find a ton of fresh produce and support your local farmers.
5. Family Day of Croquet -- Abolitionist Gerrit Smith liked to play a game or two of croquet daily during the summer. In honor of Smith’s summer recreation on a court near his house, the Grounds Squad of the Gerrit Smith Estate National Historic Landmark has planned a Family Day of Croquet on Sunday, July 18 from 2 – 6 p.m. on the grounds of Smith’s 19th Century home. The event will be attended by local croquet enthusiasts and a group dressed in croquet outfits. Croquet can be played by amateurs of all ages, and is enjoying a national resurgence. The public is urged to join in reviving this tradition. Croquet attire of the 19th or 21st Century is encouraged but not required.
Now you have no excuses when someone tells you there is nothing to do this weekend.  Don't forget our event page for a full listing of things happening in and around CNY this weekend.
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Madison County’s Agricultural Economic Development Program is hosting the Fresh! Gala this coming Sunday, July 18th from 3-6pm at Endless Trails Farm in Hubbardsville.  Endless Trails Farm and Guesthouse, owned and operated by Dave and Pam Williams is located at 8856 Larkin Road in Hubbardsville.  The farm raises grass fed beef, which is marketed under the Sunnybrook Farm label.
The Fresh! Gala at this unique venue promises a great time for everyone with its beautiful setting in the outdoor covered pavilion, featuring: a local foods dinner prepared by Serendipity Catering with seared Meadows Farm Kobe beef, Meadowood Farm lamb kabobs with sheep’s milk yogurt tzatziki, and Drover Hill smoked ham with Split Rail Farm apple chutney; beer made by the Empire Brewing Company with hops grown in Madison County at Foothill Hops Farm; live music by Larry Hoyt and the Good Acoustics; and, a silent auction. Funds raised will be used to support the mission of the Agricultural Economic Development Program.
Ticket prices are $35 per person or $65 per couple and are available at ten Price Chopper stores: 142 Genesee Street in Oneida; Madison Marketplace on Route 12B north of Hamilton; 1917 Genesee Street and the North Utica Shopping Center in Utica; 1790 Black River Blvd. in Rome; 4535 Commercial Drive in New Hartford; 2525 Erie Blvd and 4713 Onondaga Blvd. in Syracuse; 3863 State Route 31 in Liverpool; and, 5701 East Circle Drive in Cicero.  Tickets are also available online at www.MadisonCountyAgriculture.com and must be purchased prior to the event. For more information, including a map and directions, visit www.MadisonCountyAgriculture.com.

Sponsors of Buy Local Week include Price Chopper, Cazenovia Equipment, National Grid, Madison County’s Agricultural Economic Development Program, Empire Brewery, Cornell University’s Cooperative Extension of Madison County, Central New York Bounty, Madison County Tourism, Shapna Tea and Coffee, and Serendipity Caterers.

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