We really are blessed in Central New York to have great farmers and innovative entrepreneurs.  A lot of the time they are the same people. The incredible growth of what I like to call the "niche" farm here in Madison County over the past 5 years has been exciting.  Today I'll share some links from around the internet to stories about some of those farms and the unique things they do.  It's our way to salute the farmers, since we understand without farmers, there would be no food.

Our Farm to Offer Rhubarb Year Round (Cazenovia Republican) Jimmy and Janine Golub have long been some of our best innovators in agri-tourism.  Here they tell the story of their new Rhubarb product.

Drover Hill Farm Produces Natural Beef (Syracuse.com) It is an article from 2009, but William and Stephanie can be found all over CNY selling their beef to restaurants and at farmer's markets.

Brookfield Farmers Offer Some Off the Beaten Trail Comfort (Syracuse.com) Endless Trail Farms hosted last year's Fresh! Gala.  The Post Standard did a story about their farm and B&B.
Dairy Farmers Team up to Add Value with Butter (Lancaster Farming) Four Madison County Dairy Farms, including the host for the 2011 Fresh! Gala have teamed together to offer grass fed butter.

Cornell Hops Specialist on Tap to Promote New York Beer Production (Ithaca Journal) We've covered this before, but not from the Ithaca Journal.

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Rejoice in the season at the historic Earlville Opera House where you are invited to a Holiday Tea on Sunday December 19th from 2-4 p.m. in conjunction with our holiday sale. Decadent home-baked sweets will be served in the lovely Arts Cafe along with English tea or a spicy herbal brew. This year’s theme for the tea is an “Old Fashioned Country Christmas” for a warm and cozy respite from the season’s hustle and bustle.
The cost is $10 per person or $8 for members of the Earlville Opera House. Proceeds will support scholarships, artist fees and materials for the many music and art programs offered for youth at the Opera House including Circus Camp, Teen Acting and other workshops as well as free Family Series Events for young people and families. No reservations required.
Rosita Dickson painted the festive, original artwork to promote the Holiday Tea.  Prints will be on sale at the Opera House.
Bring your friends and enjoy shopping the 13th Annual Holiday Art Show and Sale featuring over 65 regional artists before you sit down to tea, served by our poised and smiling youth volunteers.
The Earlville Opera House is located in the heart of the village just off Route 12B between Hamilton and Sherburne. No reservations are required. The Arts Cafe is handicapped accessible.  Please visit www.earlvilleoperahouse.com for more information about the EOH season, to order tickets for this performance call (315) 691-3550.
Earlville Opera House events are made possible, in part, with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency, and through the generosity of Earlville Opera House members.
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Before you know it Mother's Day will be here.  This year we honor Mom on May 9th and she will be expecting something special.  Why go to the same old place in Utica or Syracuse for brunch or dinner when Madison County has so many great restaurants to offer.  Many of them will be offering special mother's day brunches or menus.  We will detail the ones that we know about after the jump.  So come along and plan your Mother's Day brunch right here in Madison County.
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A note came in this morning from Stephanie at Drover Hill Farm B&B.  They are located in Earlville only minutes from Hamilton and Colgate University.  She wanted to remind me that they are less than a mile from one of the main trails in the southern part of Madison County.  They wanted to offer a special to snowmobilers this winter.  Stay two nights at their awesome country B&B and get the third night absoulutley free.  Ride for hundreds of  miles in every direction and save on your hotel stay.  With a foot of new snow on the ground, now is the time to book your deal.

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Can you believe that the leaves are changing ALREADY!? Summer is coming to a close a little too quick in my book. I hope you've had a chance to enjoy some of the great activities and events that have taken place this summer in our area. If you haven't had a chance to visit one of the local farmers markets....what are you waiting for? Get out there and pick up some delicious locally grown produce and hand crafted goods. There is no better time than now to take advantage of the fact that you live in a booming agricultural area. Whether you stop by a farmers market or just stop by a roadside stand...support your local farmers!

A few ideas for you to ponder are located in Cazenovia and Earlville. First, in Cazenovia at the Stone Quarry Art Park, an ongoing art exhibit continues this weekend. The Exhibition honors Rodger Mack, an important American Artist whose life was a significant influence on many artists and the world of Art. The gallery is open from 12-4pm. For more information, visit Stone Quarry Art Park.

Second, The Earlville Opera House Presents: Pine Leaf Boys: Traditional Cajun and Creole. The Pine Leaf Boys have made a name for presenting their own inimitable brand of traditional Cajun and Creole music with youthful exuberance. Being described as, "... the link that connects the young and the old generations," and, "the best new, energetic, and fun Cajun band in a very long time," the Pine Leaf Boys play the old fashion dance hall standards while making a point to bring many of the more obscure songs of past masters into their repertoire and play them with gusto. The show begins at 8pm on Saturday night. For more information on this or any EOH show, or for ticket information, please visit, The Earlville Opera House.  

The forecast says its supposed to be a hot one this weekend so check our events calendar for events and activities perfect for you and your family. Get outside and be active...enjoy the weather while its here.  

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Don't you wish winter flew by as fast as summer does around here? If you haven't been keeping track...we're well into JULY! It has been a beautiful summer so far. I hope you have been taking advantage of all of the great, local events that have taken place. There are many more events to come before the summer comes to an end. The second weekend in July is sure to have something that will catch your eye. Lets see...

Brookfield - The 169th Annual Madison County Fair: I can hear you now saying to yourself, "where the heck is Brookfield"? :) Well I'm glad you asked...Thanks to the wonder of technology, I have placed a map below for your convenience: (aren't I crafty?) The Madison County Fair is one of the longest running County Fairs in the Country.

Take a short ride through the beautiful countryside this weekend. This fair offers all the elements of a traditional agricultural fair: animals, agricultural exhibits, contests, pageants and shows. What would a fair be without carnival rides, games and my favorite..food...you'll have all of this and more. Have I mentioned the best part yet? General admission is just $2 (under age 5 free everyday/over age 60 free on July 10th). So bring all of your family members and begin a tradition. The organizers of the Madison County Fair have developed a slogan that I just love, "Family entertainment that won't break the bank or empty your tank". With the way that prices are soaring today, I think we are all searching for something that won't break the bank or empty our tanks. Additional activities taking place include, King's Smash'em Crash'em Demolition Derby & Rollover Contest ($5.00), a Truck Pull ($4.00) and a Tractor Pull ($4.00). The Madison County Fair will take place the 10th-13th. For specific times and a detailed event schedule visit the Madison County Fair website or call 315-899-5836.

Cazenovia - Summertime with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra Concert at Lorenzo: Here is your opportunity to see the famed Syracuse Symphony Orchestra for FREE. I couldn't think of a more beautiful place to watch the orchestra outdoors than on the lawn at Lorenzo State Historical Site. The concert begins at 8pm on Friday evening. Bring the whole family for this culturally rich performance. For more information, visit The Syracuse Symphony Orchestra website or call 315-655-3200.

Earlville - The Earlville Opera House Presents Quiet Riot - Storytelling Duo Extraordinaire: Friday at 11am. This event is part of a FREE family series that the EOH will host all summer. Quiet Riot is the perfect show to bring the kids to. The show is performed by two hilarious brothers that use the underlying message of conflict resolution to entertain and educate children and parents. To learn more about the duo or to get tickets visit the EOH website or call 315-691-3550.

So there you have it, a weekend packed with family oriented events. To view all of the events that are happening this weekend visit our website Madison County Tourism. 

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