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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