2011 Farmhearts Fellowship Awarded

Victoria Lesser, Bruce Ferguson, Laurie McFadden, Michael Lang and Heather Carlucci

of the Farmhearts Board present funding toward the Farmhearts Fellowship to WAC staff

and 2011 Fellow,

Sonia Persichilli.

We are thrilled to announce Sonia Janiszewski Persichilli as the recipient of the 2011 Farmhearts Fellowship. This position has been made possible through an award from Farmhearts, a Sullivan County-based organization with a mission to preserve the environmental integrity and economic sustainability of agricultural regions by supporting family farms. In 2011, the Fellow will work to advance beginning farmer programming in the Catskills region.

The first item of work will be the formation of a CRAFT (Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training) chapter. CRAFT is a national model that provides networking and educational opportunities for beginning farmers. Sonia’s work will also include the launch of Catskills FarmLink, a website linking land seekers with available properties.

A Delaware County native, Sonia recently returned to the Catskills with ten years’ experience in communications, marketing and events management. As a third -generation farmer passionate about the future of farming in New York State, Sonia plans to utilize her skills actively promoting agriculture and the region’s farming legacy and opportunities. Sonia currently runs her own freelance business, working with farmers, Farm Catskills and other organizations and businesses to develop marketing and communications strategies and tactics. Throughout her career, Sonia has worked with a wide range of clients from nonprofits to Fortune 100 companies, such as BAE Systems, Honeywell, DSM and Performance Fibers.

Product development and marketing grant application now open!

Members of the Pure Catskills buy local campaign are encouraged to apply for the 2011 round of product development and marketing grants. Pure Catskills members include farms, retailers, farmer’s markets, restaurants and food-related organizations that support the local food system throughout Delaware, Greene, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan and Ulster Counties.

Proposals will be accepted in two categories: Product Development and Marketing and Education. Applications are due May 20th. For full details, view the application materials. Questions regarding the application process will be accepted via email to Challey Comer at ccomer@nycwatershed.org until May 10th.

In 2010, 15 grants were awarded to implement diverse projects including livestock processing, farm to school initiatives and agritourism events.

Views from the field: Gideon Frisbee

The sap house at the Frisbee Farm. Photo courtesy of Jeremy Pickens.

Today's "View from the field" is a spring update from Gideon Frisbee of Riverdale Farm & Forest in Delhi. Riverdale was the recipient of a Pure Catskills grant to diversify their line of maple products through the purchase of a filter press. The farm is now able to market their syrup in a wider variety of sizes and containers.

Greetings from Riverdale Farm & Forest in Delhi NY. We’ve made it through the month of March, dodged the latest snowstorms, and are thinking SPRING! It is a busy time of the year for us in many aspects of our operation. We have two new calves in our grass fed beef herd and more to come any day. Our first batch of feeder pigs will be here this weekend and meat chickens are coming next month. Most of our time right now is spent in the sap house, producing pure maple syrup from our 800-900 taps. It has been an excellent year and it is not over yet. Many producers in the area are very happy with the season, especially after a very poor season last spring.

We are excited this year to be using our new 7” short bank filter press that we were able to purchase with the assistance of a Pure Catskills Sustainable Agricultural Development Grant in 2010. This machine has allowed us to expand our packaging capabilities to not only include our usual Catskill Mountain Pure plastic jugs but also new decorative glass containers. The use of a filter press allows us to package a beautifully clear product with no fine particles or sugar sand that could have easily been seen in a glass container otherwise. We have focused on packaging in a 250 ml size glass maple leaf which has been very popular amongst our customers. The fancier packaging is great for gifts, and our customers are buying more syrup than usual for this reason.

As we enter into April, we hope that Mother Nature cooperates and extends our already successful maple season a bit longer. If not, there is always plenty more work around the farm to be done!

Farm to Market Connection success!

We are grateful to the over 150 farm and food business people who came out for this year's Farm to Market Connection. The event covered topics including buying clubs, local flour production, financing local food business and much more. We've already received some great input for next year's event and heard about business connections made!

Ken Jaffe of Slope Farms and Andrew Tarlow of Diner and Marlow & Sons speak about nose-to-tail beef utilization during a workshops session.

Dave Peake of Cowbella with Allison Bennett of Red Jacket Orchards.

Brett and Sara Budde of Majestic Farm.

Mark Harvey of Good Fields Farm with Denise Warren of Stone & Thistle Farm.

Fielding questions from the audience during the Buyer's Panel.

A great showing for "The Greenhorns" at the Catskill Arts Society.

Local farmers and food enthusiasts packed the Catskill Arts Society gallery on Saturday night for a screening of "The Greenhorns." This recently released documentary film profiles young farmers across America. Check out the trailer of the film along with some photos from the event below.

Stay tuned or contact us for details on additional screenings across the Catskills region this summer and fall!

Patrick Kiley of the Greenhorns with Paul of Gorzynski Ornery Farm.

Sampling Living Leaf Kimchi with Pepacton Natural Foods.

Ann Manby with her Sugar Blossoms Flowers bouquets and Rick Pereira of

Manifold Custom Design.

Victoria Lesser of the Old North Branch Inn with Trina Pilonero of

Silver Heights Farm Nursery.

The crowd gathers around the Main Street Farm goods!

Maple Weekend and more

Glass bottles from Catskill Mountain Sugar House last summer at the farmers' market.

The sap is running and the region is covered in sweet events to help you connect with our syrup makers. The New York State Maple Producers Association organizes a series of open (sap) houses, demonstrations and tastings across the state as part of Maple Weekend.

Plan a visit in the coming two weekends - March 19 - 20 & 26 - 27. Follow the links for details on the dozens of participating farms in the Pure Catskills region:

Participating farms in Delaware County

Delaware County pancake breakfasts:

North Franklin Maple Syrup Company

13501 Route 357

Franklin, NY

Saturday & Sunday, 8 am to 1 pm

Both weekends

Col. Harper Grange #1508

Shaver-Hill Maple Farm

450 Shaver Road

Harpersfield, NY

Pancakes, sausage, fruit, applesauce, coffee, tea, milk, juice. Real maple syrup.

March 26th 9am-4pm

March 27th 9am-4pm

Greene County pancake breakfast:

Sugar Moon Maple

West Kill-Lexington Community Center

141 Spruceton Road

West Kill, NY

March 27 only

Participating farms in Otsego County

Participating farms in Schoharie County

Schoharie County pancake breakfasts:

Maple Hill Farm

Maple Syrup & Organic Pancakes at Grapevine Farms

2373 State Route 7

Cobleskill, NY

Serving Pancakes every weekend in March from 9-3

Phone: (518) 234-9148

Stone House Farms

305 Lynk Road

Sharon Springs, NY

Saturday & Sunday, 8 am to 1 pm

both weekends

Phone: (518) 284-2476

Participating farms in Ulster County

Located in Sullivan County? Slow Food Upper Delaware River Valley has organized a tour to five farms in the county on March 19th. The tour includes Porkupine Lodge, Muthig Farm, Justus Asthalter Maple Syrup, Catskill Mountain Sugar House and Thunder Hill Sugar Shack. Each stop along the way will include demonstrations and tastings. The event fee is $20 per person or $30 per couple. All proceeds will benefit Community Unity. For more details, contact Clair Sullivan at (845) 557-3642 or upderiva@gmail.com.

In the Hudson Valley? Check out the Hudson Valley Food Network's guide to Maple Syrup Festivals.

Now's the time to join a CSA

Tannis Kowalchuck of Willow Wisp Organic Farm with her fantastic cut flowers.

Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, is an increasingly popular way to grow your connection with a farm in your community. Members of a CSA receive a regular, often weekly, box of vegetables after purchasing a share in the farm each spring. Many farms offer optional add-on shares of local products including fruit, flowers and eggs. Additional contact information and details on each unique share programs are in links included below.

Learn more about joining a CSA from Local Harvest.

GORZYNSKI ORNERY FARM, Cochecton Center -- Pick up at the farm. Contact John or Sue at (845) 252-7570.

LUCKY DOG FARM, Hamden -- Pick up at Lucky Dog Farm Store. Certified Organic. Optional egg share. Contact Holley at (607) 746-8383 or haw@delhitel.net.

MOUNTAIN DELL FARM, Hancock -- Pick up on the farm and in Hancock. Farmer’s Pledge. Contact Lisa or Mark at (607) 467-4034 or mldunau@tds.net.

NEVERSINK FARM, Claryville -- Pick up at the farmstand on Saturdays. Certified Organic. Optional flower and egg shares. Contact Conor at (845) 985-2519 or farmer@neversinkfarm.com.

RUSTY PLOUGH FARM, Ellenville -- Multi-farm collaborative; choice of pick-up locations in Ulster and Sullivan counties. Certified Organic. Online buying club arrangement with weekly customer choice of products. Also offering seedlings, crafts and pastured pork shares. Contact Oleh at (845) 647-6911 or rustyplough@earthlink.net.

STONELEDGE FARM, South Cairo -- Pick up on the farm and at additional regional locations. Certified Organic. Optional of low-spray fruit, honey and maple shares. Contact Kathleen at (518) 622-9963 or kokeefe@mhcable.com.

STONY CREEK FARM, Walton -- Pick up locations in Oneonta, Franklin and on the farm. Optional working share. Contact Kate at (607) 865-7965 or kate@stonycreekfarm.org.

BIG SKY FARM, Schenevus -- Pick up in Cooperstown. Optional egg, meat and cider shares. Contact Vali or Marybeth at (607) 638-9016 or info@bigskyfarm.org.

WILLOW WISP ORGANIC FARM, Damascus, PA -- Pick up on the farm. Summer shares (June to November) and Winter shares (December to May) available. Certified Organic. Contact Greg or Tannis at (570) 224-8013 or greg@willowwisporganic.com.