Catskill Regional Conference a sold out success!

A huge thanks to the over 125 farmers, educators and residents who came out for the Catskill Regional Dairy and Livestock Conference last week. We were thrilled to see the amount of interest in our workshops on the dairy industry, livestock processing and renewable energy. Get more details in the coverage by the Daily Star.

Tom Recinella of the SUNY-Delhi Culinary Program speaks in the Livestock Track.

Barb Hanselman of Del-Rose Farm gave a moving lunchtime keynote address.

Michael Pollan dines on Catskills foods in NYC

Grub Street has posted a New York Diet from Micheal Pollan's week promoting his new book in New York. We're pleased to see he's a fan of the Catskills! He name drops Murray's Chicken, Snowdance Farm, Violet Hill Farm and dines at Bubby's - a committed buyer from Slope Farms.

Here are a couple highlights:

"Dinner, I had a book event downtown at Barnes & Noble and afterward we went to Bubby's. I had a salad and pulled barbeque pork butt. The reason I had that was I had met the owner earlier in the day and I’d learned a lot about how he sources his meat; I know he's getting really good pork from small farms who are growing it sustainably, Snowdance Farm. Normally I don't have meat in restaurants unless I know that kind of information. The pork was excellent. It had been very slow cooked, eighteen hours or something, over applewood."

"If I lived in New York I'd probably not eat very much chicken and what I did eat I'd probably get at the farmers' market. If I recall, there was a terrific producer at the Union Square Farmers' Market, Violet Hill; I remember having one of his chickens once and being kind of blown away. You don't get all this right every time you eat."

Read more: Michael Pollan Forages for Chanterelles, Doesn’t Sweat Unsustainable Sushi

Passing the farm on the next generation

Today's Daily Star features an article on an exciting happening for our region - a new dairy farm! It's a great story on a partnership formed between a young couple and retired farmer.

Read the whole story: Family lives dream of owning dairy farm

Members in the news: Delaware Phoenix Distillery

Congratulations to Cheryl Lins of the Delaware Phoenix Distillery in Walton on her recent feature in the New York Times. Check out the full-length article and great photos: “A Unique Spirit, and So Is Her Absinthe” or visit the distillery webpage for more details.

Beef Marketing Tour photos

Nearly 50 farmers came out for our Beef Marketing Tour on December 4th. Three beef operations in Columbia County, NY shared insights on their experience in direct customer sales, farmers’ markets and livestock sales.

Dan Gibson of Grazin' Angus Acres in Ghent speaks to the crowd on the importance of educating customers about your products.

The sunsets over the egg mobiles on the Grazin' Acres.

Here, Phil Trowbridge of Trowbridge Angus (far right) in Ghent speaks about his barnyard management practices.


Bruce and Justin Conover discuss the integration of pork in to their beef marketing at Sir William Angus in Craryville.

A great guide to local holiday gift giving!

The Mountain Eagle newspaper in Stamford has posted a great guide for local holiday gifts in the Catskills region. Have a look at ideas for wool products, general stores and outings!

Trailer Talk Picnic videos

Counter Wine Bar and Bistro in New York City has posted a series of videos from this summer's Trailer Talk Picnic series.

Videos feature Joseph Lennon of Slow Food Upper Delaware River Valley, Trina Pilonero of Silver Heights Farm Nursery and numerous other neighbors from the Catskills region.

Head over to their You Tube Channel for the series.