As people drive through the countryside they may notice crops growing in the fields, cattle grazing in the pastures or a farm barn or a silo standing alongside the road. But this brief look doesn’t tell them the story of what it takes to grow our food.
To bring local agriculture closer to the public, the CCE of Monroe – Agriculture Program has organized “Four Seasons Farm Tours,” free and open to the public events. During each season a different farm will be featured, each with a number of interactive activities for visitors to explore. Participants will have an opportunity to see, touch and taste the farm produce, meet the farmers and food producers and learn from them about the methods and technologies used to grow our food.
Schutt’s Apple Mill, a four-generation farm known for growing one of the finest apples in New York State, will host the winter leg of the series on Saturday, February 15, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 1063 Plank Road, Webster.
There will be a wide range of activities for of all ages, including games, face painting, and a tractor to climb on. The cider press facility and apple packing house, spaces that are normally inaccessible to the public, will be open for people to learn about the apple cider pressing and long-term apple storage. These two stops will be paired with the cider tasting and apple sampling. For those who are interested in hard cider making, the tap-room will be open for questions and purchases. In addition, Master Gardener Volunteers and 4-H members will demonstrate garden-type activities such as flowering branch “forcing” and plan propagation.
One of the attractions at each farm will be a farm quiz. Visitors can pick up a quiz sheet upon their arrival and go find the answers by visiting stations set up through the farm. Knowledgeable farm staff will man the stations and provide commentary at each. Quiz participants will get a 10 percent discount when they hand in a completed quiz, and will be entered into a drawing for a gift card. The drawing will be done at the end of each farm event.
For information, visit https://bit.ly/2RAmMkf or contact Jarmila Haseler at 753-2550 or jh954@cornell.edu.
Provided information
