Photo by Tom Rivers: A farmer harvests soybeans on East Barre Road in Barre on Oct. 13, 2019.
Press Release, Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County
KNOWLESVILLE – “Farming Under Pressure,” a stress management and suicide prevention workshop designed for farmers, farm families, growers, and agricultural professionals will occur at the Orleans County Fairgrounds.
The workshop will take place on March 19 beginning 8:30 a.m. at 12690 State Route 31, Albion, in the Harrington Classroom. The presentation is open to growers and members of the public.
This educational session will feature speakers from FarmNet and GOW Pathway to Hope. Together, they will address the unique pressures facing those in agriculture and provide practical tools to support mental wellness in farming communities.
Topics will include:
Common stressors in agriculture and how they impact mental health
Practical stress management tools participants can use immediately
Warning signs of suicide risk
How to start conversations and support someone who may be struggling
Available local and regional resources for farmers
Farming is demanding work. Long hours, financial pressure, isolation, and unpredictable conditions can take a toll. This workshop is designed to provide practical guidance in a respectful, stigma free environment and to strengthen support networks within the agricultural community.
The program is offered in partnership with FarmNet, Tobacco-Free, and GOW Pathway to Hope.
There is no cost to attend. Pre-registration is not required.
Apples, onions, cabbage among the crops eligible for payments
Press Release, US Department of Agriculture
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing $1 billion in Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers Program assistance for specialty crops and sugar, commodities not covered through the previously announced Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program.
These one-time bridge payments will help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation, and market losses from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impede exports. Specialty crop producers have until March 13 to report 2025 acres to USDA’s Farm Service Agency.
“President Trump has the backs of our farmers, and today we are building on our Farmer Bridge Assistance program with the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers Program,” said Secretary Rollins. “Our specialty crop producers continue to feel the negative effects of four years under the Biden Administration, suffering from record inflation, a depleted farm safety net, and delayed disaster assistance.”
The Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers Program is authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act and will be administered by FSA.
ASCF payments are based on reported 2025 planted acres. Eligible farmers should ensure their 2025 acreage reporting is factual and accurate by 5 p.m. ET on March 13.
Commodity-specific payment rates will be released by the end of March. Crop insurance linkage will not be required for the ASCF Program. However, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage of the new One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) risk management tools to best protect against price risk and volatility in the future.
More information on ASCF is available online at www.fsa.usda.gov/fba or producers can contact their local FSA county office.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) joined Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and nine of their Senate Democratic colleagues in pressing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins to expedite and increase payouts, especially for specialty crop farmers, in disaster and economic assistance programs in the face of trade uncertainty, rising input costs, and natural disasters.
“Farmers across the country and in New York are facing soaring input costs, increasing uncertainty caused by this administration, and the growing impacts of natural disasters, and they cannot afford further delays in critical assistance,” said Senator Gillibrand. “New York’s farmers are the backbone of our Upstate economy, and I will continue pushing this administration to ensure farmers in New York and across the nation have the resources they need to thrive.”
“As farmers face continued trade uncertainty, rising input costs, and natural disasters, we encourage you to expedite economic and disaster assistance that will benefit all farmers, including specialty crop growers,” wrote the senators. “While significant assistance flowed quickly to farmers in the summer and fall, payments were limited to 35 percent of approved applications.”
“As a result, less than $6 billion out of the $16 billion available has been paid out to farmers more than a year after Congress provided the funds and nearly three years after some farmers faced losses,” the senators continued. “Farmers are talking to their lenders right now to make plans. Adjusting the factor and making additional top-up payments now will expedite assistance now when farmers need it most.”
The senators also highlighted that of “the Farmer Bridge Assistance program of $12 billion, just $1 billion of that total is for specialty crops, sugarbeets, and other crops.” The senators urged USDA to develop “a program that reflects the unique needs of specialty crop growers. We also encourage you to ensure this assistance truly meets the needs of all farmers.”
Along with Gillibrand, Klobuchar and Slotkin, the letter was signed by Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Tina Smith (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD).
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 January 2026 at 8:34 am
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced the per-acre payment rates in the $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance Program.
The money comes at a time for a reeling agricultural sector that is seeing higher costs from tariffs and inflation, and shrinking markets for their crops, especially from a trade war with China.
“These one-time payments give farmers the bridge to continue to feed and clothe America and the world while the Trump Administration continues opening new markets and strengthening the farm safety net,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins said on Dec. 31. “USDA is making this process as simple and seamless as possible so producers can focus on what they do best – feeding and fueling our nation.”
The funding includes $11 billion in one-time payments.
These are payment rates per acre for the FBA eligible commodities:
Barley: $20.51
Canola: $23.57
Chickpeas (Large): $26.46
Chickpeas (Small): $33.36
Corn: $44.36
Cotton: $117.35
Flax: $8.05
Lentils: $23.98
Mustard: $23.21
Oats: $81.75
Peanuts: $55.65
Peas: $19.60
Rice: $132.89
Safflower: $24.86
Sesame: $13.68
Sorghum: $48.11
Soybeans: $30.88
Sunflower: $17.32
Wheat: $39.35
The remaining $1 billion of the $12 billion in assistance is reserved for specialty crops and sugar. Timelines for payments to producers of these crops are still under development and require additional understanding of market impacts and economic needs, the USDA said.
In Orleans County, the top crops in acres include 39,354 in corn for grain, 24,739 in soybeans for beans, 14,208 for vegetables, 11,590 in forage (hay/haylage), and 6,953 acres of apples, according to the county’s 20122 census of agriculture.
That census reported there are 444 farms in Orleans County that generated a market value of $223.6 in farm products in 2022. The $233.6 million in Orleans ranked 15th highest out of the 62 counties in the state.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 December 2025 at 9:22 pm
KENDALL – Matt Kludt of Kludt Brothers Farm is back on the leaderboard among the top corn growers in the state.
Kludt finished third in New York with 307.8705 bushels in strip-till, minimum-till, mulch-till, ridge-till non-irrigated class.
Matthew Swede of Piffard was first at 311.2497 bushels, with Ryan Swede of Pavilion second at 309.0837 bushels.
Kludt won the state title three straight from 2014 to 2016.
The National Corn Growers Association has held the yield contest for 61 years. This year there were nearly 7,800 entries from farmers in 47 states. Entrants across 10 production categories had verified yields averaging 269 bushels per acre.
The highest yield for the year came out of Charles City, Virginia – 572.2589 bushels per acre in Class H (strip-till irrigated) for David Hula.
“The Yield Contest is really about finding out what this crop is capable of,” said Ohio grower and NCGA President Jed Bower. “And as corn farmers, we get to show what we’re made of, too. It challenges participants to find innovative ways to succeed and contribute to decades of agronomic data that prove that American farmers are great at what we do.”
The winners will be honored at the Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas, from February 25-27.
Organization states support for nuclear energy, ‘strongly opposes’ all-electric mandates
Press Release, New York Farm Bureau
ALBANY — New York Farm Bureau has announced its state legislative priorities for 2026. These priorities are based on grassroots policy development over the course of the past year, which culminated at the organization’s State Annual Meeting earlier this month. Delegates from 50 counties discussed and voted on a number of wide-ranging issues at the meeting.
NYFB public policy staff identified NYFB’s priority issues as those listed below.
Support critical funding for current agricultural animal health, promotion, research and environmental programs in the final FY 26/27 state budget.
Support for a significant funding investment in the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Science to forward its mission of collegiate agricultural education, research and extension.
Extend the refundable investment tax credit and allow construction costs for farmworker housing to be eligible for the tax credit.
Move the administration of product marketing and research orders from Empire State Development to the Department of Agriculture and Markets.
Remove the requirement for overtime payment on the weekly consecutive 24-hour rest period when total work hours are still below the overtime threshold.
Support legislation that would develop a Clean Fuel Standard.
Support funding for the NY Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health to do research and promote education on temperature-related working conditions before any legislation (such as the Temperature Extreme Mitigation Program Act) is passed.
Support the exemption of agricultural businesses from Extended Producer Responsibility legislation until a cost-effective and practical agricultural recycling program is established and funded by the state.
Support mandating that fire, rescue, library and other ad valorem taxing districts use agricultural assessment values when calculating property taxes.
Support renewable energy policies that incorporate common-sense timeframes for adoption based upon grid capacity and support for the use of other energy sources including nuclear. Strongly oppose all-electric mandates and bans on the use of propane, wood burning, oil or natural gas appliances.
NYFB will release federal legislative priorities by early spring.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 December 2025 at 10:43 am
Photos by Tom Rivers: Albion FFA President Kaitlynn Basinait, left, and Loralei Gailie moves a pallet of onions that were donated for the Albion FFA food drive. The FFA delivered 37,000 pounds of food to Community Action this morning which was distributed to food pantries in the community.
ALBION – The Albion FFA completed its annual food drive today and the farming community once again stepped up in a big way by giving 37,000 pounds of produce and canned food.
The farmers gave of their harvest in a tough growing year caused by a drought that diminished yields.
The farmers still set aside some of their crop for the annual food drive which the Albion FFA has spearheaded since 2010.
“Everybody still showed their support,” said Albion FFA President Kaitlynn Basinait.
The FFA calls farmers to line up the donations. Basinait said many of the local growers had much smaller crops this year due to the lack of rain in the summer. Last year’s drive totaled 45,000 pounds.
The Albion FFA members and supporters pose for a group photo outside the ag shop at the school before taking the food to Community Action of Orleans & Genesee. The FFA is led by advisor Scott Oldenburg.
The FFA started the food drive in 2010 with 3,000 pounds in the first effort. The food drive record is 53,000 pounds in 2020.
Volunteers carry boxes of hams, turkeys and eggs to a cooler at Community Action. The agency will use that food for families during the upcoming holiday season. Community Action has 337 families receiving food and gifts.
The group of FFA students and volunteers and staff for Community Action pose before unloading trucks of produce. Panek Farms loaned the tractor trailer to transport the food from the school to Community Action.
The following farms donated to the food drive:
Nesbitt farm with apples, Poverty Hill Farms (Neal family) with butter, Charlie Swan with butter, Panek’s, Partyka’s with potatoes, East Farms with canned goods, Kirby’s farm Market with apples, Root Brothers with cabbage, Rush’s with potatoes, Preston’s with apples, Orchard Dale (Brown family) with apples, Kludt’s with squash, My-T Acres with potatoes and canned goods, Brightly’s with apples an assortment of squash, Triple G with onions and potatoes, CY Farms with onions, Stymus Farms with potatoes, Circle R with apples, Lynn-Ette and Sons with cabbage, Hurd Orchards with apples, Martin Farms with winter squash, Save-A-Lot in Albion with hams and turkeys, Heberle Farms with apples, Sungrow (formerly Intergrow) with tomatoes, Kreher’s with eggs.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 November 2025 at 8:30 am
American Farm Bureau Federation created this chart showing a decline in the cost of the Thanksgiving meal.
The American Farm Bureau Federation said the cost for a Thanksgiving dinner is down 5 percent this year to an average of $55.18 for classic dishes for 10 people.
This is the third straight year the cost has gone down but it remains higher than four years ago. Last year the cost was $58.08, and it was $61.17 in 2023. In 2022, the cost was $64.05, according the Farm Bureau survey.
In the Northeast and New York the average Thanksgiving meal is higher – $60.82 for the Northeast region and $66.06 in New York.
“Here in New York, where prices are higher than both the national and Northeast regional averages, we continue to experience issues like labor shortages, rapidly increasing farm wages and rising production costs, which affect prices in the grocery store, as well as a higher-than-average cost of living,” said New York Farm Bureau Director of Communications Amanda Powers. “It’s also important to note that higher retail prices do not mean more money in farmers’ pockets. Farmers are price takers, not price makers. So, while we are encouraged by the overall national decline in Thanksgiving meal ingredients, food prices in New York remain higher for consumers in grocery stores — and farmers continue to struggle with increased expenses producing our food.”
This is the 40th annual Thanksgiving dinner survey where Farm Bureau volunteer shoppers from all 50 states and Puerto Rico visit their local grocery store to survey the prices of items used in a classic Thanksgiving feast.
They report local prices for turkey, cubed stuffing, sweet potatoes, dinner rolls, frozen peas, fresh cranberries, celery, carrots, pumpkin pie mix and crusts, whipping cream and whole milk.
Farm Bureau reported that four of the items dropped in price this year – the main turkey dish, cubed stuffing, fresh cranberries and dinner rolls. However, five items – sweet potatoes, frozen green peas, a vegetable tray of carrots and celery, whole milk and whipping cream – rose in price. Pumpkin pie mix and pie shells remained virtually unchanged from 2024.
Prices for ham, Russet potatoes and frozen green beans were added to the survey in 2018 to reflect a wider variety of Thanksgiving favorites. When including the additional items, the meal cost rises to $77.09, or $7.71 per person. The updated Thanksgiving dinner is virtually unchanged from last year – only 28 cents cheaper than 2024 – due to increases in all three additional ingredients.
The cost for a 16-pound turkey is an average of $21.50, down 16% from 2024. Side dishes are up in terms of the share of the total basket. Price increases for fresh produce and key baking ingredients reflect higher costs throughout the supply chain, Farm Bureau stated.
“Farmers who grow the fruits, vegetables and potatoes for many Thanksgiving staples continue to face elevated expenses for fertilizer, fuel, machinery, labor and land, which tightens already narrow margins and limits production capacity,” according to Farm Bureau.
Persistent labor shortages and higher wage requirements have increased production expenses for growers of many fruits and vegetables, and these higher on-farm costs eventually factor into grocery store prices, Farm Bureau said.
“We lost 15,000 farms last year because of factors including historically low crop prices, high supply costs and trade uncertainty, which continue to squeeze farmers and ranchers,” said Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. “Every farm lost is another step toward consolidation and reliance on other countries for our food.”
Duvall continued, “We urge Congress to address the challenging economic conditions facing farmers to ensure farm families can continue growing the food we all rely on, not just on Thanksgiving, but every day of the year.”
Adam Yanicki, a senior, takes first in nation in the Environmental and Natural Resources
Photos courtesy of Roy-Hart FFA: Senior Adam Yanicki earned 1st place in the Environmental and Natural Resources event, making him a National Champion.
Press Release, Roy-Hart Central School
MIDDLEPORT – Seventeen students from the Royalton-Hartland Central School District returned from the 98th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis, the largest youth leadership and career competition in the country.
The event brought more than 70,000 students from all 50 states, competing in rigorous contests that prove agricultural, science, business, environmental systems, and public speaking skills.
And this year, Roy-Hart won.
Senior Adam Yanicki earned 1st place in the entire nation in the Environmental and Natural Resources event, officially making him a National Champion. He described the journey to first place as one of opportunity.
“It was my first time at nationals, and a new world was opened for me,” Yanicki said. “To prepare, we planned out our schedules on when we could get together, and we were practicing pretty much every day.
“We also studied individually for our solo pieces. I spent every minute I could studying. I competed against 171 other contestants—I knew I had the chance to be number 171 or number one. I had to do my best and keep my head up.”
Roy-Hart also garnered several additional top national finishes:
The Agricultural Sales Team earned a Gold Ranking and placed 12th nationally.
The Food Science Team earned Silver, with one student ranking 3rd in the nation individually.
Five Roy-Hart students earned the American FFA Degree, an honor achieved by less than 1% of FFA members nationwide.
Roy-Hart competed against teams from powerhouse agricultural states like Texas, California, and Indiana, and came home as national leaders.
The FFA’s national competitions require students to solve real-world problems, complete written exams, and present professional-level projects judged by industry experts. Winning takes years of preparation, countless hours of practice, and an extraordinary amount of teamwork and leadership.
“FFA cultivates strong, confident leaders by giving students real-world experiences, opportunities to problem-solve, and the chance to develop teamwork and communication skills,” said Principal Matthew Sweeney of the Roy-Hart Middle School. “We are incredibly proud of this year’s national results, which reflect the dedication, hard work, and talent of our students. Having a National Champion in a Career Development Event competition is an extraordinary accomplishment that puts our school district and FFA Chapter in the national limelight. Achievements like these not only highlight individual success but also demonstrate the strength of our agriculture programs here at Royalton-Hartland, reinforcing our commitment to preparing students to excel both in and beyond the classroom.”
Environment & Natural Resources CDE
The top individuals for Environment & Natural Resources CDE include Adam Yanicki – 1st Place in Nation; Fawn Elko – Silver Ranking; Judson Heck – Silver Ranking; and Shianne Barnes – Bronze Ranking.
Participants engage in various activities and practicums, working under challenging conditions to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in environmental and natural resources management. This includes soils, water, ecosystems, waste management, navigational mapping, and environmental monitoring skills through GPS.
Roy-Hart’s CDE Team earned a Silver Ranking. Shianne Barnes, a bronze-ranked competitor, reflected on her experience: “I found passion in FFA
over the summertime with livestock evaluation. I also did showing in 4H with poultry and goats, which was a lot of fun. At the convention, I had an overall great experience. Everybody was really friendly, you could ask anything to anyone. People were there from all 50 states, and we were all joined together.”
Agriculture Sales CDE
Roy-Hart’s Agriculture Sales CDE earned a Gold Ranking. The team members include Sean Labiak, Camden Vandenbosch, Mackenzie Diamond and Anthony Adams.
The agricultural sales event evaluates students’ sales and customer service skills through individual and team activities, including written exams, sales calls, and customer service scenarios. It fosters essential communication, problem solving, and relationship-building abilities for success in agricultural sales careers.
Sean Labiak earned 7th Place and a Gold Ranking in the individual competition.
Individually the Roy-Hart students placed high, including Sean Labiak – Top 10 Individual (7th Place, Gold Ranking); Camden Vandenbosch – 30th Place Individual, Gold Ranking; Mackenzie Diamond – Silver Ranking; and Anthony Adams – Silver Ranking.
FFA Chapter President and Silver-ranked Mackenzie Diamond shared the intensity of the competition: “The Agriculture Sales CDE is a competition where you are trying to be a salesperson. This year, we pretended to sell greenhouses, and it made me more aware of being a customer in agriculture by seeing what salespeople experience trying to accommodate us.
“I’ve done nationals three years in a row, and by my third year, I got the gist of things. For me, it was all about studying. I was up every single night leading up to it. I wasn’t worried about how well I would do because I knew my studying would reflect my performance. When the speaking portion came, I was overwhelmed with excitement. I was so happy to be there. The whole competition went amazing, and each time I heard someone from my team get awarded, I started bawling. To know that you have three people from your chapter placed in the top 10 with only three teams sent is incredible.”
Food Science CDE
Simon Fournier won 3rd Place and earned a Gold Ranking in Food Science & Technology.
The food science and technology event focuses on developing skills needed in the food science and technology industry through various individual and team activities. Participants are tasked with creating products based on scenarios provided, such as developing side dishes or snacks for specific markets.
Additionally, teams perform a food safety audit by evaluating given situations and identifying issues, corrective actions, and related policies. This event helps students gain hands-on experience and knowledge in food science, safety, and product development.
The CDE Team earned a Silver Ranking.
Roy-Hart’s Food Science CDE individuals also earned honors, including Simon Fournier – Top 10 Individual (3rd Place, Gold Ranking); Nico Schuster – Silver Ranking; Collin Nicosia – Silver Ranking; and Paityn Babiarz – Bronze Ranking.
Top-three Gold-ranked Simon Fournier shared what made the event memorable.
“Going into the competition, my strength was the math and chemistry parts, so that helped my team a lot,” Fournier said. “Teaching others helped me understand the content more. It was a lot of fun. We had to prepare a fake food product and advertise it to a panel of judges. It was so fun going up there, flexing my skills, and showing our hard work to them.”
American FFA Degree
Five from Roy-Hart earned American FFA degrees including, from left: Nicholas Armenia, Sophia Santella, Vanessa Grant and Cayla Burch. Joshua Kennedy isn’t in the photo but also earned the American FFA degree.
Less than 1% of the organization’s 1.4 million members earn this prestigious honor, including these five past graduates who returned to achieve it this year.
Roy-Hart FFA members are shown at the National Convention.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 October 2025 at 8:34 am
Photos courtesy of Assemblyman Hawley
BROCKPORT – State Assemblyman Steve Hawley on Tuesday presented a citation to the Kirby family in Albion for being on the NYS Historic Business Preservation Registry.
The Kirby family runs Kirby’s Farm Market on Route 104, just past the Orleans County line in the town of Clarkson.
The market was established in 1970 by brothers George and Bob Kirby. George’s son Tim and his wife Linda have been owners of the market since 1989. They run it today with their daughter Stacey Steward, son Chad and his wife Mandy, as well as their dedicated employees.
The Historic Business Preservation Registry was established by the State Legislature in 2020. The program is administered by the Division for Historic Preservation at the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
Steve Hawley joins the Kirby family at the market on Tuesday. Pictured in front from left include Linda and Tim Kirby, and Stacey Kirby Steward. In back are Mandy and Chad Kirby with Steve Hawley.
The farm market has expanded from one-room garage-style building to a “cozy market” with gift shop, five greenhouses, and CSA with 320 members getting weekly subscription of fruits and vegetables.
“Kirby’s Farm Market creates an environment where family shares knowledge freely and endeavors to bring out the best in local farming,” the citation from Hawley states. “They are committed to cultivating and managing resources to ensure services are available for generations to come.”
Most of the fruits and vegetables are grown in Albion. Kirby’s is a “regenerative farm” with a strong focus on healthy soils and plants.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 October 2025 at 9:26 am
Business run by Albion family honored for more than 50 years on Ridge Road in Brockport
Photos by Tom Rivers: Linda and Tim Kirby, front, have been part of Kirby’s Farm Market for more than 50 years. The business was started in 1970 by Tim’s dad George and George’s brother Bob. In back are their daughter, Stacey Kirby Steward; daughter-in-law, Mandy Kirby; and son, Chad Kirby. They are shown in front of the market with some of their pumpkins.
BROCKPORT – A business run by an Albion family has been welcomed into the NYS Historic Business Preservation Registry, which honors businesses that have endured for more than 50 years and also are an important part of their community’s fabric.
Kirby’s Farm Market is located just outside Orleans County on Ridge Road in the town of Clarkson. The market was built in 1970 by George and Bob Kirby, brothers from Albion. Since 1989, it has been run by George’s son, Tim and his wife Linda.
The site today offers fruit and vegetables, including 320 customers on a weekly subscription in a Community Supported Agriculture membership that goes for 23 weeks. Kirby’s remains a farm-driven operation that has expanded into a gift shop and greenhouse market.
Most of the fruits and vegetables are grown in Albion. Kirby’s is a “regenerative farm” with a strong focus on healthy soils and plants.
“We’re growing the most nutrient dense food possible,” said Chad Kirby, who has worked full-time at the farm the past 12 years. “Healthy food is medicine.”
This photos from the 1950s shows Dennis Kirby on the tractor with his sons, from left: Francis, Bob, George and John.
Chad, 34, earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and was planning to be a physical therapist. But he switched to farming with his family, believing he good make a bigger impact on the health of the community by offering fruits, vegetables and nutritional knowledge.
He has added some fruits and vegetables to the market, including tatsoi, a leafy Asian green. Chad also is the Orleans County Farm Bureau president.
Chad’s wife, Mandy, is a key part of the market. She switched from being a school teacher to working with the public at Kirby’s.
Chad’s sister, Stacey Kirby Steward, also helps run the market, and keeps up Kirby’s social media presence, website and newsletter. She also works on the events at Kirby’s with open houses and greenhouse tours.
“The focus is connecting with the community,” she said.
Assemblyman Steve Hawley will present the honor of being in the New York State Historic Business Preservation Registry to the Kirby’s on Tuesday at 1 p.m.
The Historic Business Preservation Registry was established by the State Legislature in 2020. The program is administered by the Division for Historic Preservation at the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. No business in Orleans County is currently listed in the registry.
Some nearby businesses in the registry include Lift Bridge Book Shop in Brockport, Max Pies and Chapin Manufacturing in Batavia, Liberty Pumps and Viking Valhalla Restaurant at Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen, and Lapp Insulators LLC in LeRoy.
The Kirby family is shown inside the market at 9739 West Ridge Rd., Brockport. Linda, Tim, Mandy, Chad and Stacey have turned the site into a farm market with a gift shop. On Tuesday at 1 p.m., Assemblyman Steve Hawley will present them with the honor of being in the NYS Historic Business Preservation Registry. The sign notes Kirby’s is a “regenerative farm” with a focus on healthy soil and plants.
Linda Kirby said she became aware of the registry when Lift Bridge Book Shop was honored. Kirby’s was encouraged to apply for the distinction by Town of Clarkson officials. Linda completed the application, which also needed testimonials from the community.
The Kirby family for many years grew tomatoes for large processors, including Hunt-Wesson which closed in Albion in 1970. Other large canning factories in the county also closed around that time. Duffy-Mott shut down in Holley in 1971 and H.V. Heinz closed its Medina site in 1963. The area also lost the Morton Canning Company, Wallace Dale Canning Factory in Barre Center and the Birdseye Plant in Medina.
The Kirby brothers needed a market for their product, a market that wouldn’t suddenly shut down and leave them in the lurch.
When the brothers were considering their future, they stopped by Zehr’s Market in Burt, Niagara County. That farm had a market, and the customers came right to the site to buy directly from the farm.
“My dad was impressed by what they were doing,” said Tim Kirby, George’s son.
George also was a people-person who enjoyed interacting with the public. The farm market was a great fit for him.
The brothers considered locations for their market and what they could afford. They wanted to get close to the larger population base in Monroe County. The site for their market used to be a melon farm.
Tim and Linda Kirby have run Kirby’s Farm Market together since 1989.
Tim Kirby has been part of the operation since the beginning. His wife, Linda, started working there in 1972. Tim and Linda became owners of the site in 1989.
The Kirby family grows most of the produce in Albion for the market. The site in Clarkson also has 30 acres of good sandy soil for growing crops.
Kirby’s Farm Market looks a lot different from its early from a one-room garage-style building to a cozy market with a gift shop. Kirby’s has five greenhouses and they start their own seedlings in March that they then can transport into the fields.
The market also has thousands of annuals in the spring. The perennial area has expanded to hundreds of varieties. Kirby’s has extended its season into December, offering Christmas trees, wreaths and Poinsettias.
“We’ve changed with the times,” Tim said. “But we remain farm-driven with a focus on consistency.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 October 2025 at 7:40 am
Photo courtesy of Jim Panek
ALBION – This combine from Panek Farms is out at sunrise to harvest soybeans on Route 98 between Route 31A and Barre Center.
The farm is trying to beat the rain this morning.
It’s been a tough year for the farmers due to the drought conditions in Orleans County. Jim Panek said the farm’s soybean yields are down to about 60 percent of normal.
‘This global experience had to be one of the most impactful things that ever happened to me on a personal level, spiritually and educationally’ – Todd Eick
Photos courtesy of Orleans/Niagara BOCES: (Left) Todd Eick, former Medina teacher now an animal science teacher for Orleans/Niagara BOCES, holds a pig in Uganda. (Right) This group builds a structure.
Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES
Todd Eick, the Animal Science teacher at the Niagara Career and Technical Education Center, recently spent a month over the summer in Uganda with fellow educators to support education initiatives in a small village at the Lira Secondary School.
“It is without a doubt the best professional development and experience I have ever had,” said Eick, who previously worked in Medina for 14 years as FFA advisor and animal science teacher. “There are not enough adjectives to describe that trip.”
The Global Teach Ag Network sent 12 educators, across the United States, to work with local schools in East Africa on global issues like agriculture and food security. The Teach Ag Uganda project is funded by the USDE (United States Department of Education) Fulbright-Hays Program and partners with Field of Hope.
The teachers had the opportunity to work one-on-one with peer educator colleagues in Uganda to advance agriculture projects in local schools. Eick was assigned to work on a team with the students on building a piggery for pig farming. He worked directly with two US teachers, one from Indiana and the other from Washington state, and three Uganda educators.
“We are all still in a group chat all the time” says Eick. “We built great friendships and had so much fun together. Such amazing memories and knowledge to share. I love telling people I know someone who knows something about this and that. I had such a wonderful time there.”
The staff at a school joins for a group photo.
Eick had applied for the grant opportunity to take part in the program last October and was thrilled to find out that he was selected to be part of the project.
“I was kind of the elder statesman since I had more time in education than anyone else on the team, but I learned a lot from everyone I worked with,” he said. “We helped the school build the piggery and showed them how to select the pigs and care for them. We left educational artifacts for them to use after we returned home to help them run the farm.”
The visiting teachers were fascinated on how the Lira Secondary school was run. A boarding school, there are 20-80 students in a classroom and the teachers rotate through each classroom.
Classes ran three weeks on and then three weeks off to allow the students to go home and help their families, many of them using the skills they learned in school to help their families generate extra money.
The students would be considered sophomores, juniors and seniors here. “Most of the seniors were learning so they could take the state test and had a lot of project-based learning as part of their education as well,” Eick said. “The students were shy at first, but they warmed up pretty quickly to us. They were so eager to learn. How they implemented their curriculum was cool. For one hands-on learning project, we worked together to string a barbed wire fence. The students caught on very fast.”
There was no cafeteria, but everyone ate together. “We stood in line with the students with our bowls and we usually had some sort of stew made with beans, maize and rice,” explained Eick. “It was fascinating. It is a very poor country, but they were rich in hospitality. They are truly the kindest, warmest people I have ever met.”
Eick, along with his fellow educators, also enjoyed a morning and evening safari to see the wildlife.
“It was magical,” he said. “We went to the Nile River. I must have taken hundreds of photos. We visited several villages and a dairy farm and that was eye-opening on how varied milk production is there than it is here.”
He brought back a Uganda hoe as a souvenir. “It cost me $3.75 and I had no idea how to use it, so the students had to show me. They thought it was hysterical. I have to say I learned as much from them as they did from me. I love this kind of teaching. It is a hand up not a handout. This global experience had to be one of the most impactful things that ever happened to me on a personal level, spiritually and educationally. I am enjoying bringing these lessons into my classroom, especially doing more with less and embracing a worldwide perspective on things. My students here have really embraced this and we now share things in class from art to the practical from different countries. I am really looking forward to taking some of the students to Belgium and the Netherlands next year to learn about their agriculture and way of life. I really want them to have the same experience I did with seeing a different culture.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 September 2025 at 8:28 am
Photos by Tom Rivers: “Big E” in front and Bowie are two of the alpacas at Velvet Ridge Farm & Market on Ridge Road in Albion. The farm will be open to the public this weekend from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for National Alpaca Farm Days.
ALBION – It’s a big weekend for local alpaca farms. Five of those farms will be open to the public for National Alpaca Farm Days.
The farms are open today and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The farms on the tour include:
• Lake Alice Alpacas – 2125 Oak Orchard River Rd., Waterport
Toni and Tom Starks have opened a new alpaca farm, Velvet Ridge Farm & Market, LLC. They have seven alpacas and a store with alpaca products, hats and other fiber products.
Mrs. Starks is recently retired as a health educator and mentor teacher coordinator at Albion. Her husband is retired from a career in the defense industry.
The two wanted to stay busy in retirement, but not have intense pressure.
Alpacas are a low-maintenance animal, that are easy to take care of, Mrs. Starks said.
“After teaching I wanted to do something more peaceful but I also stay in teaching and sustainability,” she said.
Velvet Ridge has seven alpacas who are all named and adored by their owners: Snoop, Big E, Bowie, Tiny Tim, Bruce, Willie and Elvis.
The farm is named “Velvet” for the soft fleece from the alpacas.
A market at Velvet Ridge includes sock, hats and other products made from alpaca fiber.
There is also pottery from Magpie, Kathleen’s Crochet Creations, local honey and maple syrup, homemade fudge and baked goods, vintage goods, pumpkins and mums.
The market also sells Albanese’s Finest Gourmet Sauces, organically cultivated mushrooms and other local products.
Toni Stark has enjoyed creating the alpaca farm with her husband. They are at the former Poelma Farm on Ridge Road. The Velvet Ridge Farm & Market is new to National Alpaca Farm Days.
Visitors to all five local farms this weekend will be entered in a raffle with a chance to win a basket raffle over $300.
Photo by Assemblyman Steve Hawley: The site of a former farm field in Elba, which once produced large amounts of crops, is now a parking area where a developer plans to install industrial-grade solar panels throughout the rest of the property.
Press Release, Assemblyman Steve Hawley
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) recently sent a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul urging her administration to halt two large-scale solar projects underway in Genesee County.
Hawley voiced strong opposition to the $950 million Cider Solar project and the $345 million Excelsior Solar project, both of which would consume nearly 6,000 acres of productive farmland. He noted that Genesee County is one of New York’s leading agricultural regions, yet the state has seen alarming losses in recent years. Between 2021 and 2022 alone, New York lost 14% of its farms and more than 9% of its farmland.
“While farmers across Western New York are struggling to keep the lights on, Gov. Hochul is busy taking away thousands of acres of vital farmlands to advance her radical climate agenda,” Hawley said.
As part of his letter, Hawley invited Gov. Hochul and members of her administration to visit his district, which overlaps with part of her former congressional district, to hear directly from local residents whose livelihoods are at risk.
“My colleagues and I have spent decades fighting in Albany to make sure local agriculture is not left behind,” Hawley said. “Now, this administration is forcing taxpayers to foot the bill while they bulldoze and pave over the lifeblood of so many families and small businesses. Western New Yorkers are tired of politicians who’ve never stepped foot on a farm making policy for agriculture. It’s time for Gov. Hochul to put the shovel down and start protecting our farms, not putting them out of business.”
