agriculture

Roberts family in Medina recognized as Agricultural Business of the Year

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 7 October 2024 at 11:11 am

Gary and Maggie Roberts and their children run fruit and vegetable farm, cider press and farm market

Photos by Ginny Kropf: The Roberts family poses in front of their farm market on Maple Ridge Road in Medina. Maggie and Gary Roberts, center, are flanked by son Patrick at left, and daughter Jenna Bruning, right, all of whom are involved in running some aspect of their farm, which has been honored as the Agricultural Business of the Year by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce.

MEDINA – Farming is not an easy job. The work is hard and the hours are long, but Gary and Maggie Roberts wouldn’t have it any other way.

The couple run the family farm on Freeman Road and the farm market on Maple Ridge Road with daughter Jenna Bruning and son Patrick Roberts.

They are honored and delighted to have been honored by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce as Agricultural Business of the Year.

The farm began when Gary’s grandparents, Justin and Lorraine Roberts, purchased their home and 166 acres of land on Maple Ridge Road in 1931, just across from the farm market. Gary’s sister Linda and her husband Steve Fuller live there today.

Gary and Maggie Roberts look at some of the crates of apples used to make cider at Roberts Farm Market.

Gary’s dad Orren and uncle Lee Roberts eventually took over and carried on the Roberts Farm, joined by Gary and Lee’s son Todd as the boys grew.

In 1974, Orren and Lee purchased the property on Maple Ridge Road which was H.J. Heinz pea vinery. It would become Roberts Farm Market. The first order of business was to purchase a cider press. At some point, Gary said his dad started growing plants. Gary’s sister Linda managed the operation for a long time, until around 2,000, when she decided to get into horses and a riding stable.

In the early 1990s, Gary and Todd decided to focus their main interests in different areas, and in 1996 Gary and his dad took over the fruit growing, while Todd and Lee concentrated on crops, namely corn and soy beans.

Orren eventually transitioned from growing processing fruit to high-density fresh fruit trees. From 90 acres, they expanded to 180 acres of fresh fruit trees now. Varieties include Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, Snapdragon (a New York apple), Ruby Frost (also a New York apple developed and mostly grown in New York), as well as some standard old favorites, such as Cortland.

“Everything I learned was from my dad and the Cornell fruit team” Gary said.

Gary and the former Maggie Hall met in high school during their senior year in 1986. They were married in 1987 and had three children, Christopher, who lives in Durham, N.C., Jenna and Patrick. Gary and Maggie have eight grandchildren.

Jenna, who married Gabe Bruning and lives just down Freeman Road from her parents, has five children and is running the farm now with her dad.

Maggie said Patrick was born in 1996, and she started working at the farm market when Patrick went to school. Eventually she became manager and began to expand the market’s offerings.

A new cider press was installed and the cider room upgraded; they built new greenhouses; and added new products and services.

“I tried to gradually enlarge it without drastically changing anything,” Maggie said.

They grow most of their own vegetables, all their own pumpkins and raspberries, strawberries and blueberries. Maggie buys as much as she can in Orleans County, and the rest from Niagara, Monroe and Genesee counties.

Five years ago, she added a very popular apple cider slushie machine.

Gifts, garden décor, locally made baked goods, locally grown beef and mushroom, Gardner’s jam, cheese curds, honey and maple syrup are other items they sell.

“I tried to keep all Linda had here,” Maggie said.

Gary and Maggie Roberts stand among the many shelves of produce and gifts for sale at Roberts Farm Market.

In 2007, due to a large shortage of labor, Orren and his dad built their first labor camp to house Jamaicans they bring in to harvest the apple crop every year. In 2020, a second camp was built to expand their work force, which now numbers 37. Twelve arrive in March and 25 by the end of August. All are gone by the middle of November.

Their average harvest produces 175,000 bushels of apples annually. They use 20,000 bushels at the market for cider and sales.

As Jenna and Patrick take over more responsibility, Gary and Maggie plan to do some traveling, but not get out totally.

“The farm has been wonderful,” Maggie said. “It gives you the freedom and space to raise kids and you’re not stuck in an office all day. I enjoy meeting the customers, many of whom I know by their first name.”

“I couldn’t do any of this without our team,” Gary said. “It’s hard work, but it’s very rewarding at the end.”

He said the day Chamber director Darlene Hartway came in and told him of their award, he was making cider.

“We were surprised and grateful,” Maggie said.

Gary and Maggie thank the community for their support.

“Without them we wouldn’t be here,” she said.

At State Fair, governor signs 3 legislative bills to aid agriculture

Posted 3 September 2024 at 12:26 pm

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

SYRACUSE – Governor Kathy Hochul, last week at the Great New York State Fair, signed three pieces of legislation expanding resources and protections for the State’s agricultural industry.

Legislation S.6320/A.6821 allows the leasing of State land to be used for sap production and tree tapping for ten years to increase the return on investment for producers, including maple producers. The legislation authorizes the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation to enter into contracts for the lease or use of State lands for the purpose of tree tapping and sap production for a term of up to, but not more than, ten years.

Legislation S.9232/A.10199 would allow licensed farm wineries to use apples grown outside of New York State to manufacture or sell State labeled cider, in certain circumstances. This legislation provides crop loss determination for farm wineries to authorize the use of apples grown outside of New York State to be used for state-labeled cider when needed due to a loss of crops.

Legislation S.9248/A.7020A establishes the Beginning Farmer Advisory Board on Agriculture. The legislation establishes the Beginning Farmer Advisory Board on Agriculture with the goal of implementing a plan that moves forward the State’s efforts to bring new entrants to the farm.

“As we celebrate the State Fair, we recognize that New York’s agriculture is a central component to our State’s economy,” Governor Hochul said. “With the signing of this legislation, we continue our mission to uplift this community and prove we are here to support them every step of the way.”

Farms, small businesses collaborate to serve bountiful feast for 200 at The Gallagher

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 August 2024 at 9:41 am

Photo by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Eager eaters go through the service line and fill their plates with vegetables from Pudgie’s Veggies and burgers from RLW Cattle Co.

The Gallagher on Route 63 hosted the event on Thursday evening where 200 meals were served in an event promoted as “burgers and brews.”

It was a fast sell-out in a collaboration among RLW, Pudgie’s, the Gallagher, Hilltop Restaurant in Lockport and The Coffeepot Café in Medina.

The Coffeepot owners, Dan and Hans Rosentreter, provided the buns for the burgers. Hilltop catered the event, preparing the food.

Patrick Woodworth shucks corn inside the Gallagher while his wife Rachel Woodworth greets people. Harris Farms in Gasport provided the corn roaster and some manpower to cook the corn.

The Woodworths started a retail beef store on Swett Road in Lyndonville this past spring for RLW Cattle Co. Patrick is a fifth-generation beef farmer. He also grows apples and grains.

“This is to support local businesses,” Patrick said about the event. “We all have something to offer.”

There were 200 tickets at $35 each. Besides the food served at the Gallagher, everyone received a pound of beef to take home.

“People are being so positive about it,” Rachel said. “It’s like a farm-to-table dinner.”

Pudgie’s Veggies owner Pudgie Bale and partner Debbie Fuller were happy to see so many people enjoying the food.

Pudgie’s provided potatoes, corn on the cob, cucumbers and tomatoes.

Bale also made it known he is planning to retire from growing vegetables after this year. He has grown vegetables for 25 years. He also worked as a heavy equipment operator and bartender. Bale said he wants more time to enjoy life, especially time with his grandchildren. He has been working 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

“I just can’t do it anymore,” said Bale, who is 68. “I’m crawling into the house at night.”

Pudgie’s supplies eight restaurants with vegetables, and has stands outside his home on Route 63 near Boxwood Cemetery and by Lake’s Wine and Spirits at the corner of Salt Works Road and Park Avenue. Budgie’s also has a stand on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at RLW on Swett Road.

Bale said his goal was to provide top-tier produce.

“We built this business on quality,” he said.

Tony Conrad, executive chef and owner of Hilltop Restaurant in Lockport, grills burgers outside The Gallagher. Conrad and his team of employees prepared the meals for Thursday’s dinner.

The event also included music from the Dave Stoll Band in Lyndonville.

The apple crisp were made from apples from Sandy Knoll Farms, owned by Patrick Woodworth in Lyndonville. These apples came out of storage from last year’s crop. Sandy Knoll was hit hard by a hail storm on Aug. 11.

Everett Bruning busses tables during the event. His parents, Jenna and Martin Bruning, opened The Gallagher in 2016. The site hosts about 50 weddings a year, and also is used for other parties and events.

Lane Woodworth gives one of the dinner guests a bag with a frozen pound of beef to take home.

The Woodworth, Conrad and Bruning families and Pudgie’s Veggies leaders pose for a photo outside the Gallagher.

From left in front include Morgan Woodworth and Megan Fargale (from Hilltop Restaurant).

Back row includes Lane, Patrick, Rachel and Nathan Woodworth; Tony and Crystal Conrad; Debbie Fuller and Pudgie Bale; Sylvia, Aubrey, Everett, Martin and Jenna Bruning.

Oak Orchard Health continues long-standing outreach to farmworkers

Photos courtesy of Oak Orchard Health: Jose Iniguez, an owner of Lamont Farms, stands in an orchard with Sandra Rivera, a community health worker for Oak Orchard Health.

Posted 21 August 2024 at 2:06 pm

Press Release, Oak Orchard Health

Since 1973, Oak Orchard Health has been committed to providing person-centered and culturally competent care to our most underserved communities, especially in our agricultural community.

Oak Orchard was originally funded as a migrant health project. Agriculture is the number one industry in Western New York, specifically in Orleans and Genesee counties, where most of our farmworkers and their families reside, work and attend school.

Farmworkers are exposed to risky and harsh conditions, such as harmful chemicals, long working hours, working with large animals, operating heavy equipment, and extreme weather conditions. Agricultural workers are also responsible for feeding our local communities and our country, and we must keep them healthy.

With his permission, Jose Iniguez shares his story of working with Oak Orchard Health to keep his farmworkers healthy. Iniguez began his journey when he came to the US at age 16 in 1991. He began as a farmworker in Washington State, saying, “My employer was ahead of the times, engaging in state-of-the-art growing practices, so I learned a lot.”

In 1994, he had the opportunity to come to New York, bringing the knowledge and skills he had learned in Washington State and working his way up to VP and Chief Operating Officer at Lamont Farms. He is one of the three partners.

Apple Harvesting is labor intensive

Apple harvesting is a labor-intensive process by the time it hits the stores.

“By the time you get apples to the store, it has been touched 20-25 times from the time it blossoms and eventually turns into an apple,” Iniguez said. “Mowing is also important to the upkeep of the orchard; mowing before the harvest can make it easier to move ladders, bins, and boxes through the orchard. The bottom line is that a lot of hard work goes into each apple by the time you get it to the store. To achieve this, it takes many people; you must prune the trees, removing suckers and bad wood, which help stimulate the tree to produce more fruiting spurs. Pruning also opens the branches so sunlight and air reach the ripening fruit. This is why so many workers are needed for one harvest.”

Lamont Farms has not had a good harvest in almost eight years due to the weather and the Covid-19 pandemic. “But this year is looking much better,” Iniquez said.

Not only does Iniguez have to work with the farmworkers, but he also has to adhere to NY State labor laws, harvesting times, weather, and balancing out the needs of the farm owners. If they have bad weather or there is a miscalculation in their numbers, workers are still paid at least 30 hours per week.

Most farm workers do not know they have sick time available. Lamont Farms recognizes this and encourages workers to take the available time so that farmworkers can get the care they need. Because of how well Lamont Farms treats their employees, they have had a return rate of 95% over the last 10 years. Iniguez says, “It has taken us almost 20 years to build this team. It is built on a lot of trust.”

How Oak Orchard Community Health Centers keeps farmworkers healthy

One step to keeping farmworkers healthy is the Oak Orchard Health Outreach Team and their community health workers. CHWs visit the farms or camps and provide necessary healthcare, health education, immunizations, and blood pressure checks.

They can also help set up future medical appointments and get prescriptions filled. The community health workers are certified Spanish interpreters and have built a trusted relationship with the farmworkers, their families, and the farm owners. In addition to the above services, the outreach team provides the following services:

Covid-19 education, testing and vaccinations
Spanish-English interpretation and translation
Transportation
Expanded evening hours for just farmworkers so they don’t lose pay

If farmworkers are eligible for health insurance, Oak Orchard has facilitated health insurance enrollers in their health care facilities, or facilitated enrollers will tag along with the OOH Outreach team to enroll them where they live to help with medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.

Having health insurance removes the financial barrier to getting health care. If they are not eligible for health insurance, Community Health Workers will help guide them to enrolling an individual into our Sliding Scale Fee program.

Our Vision for the Future

Oak Orchard Health’s Vision is to be a leader of continuous growth and transformation, where innovative, holistic, and comprehensive care—for body and mind—is provided for all in partnership with our community.

We are here for everyone, all farmworkers, and their families, regardless of financial means, immigration status, or station in life, as a caring, compassionate, nonjudgmental, trustworthy provider.

Governor gives final OK for direct shipping to consumers for NY spirits, cider

Posted 19 August 2024 at 2:51 pm

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Governor Kathy Hochul signed landmark legislation S.2852A/A.3132A that allows New York’s small craft manufacturers of spirits, cider, and mead to ship directly to consumers.

The newly signed law opens significant opportunities for the state’s growing craft beverage industry by providing a vital market expansion tool—allowing these producers to ship their unique products directly to consumers within New York and across state lines.

“New York’s craft manufacturers create distinctive, world-class products that deserve a broader audience,” Governor Hochul said. “This legislation levels the playing field, allowing these small producers to reach new markets and foster economic growth across the state. With this new law, we are ensuring that New York remains a national leader in craft beverages, continuing to support our local businesses, tourism, and agriculture.”

Expanding Market Access for Craft Producers

New York’s craft cider and spirit producers often struggle to gain access to traditional wholesale distribution channels, placing these smaller manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage, as their products are less likely to reach licensed retailers and consumers. Direct-to-consumer shipping offers an essential new outlet for these smaller producers, enabling them to build brand loyalty by connecting directly with consumers who want to enjoy the unique products that define New York’s craft beverage industry. For consumers, the new law means greater access to high-quality New York-made products, driving demand for the state’s craft beverages both locally and nationally.

This expansion of market access is particularly significant as New York is home to the largest number of craft cideries in the nation and ranks second in the U.S. for the number of distilleries. By allowing these manufacturers to ship directly to consumers, New York strengthens its position as a leader in the craft beverage industry while supporting the state’s broader agricultural economy.

This legislation also represents a milestone for parity for New York’s spirits and cider producers, who have long advocated for the same privileges that wine manufacturers have enjoyed for nearly two decades, while providing safeguards against underage access to alcohol and ensuring proper tax collection by mirroring the responsible sales and delivery practices established under the DTC wine shipping laws.

Temporary Covid-19 Relief Now Permanent

During the Covid-19 pandemic, New York craft manufacturers of spirits and cider were granted temporary DTC shipping privileges to help them survive the economic downturn. This temporary measure proved highly successful, with no recorded violations, demonstrating that direct shipping can be done safely and responsibly. The new law permanently codifies this privilege, allowing small craft manufacturers to continue growing their businesses by reaching customers both within and outside of New York.

New York State Liquor Authority Chair Lily Fan said, “This legislation will hopefully support the long-term survival and create another growth spurt of New York’s vibrant craft and farm alcohol producers. I am immensely proud that our agency is able to support our manufacturing licensees in obtaining this long-sought change, which would allow them to directly touch their consumers and build brand loyalty in a meaningful manner.”

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “This legislation provides our distilleries and cideries with tremendous opportunity for growth that will have a ripple effect on our economy. With the most cideries and the second-most distilleries in the nation, New York State is committed to continuing to support these small businesses, who ultimately also help provide a boost to our farmers as well. By opening up the direct-to-consumer shipping option, producers can reach even more customers and consumers have an opportunity to discover a new, favorite New York beverage.”

The new law takes effect in 90 days, just in time for the upcoming holiday season, allowing consumers to explore and enjoy New York’s world-class craft spirits, cider and mead from the comfort of their own homes.

New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher said, “We are excited for our farm distillers and farm cideries who will now be able to expand their market by shipping their products directly to consumers. This is a lifeline for many struggling distilleries and cideries throughout the state. This will help strengthen the fruit, grain and potato industry in New York and is a huge win for agriculture.”

Albion family’s innovation for milking cows named finalist in Grow-NY competition

Provided photo: Jody Neal and his sons Zachary, left, and Jayden, formed Udder Ways LLC and are finalists in a $3 million Grow-NY competition.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 August 2024 at 10:39 pm

ALBION – An invention by an Albion dairy farmer and his two sons is among 20 finalists in food and agriculture startups from around the world.

UdderWays LLC in Albion is competing with 19 others to win a combined total of $3 million in prize money in Grow-NY, a business competition focused on enhancing the emerging food, beverage and agriculture innovation cluster in upstate New York.

There were 312 startups that applied from 26 states, and 50 countries. There were 89 entries from New York.

Jody Neal and his sons Zachary and Jayden have formed UdderWays. They finished second in January in an agricultural innovation challenge at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Neals developed a new system to sanitize and prepare udders for milking. The Neals have already won a $20,000 prize for second place in the American Farm Bureau competition.

Jody Neal is a partner a Poverty Hill Farms in Albion, a dairy farm on West County House Road. His sons were active in the Orleans County 4-H Robotics program, where they learned programming and tech skills as part of a team that competed in the Rochester region.

The Neals worked on their udder cleaning system for nearly a decade. The device is used just before a cow is milked. Their invention uses a unique, brushless technology to gently stimulate cows and ensure clean and dry teats, the family states on their website.

Empire State Development and Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement announced the 20 finalists year six of Grow-NY. Winning companies will be required to make a positive economic impact in the Grow-NY region, which comprises 22 counties located in Central NY, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier regions.

A Genesee County-based company also is among the finalists. Zordi in Oakfield builds autonomous greenhouses with robots and AI to make high-quality produce.

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball, said, “From farming to food production, New York is an innovative, world-class leader in agriculture. Year after year, the Grow-NY competition is instrumental to bringing new, high-growth businesses in the industry focused on critical areas to our state. This event has once again brought to light just how critical agriculture is to our communities and to our economy, and I congratulate these finalists on their innovation that will help bolster our food systems, feed our communities, and move our state forward.”

A panel of 30 judges with knowledge of the region’s agriculture and food production communities, and entrepreneurial experience, reviewed all the applications to determine the top 20 finalists that will pitch their business plans at the Grow-NY Food and Ag Summit in Ithaca in November.

Grow-NY will award a total of $3 million in prize money to seven winners. This includes a $1 million top prize, two $500,000 awards, and four $250,000 prizes.

To see the other finalists for Grow-NY, click here.

Hail took big bite out of Orleans County apple crop

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 August 2024 at 11:06 am

‘In some spots this is the worst damage I’ve ever seen’

Photos by Tom Rivers: These Honeycrisp apples grown by Jim and Adam Kirby were badly by hail last Sunday. The Kirbys lost about 100 of their 170 acres of apples from the hail. The apples have numerous bruises and cuts from the hail.

GAINES – It’s a word fruit farmers fear: hail.

Those fast-moving pellets from the sky can turn a crop, that has been months in making, into a largely worthless field of ruin.

Last Sunday hail hit in the afternoon and it left a swath of destruction for farmers, especially those near Route 104.

Jim Kirby and his son Adam grow 170 acres of apples, as well as other vegetable and grain crops. About 100 acres of their apples were pummeled by the hail, including their most valuable apples, the Honeycrisp. They were going to start picking some of those apples this week.

Instead they were reaching out to their insurance agent, and trying to calculate the losses.

“This is a heart-breaker for me,” Jim Kirby said looking at a block of apples along Lattin Road. “This is a bumper crop of Honeycrisp. But it five minutes it’s all over.”

Jim Kirby has been growing apples for 50 years and said the hail storm is one of the most devastating in his career. He is shown with Honeycrisp apples, the top variety, in an orchard on Lattin Road.

Kirby and a crew of 12 workers spent the previous three weeks hand-thinning Honeycrisp apples, removing some so the others would max out on size and color.

But the storm left apples with many bruises and cuts. Sometimes hail will leave one or two bruises on an apple. This time the apples have 20 or more bruises, showing they were hammered by the hail. They can’t be sold on the fresh market for top dollar. They could go for juice, but that market will now be saturated and it may not pay to have workers pick those apples and then haul them for processing, Kirby said.

The storm was especially brutal for many apple farms in Orleans County, but also damaged corn, soybeans and vegetables, said Larry Meyer, the Farm Service Agency director in Orleans County.

He has been working for the FSA for 41 years. The Sunday hail storm cut a wide path of damage, but also missed some fields and orchards as it moved from Niagara, through Orleans and further east.

“In some spots this is the worst damage I’ve ever seen,” he said. “There is a lot of loss in the county. The people who got hit got hit real bad.”

These apples were almost ready to be picked but now likely will be left on the tree and later left on the ground unless the low-price juice market makes it worthwhile to pick them.

Meyer expects a federal disaster declaration will be issued which will allow for emergency low-interest loans for farmers without crop insurance.

Many of the farms now have private insurance, which can cover up to 65 percent of the crop’s value. Meyer said the apple market has very tight profit margins this year. The crop insurance will help the farmers, but still leaves them in a difficult position, especially when they were so close to harvest.

Meyer said farmers are in a better position to recover from the losses, compared to previous years. He recalled the Labor Day wind storm of 1998 that decimated the local apple crop. At the time the federal government to assist apple farms with disaster aid and there wasn’t private insurance to help cover the loss of an apple crop.

About a quarter of the apple farms went out of business in Orleans County after that storm.

But this time most of the farms have their own crop insurance, and the federal government can provide some disaster aid for the others.

The FSA is working to try to determine the extent of the damage.

“This was a long storm,” he said. “It had a lot of energy and it kept going.”

Apples and other fruit totaled $59.0 million in revenue for Orleans County farmers in 2022, according to the U.S. Agricultural Census. Orleans County’s total ag revenue is $233.6 million.

Ag district review could add 7,600 acres, remove nearly 6,000

Photo by Tom Rivers: A corn field is pictured on Telegraph Road in Ridgeway in October 2022.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 August 2024 at 9:39 am

ALBION – Orleans County is doing a once-every-8-year review of the county-wide agricultural district and about 7,600 additional acres will be added with nearly 6,000 to be taken out.

That is how it stands now, but the numbers could change before an Aug. 16 deadline, said Corey Winters, planner with the Orleans County Department of Planning.

The agricultural district covers about 118,000 acres or approximately 48% of the land mass of the county. The county every year gives property owners a chance to be included in the district, but parcels can only be removed every eight years. This year is that chance to pull out property.

Undeveloped land that is in the district is not allowed to hook into waterlines for non-agricultural use because of the potential adverse effects on agriculture, Winters said. Existing homes, residences, and farms within an agricultural district are not prohibited from connecting to new water lines.

Winters said some of the land being removed from the district is owned by older property owners who want to give their relatives the option to connect to waterlines in the near future.

The County Agricultural Farmland Protection Board and Department of Planning are leading the review. Winters and Barry Flansburg, chairman of the Farmland Protection Board, went over the data during a public hearing on Tuesday with the County Legislature.

The review right now would add about 1,600 acres to the district.

“We’re thrilled we’re not losing agricultural acreage,” Flansburg said.

The county tried three times to get a response from 139 parcel owners, representing 3,150.9 acres. That land will be removed from the ag district unless there is an affirmative response by an Aug. 16 deadline.

Parcels that did not respond: 139 parcels – 3,150.9 acres

Town of Albion: 6 parcels – 166.6 acres
Town of Barre: 19 parcels – 579.8 acres
Town of Carlton: 18 parcels – 451.6 acres
Town of Clarendon: 11 parcels – 632.6 acres
Town of Gaines: 5 parcels – 13.8 acres
Town of Kendall: 17 parcels – 276.9 acres
Town of Murray: 8 parcels – 98.9 acres
Town of Ridgeway: 32 parcels – 522.9 acres
Town of Shelby: 11 parcels – 201.7 acres
Town of Yates: 12 parcels – 205.9 acres

Parcels to be excluded from district: 88 parcels – 2,804.8 acres

Town of Albion: 6 parcels – 166.6 acres
Town of Barre: 8 parcels – 321.4 acres
Town of Carlton: 6 parcels – 149.5 acres
Town of Clarendon: 34 parcels – 975.2 acres
Town of Gaines: 2 parcels – 90.4 acres
Town of Kendall: 8 parcels – 257.4 acres
Town of Murray: 3 parcels – 93.1 acres
Town of Ridgeway: 13 parcels – 597.2 acres
Town of Shelby: 10 parcels – 259.4 acres
Town of Yates: 2 parcels – 1.6 acres
Village of Lyndonville: 1 parcel – 57.8 acres

Parcels to be added: 166 parcels – 7,656.9 acres

Town of Albion: 15 parcels – 809.4 acres
Town of Barre: 18 parcels – 776.8 acres
Town of Carlton: 27 parcels – 1,951.5 acres
Town of Clarendon: 8 parcels – 353.9 acres
Town of Gaines: 20 parcels – 830.5 acres
Town of Kendall: 12 parcels – 214.1 acres
Town of Murray: 21 parcels – 1,253.6 acres
Town of Ridgeway: 8 parcels – 77.4 acres
Town of Shelby: 14 parcels – 709.6 acres
Town of Yates: 13 parcels – 616.6 acres
Village of Lyndonville: 6 parcels – 63.5 acres

‘Bicentennial Ox’ starred at Orleans County 4-H Fair

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 July 2024 at 9:56 pm

More oxen statues could be added to landscape in 2025

Photos by Tom Rivers

KNOWLESVILLE – An ox in the Trolley Building emerged as one of the stars of the Orleans County 4-H Fair last week. Stacey Kirby Steward, an Albion native, spent several days at the fair painting the all-white fiberglass ox into a realistic creature.

Steward gave one side of the ox an agricultural theme and is working on the other side with fair scenes.

The ox is expected to stay on the fairgrounds, perhaps by the sign along Route 31 or by the giant pie tin for the World’s Largest Apple Pie in 1977. The ox may also be featured in lighted parades later this year, including Medina’s Parade of Lights and other Christmas parades in Albion, Barre and Clarendon.

The agricultural side shows a farmer and a team of oxen plowing a field. Kirby also painted apples and corn.

She enjoyed the feedback from the public, with many people exclaiming when they walked into the Trolley Building and saw a giant ox statue being painted.

“People have had a very positive response,” Steward said on Friday.

Steward has been a featured artist before at the fair, including back in high school when she did face painting. She also painted two murals with a cow theme on the Farm Bureau’s both, where milkshake and ice cream is served during fair week.

Steward said painting a fiberglass statue presented a new challenge, and often was time-consuming. But she thinks the statue showed it provides a nice canvas to paint scenes celebrating parts of Orleans County.

The statue was transformed during the week. It started off all-white.

The painting of the ox also was intended to gauge public interest in whether several oxen statues could be painted as part of a bicentennial tribute in 2025 when Orleans County celebrates its 200^th anniversary.

Other communities have painted animal statues for civic pride, including horses in Rochester, buffalo in Buffalo, and squirrels in Olean. Saratoga Springs painted 5-foot-tall fiberglass statues of pointe shoes to celebrate dance. Saratoga is home to the National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame.

The ox statue was made in Texas and shipped to the Fairgrounds last month by FedEx. The Orleans County Bicentennial Committee will see if there are enough sponsors to have more oxen painted around the county for the bicentennial next year.

Orleans County officially formed on April 15, 1825. The State Legislature recognized Orleans County that day, allowing it to splinter from Genesee County.

Oxen were critical in helping pioneers tame the wild land two centuries ago. The oxen pulled wagons across rough terrain and helped clear trees for the early Orleans residents. The animals also were put to work in building the Erie Canal.

The ox may be incorporated into the theme and logo for the county’s bicentennial.

State opens applications for overtime tax credit application for farm employers

Posted 19 July 2024 at 5:16 pm

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that eligible farm employers may now apply to the Department of Agriculture and Markets for a certificate of advance payment so they can receive reimbursement from the Department of Taxation and Finance for eligible overtime paid to their employees since January 1, 2024.

(Editor’s Note: The threshold for overtime decreased for agricultural workers starting Jan. 1. The limit was 60 hours a week at straight pay before workers could earn overtime. That dropped to 56 hours this year. It is part of a phase-in reduction where the overtime threshold will be lowered by four hours every other year to 40 hours a week in 2032.)

This Farm Employer Overtime Credit is a part of Governor Hochul’s plan to support New York’s farmers through a series of new and increased tax credits and other initiatives and helps to ensure that farm employers can continue to support their workers while reducing their tax burden.

“Supporting New York’s farmers and farmworkers, who are essential to keeping New York State running, is a key priority for my administration – and our new Farm Employer Overtime Credit is one of many great initiatives that aim to help alleviate the challenge of rising costs,” Governor Hochul said. “I encourage all eligible farm businesses to learn more about this program and apply for reimbursement so that we can reduce their tax burden while helping them to continue supporting their hardworking staff.”

The Farm Employer Overtime Credit is a refundable tax credit available for eligible farm employers who paid overtime wages after January 1, 2024, based on the gradual phase-in of the overtime threshold in New York State.

As of now, farm employers who have registered in the new online portal at taxcredit.agriculture.ny.gov may enter eligible employee overtime information and submit their application to the Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) for a certificate of advance payment of eligible overtime paid between Jan. 1 to the date of their application.

Farmers may also wait until August to apply for reimbursement for the entire Jan. 1 through July 31 period, or they may choose to wait until they file their tax return to receive the credit. Between the advance payment and months claimed on their return, eligible farm employers will receive a full 12 months of the Farm Employer Overtime Credit.

A user guide to assist farmers in the application process is available at agriculture.ny.gov/user-guide-farm-employer-overtime-credit-advance.

Applications for a certificate of advance payment must be submitted to AGM by September 30. After eligibility review, AGM will issue a certificate to each approved farm employer. With a certificate of advance payment, the approved farm employer’s owner(s), partners or shareholders can then request their share of the advance payment from Department of Taxation and Finance (DTF).

Each of the farm’s owners, partners or shareholders who wants to receive their portion of the credit advance must apply individually. This request must be made no later than Nov. 1, using the online services account at DTF’s website.

Farmers may apply for this refundable credit if they (or their business): are an eligible farmer (click here); and employ eligible farm employees that were paid eligible overtime.

Earlier this year, the State encouraged farmers to prepare to apply by taking the following steps (click here):

Ensuring that they are registered for a NY.gov ID through My.NY.gov.
Taking the farm employer eligibility assessment to establish if they (the farm employer) expect to meet the eligible farmer income requirements for their tax filing type at the end of the tax year.
Discussing the program with their tax and payroll advisors to ensure they kept necessary records during the January 1 – July 31 period this year.
Registering their farm in the online portal at taxcredit.agriculture.ny.gov.
Optionally, choosing to delegate authority to a representative (e.g., a tax preparer), who may complete and submit the application on the farm employer’s behalf later in the year.

Additional information and resources are available on the AGM’s website at agriculture.ny.gov/OTadvance and the DTF website at tax.ny.gov/pit/credits/farm-employer-overtime-credit.htm. Questions may be directed to farmOTadvance@agriculture.ny.gov or (518) 457-7076.

Roy-Hart agricultural teachers present ‘Green Team’ at national conference

Posted 16 July 2024 at 10:38 am

Provided photo: from left include Shelly Budziszewski, Ashley Childs and Susan McLaughlin.

Press Release, Roy-Hart Central School

MIDDLEPORT – Royalton-Hartland Central School District’s Agricultural Program has been racking up awards and recognitions over the last several years.

Recently elementary school teachers Shelly Budziszewski, Ashley Childs and middle school teacher Susan McLaughlin were invited to present at the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. There were over 500 attendees at this premier professional development conference about teaching through the lens of food and agriculture.

The teachers gave a workshop on the Green Team, an after-school club centered on agriculture that has 37 actively participating students at the elementary school. It was entitled “Extracurricular Agriculture – Bridging the Classroom, Community and Club.”

“It was a great opportunity to not only be presenters, but be able to attend other workshops and take it back and share at the district level,” McLaughlin said.

The three teachers were awarded scholarships through Cornell University’s New York Agriculture in the Classroom program. Budziszewski said the presentation was inspired by her attendance at last year’s conference in Florida.

“Many of the presenters from New York State briefly mentioned their afterschool programs and I mentioned our Green Team Club and many of the attendees were interested in hearing more about it,” she said.

The response of their presentation at this year’s conference was overwhelming, according to the trio. Budziszewski said the room was at capacity.

“We had a full house, so clearly people across the country are interested in it,” she said. “We talked about our legacy projects and one of them was what we call our ‘Green Team Creed.’ It is kind of a pledge that the kids say at the beginning of every meeting. We showed a video of the kids saying the pledge and we got a spontaneous round of applause. Our hope is that the presentation encourages fellow educators to implement similar programs at their districts.”

The teachers say the program has been instrumental in starting students on the path of agricultural appreciation and knowledge starting at a young age. McLaughlin said their long-term goal as educators is to prepare their students to become members of the Roy-Hart FFA chapter.

“What we hope for in the future is to streamline the kids that are interested in agriculture from the elementary perspective, join Junior FFA in the Middle School and then when they enter into the High School join our award winning FFA program there,” she said.

Jill Heck, Royalton-Hartland district superintendent, is proud of the way the teachers represented the district.

“This was a great opportunity for our teachers to take our Green Team program into the national spotlight,” Heck said. “We were excited for them to have the opportunity to present the work they are doing with the students at Royalton-Hartland!”

Antique tractors featured in Plow Days this weekend in Elba

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Louis Esten, who founded Plow Days 26 years ago, stands by some Farmall tractors which will take part in the event Saturday and Sunday.

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 3 May 2024 at 8:53 pm

ELBA – An antique tractor purchased “just for kicks” by a Medina man is expected to take part in Plow Days Saturday and Sunday at the Torrey Farm at 7411 Oak Orchard Rd., about one-half mile south of Elba.

Larry Boyle, who lived in Millville at the time, purchased a 1938 McCormick Deering Model 04 tractor for $200 in the late 1960s from a friend in Barre. The tractor ran and Boyle used it to haul wood and work up the fields on his small farm.

After moving to Medina, the tractor was stored in a barn and there it has sat for decades, until Larry’s son Terry decided to restore it.

Terry Boyle of Medina, left, and Louis Esten of Elba stand by the 1938 McCormick Deering tractor which Boyle restored and Esten trailered to the site of Plow Days on Saturday and Sunday on Torrey’s farm at 7411 Oak Orchard Rd., Elba.

Terry knew Louis Esten, having worked for him at Path Truck Lines, and knew about Esten’s passion for old tractors. It became Terry’s goal to get his father’s tractor running and take it to Plow Days, a demonstration by old tractors Esten started in 1998.

John Torrey from Torrey Farms also loves old tractors and has an impressive collection of 85 Farmalls and a large toy tractor collection of die cast and pedal tractors. He offered a large field on his farm just south of Elba for Esten to hold his Plow Days.

The day will feature 15 to 20 tractors working in the field, all of them McCormick Deering and Farmall, with the exception of one Cockshoot, a Canadian/Oliver brand.

This display of Farmall tractors is among the 85 antique tractors collected by John Torrey. He lines them up at his home south of Elba every year.

Terry said his dad’s 1938 McCormick Deering hadn’t been run in 50 years when he started working on his several months ago. The tractor is No. 24 out of only 104 built. Terry estimates he has put at least $5,000 in it. It isn’t clear how much it is worth today, but one site online lists similar models being offered for $9,000 to $20,000. Larry, however, isn’t ready to part with it.

There is no charge to attend Plow Days, which runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, rain or shine.

Esten said they have been rained out only once, and people still came to view tractors in the barn, enjoy the camaraderie and visit the vendor booths. Breakfast and lunch are available from food trucks on the grounds.

Esten said he has lots of help from his sons, grandchildren and friend Daniel Gerould in putting on Plow Days.

A lineup of assorted McCormick Deering and Farmall tractors sits ready to perform for Plow Days Saturday and Sunday at the Torrey Farm on Oak Orchard Road, just south of Elba.

Terry Boyle, second from left, sits in front of his antique McCormick Deering tractor with Michael Esten, his dad Louis Esten and Louis’ grandson Ayden.

Blossoms in orchards make landscape look like cotton candy

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 April 2024 at 4:09 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Peach blossoms pop out in the fruit orchards at Watt Farms on Route 98 in Gaines.

Watt’s has a mix of many apple trees with their white flowers and peach trees with their pink blossoms.

This is one of the most striking times to take a drive around Orleans County, with the orchards in bloom.

I like the looks of the orchard at Watt’s, where there are still many of the older-style fruit trees with the limbs in wild angles. It is quite a sight when the trees are blooming.

Many of the local orchards are now high-density plantings with the trees in perfect alignment and the branches trimmed nice and short. The fruit growers can pack in the trees and maximum the output with the high-density plantings. It’s easier too on the farmworkers who didn’t need to get as high on ladders.

Orleans County should promote the blossom season. This is one of the best times of the year.

These geese hang out and enjoy the spring day at Watt’s on Sunday evening.

It’s going to chilly on Wednesday and Thursday nights. It could drop to 27 on Wednesday night and 32 on Thursday. The colder temperatures could hurt the blossoms, diminishing the fruit crop. Chris Watt, the orchard owner, admitted he is a bit anxious about the chill.

He would like it to be warmer at night and to see the bees buzzing in the orchard, pollinating the flowers.

NY farmers donated 8 million pounds of food last year

Photos by Tom Rivers: Albion FFA members and some of the Albion football players are pictured on Dec. 12, 2020 after loading a flat-bed trailer and another smaller trailer with 53,000 pounds of produce, milk and other food. They then delivered and unloaded the food at Community Action on East State Street. The Albion FFA has been leading the food drive for 14 years.

Posted 21 March 2024 at 8:55 am

Press Release, New York Farm Bureau

New York Farm Bureau is reporting that its members donated 8 million pounds of food to regional foodbanks across the state last year through the Harvest for All program.

The number was announced this month at the annual American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers and Ranchers Conference in Omaha, NE.

Once again, New York State had the second highest donation total in the country, only behind Florida.

The “Harvest for All” donation program is a nationwide annual farm donation partnership linking Farm Bureau and Feeding America in each state. In New York, NYFB’s YF&R Committee and Feeding New York State administer the statewide donation partnership. The food is then distributed among the 10 Feeding America food banks throughout the state.

The work highlights the importance of our regional food banks in helping reduce food insecurity in the state. NYFB and Feeding NYS continue to advocate for full funding of Nourish NY and the Healthy School Meals for All programs in the New York State budget. The vital programs, in part, provide food banks with resources to purchase healthy, local food which benefit New Yorkers in need and the state’s farming community.

“New York agriculture has a long commitment of giving back,” said Rich De Meyer, New York Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers chairman. “We understand the importance of fresh, healthy food to our communities, and how it makes a difference. I would like to thank every farm that donated last year and to give thanks to Feeding New York State for its work to bridge the connection between our farm families and those in need. New York Farm Bureau will continue to work hard to build a stronger food system and increase food access for all New Yorkers.”

Dan Egan, Feeding New York State Executive Director said, “Feeding New York State thanks the farmers of New York for their incredible donations of top-quality fresh food. Our 10 food banks feed millions of our neighbors, but we could do none of this work without the farmers who produce our food. My dad used to say, ‘Work is love made visible.’ Our work together is how we all love our neighbors. We look forward to the year ahead with hope for a good growing season, good health and good shared work.”

Scott Oldenburg, left, is the Albion FFA advisor. Kaitlynn Basinait, second from left, is the FFA president. They help unload 37,000 pounds of produce and donated food from local farmers on Dec. 9, 2023. The food was delivered to Community Action of Orleans & Genesee.

County will take questions about ag district during April 15 session at Hoag Library

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 March 2024 at 10:04 am

Photo by Tom Rivers: A farmer plants seeds in May 2019 in Carlton on Waterport-Carlton Road. That sunny day gave farmers a chance to get their big equipment out in the fields during a soggy spring that year.

ALBION – The Orleans County Department of Planning and Development will have a session from 3 to 7 p.m. on April 15 where property owners can learn about the Orleans County Agricultural District No. 1.

The county has one consolidated agricultural district and property owners this year have their once-every-8-year chance to remove land from the district. Property owners every year have an opportunity to add land to the district.

County officials will be at Hoag Library on April 15 to answer questions about the ag district. There will be a map of the current district for people to look up their land to see if it’s in or out of the district.

The Orleans County Agricultural District No. 1 covers over 118,000 acres or approximately 48% of the land mass of the county. All currently included landowners will receive notification of the ag district review and the forms should be returned by March 31.

The recent Agricultural Census showed sales for farm products in 2022 totaled $233.6 million in Orleans County, up 50.4 percent from the $155.3 million in 2017, a growth of $78.3 million. That includes sales of fruit, vegetables, milk, livestock and other farm products.

A snapshot of Orleans County’s ag economy in 2022 includes:

444 farms (498 in 2017)
130,055 land in agriculture (129,573 in 2017)
average size of farm – 293 acres (260 in 2017)
estimated value of land and buildings – $1.416 billion
33 farms at more than 1,000 acres, but 140 are 10 to 49 acres, and 131 are 50 to 179 acres.
132 farms sold less than $2,500, while 126 sold $100,000 or more.

For more information about agricultural districts or the ongoing review of the Orleans County Agricultural District No. 1, contact Corey Winters (Planner, Orleans County Department of Planning & Development) at (585) 589-3197.