agriculture

Soil & Water honors Neal family for conservation efforts at Albion dairy

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 February 2017 at 11:33 am

Provided photo

The Neal family, owners of Orleans Poverty Hill Farms in Albion, was named 2016 Conservation Farm of the Year by the Soil and Water Conservation District. The farm was honored on Friday during Soil and Water’s annual meeting at Tillman’s Village Inn.

Pictured from left include: Jody and Andrea Neal and their daughters Kasey and Adelyn, Jeremy Neal, Jody’s sons Jayden and Zachary, Lillian and Ed Neal, and James Neal.

Soil and Water provided this write-up on the farm:

Franklyn Neal purchased the farm in 1956 which consisted of 90 acres of land and 16 cows. In January 1966, Franklyn’s son Ed joined the operation and purchased a home which added 75 acres of land and the farm expanded to 55 cows.

James entered the operation in 1989, expanding to 85 cows and adding 120 acres to the farm. Jody came home in 1999 after graduating from Cornell and expanding the farm’s cow numbers from 120 to today’s 560.

In 2000 Jeremy joined the family farm after graduating from Alfred. Over the years Poverty Hill Farms has accumulated up to 1,000 acres of tillable land.

An ad by Upstate Farms about five years ago featured Jody Neal sitting in a pickup truck with his daughter, Kasey.

The Neal family plays an important part in Orleans County participating in 4-H programs, Farm Bureau and Cornell Cooperative Extension. James has also served on the Soil and Water Conservation District Board for 11 years as the Farm Bureau Representative.

Orleans Poverty Hill Farms has a long tradition of working with Orleans County Soil & Water Conservation District, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Farm Service Agency, Cornell Cooperative Extension and area crop consultants to continue their stewardship of the land.

The farm has participated in the Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) program and worked with Soil & Water and NRCS to adopt new and innovative farming practices that protect and improve their care of the land, as well as improve their bottom line profit. The farm is always in compliance with the CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations) regulations and are judicious in their desire to conserve and maintain the land and environment.

Poverty Hill Farms uses farming practices to: 1) minimize soil erosion with installation of drainage tile, planting of cover crops, and cross-slope planting; 2) optimize soil health with scheduled soil testing as part of their nutrient management and residue management plans; and 3) reduce non-point source pollution by installing a manure and agricultural waste treatment system, a waste storage and transfer system, and a silage leachate control and treatment system. In addition, they have added buffer strips along streams and ditches and installed grassed waterways where feasible.

The farm participated with the NRCS Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) from 2006-2013. The farm also participated in the NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) from 2002-2009 working on Residue Management, Nutrient Management, Pesticide Management and Filter Strips.

These practices, along with others that are planned, demonstrate the farm’s excellent stewardship of the land and desire to protect our natural resources.

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Soil & Water, DEC talk benefits of tree planting

By Kristina Gabalski, Correspondent Posted 6 February 2017 at 10:37 am

KNOWLESVILLE – The Orleans County Soil and Water Conservation District and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation hosted a Tree Planting Workshop ON Saturday morning in the Trolley Building on the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.

Jena Buckwell (pictured) of the Soil and Water Conservation District spoke on increasing biodiversity with native plants and making trees and shrubs work for you with conservation-focused planting.

Gary Koplun, DEC Region 8 Forester, presented on tree planting basics including soil sampling, location selection, tree planting and care.

The Tree Planting Workshop held Saturday morning in the Trolley Building on the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds was well attended.

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State approves $89K for Orleans 4-H Fair

Posted 30 January 2017 at 4:54 pm

$5 million to be shared among all county fairs in NY

File photo by Tom Rivers: Emma Ambrose of Medina and other riders in the hunter hack event wait for their turns to compete at the fair in July 2015 at the Carlos Marcello Arena.

Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced $5 million is being awarded to county and youth fairs across the state through the Agricultural Fairgrounds Infrastructure Improvement Program.

Fifty-six local fairs, including the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County, can receive more than $89,000 to offset the cost of improvement and renovation projects, including new construction.

This is the first time in nearly a decade that the state’s more than four dozen local fairs will receive critical infrastructure improvement funds.

“These fairs are a part of New York’s rich tradition and help showcase the pride and heritage of communities in every corner of this great state,” Governor Cuomo said. “These investments will help these fairs attract more visitors, raise the profile of local vendors and businesses, and help spur economic growth across New York.”

The $5 million has been divided equally among the State’s local fairs. Each fair will be eligible for an award of $89,285. To receive the funding, fairs must submit the scope of work and estimated budget for proposed projects.

Projects must be submitted to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, which is administering the program. The funding can be used to build, repair, replace, acquire, or install fairground buildings, facilities or equipment that are used to house or promote agriculture. The Department will contact local fairs with instructions on how to submit projects for proposals in the coming weeks.

Once projects are approved by the Department, a contract will be developed and completed through the New York State Grants Gateway. Projects must be finished and the awarded funds must be spent by March 31, 2021. Any money remaining after that date will be divided equally among the awardees who can then submit plans for additional projects.

“For years, many of the State’s local fairs struggled to make the necessary improvements to stay up-to-date and attractive to visitors,” said State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball. “This funding will help mitigate those challenges and provide better opportunities to spotlight the State’s diverse and exceptional agricultural community. I thank Governor Cuomo and the Legislature for being great partners and recognizing the value of this grant program. I look forward to seeing how it enhances the local fairs across the State.”

More than 50 county and youth fairs operate from July through early October, with the Long Island Fair closing out the season. Local fairs provide visitors with family- friendly fun, great music and delicious food. They also offer a unique opportunity to learn about local agriculture, including where our food comes from, how it is grown, harvested and marketed to the public.

President of the New York State Association of Agricultural Fairs Gary Newkirk said, “Our local county fairs have been tradition for generations of families. Mom and dad bring their kids to enjoy the fair as their mom and dad brought them years before. Most of the fairs in New York have been around for over 100 years, several over 175 years. Unfortunately, with that comes aged infrastructure. This money will be like a breath of fresh air to allow our fairs to keep up this great tradition, continue to provide great entertainment, build family memories, and provide an economic impact to local communities.”

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Collins backs legislation to help farms with guest workers

Posted 11 January 2017 at 5:59 pm

Press Release, Congressman Chris Collins

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) and Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (NY-21) have introduced the Family Farm Relief Act of 2017, legislation to move the H-2A Agricultural Visa program from the Department of Labor to the Department of Agriculture to better meet the unique labor needs of farmers and agricultural businesses.

“The last thing our farmers need is for the federal government to make it harder for them to make ends meet,” said Congressman Chris Collins. “Access to a willing and available labor force is absolutely critical for Western New York’s agriculture community, particularly our dairy farmers. I am proud to join my colleague Congresswoman Stefanik in introducing this common-sense legislation to streamline and improve the H-2A visa program.”

The Family Farm Relief Act of 2017 takes practical measures such as allowing visa applicants to fill out H-2A applications on paper or online, requiring a user-friendly online system, and ending burdensome requirements on advertising and prevailing practice surveys.

The current H-2A visa program is unworkable, especially for the dairy farms across our nation. The H-2A visa program does not currently provide a category for year-round livestock workers, including dairy. This has caused difficulties for dairy farms that need employees year-round. This legislation addresses this oversight, by creating an H-2A category for these workers.

Additionally, the legislation also allows farm cooperatives and other agricultural associations to apply for workers for their members, makes the program more workable for dairy and other livestock operations, and requires reporting to Congress if delays occur in the H-2A Visa application process.

“Agriculture is the backbone of our North Country economy and I am pleased to introduce this important bill to address the labor shortages facing our farmers,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “When I travel the district speaking with our farmers, I often hear about how unnecessary delays in worker visas lead to difficulty meeting production goals. This commonsense legislation simply puts the H-2A agricultural visa program in the hands of those who best understand the specific needs of our farms.”

“Immigration reform that allows for both seasonal and year round farm labor has been a longtime priority for New York Farm Bureau. For too long, the federal H2A guest visa program has been cumbersome, prone to delays and too rigid to fit the needs of both farmers and their employees. We thank Congresswoman Stefanik for taking the lead on the The Family Farm Relief Act that will provide real reform and address a critical issue in New York’s diverse agricultural community,” said David Fisher, New York Farm Bureau President.

Click here for bill text.

Kludt again tops NY in corn yields

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 December 2016 at 10:10 pm

Photo by Tom Rivers: This photo from Aug. 3 shows a field of corn while the sun is setting in Gaines.

KENDALL – Matt Kludt from the Kludt Brothers Farm in Kendall is a repeat champion in New York’s annual corn yield contest.

Kludt recorded a yield of 298.5 acres in the No-Till/Strip-Till Non-Irrigated Class. The winning entry was grown with Pioneer seeds, P0843AM, the National Corn Growers Association announced today.

Kludt also won the title last year with 319.74 bushels per acre. Kludt also had the second biggest yield in 2016 at 264.55 bushels.

“The contest provides farmers more than just an opportunity for friendly competition; it generates data that impacts future production practices across the industry,” said Brent Hostetler, chair of NCGA’s Stewardship Action Team. “The techniques first developed by contest winners grow into far-reaching advances, helping farmers across the country excel in a variety of situations. Our contest emphasizes innovation both from growers and technology providers, thus enabling us to meet the growing demand for food, feed, fuel and fiber.”

Kludt and other state and national winners will be invited to the 2017 Commodities Classic in San Antonio. For more on the contest, click here.

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OC Cuisine blog connects community through recipes and food

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 December 2016 at 7:06 pm

Cherise Oakley shares family recipes around the county, including ‘Lorraine’s Roadkill Cabbage Casserole’

Photos by Tom Rivers: Cherise Oakley made this dish, Hardenbrook family ham loaf, with Kathy (Hardenbrook) Scroger and Mary Ellen (Hardenbrook) Seaman. It is one of 17 family recipes highlighted so far in Oakley’s blog, “Orleans County Cuisine.”

KENDALL – Cherise Oakley wants to help build a stronger community in Orleans County, and she thinks family recipes are a leading ingredient to enriching relationships.

Oakley started a blog, Orleans County Cuisine, in September and is up to 17 features on cherished family recipes including the Hardenbrook ham loaf, the Cooper family’s collard greens and smoked turkey butt, and the Grabowski’s pierogis.

Oakley met with Kathy Scroger and Mary Ellen Seaman last month to make the ham loaf. They used the kitchen at the Morton Baptist Church.

Oakley shares the recipe on her blog, with some cooking tips and background on the dish. She does it for the 17 entries so far.

“There is nothing better to bring people together than food,” said Oakley, 42, of Kendall.

Many of the recipes have been closely guarded by families for generations. But Oakley is finding families want to share them – with the community.

Mary Ellen Seaman and Kathy Scroger work together on making the Hardenbrook family ham loaf at the Morton Baptist Church.

Mary Ellen Seaman, left, and Kathy Scroger work together on making the Hardenbrook family ham loaf at the Morton Baptist Church.

The Hardenbrook ham loaf has been a Christmas breakfast tradition for that family for more than 70 years.

Mary Ellen (Hardenbrook) Seaman and Kathy (Hardenbrook) Scroger shared the dish with Oakley and her readers. Click here to see it.

Scroger and Seaman are cousins. (Oakley also is related to them.) The cousins also usually make the ham loaf around Thanksgiving and deliver the meals to the VA in Batavia.

“I want to share some of the stories and some of the history,” Oakley said about the recipes. “We learn about life in Orleans County and some of the folklore.”

She is developing deeper relationships already with the families willing to share their treasured recipes.

The ham loaf has been a Hardenbrook Christmas tradition for more than 70 years.

Oakley, the daughter of Charlie Nesbitt and the late Dema (Sam) C. Daley, had a family connection to the Hardenbrooks. Now she has a shared experience in the kitchen, making the ham loaf with Scroger and Seaman. Oakley also had the ladies write out the recipe in their own hand-writing.

Oakley wants to highlight local foods and use local ingredients as much as possible. She highlights Bannister Beef (Exselsior Farms) in Kent, B & C Christ Farms in Kent where she is a member of the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and Miller’s Bulk Food & Bakery in Medina, where she buys many spices and Polish sausage. (For the Hardenbrook ham loaf, she bought the ground ham and pork from the Alabama Holley Farm Market.

“This has helped me to eat more sustainably and fresher,” Oakley said about the blog and the push for local ingredients.

Provided photo: Vickie (Cooper) Elsenheimer showed Cherise Oakley how to make collard greens with smoked turkey butt.

One of her entries has a whimsical title, “Lorraine’s Roadkill Cabbage Casserole.”

Her mother-in-law, Lorraine Oakley, is well known among friends and family for retrieving cabbage that falls from trucks that hits bumps on the road around Orleans County.

Lorraine will create cabbage casseroles with Polish sausage, ground beef, chopped cabbage, one diced red pepper, one diced yellow onion and other ingredients. (Click here to see the recipe.)

Oakley works at the College at Brockport as a secretary in the English department. She is also a graduate student studying creative writing. Her blog started as part of an independent study on professional blogging.

The blog is a chance to hone her writing skills, and learn more about her family and the agricultural bounty in Orleans County.

“This blog is a rediscovery of my extended farming family throughout the county, the land, and above all, the food that keeps us all together,” she writes on her blog.

“Join me as I investigate all that Orleans County has to offer. Let’s explore it all, from the quaint roadside stands where you drop your quarters in the box for fresh sweet corn, to the well-established farm markets where you pick up homemade jams, my favorite sweet heat pickles and beautiful produce.”

Anyone with a family recipe to share and contact Oakley through her blog.

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Orleans Farm Bureau wins Silver Key Awards at state meeting

Staff Reports Posted 18 December 2016 at 11:23 am

Provided photo: Alan Panek of Albion (left), president of the Orleans County Farm Bureau, and David Bittner of Lyndonville are pictured at the New York Farm Bureau annual meeting in Albany.

Orleans County Farm Bureau was presented with 5 Silver Key Awards at the New York Farm Bureau State Annual Meeting, held Dec. 6-7 in Albany.

The Silver Key Awards are presented to county Farm Bureaus that have exhibited excellence in a variety of categories relating to effectiveness in policy implementation, promoting agriculture amongst the public and in classrooms, leadership development, and membership building.

The awards were presented for excellence in the following categories:

• Agricultural Education & Promotion

• County Financial Management

• Information & Public Relations

• Leadership Development

• Policy Development & Implementation – Local

While at the State Annual Meeting, farmer members also took part in the grassroots process of laying the groundwork for the year ahead. More than 100 delegates from across New York proposed, discussed and voted on resolutions that set NYFB’s public policy agenda for 2017. They also elected a new president of the organization, David Fisher, a dairy farmer from St. Lawrence County.

Orleans County Farm Bureau is dedicated to solving the economic and public policy issues challenging the agricultural community. The county is part of New York Farm Bureau, the largest agricultural advocacy group in New York State, known to members and the public as “The Voice of New York Agriculture.”

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FFA food drive breaks record with 33,000 pounds

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 December 2016 at 11:48 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Allison Graham, left, Lindsay Mann and other members of the Albion FFA unload a tractor-trailer truck from Panek Farms this morning that was stacked with 33,000 pounds of produce donated from local farmers.

“This is my favorite event in the year,” said Graham, a junior in high school. “We’re helping a lot of families.”

When the truck pulled into the parking lot at Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, many agency staff and volunteers, as well as representatives from food pantries, started clapping and cheering for the FFA.

Emilie Barleben (center), president of the FFA, and Rylie Lear, and Garrett Derisley move 50-pound bags of cabbage off the truck.

The 33,000 pounds for the food drive broke last year’s record of 30,656. The FFA has been doing the food drive since 2010, when it collected 3,000 pounds the first year. That jumped to 9,000 pounds in 2011, 17,000 the following year and 19,000 in December 2013. The FFA reached 27,000 pounds in 2014 and then topped 30,000 for the first time last year.

Local farmers topped last year’s effort despite a drought this year that diminished the crop for many local growers.

Barry Flansburg, the FFA Alumni president, wasn’t surprised the farming community stepped up again for the food drive despite a tough year.

“It’s a credit to the ag community and how generous they are,” Flansburg said. “Everybody sets aside food each year for this whether it’s a good year or a bad year.”

Jared Hollinger hands a heavy box to Clara Stilwell as the students worked to unload the truck in the bitter cold. Students sent out letters to local farmers, and then organized the ag shop at the school this week following the citrus sale to make room for all of the food.

The FFA students were at the school at 7 this morning to load the truck.

Annette Finch, emergency services coordinator for Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, thanks the students for their work on the food drive. She is joined by Barry Flansburg, president of the Albion FFA Alumni.

Finch said the food would go to about 200 families in Albion, 160 in Holley and other food pantries around the county.

“You will help a lot of families in Orleans County,” Finch told the FFA students. “You don’t know what it means to the people and to me.”

Finch was emotional in thanking the students and farmers for the food drive.

“Every year she cries,” said Allison Graham, one of the FFA students.

Russ Peters, pastor of the Alabama Full Gospel Church, carries a bag of potatoes. He said the church is working on putting together Christmas baskets for 33 families. The food from the FFA food drive would also help people in the church and community “who find themselves in need this time of year.”

Rev. William Washington, pastor of the Royal Church of God in Christ in Carlton, carries potatoes for the church’s food pantry.

Adam Krenning, FFA advisor, hands a crate of food to a volunteer at Community Action this morning.

The FFA students gather for a group picture with a thank you message for the farmers that donated to the drive.

The following donated:

Orleans County Farm Bureau – $1,500 for purchase of hams; Triple G Farms – potatoes; Root Brothers – cabbage; Nesbitt Farms – apples; Kreher’s – 900 dozen eggs; Kludt Brothers – squash; Martin Farms – squash; Calls Farms – potatoes; Jeff Partyka – squash; CY Farms – onions and cabbage; Starowitz; Torrey Farms – potatoes cabbage and onions; Castanzia Bakery – bread; Orchard Dale Fruit Farm – apples; Navarra’s – Bean Crates; Save-A-Lot and Tops – Banana boxes; Paneks – Canned Beans and Corn (use of truck); Town of Oakfield – use of wagon.

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Apple packing was a fine art more than a century ago

By Matthew Ballard, Orleans County Historian Posted 17 December 2016 at 8:29 am

“Overlooked Orleans” – Volume 2, Issue 51

MEDINA – Taken sometime in the 1890s, this image shows a group of men preparing apples for shipment at Watson’s Farm on Route 31 outside of Medina (likely the farm of Dudley Watson).

The man standing on the rights is identified as Milton Johnson, a day laborer from Albion. Barely visible are the hindquarters of a camera-shy dog that is occupied with something behind the crates and barrels of apples. Johnson holds a hatchet in his right hand as he stands adjacent to a barrel header.

Coopers would manufacture wood barrels for shipping apples by way of the Erie Canal or by train. Each barrel was required to have six hoops (the rings which held the staves together); two bilge hoops, two quarter hoops, and two head hoops; the quarter and head hoops are placed closely together. The presence of quarter hoops allows barrels to be stacked more efficiently and prevented them from splitting during shipment.

In the center of the image is a grading table; apples were emptied from bushels and crates onto these tables for sorting based on size. The packers would first face the bottom of the barrel with one or two layers of fine quality apples to provide the illusion that the entire barrel was filled with an outstanding product (this was later remedied by U.S. packing requirement that required all faced apples to be representative of the barrel’s entire contents). The produce was then placed into the barrel by the half-bushel and “racked” by the packer after each load to ensure that the apples distributed evenly throughout the container.

As the barrels reached maximum capacity, the apples often created high spots, as seen in this image. The packers would use a “shaker” or “follower” (the wood ring hung on the barrel to the right of Johnson) to “ring tail” the barrel. This process would evenly distribute the apples, helping to decrease possible damage caused by the pressure of applying the barrel head. A novice packer was never left alone to ring tail a barrel, but an experienced packer was capable of tailing 125-150 barrels each day.

As this year comes to a conclusion, I think it is important to acknowledge a recent accomplishment in the documentation of Orleans County history as it pertains to our agricultural heritage. This past weekend, Holly Canham and her son Andrew released their new book entitled Mom and Pop Farming in Orleans County, NY. Tom Rivers, editor of the Orleans Hub, went as far as to say “this may be the most impressive local history book I’ve ever seen,” and I would concur with that proclamation.

In recent memory, I believe one would be hard-pressed to find a similar substantial work on the history of Orleans County outside of Signor’s Landmarks of Orleans County or Pioneer History of Orleans County by Arad Thomas. I am continually grateful for those who continue to commit such time and effort to ensure that our history, especially those oral histories and recollections, for generations to come.

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Author pleased with response for book on ‘Mom and Pop’ farms

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 December 2016 at 8:32 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Holly Ricci-Canham, left, holds a copy of “Mom & Pop Farming in Orleans County, New York – The past brought to life.” The book is open to page 126 which includes a photo of Mercedes Bancroft of Kent.

Bancroft’s daughter, Evelyn (Bancroft) Taylor, drove from Covington, Wyoming County, to get a copy of the book on Sunday.

“Mother could do it all,” Taylor said.

She bought copies of the book for her seven children.

“I want them to read about what my mom did,” Taylor said.

Mercedes Bancroft is among the many “mom and pop” farmers in Orleans County featured in a new book.

Ricci-Canham had a book-signing at Hoag Library and more than 100 people attended the event, which included pies, soup and chance for many in the farming community to catch up after not seeing each other for years.

“It’s very nice that someone took the time to get it down for posterity,” said Tim Kirby, an Albion farmer who attended the book-signing.

Ricci-Canham interviewed more than 150 people and included more than 400 photographs for her nearly 300-page book. She worked on the project for about two years.

Ricci-Canham, founder and president of the Orleans County Genealogical Society, signs a copy of the book on Sunday.

Ricci-Canham and her husband, Bud, pose in the cut-out of a farmer and his wife. The Brown family in Waterport loaned the cut-out for Sunday’s book event at the library.

Canham said Sunday’s reception was full of non-stop talk among many of the farm families featured in the book. She was thrilled the book brought many of the families together.

“It did my heart good,” she said about seeing so many people on Sunday. “It has been very gratifying.”

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New book pays tribute to ‘Mom and Pop’ farms in Orleans County

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 December 2016 at 10:08 am

Holly Ricci-Canham’s nearly 300-page effort includes 150 interviews, 400 photos

Photo by Tom Rivers: Holly Ricci-Canham holds a copy of “Mom & Pop Farming in Orleans County, New York – The past brought to life.” She will sign copies of the book on Sunday from 3 to 7 p.m. at Hoag Library in Albion.

ALBION – Holly Ricci-Canham has a new book out that is a tribute to the “mom and pop” farms that were once commonplace in Orleans County.

The farms were part of a close-knit community with neighborhood schools and churches.

Ricci-Canham grew up on a “mom and pop” farm in Kenyonville run by her parents, Pete and “Mike” Ricci. They would relocate the fruit and vegetable farm to West Avenue in Albion. Her upbringing on the farm made her want to tell the stories of local farms.

“You see the gigantic farming tractors now, which is so different from the farming I grew up with,” she said.

Ricci-Canham, 63, interviewed more than 150 people and included more than 400 photographs for her nearly 300-page book, “Mom & Pop Farming in Orleans County, New York – The past brought to life.”

The book covers farm operations throughout county with sections about muck farmers, dairies, fruit and vegetable farms, canning companies, migrant labor camps, “ladies accounts,” technology changes as well as country schools, “kids play” and fairs and celebrations.

Many people she interviewed had strong memories of attending one-room schoolhouses and learning to drive – sometimes at age 5. They shared some hard times on the farm, and how neighbors often pitched in to help them get through it.

“Farm people are a deep, kind, loving people,” Ricci-Canham said. “They have an unconditional love of helping each other.”

Ricci-Canham’s son Andrew, vice president of student success for McLellan Community College in Waco, Texas, served as editor of the book.

John Long, a long-time farmer on Zig Zag Road in Albion, also helped edit the book and connected Ricci-Canham to many of the farm families. (Long and his wife Loretta are pictured on the front of the book with their sons, Jeff and Doug, in a photo from 1969.)

Ricci-Canham has the book in chapters, including one on dairy farmers. Rudy Kludt was among those interviewed for the section on dairy: “My Mother did a lot of work on the farm,” he says in the book. “She could milk a cow faster than anybody could milk a cow! She did all of the milking – Dad was out on the farm … we made butter. She sold eggs for groceries – sometimes traded for groceries. Today you can’t do anything like that.”

Rudy Kludt would also recall when the farm acquired its first combine in 1936. His father didn’t like the Allis Chalmers and switched to an International two years later.

This quote from Rudy Kludt is on the back cover of the book.

The book shares memories from farmers of labor-saving equipment, from tree shakers to self-propelled harvesters.

Bill Lattin, the retired Orleans County historian, wrote the forward of the book, and praised Ricci-Canham for an “invaluable” book of local history.

“These are first-hand accounts relating to a lifestyle which has all but vanished,” Lattin writes.

Fifty years ago, few farms topped more than 100 acres. Now many farms in Orleans County work thousands of acres.

“In this book, farmers tell the history of farming in their own words,” Matthew Ballard, current county historian, writes in a forward. “Little is left for interpretation by the author, providing an informative and precise examination of our agricultural heritage.”

Ricci-Canham delayed the publication of the book by several months so she could include a chapter about labor camps. She interviewed people who lived at the former Coloney Camp in Carlton. (Any from the camp attended a popular night club, The Brick Wall, where a young Chubby Checker performed. The Brick Wall is where the current Olde Dogge Inn is located.)

The camp also didn’t have running water for the residents and was often rodent infested.

Howard Ward, a vice president at Rochester Institute of Technology, grew up in the camp. He would earn a doctorate in education. He said there was a strong community at the camp, with people helping each other.

“I never minded farm work,” he told Ricci-Canham in the book. “I picked cherries, all kinds of fruits. I didn’t like picking cucumbers. The fields were 5 miles by 5 miles and the plants were prickly. They used DDT back then and your hands would be green! I say it was because of cukes that I went to college!”

The book includes many pictures of “farm kids,” including this one of Holly Ricci as a girl on a pedal tractor.

For the sections on fairs, celebrations & entertainment, Ricci-Canham writes about the world largest apple pie created in 1929 by Charlie Howard (before he started a Santa Claus School). In 1977, the 4-H Fair set a new record for the world’s largest apple pie. In 1931, the fair was the site of the world’s largest cake, which stood 14 feet high.

In 1859, tragedy struck during a celebration in Albion. Hundreds of people gathered to watch a tight-rope walker cross the canal. The Main Street bridge collapsed, killing 14 people.

The book includes a section on the canning factories. Ricci-Canham remembers growing up with the scent of ketchup at Hunts in Albion and the chicken soup at Liptons.

“The area smelled so good back then,” she said.

Canham will sign copies of the book on Sunday from 3 to 7 p.m. at Hoag Library in Albion. She had about 450 printed, but already is working on a second printing for January.

Ricci-Canham is a founder of Orleans County Genealogical Society. She co-wrote “Carlton and Point Breeze” with Avis Townsend in 2006, a book that is a photographic history of the community. Ricci-Canham also wrote “Legendary Locals of Orleans County” in 2012, highlighting prominent residents who excelled in civic affairs, business, agriculture, sports, politics and the arts.

The book on the farm families proved to be “the most humbling and most fulfilling experience of my life, short of having children,” Ricci-Canham writes in the conclusion.

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NY Farm Bureau elects new president

Staff Reports Posted 9 December 2016 at 9:16 am

Dean Norton of Elba led the organization the past 8 years

ALBANY — During the New York Farm Bureau State Annual Meeting in Albany this week, voting delegates elected David Fisher, a dairy farmer from St. Lawrence County, as the new president of the organization.

David Fisher

Fisher will replace Dean Norton, a dairy farmer from Elba. Norton led the organization the past eight years. He was seeking another two-year term as the organization’s leader.

Norton posted a Facebook message, thanking the many friends he has made in the past 8 years as Farm Bureau president. He also thanked his wife Melanie, an Albion native, for her support.

“They say for every door that closes another opens. I will be looking for that door,” Norton said. “It has been a wonderful journey and one that we are both grateful to have taken.”

Fisher and his family have operated Mapleview Dairy in Madrid for four generations. He has served on the New York Farm Bureau Board of Directors for the past five years and previously was president of St. Lawrence County Farm Bureau. A graduate of Cornell University, Fisher earned a degree in Animal Science.

“I am humbled that the farmer members of New York Farm Bureau have placed their confidence in me to lead this great organization,” Fisher said. “My family has a long history with Farm Bureau, and I am excited to work on behalf of our diverse membership to increase the value and visibility of New York agriculture. I would also like to thank Dean Norton for his service and commitment to New York Farm Bureau.”

Vice President Eric Ooms, a dairy farmer from Columbia County, was re-elected to his position.

In addition, representatives to the State Board of Directors were elected, too. This concluded the annual two-day long meeting where resolutions were discussed and voted on to set NYFB’s 2017 public policy agenda.

Pat McCormick, a dairy farmer from Wyoming County, was re-elected as director of District 2, which includes Orleans County.

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Farmers’ Market in Medina will go into winter

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 November 2016 at 2:13 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Ken and Rose Baker from Baker Farms in Medina, right, are pictured on Saturday with Kari Kasmier, a beekeeper who sells honey.

The Canal Village Farmers’ Market expected to call it a season at the end of October. But many vendors still have vegetables, beef, honey and other products from the farm.

So the farmers’ market is staying open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. for the foreseeable future. That’s good news for the vendors who appreciate the extended season.

“This is the only one that I know of that is staying open in the winter,” said vendor Jo Marie Human of Human Farms and Greenhouses in Appleton.

She was selling wreaths, potatoes, winter squash, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and other vegetables n Saturday.

“We’ll keep coming until it freezes,” she said.

Jo Marie Human has wreaths and vegetables for sale at the farmers’ market.

The farmers’ market is at the old Bank of America drive-thru and parking lot, across from the Post Office on West Center Street. SK Herefords is selling beef products inside the former bank building.

Dawn Keppler of SK said the farm will be at the market every Saturday during the winter except for the month of January.

The market had at least five vendors each Saturday in November. This Saturday will include one new one: Nice Farms from Knowlesville.

Ken Baker of Medina is happy the market is staying open.

“We want to keep up our customer base,” said Baker, who had bacon, eggs, garlic, garlic powder and other products for sale on Saturday.

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Cost of Thanksgiving meal decreases in 2016

Posted 24 November 2016 at 7:12 am

File photo by Tom Rivers: These turkeys were part of the 2014 meat auction at the 4-H Fair in Knowlesville. The cost of a turkey has dropped a little compared to Thanksgiving a year ago.

Press Release, American Farm Bureau

WASHINGTON, D.C – The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 31st annual informal price survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table indicates the average cost of this year’s feast for 10 is $49.87, a 24-cent decrease from last year’s average of $50.11.

The big ticket item – a 16-pound turkey – came in at a total of $22.74 this year. That’s roughly $1.42 per pound, a decrease of 2 cents per pound, or a total of 30 cents per whole turkey, compared to 2015.

“Consumers will pay less than $5 per person for a classic Thanksgiving dinner this year,” AFBF Director of Market Intelligence Dr. John Newton said. “We have seen farm prices for many foods – including turkeys – fall from the higher levels of recent years. This translates into lower retail prices for a number of items as we prepare for Thanksgiving and confirms that U.S. consumers benefit from an abundant, high-quality and affordable food supply.”

The AFBF survey shopping list includes turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and coffee and milk, all in quantities sufficient to serve a family of 10 with plenty for leftovers.

Foods showing the largest decreases this year in addition to turkey were pumpkin pie mix, milk and a veggie tray comprised of celery and carrots. A 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix was $3.13; a gallon of milk, $3.17; a one-pound veggie tray of celery and carrots, $0.73; and a group of miscellaneous items including coffee and ingredients necessary to prepare the meal (butter, evaporated milk, onions, eggs, sugar and flour), $2.81.

“Due to a significant expansion in global milk production, prices fell to the lowest levels since 2009, leading to lower retail milk and dairy product prices. Additionally, this year’s pumpkin prices are slightly lower following the production decline and higher prices seen in 2015,” Newton said.

Items that increased modestly in price were a dozen brown-and-serve rolls, $2.46; two nine-inch pie shells, $2.59; one pound of green peas, $1.58; 12 ounces of fresh cranberries, $2.39; a half-pint of whipping cream, $2.00; a 14-ounce package of cubed bread stuffing, $2.67; and a three-pound bag of fresh sweet potatoes, $3.60.

The average price is down slightly from last year to $49.87. After adjusting for inflation, the cost of a Thanksgiving dinner fell to $20.66 – the lowest level since 2010.

A total of 148 volunteer shoppers checked prices at grocery stores in 40 states for this year’s survey. Farm Bureau volunteer shoppers are asked to look for the best possible prices, without taking advantage of special promotional coupons.

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Dobbins pushing $5 million expansion in Lyndonville

File photo by Tom Rivers: Ward Dobbins is pictured inside H.H. Dobbins in this photo from September. Dobbins is working on a 10,300-square-foot expansion to accommodate a larger packing line.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 November 2016 at 8:21 am

LYNDONVILLE – A business that packs about 1 million bushels of apple each year is moving ahead with a $5 million expansion that will include a new packing line with the latest technology.

H.H. Dobbins (Empire Fruit LLC) will put a 10,300-square-foot addition on its complex at 129 West Ave. The added space will accommodate a new state-of-art packing line that can detect internal and external blemishes on fruit.

Right now, Dobbins has workers on the packing lines that sort fruit that doesn’t quite look perfect. The new packing line will have a defect sorter that quickly scans for exterior imperfections in fruit. Another big advantage to the technology will be seeing problems inside the fruit, such as water coring, that aren’t detectable to the human eye, Ward Dobbins, the company owner and chief executive officer, said in an interview in September. (Orleans Hub featured him in article in September because he was honored by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce.)

Dobbins said the new line won’t displace workers. They will instead be packing boxes and bags of fruit. The new line will increase the volume from 140 bushels packed per hour to 900 bushels, Dobbins said.

The expansion project is estimated to cost $5 million for the new equipment, machinery, fixtures and furnishings, as well as construction of the new space.

The Orleans Economic Development Agency has approved a sales tax abatement that will save H.H. Dobbins $220,864 in sales tax. That is an exemption on the 8 percent tax on an estimated $2,760,800 in taxable purchases of equipment and materials. The EDA board of directors approved the incentive on Nov. 10.

That is the only tax break Dobbins will receive from the EDA for the project. The company isn’t pursuing a property tax discount with the project.

This is the second recent significant expansion and investment by Dobbins. The business last year opened a new 26,240-square-foot controlled atmosphere storage building on Millers Road, about 2 miles from the main packing house on West Avenue.

That $3.4 million project boosted Dobbins’ on-site storage by 300,000 bushels of apples. The CA also acts to put apples “to sleep,” allowing them to be stored for many months, sometimes up to a year.

H.H. Dobbins was started in 1905 and under the leadership of the fourth-generation owner, Ward Dobbins.

Dobbins is working to have the new packing line in production by next harvest season, EDA officials said.

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