Pete Dragan worked the fields locally for 75 years

Photo by Tom Rivers – This sign was erected last week on Route 98, just south of the village of Albion. It is in honor of Pete Dragan, who owned Dragan Farm for more than 75 years. Dragan died at age 96 on Aug. 7, 2012.

ALBION – Pete Dragan used to joke with his employees that they were attending Dragan College, learning to fix machinery, plant and harvest crops, and get along with other people.

Dragan was a prominent local farmer for about 75 years. He grew soybeans and corn. He died at age 96 on Aug. 7, 2012.

His employees haven’t forgotten Dragan. They put up a sign last week that says, “Dragan College.” The sign is along Route 98, just south of the Village of Albion.

“Pete was a well-known man for starting new things,” said long-time employee Danny Wright.

If a Dragan employee or former worker needed a reference for a job, Dragan told them to put on their application that they went to Dragan College. It was a tongue-in-cheek expression that he repeated often.

Dragan’s daughter Diana Dragan Reed and the farm’s employees decided they wanted to honor Pete with a sign. Dennis Button made the sign and Jim Babcock made the supports. The sign went up last week, and it has lots of people talking about Dragan, who was once a frequent sight in the community with his white farm cars.

“I’m so thrilled that it’s been executed,” Dragan Reed said about the sign. “I thought it would be a great tribute to him.”

She lives in central Florida and has been helping with some of the farm administration. Dragan Farm is in the process of being acquired by two long-time Dragan employees, Steven Swiercznski and his cousin Tod Swiercznski. The sign is great tribute to her father, but she knows he would be most pleased the farm will continue and will keep the Dragan name.

“My father had farming in his blood,” Dragan Reed said. “He wanted to carry on the farm for his employees.”

Dragan Farm works nearly 2,000 acres of wheat and soybeans. It put up a new drying bin this year.

Dragan was active with the farm even at age 96, communicating with employees from his cell phone while he was in the hospital, his daughter said.

“He was talking until the very end, wanting to know what was going on with the farm,” she said. “His mind was very clear.”

CCE seeks renovations to Trolley Building, other improvements

File photo by Tom Rivers – In this photo from July 2013, Noah Preston of Barre hoses down livestock at the wash rack. The Cooperative Extension wants to upgrade the wash rack as part of a series of improvements at the fairgrounds.

Press Release
Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension

KNOWLESVILLE – The Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension has announced a new Legacy Capital Campaign. The campaign identifies several critical improvements needed at the Orleans County Fairgrounds to continue the Extension’s long-standing tradition of education and community service.

These projects include extensive renovation to the Trolley Building that will feature an updated kitchen, installing a new floor in the Wachob Building, replacing a wash rack by the Cattle Barn, purchasing a generator, and paying the debt on a new finish mower.

The legacies of past generations are featured by the campaign as a reminder that Orleans County residents are pretty amazing. For example, Harold “Mike” Trolley, for which the Trolley Building is named, led the purchase and development of the present day fairgrounds, creating a legacy for the 4-H Fair.

Later, in 1968, Paul Klatt began a walk-a-thon that spanned over three decades and raised thousands of dollars for fairgrounds improvements, building a legacy of tradition and service. Then Corkey Van Den Bosch served as baker for the 1977 world’s largest pie, leaving a legacy of ingenuity and community pride. To this day, residents visit the fairgrounds, often with children, to see the famous pie pan.

Orleans Extension seeks to honor those who have made a difference in Orleans County by continuing their efforts to build a legacy of improving people’s lives. The Board of Directors will meet with committee leaders this month as part of their strategic planning efforts to identify how to best serve more people, expand high quality educational opportunities, further youth development and leadership, and increase volunteer engagement to develop goals for Extension 2020.

Long-term plans for the 4-H food stands are also a topic for discussion as the initial community center proposal has transitioned to a Trolley Building expansion due to costs and maintenance constraints.

While many volunteers are optimistic about the future, they acknowledge improvement will take a great deal of hard work and collaboration. However, the outcomes far outweigh the costs. As Board President, Ed Neal, noted, “Even if the 4-H fair only makes a difference in the life of one kid, it is worth it.” Given 4-H’s enrollment is at about 350 youth and 70 volunteers, Orleans Extension is making a tremendous impact, and the Legacy Capital Campaign will allow this impact to continue long into the future.

The first campaign contribution received was $1,400 toward the Wachob Building project. The Board of Directors will provide an update on the campaign’s progress and the proposed projects at the OCCCE annual meeting on Dec. 2. The event will begin at 6:30 pm in the Trolley Building at the Fairgrounds.

All county residents are welcome to attend the annual meeting, enjoy dinner, and participate in voting for new board members, approving a constitutional amendment, and recognizing the exemplary service of OCCCE volunteers. Dinner tickets are $15 each and RSVPs can be made through the Extension office at 585-798-4265 or orleans@cornell.edu.

Photos by Tom Rivers – Dennis Stymus looks over his display of vegetables on Saturday at the Orleans County Farmers Market, which is in its final week of the season this week.

ALBION – A farmers market will conclude its 10th season this week with a show of appreciation for the loyal customers.

The Orleans County Farmers Market has been setting up in Albion on Saturday morning for 10 years. The market also has been in Medina for eight years.

“Even if the weather is bad we have a very broad customer base,” said Ann Nice of Nice Farms, who also serves as market coordinator, planning some special events during the season.

The Orleans County Farmers Market meets on Thursdays from noon to 5 p.m. in the Erie Canal Basin off East Center Street and on Saturdays in Albion from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Save-A-Lot parking lot, 320 West Ave.

Jerome Pawlak, owner of Save-A-Lot, said the market has been an asset for the community.

“They have a nice selection of product and they’re good neighbors,” he said. “They definitely have a following here.”

Leonard Oakes Estate Winery in Medina will offer wine tastings at the market on Thursday. Nice Farms also will offer samples of different types of fruit.

Ken and Ann Nice of Knowlesville have been with the market since it started in Albion.

Nice Farms and Stymus Farms also plan to donate produce to food kitchens in Medina and Albion following the market days this week. The vendors at the two sites are collecting nonperishable donations from the public that will be given to local food pantries.

The market has been a boost for Dennis Stymus. He has expanded his operation in Barre. He has seven greenhouses along Maple Avenue. Stymus also goes to markets in Williamsville and Batavia, and many of his market customers also come to the farm stand by the home farm in Barre.

“It’s close to home,” he said about the markets in Albion and Medina. “This is our base.”

Like Sytmus, Nice Farms has grown its market presence since joining the sites in Albion and Medina. Ann and Ken Nice’s daughter-in-law Jennifer goes to Le Roy and two markets in Batavia. Many of those customers also come to Nice Farms’ stand in Knowlesville.

There are three vendors currently at the Albion and Medina markets, with Renko’s Meat Processing of Kendall joining Nice and Stymus.

“It’s taken a few years but we’ve been able to build up our base for a nice small-town market,” Nice said.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Farm Bureau Federation has named Congressman Chris Collins a “Friend of Farm Bureau.”

The award is given to individuals who have supported Farm Bureau issues, as demonstrated by their voting records, and who were nominated by their respective state’s Farm Bureau.

“The Friend of Farm Bureau honor recognizes Rep. Chris Collins’ voting record on American Farm Bureau Federation’s priority issues in Congress,” said Dean Norton, New York Farm Bureau president. “His support for the Farm Bill and his outstanding efforts to protect family farms from the overregulation of the Clean Water Act are much appreciated. New York Farm Bureau would like to congratulate Rep. Collins for receiving this award and thank him for his hard work on behalf of the state’s family farms.”

Collins led a fight against an Environmental Protection Agency proposal for waterway rule changes that would have increased the costs of business for farmers.

“I recognize the struggles farmers face,” Collins said. “The last thing they need is unnecessary and excessive government regulations, which is why I will continue to provide farmers the necessary support and protection needed to grow their businesses.”

Photo by Tom Rivers
ALBION – A field of pumpkins along East Countyhouse Road in Albion awaits to be harvested.

Looks like lot of rain in the forecast this week. The National Weather Service in Buffalo forecasts a high of 56 on Monday with showers likely, followed by a high of 55 on Tuesday with a 90 percent chance of rain. On Wednesday, it is forecast for a high of 52 degrees with a chance of rain.

ALBION – A state grant will pay for advanced soil testing at 25 farms in Orleans County, a project intended to help farmers boost yields and better utilize fertilizer and resources for soil health.

Orleans County Soil and Water Conservation District received a $20,674 grant from the state Department of Agriculture and Markets. It will contract with BCA Ag Technologies to do the samples and take them to Cornell for testing.

Dennis Kirby, the Soil and Water district manager, would like to do the soil sampling in the spring. He welcomes interested farmers to call Soil and Water at 585-589-5959 to inquire about participating in the project.

Kirby would like to have a cross-section of farms of different sizes and crop types across the county.

The samples will provide a baseline for soil health. The goal is to improve soil health so farmers can maximize their yields while maintaining optimum soil health and reducing the impact of farming practices on the environment.

The soil tests will an expansion of the typical soil tests done at farms, Kirby said. The Cornell Soil Health test emphasizes the integration of biological and physical measurements along with the chemical measurements done in the existing test.

Soil and Water will look at water holding capacity, organic matter content and soil microbial activity. The report card on the soil will point to the best soil management practices.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The Albion FFA is partnering with a local farm, Panek’s Pumpkin Pile, to sell pink pumpkins for the first time. The FFA planted the pumpkins last spring at the district’s land lab. The pumpkins are for sale at $8 each with $5 going to the American Cancer Society.

Kerry Panek, owner of the Pumpkin Pile, is pictured with FFA President Sara Millspaugh, center, and FFA member Logan London at Panek’s, 13420 West County House Rd.

Panek’s will be selling the pink pumpkins. The FFA also will have them for sale on Wednesday and Thursday from 2:30 to 5 p.m. at ag shop by the high school.

Proceeds from the sale will be presented to the Cancer Society during the Oct. 26 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk at Watt Farms.

The FFA grew the pumpkins with a specialty seed. They are also selling giant pumpkins 80 pounds and heavier, apple cider and mums.