Madison Co. Open FarmDay

Farms throughout Central New York will open their doors to visitors on Saturday

The public will get a chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at how food goes from farms to tables on Saturday as part of the eighth annual Open Farm Day.

Armed with a passport that provides small biographies and locations of each participating farm, local residents are invited to visit any of the participating farms between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday. Each location will offer product tastings, animal interactions, tours or demonstrations unique to their farm.

“The idea is to get local people out on farms to get an idea about how local farms are oper- ating,” said Cornell Cooperative Extension Agricultural Economic Development Specialist Jennifer Farwell.

With 38 farms from across Madison County participating, attendees have a plethora of options to choose from when planning which destinations they would like to visit. Depending

on which farms they visit, families will have a chance to sample ciders, maple syrups, fungi, fresh produce, Angus beef, goat cheeses and more. Additionally, families have the opportunity to visit petting zoos, bottle feed baby goats, observe milking operations, tour berry patches andpastures, or viewantique farming equipment in action.

“Madison County is a highly agricultural community,” Farwell said. “It is important for people in the community to see operations, see they are viable, and see they are an important part of the community.”

The event is also a boon for the participating farms. Farwell said some farms receive the economic benefit of people purchasing products on Open Farm Day, with a large number of customers on one day. Furthermore, farms have the opportunity to create relationships with customers that would result in return visits. Other farms benefit from the public “understanding they are raising food to the best of their abilities.”

Farwell said last year, nearly 5,000 community members from 30 different zip codes participated in Open Farm Day. Ninetyseven percent of the visitors polled in 2015 reported an increased awareness of local products. Financially speaking, 50 percent of the participating farms reported sales exceeding $600 for the day. Furthermore, polled visitors re- ported spending an average of $25 on local products that day.

For more information on the eighth annual Open Farm Day, visit: https:// www. fa c eb o ok . c om/ buylocalweek/?fref=ts

For a Open Farm Day 2016 passport visit any Madison County Price Chopper or public library and request a passport or visit: http://madisoncountycce.org/resources/openfarm-day-passport-2016.

DISPATCH STAFF PHOTO Tim Biello uses a team of horses to cut a field at Gretrock Farms in Cazenovia during the Open Farm Tour on Saturday, July 27, 2013.

DISPATCH STAFF PHOTO Ginger Scoville of G&M Farms in Morrisville explains about the farm and their products during the annual Open Farm Day on Saturday July 26, 2014.