The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
FRESH OUT THE GATE
Open Farm Day: Red Gate Farms offers assortment of dairy products
HAMILTON, N.Y. » When Bruce and Nancy Rivington made the decision to move their dairy farm from Canada to New York, one of the few things they did not have to worry about was naming the farm they purchased in 2000.
Forgotten relics of years past made the choice an easy one as Red Gate Farms milk bottle caps dating back to the early 1900s could still be found in places on the farm.
“The name has been with the farm for well over 100 years,” Bruce said, adding that he saw no reason to change that upon his arrival at the 730 Route 12B South farm.
Since relocating to Central New York, the Rivingtons survived losing 96 cows they were forced to leave behind in Can- ada and with their son Brian, have expanded their dairy operation by teaming with Kriemhild Dairy Farms in the production of Meadow Butter and crème fraîche under the Kriemhild name. The butter is made from milk produced by seasonally-grazed cows and is hand-churned.
On Saturday, July 31, Red Gate Farms and Kriemhild Dairy experts will lead Madison County Open Farm Day participants on guided pasture walks on the rolling 737 acre farm and give butter making demonstrations throughout the morning and afternoon. Additionally, visitors are invited to join the Rivingtons during the afternoon milking hour in their open air milking parlor.
Organized by the Agricultural Economic Development Program at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison
County, Open Farm Day helps promote the county’s agriculture industry and gives visitors a chance to learn more about how their food goes from farm to table. As part of the event, farms must offer free tours or samples, and they cannot charge admission prices. The 33 participating farms can be found in all corners of Madison County.
“We’ve participated every year, and it’s been growing each year,” Bruce said of the event. “They do a lot for farmers.”
During the first year, Red Gate saw roughly 40 visitors. In recent years, the farm has opened its gates to a few hundred visitors, Bruce said.
Those visitors will also have be able to enjoy a kids’ section and a fence running competition at Open Farm Day.
“We’re going to see how fast and straight people can run a stretch of fence; we do every day,” Bruce said.
Other offerings from the Rivingtons include a display of dozens of antique butter churns at Kriemhild Creamery, which is located just prior to Red Gate Farms at 1093 Route 12B in Hamilton, collected during the past four to five years. The churns range from the 1850s and on into the 1950s, representing nearly a century of butter making technology. From locally constructed churns to complete brand lines to a dog-powered churn -think canine tread mill-Bruce has a unique collection.
Rivington is also working to expand in order to support his own creaming operation at the creamery site.
Just in front of the creamery rests the Kriemhild Kupboard where Open Farm Day visitors can peruse the various Red Gate products for sale. Further, as advocates for other ag- ricultural operations in the area as well as their own, the Rivingtons offer selections form Trimona dairy Farms, Fojo Beans, Flour City Pasta, D’Arcy Butter, Johnston’s Honey Bees, Ben & Judy’s Sugarhouse, Jones Family Farm, Mosher’s Farm, and Fruit of the Fungi, among others. From meadow butter, milk, yogurt, and gelato, to pasta, mushrooms, maple syrup, the Kupboard offers a little bit of everything.
The Kriemhild Kupboard is open dawn until dusk and guests are on the honor system when it comes to payment. Bruce says 10 percent of the proceeds from the Kupboard are donated to Camp Fiver, a Poolville children’s camp. According to the camp’s website, it is a comprehensive youth development organization that makes a 10-year commitment to children from underserved communities throughout New York City and central New York.
Red Gate Farm is one of only a few farms in the county that employs a seasonal-grazing system. The farm’s operations are con- centrated to restrict cows from milking in the winter and all calves are born within about six weeks of each other.
Bruce says it typically takes two people about an hour and a half to milk, with milking times at 5 a.m. and 3 p.m. Of the 700 head in the Rivingtons’ herd, 350 of the livestock are milkers, and when cows are milking at peak rates, they can put out 40 to 50 pounds of milk a day. In order to keep those cows at peak performance, Bruce estimates his herd consumes approximately 25,000 pounds of grass every two days. During a to- tal year a single cow can supply between 8,000 and 10,000 pounds of milk.
To learn more about Open Farm Day 2017, visit: http://madisoncountycce.org/events/ 2017/ 07/ 29/ open-farm- day-2017
Open Farm Day passports - which includes the locations of all 33 participating farms and brief bios - are available at Price Chopper - the event’s major sponsor - locations, and participants who receive stamps from 3 or more of the 33 participating farms will receive an insulated shopping tote bag. Prizes are available while supplies last.