FARM DAY OUT
Families ‘Celebrate Stephentown’ during second annual Farm Day Out event
STEPHENTOWN, N.Y. » Lots of local families got out to the farm on Sunday for Rensselaer County’s second annual Farm Day Out.
The free event, presented by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rensselaer County and the Eckhardt Family, was held on Sunday afternoon at Kinderhook Creek Farm in Stephentown.
Owned and operated by the Eckhardt’s since 1959, this 1150- acre farm produces field crops and vegetables.
Attendees had the opportunity to take a hayride through some of the farm fields and learn about the different crops grown there.
“The purpose of the event is to get the community out and understand the entire purpose of agriculture - understanding where their food comes from while actually being on a working farm,” said Kayela Statom, 4- H youth development and agriculture educator with the Cornell Coopera
tive Extension of Rensselaer County.
Exhibits set up by local organizations and businesses helped show how different farm products get to market and eventually to each family’s table.
Eventgoers also got to meet some local farm animals in the 4-H Club sponsored petting zoo and taste some of the fresh produce from the farm stand.
This year’s Farm Day Out coincided with the weekend- long “Celebrate Stephentown” festival.
“Rensselaer County is proud to be home to the only Stephentown on Earth and Celebrate Stephentown is a great showcase of the people, places and things that make the town a special place to call home or visit,” Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin said. “From farming to small shops to a wide variety of food and beverages, Stephentown is a growing, vibrant community with a bright future.”