LEWIS, N.Y. — This year, rather than a large one-day event, the Adirondack Harvest Festival will instead celebrate a week filled with events at farms, businesses, and community organizations around the Adirondack Region. Mark your calendars from Monday, September 13 through Sunday, September 19, 2021! The “Free Range” Open Farm Week is designed to give folks a chance to see for themselves how agriculture, wilderness, and community can work together toward a sustainable local food system in the Adirondacks.
The Open Farm Week includes over 75 events ranging from free family-friendly farm visits early in the day to fine dining and spirit tastings in the evening. Just a few examples include:
Wine tastings and guided vineyard tours at Four Maples Vineyard in Champlain
Pick your own pumpkins, corn maze, wagon rides, and petting zoo at Country Dreams Farm in Plattsburgh
Birding hikes with Champlain Area Trails at Barred Owl Brook Farm in Essex, and at Ben Wever Farm in Willsboro
Hot air balloon tether rides and Bouquet Bar at Mossbrook Roots Flower Farm in Keeseville
Medicinal plant workshop and plant sale at the Plattsburgh Botanical Sanctuary
“Featured Chef” Long Table Dinner in the garden at DaCy Meadow Farm in Westport
“How to compost” workshop at Up Yonda Farm in Bolton Landing
Victory garden tours at the Adirondack Experience, Museum on Blue Mountain Lake
4-H Youth horse, rabbit, and poultry shows at the Essex County Fairgrounds in Westport
And so much more!
You can find a full list of events with everything you need to know at AdirondackHarvest.com/Festival.
Laurie Davis of Adirondack Harvest said, “In 2018 and 2019 we easily saw over 3,000 at the Essex County Fairgrounds for the annual Adirondack Harvest Festival. Last year, the Adirondack Harvest Festival was a combination of self-guided activities, small socially distant in-person events, and online virtual farm tours.”
“This year, we are inviting community members and visitors to get to know their farming neighbors, see how food is grown, and taste the incredible diversity of products grown and produced here in the Adirondacks, right from the source,” said Davis.
Ashlee Kleinhammer, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Essex County’s Board President and co-owner of North Country Creamery, a participating farm in Keeseville NY says, “It’s important for people to know the people, animals, and land that work together to produce food.” Kleinhammer says, “Open Farm Week is an opportunity for folks to see for themselves how Adirondack Harvest food producers pay special attention to things like animal well-being, soil health, and local food access in the day-to-day work that we do.” North Country Creamery is inviting people to join in two separate events: milking the grass-fed dairy herd and a guided tour of the creamery and farm.
Jane Desotelle, Chair of Adirondack Harvest, owner of Underwood Herbs, and steward of the Plattsburgh Botanical Sanctuary says, “Open Farm Week is an opportunity for people to visit the farms in their community and get an up-close look at all of the ways they are bringing food to the table, preserving open space, and growing the local economy.” Desotelle explains that Open Farm Week events are also an opportunity for people visiting the Adirondacks to get a true taste of the region. “Late September is a beautiful time of year to visit the Adirondacks, the fall foliage will be amazing, and some of the best food and drink will be fresh and in season.” Jane will be hosting three workshops and a guided tour at the Plattsburgh Botanical Sanctuary during Open Farm Week.
At each event, there will be an opportunity to enter a raffle to win $200 to spend at the Adirondack Harvest business of your choice. The more events you attend and participate in, the more entries you earn! Entry details will be provided at event locations.
With the ever-evolving safety recommendations on the COVID-19 pandemic, Adirondack Harvest organizers are working with participating businesses to keep community members safe. Visitors will be asked to follow the current New York State COVID-19 safety recommendations.
Thank you to our sponsors who continue to support the efforts of the Adirondack Harvest Festival through COVID-19 uncertainty. We are grateful to work with partners committed to a vibrant local food community. The Adirondack Harvest Festival “Free Range” Open Farm Week is sponsored by Adirondack Harvest, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Essex County, International Paper Foundation, Stewart’s Shops, Cloudsplitter Foundation, The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism, Champlain National Bank, Chazy Westport Communications, Westelcom, Yankee Farm Credit, North Country Public Radio (NCPR) and Cornell Small Farms.
About Adirondack Harvest
Adirondack Harvest works to increase opportunities for profitable, sustainable production and sale of high-quality food and agricultural products, and expand consumer choices for locally produced healthy food. Its work covers the greater Adirondack region and northeastern New York State. Learn more at adirondackharvest.com.
–Adirondack Harvest
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