2011-07-21 Litchfield County Times

Festival of Farmers Is In Copake

Published: Thursday, July 21, 2011

COPAKE, N.Y.—Hudson Valley’s inaugural Friends of the Farmer Festival kicks off on Saturday, July 30, at the Copake Country Club on Copake Lake. The day-long celebration begins at 11 a.m. and runs through 11 p.m.

The farmers, growers, specialty food producers, chefs, restaurateurs, winemakers, brewers and distillers will serve up some of the valley’s finest foods and spirits.
“Food is the real celebrity in the Hudson Valley,” said Tessa Edick, a principal in The Culinary Partnership and festival founder. “It makes sense to eat local—everyone benefits from the farm-to-fork movement.”

Among the day’s highlights are a “Taste of the Farm” farmers’ market with samples of the food harvested in the Hudson Valley; a kids’ tent hosted by Ronnybrook Farm and Hudson Valley Fresh, with a fishing camp from Big Willy’s Rods; a wine tasting featuring Millbrook Winery; a farm-friendly libations tent featuring local brewers, local spirit tastings from Tuthilltown Spirits, an herb farm, an orchard, an antique tractor parade, a square dance caller and much more.

Saturday morning an educational panel discussion, “Farm to Table: Succession, Community, Commerce, Sustainability,” moderated by Andy Turner, executive director of Cornell Cooperative Extension Columbia County, will feature Nena Johnson, director, Stone Barns Center and Cristina Sandolo, executive director of Wholesome Waves. They will discuss the “locavore” movement in the region.

The day culminates with the fifth annual Taste of the Hudson Valley Bounty Dinner,” formerly the Columbia County Bounty dinner, featuring more than 50 “tastes” of appetizers, salads, main courses and desserts from all the local farms and created by some of the finest chefs in the region.

Admission for the day is $10 per person or $20 for a family of four. Participants can purchase an All Access Field Pass for $150 that includes admission, 75 tickets for “Taste of the Farm” and libations, and one ticket for the “Taste of the Hudson Valley Bounty Dinner.” Tickets for the dinner only are $75. Tickets can be purchased online at www.friendsofthefarmer.com or on the day-of at the event.

Proceeds from the event will go towards creating the Friends of the Farmer Scholarship with Cornell Cooperative Extension to benefit local Hudson Valley students who wish to continue studies in the agricultural sciences.

Copyright © 2011 Litchfield County Times