All Over Albany

Pick-your-own blueberry season 2018

Mid summer is here, which means it's blueberry season around the greater Capital Region. And there are a bunch of places where you can pick your own.

Blueberries are are easy to pick (on bushes about waist high), relatively cheap (usually about $3 per pound), and they freeze beautifully, so you can stock up for later in the year. Picking them on a beautiful summer morning is almost meditative.

Here's a list of farms around the region for PYO blueberries, along with a few details.

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New York continues to produce more and more maple syrup

New York State produced more than 800,000 gallons of maple syrup during this year's season. That's the highest total in 74 years, according to the Cuomo admin.

The Empire State was able to hold off Maine (539,000 gallons) for the #2 spot. Vermont continues to look across the border and congratulate New York on its hobby -- the Green Mountain State produced 1.94 million gallons last year. (But its production has more or less than been flat the last few years and New York is gaining...)

Here's the national production table from the USDA (pdf p. 9). And we rolled together a tree map of the numbers. (It's kind of like a square pie chart.)

The maple syrup production of both Vermont and New York State has been on an upswing since the start of this century. And in just the past five years their running three-year averages are up 50 percent.

One of the reasons: There have been major shifts in technology, as producers have switched over to use miles of tubing and vacuums to collect sap, and then reverse osmosis to remove some of the water before boiling.

Here's an interesting Washington Post article from this past spring about the way the industry is changing, and how the growth is attracting the interest of private equity and companies looking to scale.

Maybe the biggest question, though: Is New York's pancake industry ready to step up to the challenge?

Pick-your-own strawberry season 2018

Strawberry season is here! A few farms opened their pick-your-own strawberry fields this past week, and a bunch of others will be doing so this week or next.

It seems like this year's season is more or less on schedule, though a few farms have noted that some cold and wet weather earlier this year delayed things a little bit.

A typical strawberry season at many farms in this area only lasts a few weeks, though some farms have strawberries for longer stretches -- even most of the summer -- because their fields include a range of varieties that produce at different times. When you're at the farm stand, ask about the varieties the farms are growing. In our experience people are happy to talk about what's available, for how long, and why. It's also a good idea to call ahead or check the website before heading out.

Here are a handful of places in the greater Capital Region that you can pick your own strawberries. Know of a good place not on this list? Please share!

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NY Maple Weekend 2018

March is almost here, and that means maple syrup in New York.

Maple farms around the state area again participating in two "Maple Weekends" this year -- March 17-18 and March 24-25. Blurbage from the NYS Maple Producers Association:

Maple Weekend is a chance for the public to come to the farm to learn about New York's maple sugarmaking processes and traditions and to provide a chance to taste pure maple syrup in its many forms - right from the source.

The Maple Weekend website has a map of participating maple syrup producers around the state, including a handful here in the greater Capital Region.

As an upstater, you know that maple syrup production is dependent on temperature and how it affects the flow of sap. Many farms will be in action collecting sap and boiling it ahead of those weekends -- example: Riverside Maple Farms in Glenville started boiling this week. And some of these farms have regular visitor hours, so check ahead and you might be able drop by for a more low-key experience.

New York State is the #2 producer of maple syrup in the United States.* And production here has been on an upswing in recent years, setting new records for the state.

* #1 is Vermont and it's not even close. The Green Mountain State accounted for 46 percent of US maple syrup production in 2017. New York's share was almost 18 percent.

Earlier: The art and science of maple sugaring

Growing a wider variety of flavors for cider

These trees will grow apples with a different accent.

On a small plot off to the side of an orchard in Kinderhook, there are rows of apple trees with names that are probably unfamiliar to even the most ardent apple lovers in America: Yarlington Mill, Kingston Black, Dabinett, Tremlett's Bitter.

That's understandable: These apples are not from around here. They're varieties that originated in England. And they have the sort of dry, astringent accent that registers right away. So bracing is the flavor of these apples that you wouldn't want to eat them.

And that's OK -- because they're meant for drinking.

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Checking in on the Tivoli Preserve Community Farm sheep

Yep, this is the city of Albany.

Among the newest residents of Albany's Tivoli Lake Preserve: sheep.

The small flock is there now as part of the Tivoli Preserve Community Farm project. The goal is to build a working farm and community programs in the park on the north side of Albany -- and there's been a lot of progress in recent months.

"It's just moving really quickly with help now," said Melissa Parade, the founder of the farm project, when we stopped by last week. "It feels really good."

Here's some quick follow-up on what's happening. And a lot of sheep pics.

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Pick-your-own blueberry season 2017

Blueberry season has begun around the greater Capital Region. And there are a bunch of places where you can pick your own.

Blueberries are just about our favorite PYO crop because they're easy to pick (on bushes about waist high), relatively cheap (usually about $3 per pound), and they freeze beautifully, so you can stock up for later in the year.

Here's a list of farms around the region for PYO blueberries, along with a few details.

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Follow up: Farm on Peaceable Pastures

Melissa Parade and Fleet, the border collie. (Fleet apparently wasn't keen on having his picture taken.)

AOA is on summer break this week. So we'll have new follow-ups this week with people we've met and covered during the last year.

We first met Melissa Parade as part of the AOA Startup Grant contest last fall. She's been working to start a farm and community programs at the Tivoli Lake Preserve in Albany.

In the time since, she's assembled a herd a sheep that she's been keeping at Albany's Normanskill Farm. And in just a few weeks they'll be making the move over to Tivoli as The Farm on Peaceable Pastures.

We met up with Melissa at a barn just up hill from the Normans Kill last week to talk about the challenges of becoming a farmer, shaping a business plan, and the occasional errant sheep.

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Pick-your-own strawberry season 2017

Strawberry season has arrived! Many local farms just opened pick-your-own strawberry fields this week, and others will be doing so shortly.

All that cold, cloudy, wet weather a few weeks back held up this year's crop. Multiple farms have noted that things are a bit behind schedule. But it sounds like the recent sunny weather has things rounding into shape.

A typical strawberry season at many farms in this area only lasts a few weeks, though some farms have strawberries for longer stretches -- even most of the summer -- because their fields include a range of varieties that produce at different times. When you're at the farm stand, ask about the varieties the farms are growing. In our experience people are happy to talk about what's available, for how long, and why. It's also a good idea to call ahead or check the website before heading out.

Here are a handful of places in the greater Capital Region that you can pick your own strawberries. Know of a good place not on this list? Please share!

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CSA fair at Takk House

This could be a good way to learn more about CSAs if you're been curious: Takk House in Troy is hosting a CSA fair April 15 from 11 am-2 pm. The event is a collaboration between the Hudson Valley CSA Coalition, Hudson River Exchange, and Glynwood.

CSA = Community Supported Agriculture, in which you pay at the beginning of the season for a share of a farm's produce and then get regular allotments during the season. Event blurbage:

CSA Fairs provide an opportunity for local residents to learn about the vital role Community Supported Agriculture plays for independent farms, to shop around the various shares available and sign up for their Seasonal Share. From fruits and vegetables to herbal wellness to meat and dairy, CSA shares offer community members access to the diversity of farm fresh products - and land based wisdom - that make Hudson Valley living plentiful and enjoyable.

The event at Takk House will include reps from Colfax Farm, Denison Farm, Field Apothecary, Laughing Earth Farm, Roxbury Farm, and Soul Fire Farm. Also: "Remember to bring your checkbook for share deposits and be entered to win on-site sign up giveaways when you buy a share at the event."

Hudson River Exchange advertises on AOA.

photo via Hudson Valley CSA Coalition Facebook

Pick-your-own blueberry season 2016

Blueberry season recently started around the greater Capital Region. And it is an Official Summer Thing To Do.

Blueberries are just about our favorite pick-your-own crop because they're easy to pick (on bushes about waist high), relatively cheap (usually about $3 per pound), and they freeze beautifully, so you can stock up for later in the year.

There are a handful of farms around the Capital Region that offer pick-your-own blueberries. Here's a list with some info. And, of course, if you know of a place that should be on the list, please share.

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Your new career in urban shepherding

Filed under jobs that you could have: The planned project to graze sheep at Albany's Tivoli Preserve is in search of a shepherd. From the job listing:

Aspiring shepherd wanted for the New York State Conservation Grazing (NYSCoG) Program. The shepherd will manage a flock of sheep at the 80 acre Tivoli Lake Preserve in Albany, NY. NYSCoG seeks to help young and beginning farmers gain access to land and infrastructure, and to begin grazing enterprises, while simultaneously assisting municipal, county and state governments in meeting vegetation management goals. The shepherd will receive the use of land, a flock of sheep, summer and winter housing for the sheep, fencing, winter hay, meds, and insurance, and will participate in grazing and pasture management planning. The shepherd will own the agricultural products of the enterprise (lambs, wool). Project begins in July 2016. Contact Dr. Gary Kleppel at Longfield Farm, 518 362 6576 or gkleppel@albany.edu

If Gary Kleppel's name rings a bell, you might remember that he's the UAlbany biologist who's been studying the use of grazing animals to combat invasive weeds. A bunch of years ago he ran a similar project at the city's Normanskill Farm. Over at the Times Union, Chris Churchill recently talked with him about the Tivoli project.

And, of course, you know about the city using goats to eat invasive weeds at the Loudonville Reservoir, a project that has continued this year.

About the Tivoli Preserve: The city of Albany has been planning a series of upgrades for the land on the north side of the city between the Arbor Hill and West Hill neighborhoods, and we hear there will be some specific details coming up in the next few months.

(Thanks, Melissa and everyone!)

earlier photo from Normanskill Farm courtesy of Gary Kleppel

Another record year for New York State maple syrup production

Sweet.

New York State set a new modern record for maple syrup production this year, the Cuomo admin announced Friday. The Empire State produced 707,000 gallons of syrup, according to numbers from the from the US Department of Agriculture.

That's up from 601,000 gallons last year. And it keeps New York at the #2 spot nationally, holding off a surging Maine with 675,000. Better luck next time, Pine (Not Maple) Tree State.

New York's increased production this year was in part a result of a longer season -- 36 days on average this year, compared to 26 last year. But the state continues to add taps, too. Its tap count was above 2,500 this year -- the Cuomo admin says that's the highest number since 1946 -- and the count has been rising by a couple of hundred each year for the past few years. (The state's yield per tap has also been rising.)

Of course, Vermont continues to dominate the field, where they're just playing a different game.

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Pick your own strawberry season 2016

Summer, it is here.

Strawberry season is here! Many local farms are just opening for pick-your-own strawberries, or will be very shortly.

We get the sense this year's crop is maybe a little slow in arriving because of some of the cool weather. And the early warmth in spring further complicated things.

A typical strawberry season at many farms in this area only lasts a few weeks, though some farms have strawberries for longer stretches -- even most of the summer -- because their fields include a range of varieties that produce at different times. When you're at the farm stand, ask about the varieties the farms are growing. In our experience people are happy to talk about what's available, for how long, and why. (It's also a good idea to call ahead or check the website before heading out.)

Here are a handful of places in the greater Capital Region that you can pick your own strawberries. Know of a good place not on this list? Please share!

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The buzz on New York honey

Agricultural fact of the day: New York State produced almost 3.6 million pounds of honey in 2015, according to numbers from the federal government.* That's up almost 9 percent from the year before.

New York's total ranked 10th among all states last year. (It ranked #13 last year.) And it's by the far the biggest producer in the Northeast. (Next up is Maine at #31.)

The state's production was valued at a little more than $10.5 million. The average price per pound that New York producer were able to get was $2.94. (The national average $2.09.)

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"Soul Fire Farm: Reclaiming a Tradition of Black Farming" at Albany City Hall

Albany City Hall will be hosting a presentation by Soul Fire Farm founders Leah Penniman and Jonah Vitale-Wolff this Thursday, April 21. Blurbage:

Soul Fire Farm in Grafton, new York was born in Albany's South End in 2006. Soul Fire is both a beautiful working farm and a unique, nationally recognized educational center. Leah Penniman and her husband Jonah Vitale-Wolff's mission is rooted in a commitment to fighting racism and dismantling oppressive structures that misguide our food system. Using strategies like day-long educational workshops to reconnect youth to their innate belonging to land, leah is working so that everyone, regardless of class, color, or creed, has access to fresh, healthful food and an understanding of how to grow their own. This will be a lively presentation and discussion about the connections between producing healthy food, youth empowerment, and social justice.

Here's a 2014 profile of Soul Fire Farm over at Civil Eats that includes some more backstory.

The event is Thursday starting at 5 pm in the city hall rotunda. It's free.

photo via Soul Fire Farm website

Suggestions and advice on local CSAs?

Carrie emails:

Wondering if you guys could do another post on CSA's this year...? I know you did one in 2009, I remember every time I search for updates and that comes up. And the Times Union did something in 2013. But this seems like a growing thing, and (I hope) there have been some new ones and some changes to old ones?

CSA stands for "community supported agriculture" (people also refer to them as farm shares). The way they basically work: People the farm upfront at the start of the growing season and then they get a batch of farm produce at some interval (usually weekly) throughout the season.

This is currently prime time for CSA signs-ups, and many of them fill up.

As those links above indicate, there are a bunch of CSA options in the Capital Region. So... have one you'd recommend? Any advice on picking one that's a good fit for a household? Tips on working through all that produce each week? Thoughts on sharing a share with another household?

If you have suggestions for any of those questions, please share! And as always, a sentence or two about why're suggesting something can be a big help.

New York State Maple Weekend 2016

The annual New York State Maple Weekend(s) are coming up later this month -- March 19-20 and April 2-3. What are these weekends and why are they so sappy? Blurbage from the New York State Maple Producers Association:

Every spring, the members of the New York State Maple Producers Association invite families and friends into their "sugar houses" to experience the world of pure NY maple syrup. Located at approximately 160 farms and museums across New York State, Maple Weekend offers a delicious, fun-filled outing that has a little something for all maple-lovers to taste and experience.

There are a bunch of participating spots around the greater Capital Region. Many of the producers offer free samples and tours, and there will be maple products for sale, of course.

The maple sap season is dependent on the temperature -- this year's season got an early start because of the mild winter. So if you're interested in going to one of these places and seeing everything in action, the first weekend could be a better bet than the second.

State of maple: New York State is the nation's second biggest producer of maple syrup (after Vermont) -- and last year it produced a record amount, more than 600,000 gallons.

Earlier on AOA: The art and science of maple sugaring

Pancake breakfast at The Sap House at Stone House Farm

I recently had dinner with a group of friends -- all but one of us an "outsider" to Albany, growing up elsewhere -- about what it is that makes the city so alluring to us. Why we feel Albany is primed for a resurgence as a modern city where young(ish) people like us can thrive, have families, lay down roots. (And by Albany, what we really meant is both the city and the surrounding area we refer to as the Capital Region.)

Part of the appeal, for us, is the fact that there is just so much to do here. Within a three hour drive, we can experience mountains, lake, ocean, cities, other countries. And in considerably less time, we can be transported to the bucolic countryside for leisurely weekend drives that highlight the agricultural and small-town economies that give the Capital Region much of its charm.

Case in point: Sharon Springs. The town lies on the historic byway of US Route 20 and was once a hotspot for the out-of-towners looking for healing qualities in the town's natural springs. And there are plenty of farms surrounding the tiny town center that offer a plethora agricultural products that city-folk are more than happy to bring home.

Like maple syrup. And really, what's the point of maple syrup if you can't have a good pancake to sop it up with?

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New Year's brunch/farm tour at Heather Ridge Farm

This could be something a little different to round out the holidays: Heather Ridge Farm in Preston Hollow is offering a farm tour and brunch buffet the weekend after New Year's Day. Blurbage:

The brunch buffet will feature many items including caramelized French toast, maple chipotle breakfast sausage, eggs to order, Dublin Coddle, Irish Brown bread and many more items. Many of the items on the buffet were raised and made on the farm, including the pork sausages, grassfed corned beef hash, no nitrate bacon in the Dublin Coddle and the eggs. Heather Ridge Farm is certified Animal Welfare Approved. ...

The farm animals will be in their winter quarters. Among the animals to see are goats, sheep, llamas, alpacas, donkeys, laying hens, geese and guinea fowl. The tour will last approximately an hour.

The brunch is $24 per person (kids pay their age), and the tour is included. It's Saturday, January 2 and Sunday, January 3 from 11 am to 3 pm -- reservations recommended. The farm is located just a bit over the Albany County line in Schoharie

If the name Heather Ridge Farm rings a bell, it's the same farm that provided the goats for the "goatscaping" project at Albany's Loudonville Reservoir. And the farm has also been offering a series of monthly supper club dinners, of which we've heard many good things.

photo: Heather Ridge Farm

How raising steer has changed the way I eat

Back in the 70s and early 80s, my father-in-law raised animals. Steers, a few pigs, turkeys, and the freezer often had some hunted venison. Most of that had stopped by the time I started hanging around in the early 90s.

In December of 2003, the first case of mad cow disease was discovered in the US. A few weeks later at a New Year's party, my father-in-law asked, "If I did cows again, would you want in?"

Being a little too into all things food -- and a bit drunk -- I was game. And I'm glad I was. Because there is no doubt the experience has changed the way I cook and eat.

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Defining an upstate cuisine

Apples, sure. But the bounty of great local products extends far beyond that.

With the harvest from this past summer finishing up, and Thanksgiving just ahead, we figured it would be a good time for some thinking and discussion about local food. So, it's Following Food Week here on AOA.

Is there an Upstate New York Cuisine?

Sure, in the Capital Region we have mini hot dogs, foot-long fish fry, and mozzarella with melba -- but that's not quite a cuisine, per se. And we have a strong tavern culture, but regardless of how soul satisfying a cheesy, doughy, saucy, tavern pie may be in the midst of winter, it doesn't provide the flavor of the region.

Many regional cuisines are based on the unique combination of local ingredients that are available in the area. And here, at the intersection of the Hudson and Mohawk rivers, surrounded by farms, woods, and mountains, we have plenty of raw materials from which to draw inspiration.

So, with that as a starting place, we asked some talented chefs: "What would an Upstate New York Regional Dinner menu look like?"

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Re-growing the local grain industry

Amy's favorite pastry wheat is planted in the fall near Ithaca.

With the harvest from this past summer finishing up, and Thanksgiving just ahead, we figured it would be a good time for some thinking and discussion about local food. So, it's Following Food Week here on AOA. We start things off with a look at the effort to re-grow this area's grain industry.

Grains are so foundational and basic that we don't give them much thought. I certainly never gave them much mind, even though I'm a heavy baker.

Until five years ago, I had two facts about flour: I knew I liked King Arthur, and that I loved the taste of whole wheat.

Then, I had a cookie that introduced me to fresh, locally-grown oats and wheat. The flavors were so vibrant I had to follow that food back to the field.

And I'm here to report that the road to local wheat is tough traveling.

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When New York was hopped up

The photo above is from the NYS Archives, and it's from a hop farm near Cooperstown around 1900.

Hop farm? You know it. From the accompany description on the archives site:

In Ostego County in the town of Madison, New Yorker James D. Coolidge planted the first hops yards in 1808. His commercial opportunity came fourteen years later when blight, insects, and unfavorable weather decimated crops in England. This increased the demand for New York's hops in both national and international markets.

The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 and the influx of German immigrants during the first half of the nineteenth century also increased the domestic demand for hops. In 1850, New York shipped 750,000 pounds of hops to British markets. In 1880, all but sixteen New York counties were growing hops. Ostego, Madison, Herkimer, Schoharie, Chenago, Oneida, and Montgomery Counties were the leading producers of hops, with Ostego County producing more hops than any other county in the United States.

Disease and Prohibition pretty much killed off the hop growing industry in New York, and today most of the hops grown in the country are produced out in the Pacific Northwest.

But the crop is making a comeback here, a rise prompted in part by the state's farm brewery license, which requires breweries operating under the license to use a certain percentage of New York-grown ingredients. Casey wrote about the rebirth of the New York hop industry a few years back.

Among the local farms that are part of the re-hopped New York is Indian Ladder Farms in Altamont, which is growing a variety of hops. (You might remember the Indian Ladder Farms IPA at the Pump Station last year.) ILF recently finished this year's hop harvest and posted some photos of the process on its Facebook page.

photo: NYS Archives

FarmieMarket for sale

The local online farmers' market FarmieMarket is for sale. Founder Sarah Gordon posted this message on Facebook this week:

It's bittersweet, but in effort to balance my growing family life with my professional responsibilities, I have arrived at the very difficult decision to offer my equity stake in FarmieMarket.com up for sale. FarmieMarket is my firstborn -- I am fully committed to seeing it and its member farmers reach their full potential. As such, the time has come to hand over the day-to-day operations and marketing to a person or firm that has the time, resources and expertise necessary to grow the market to its fullest potential. That said, I am eager to stay involved if the buyer is willing (either as a board member, or volunteer advisor) to help guide FarmieMarket in its mission of cultivating a sustainable market channel that supports the long term profitability and economic viability of small, family-owned, environmentally- and socially-responsible local farms. If you, or anyone you know, may be interested in carrying the torch please contact me via email or private message.

Gordon started FarmieMarket in 2010, originally as Heldeberg Market, as a way to market and sell products grown on farms in the Hill Towns of Albany County to a wider audience. (Gordon was inspired by the experience of her family's grassfed beef farm in Berne.) Customers place orders online and the products are delivered one day a week.

Earlier on AOA: Interesting in 2011: Sarah Gordon