Archive: Around Town

August 13 -- Despite threatening thunderstorms a crowd gathered at Freebrook Farm in Freeville for the 8th Annual Farm City Day, an educational event that gives the public a first hand look at how farms operate. The event is sponsored by the Tompkins County Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and agriculture businesses and organizations.

Organizer Debbie Teeter at the Welcome booth -- Lin Davidson manning the Need for Seed booth

Organizer Debbie Teeter was at the welcome table, handing out passports to kids that they could get stamped at each display. Attendees stuck push pins into three maps to show where they had come from. There were several Lansing pins in the Tompkins County map, with visitors from all over the New York Map and as far away as California on the national map.

Many booths from Cornell Cooperative Extension showed the different aspects of farming with plenty of interactive displays. Monika Roth invited kids to make vegetable art at one table. She made a hula dancer while the kids made dogs, cows, and even a dragon. A dairy exhibit offered samples of cheese, and a swimming pool full of corn was popular with very small children.

Horse drawn wagons were filled to capacity all day -- Kids made "vegetable art"

Three horse drawn wagons took visitors for a tour of the fields, including a section in which crops are organically grown by Kermit and Geraldine Marquis, who own Freebrook Farm and host the event. The couple met at a similar farm event in Lansing in the early 1950s. The farm has belonged to the Marquis family since 1936. They raise quarter horses as well as field crops.

Sheep drew a big crowd

Animals were popular with kids and adults alike. A large crowd gathered for the sheep and border collie demonstration. Kids especially loved the dogs, when they were brought out to meet the crowd. A calf and chickens were also on display. Several 19th century buggies were lined up, and a number of hand and horse drawn farm implements were also shown.

Kids loved the dogs and the pool of corn

Displays were numerous including Need for Seeds, What Cows Eat, Color Me Dairy, Environathon, Aerial Photo Fun, and booths on environmental monitoring, buying local produce, composting and other topics. A silent auction of hats, shirts, implements and other items ran all day to raise money for "Ag in the Classroom."

While the rain threatened, only a few drops fell, and visitors weren't bothered as they went from one display to another.

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