Dutchess County Cooperative Extension will host a two-day "NY Farms!" study
tour on October 3-4 in Dover Plains, NY, featuring community leaders and
innovative farmers who have worked together successfully to strengthen
agriculture in the county.
The study tour is designed for agricultural and community leaders including
Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board members, local and regional
planners, economic and community development professionals and others with
an interest in the future of local agriculture.
Thursday's program will feature discussion with the Dutchess County
Executive,the President of the county's Economic Development Corporation,
the Director of the county's tourism agency, and Cornell Cooperative
Extension leaders about the importance of agriculture to the county's
economy.
The afternoon will feature discusions on Direct Marketing, NYC Greenmarket
System, Community Supported Agriculture and Ag Legislation Updates. Also
featured will be a tour of one of the New Farmers/New Markets youth
development programs, which works with urban youth to develop horticultural
production and marketing skills at a Dutchess County site.
On Friday, participants will tour four innovative Dutchess County farm
operations, each of which has developed its own creative production and
marketing strategies to become a successful farm business on the fringe of
a major urban population.
This study tour is cosponsored by the Farming For The Future Leadership
Initiative, Cornell Farming Alternatives Program, NY Farms!, NY Rural
Development Council, and the Northeast SARE Program.
To register please contact Les Hulcoop at Cornell Cooperative Extension of
Dutchess County, 914-677-8223 ext 130, Fax 914-677-6563.
Judy Green Phone: 607-255-9832
Coordinator Fax: 254-2896
Farming Alternatives Program Email: jg16@cornell.edu
Dept. of Rural Sociology
B17 Warren Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853-7801