Birds Will Be Back at State Fair and County Fairs This Summer

An exhibit at the State Fair in 2014

News from the state Department of Agriculture and Markets:

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball on May 31 announced the end of the ban on all live fowl competitions and exhibits at the Great New York State Fair and at all county fairs in New York.  

The first poultry show at the state Fairgrounds since the ban took place will be at the fairgrounds this coming weekend.

The state Department of Agriculture and Markets issued the ban in June 2015 to prevent the spread of strains of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), which killed millions of birds across the country in 2014-2015 and was confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as being the worst outbreak of HPAI in U.S. history.   
 

“New York took an aggressive approach to preventing the spread of avian influenza and it paid off,” Ball said. “I am very proud to say that thanks to the cooperation of farmers, suppliers, distributors, and live bird markets, as well as the hard work of the Department’s Division of Animal Industry, the outbreak did not affect a single bird in the state and we look forward to their return at fairs this summer.”

“Lifting this ban was possible due to the efforts of the poultry industry, here in New York and throughout the U.S., to stop the spread of HPAI and to improve biosecurity practices. We are indebted to state and federal animal health officials who contained HPAI in the Midwest," said state Veterinarian Dr. David Smith.

"While we are confident the threat has diminished and bird competitions can resume, it’s important to note that the virus causing HPAI may arise any time, so our producers must remain vigilant and continue to adhere to the best practices for preventing the spread of this disease,” Smith said.

The Great New York State Fair is accepting entries for its poultry competitions and exhibits.  Exhibitors can register their animals by going to http://nysfair.ny.gov/competitions/how-to-enter/ this link.

In 2014, about 1,200 poultry and pigeons were brought to the fair for various competitions and exhibits. The ban has also been lifted for all chartered county fairs and youth fairs in New York State. 

There are 45 county fairs and six youth shows for the fair season, which runs from June through October. 

Oswego County Fair President Carol Sweeney said the poultry will be back at the annual county fair in Sandy Creek, but birds will be checked out and tested by a vet before entering the fairgrounds.

“Our fairgoers and our exhibitors look forward to these competitions every year and we are excited to bring them back. They are not only fun, but also an important educational opportunity for thousands of Fair visitors each year," said Acting Fair Director Troy Waffner.

For more information, visit the state Department of Agriculture and Markets website at www.agriculture.ny.gov

Apple Association Collects Less Money at State Fair This Year

Did you have trouble finding the New York Apple Association booth at the State Fair this year?

I did. And I guess wasn't alone.

Seems state fair officials moved the association's booth to the other side of the Horticulture Building. For years, the apples have been across from the New York Maple Producers exhibit.

But this year, the maple producers exhibit expanded and took up that space with its education center. But there was no sign letting people know the apple folks moved to a new site.

“The New York Apple Association booth is a popular one for fairgoers. This year we moved it to equivalent space within the Horticulture Building, next to the most popular exhibit in the building, the Baked Potato booth, in order to provide space for an expanded, interactive display from the New York State Maple Producers," said fair spokesman David Bullard.. 

"It’s not uncommon to move the location of vendors and booths to accommodate various factors, including new or expanded displays,”  Bullard said.

Apple Association President Jim Allen said one reason why he believes people had difficulty finding the apple booth is less money was brought in through the sale of apple products at the exhibit.

He said the money raised through the sale of apples and apple products at the exhibit usually is more than $10,000. This year, it was less than $9,000.

All the money goes to the American Cancer Society.

Cow Birthing Center An Educational Experience

Nice story about the Dairy Cow Birthing Center at the New York State Fair.

Check it out at http://www.twcnews.com/nys/central-ny/new-york-state-fair/2015/09/5/cow-birthing-center-an-education-experience.html

McCadam, Great Lakes Honored at State Fair Dairy Competition

From the New York State Fair:

When it comes to cheese, McCadam Cheese Co.'s aged cheddar stands alone. 

It not only won its category in the Great New York State Fair's annual Dairy Products Competition, it also earned the Grand Champion award.

McCadam, which was founded in Heuvelton, St. Lawrence County and now is manufactured in Chateaugay, Franklin County, took first and second place in the aged cheddar category, and it also earned first place honors in two other cheddar categories: current cheddar and super-aged cheddar. Great Lakes Cheese Co. of Adams was the runner-up in the current and super-aged categories.

"The high marks across the board for these products reflect not only the great diversity of dairy products available in New York state, but also the incredibly high quality of these products. These are all products that belong in every New Yorker's kitchen," said Acting State Fair Director Troy Waffner.

Among the highlights of the competitions:

• ​ Garelick Farms of Rensselaer earned a perfect score of 100 in the fluid milk category. Stewarts Processing and Upstate Niagara Cooperative tied for second with 96.3 points.
• Upstate Niagara Cooperative's sour cream earned the only other perfect score of the competition, with the product from HP Hood's Arkport plant finishing a single point behind.
• HP Hood swept the gold and silver medals in all three cottage cheese competitions, for full fat, low fat and nonfat cottage cheeses along with two of the three third place "award of excellence" designations.

Dairy products experts gathered recently at Stocking Hall on the Cornell University campus to judge entries in 21 categories, from goat cheese to sour cream to milk.  

Winners of the New York State Fair Dairy Products Competition were announced on Dairy Day at the Great New York State Fair.

Take a Selfie at the Butter Sculpture; Help Needy Families Get Milk

There are two days left to the Great New York State Fair.

Remember, if you take a selfie in front of the butter sculpture while holding your ice cold milk from the Rainbow Milk Bar, you will help make a donation to area food banks so needy families can get milk to serve at home.

Go to http://www.adadc.com/sports-nutrition.html for more information.

Plans for New York State Fairgrounds Renovations Unveiled

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday announced plans for the renovations to the New York State Fairgrounds.

Go to http://www.localsyr.com/new-york-state-fair/story/d/story/gov-unveils-plan-for-50m-for-state-fairgrounds-sup/12150/m8Bmjw0JGEOKY85lN0p8fQ to check it out.

Also go to https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-sweeping-50-million-redesign-new-york-state-fairgrounds for more information on the plan.

It's Dairy Day at the New York State Fair

Thank a cow and a dairy farmer today.

Here are today's dairy events at the fair:

       o   9 a.m.:  Dairy Day awards breakfast in the Empire Room.

o   10:30 a.m.: Celebrity Milkshake Contest, Chevy Court Pavilion.  Members of the press show off their skill at making a unique milkshake flavor while trying to beat the clock. 

o   11 a.m.: The Big Cheese auction.  Cheese in blocks small, large, and gigantic are auctioned off at the Chevy Court Pavilion.  Free samples available while you bid!

o   6 p.m.:  Dairy Day goes to the State Fair Daily Parade.  Dairy princesses, milk trucks, and lots of streetside giveaways highlight this edition of the parade around Chevy Court.

                o   All day:  Cheese sculptor Sarah Kaufmann will carve cheddar into unique sculptures in the Dairy Products Building.

North Country People At the New York State Fair

Here is my story about the first day of the fair and North Country people at the fair:

Katie and Michael Stoffel of Antwerp enjoy their chocolate milk

 at the fair.

It was exceptionally cool (sometimes downright cold) and rainy on the first day of the New York State Fair Thursday.

But that didn’t keep the folks from coming out for food, animals, music, product demonstrations and rides at the fairgrounds in Geddes, just west of Syracuse.Thousands had come through the turnstiles by Thursday afternoon. And while they were at the fair, they were greeted by many fair exhibitors and fair workers who are from Northern New York.

Here are some of their stories:

Iroquois Village -- The Iroquois Village is a proud part of the

Margaret Burnam, a Mohawk, at the Iroquois Village

fairgrounds in which people from the Six Nations of the Iroquois tell fair visitors of the history of their people and share their customs and lives.

One of them is Margaret Burnam, 73, a Mohawk formerly from Hogansburg, St. Lawrence County. She has been coming to the State Fair since she was 6 years old and still remembers years when she would participate in the dances put on by the Native Americans at the village.

“I would dance when I felt like it,” she said. “Then I would run over to the Midway.”

Thursday, she was cleaning up the Mohawk booth where handmade jewelry and other items are sold. A downpour had just swept through and one side of the booth was wet.

“I love it here,” she said. “People come here and ask questions.”

She lamented the fact that visitors often don’t know very much about the Six Nations of the Iroquois. She tries to help when she can. She recommends books for people to read and has even had people come back to her the next year to thank her for the recommendation.

Ms. Burnam will be at the fair all 12 days.

Milking and birthing cows – Teri Martin, of the town of Fowler,

Teri Martin in the Dairy Cow Birthing Center

St. Lawrence County, is doing double duty at the state fair.

She is in charge of the milking parlor, where all the cows being shown and displayed in the dairy cattle building come at least twice a day to be milked. About 500 cows are milked there and Agri-Mark, a dairy cooperative, picks up the milk for processing.

She also volunteers (when cows aren’t being milked) at the Dairy Cow Birthing Center, answering questions from those watching calves being born.

“I was showing cows here about 20 years ago and they needed someone to run the milking parlor. I said ‘I can do that,’” Mrs. Martin said. “Then three years ago when the birthing center started, Jessica (Jessica Ziehm, who run the birthing center) came to us at the milking parlor to see if we wanted to work at the center. So here I am.”

Mrs. Martin is happy to answer questions at the birthing center because “the more we education we can do the better for all of us.”

“And I like answering questions,” she said. “Most people are four generations removed from the farm, so they need to know what we do.”

She’s been asked some doozy questions. Someone wanted to know if you really can tip a cow over. Does chocolate milk come only from brown cows? Do cows bite? Does it hurt cows when they’re milked?

“No question is too silly,” Mrs. Martin said.

Mrs. Martin and her husband, David, have Holsteins and Brown Swiss on their second-generation dairy farm.

Keeping the peace – Sgt. Gary Mattimore is the station

Sgt. Gary Mattimore

commander for the New York State Police in Gouverneur, St. Lawrence County.

But this week, he is the day shift supervisor for the state police exhibit at the New York State Fair. The 21-year state police veteran ensures the exhibit is running smoothly, that all the demonstrations are being done correctly and on time and that fair visitors are getting their questions answered.

“It’s a fun detail. I like to help people out and make sure everything is running smoothly,” Sgt. Mattimore said. He said some of the incidents troopers may have to deal with at the fair include fights, injuries and thefts.

The state police exhibit includes the canine unit and its handlers, the scuba detail, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, recruiters and those operating the rollover demonstration. On Thursday, Sgt. Mattimore was helped with the rollover demonstration, picking up dummies that had been thrown out of the rolling vehicle and putting them back in the car.

This is his third year working the state fair. He is north country through and through, being a native of Lewis County and having worked in Plattsburgh, Canton, Carthage,  Lowville, Ray Brook and Gouverneur during his career. He was senior firearms instructor at Ray Brook.

Merry Christmas – Even though it’s only August, Cathy Jo and

Cathy Jo and Rob Brown of Three B Christmas Tree Farm

Robert Brown always have Christmas on their minds.

They run Three B Christmas Tree farm in Norfolk, located between Potsdam and Massena in St. Lawrence County. They also have a farm in Jordan in Onondaga County.

They were working Thursday at the state fair booth for the Christmas Tree Farmers Association of New York.

“The foremost thing we do here at our farm is education,” said Mrs. Brown. “When people come out, it’s almost Christmas and everybody’s happy and you can please most people.”

What most fairgoers don’t realize is Christmas tree producers don’t work just from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve.

I could work seven days a week right now. It started as a hobby, but, it’s not a hobby,” he laughed.

Mrs. Brown said the only time Christmas tree growers aren’t working in the fields is January to March. Then spring comes and they are out trimming trees constantly and then mowing the land around the trees. The Browns have 43 acres in St. Lawrence County and sell blue spruce, Fraser firs and balsams.

“We sell those because of the frost and cold we get up there,” Mrs. Brown said. “Some varieties don’t do well in those conditions.”

And even though running a Christmas tree farm and selling wreaths and other greenery decorations they make takes them away from enjoying their own Christmas season, they wouldn’t give it up for the world.

“I’ve always enjoyed the tree farm business,” Mr. Brown said. They are celebrating their 25th anniversary in business this year.

Sweet maple --  Nadeen Lyndaker, one of the owners of Lyndaker Maple Orchard in Croghan,  Lewis County, was putting people to

Todd Hofheins, of Attica, Wyoming County, and Nadeen Lyndaker, of Croghan, Lewis County, man the education center for the New York State Maple Producers booth in the Horticulture Building at the State Fair

the test at the New York State Maple Producers Booth at the state fair.

“OK, tell me which is real maple syrup and which is the fake stuff,” she said as she handed a farigoer  two little plastic cups with syrups in it. One was a lighter color and one was a bit darker.

She said it was surprising that some people who said they only eat maple syrup would get it wrong and some who said they would definitely be able to tell the difference also had a difficult time tell real from fake.

Mrs. Lyndaker was working in the maple producers’ education booth, which began last year but wasn’t located near the maple products booth in the Horticulture Building. This year, the education center is directly across from the maple products booth and many more people are checking it out.

“We are teaching them about the new grades (of syrup, which changed this year) and how the collection of sap and making of syrup has changed over the years. We’re here to educate people.”

The education center has photos on the wall depicting sap collection in buckets and the newer modern way of collection via tubing and vacuums. The trees in the center are dripping water (to depict sap) and there is even a place to take a selfie with trees in the background that you then can put on Facebook.

And the workers there also answer questions. Mrs. Lyndaker said some people don’t realize maple syrup really comes from maple trees. One person wanted to know if it could be made sugar free.

“We want them to know it is a real, fresh, local agricultural product,” she said.The Lyndaker Maple Orchard has been around since 1926 and it in its fourth generation.

Enjoying NYS milk – While they weren’t working or exhibiting at the fair, two Antwerp residents were found Thursday enjoying some cold, fresh chocolate milk from the Rainbow Milk Bar.

Michael Stoffel said – tongue in cheek – that he collects his quarters all year to get ready for the fair and the Rainbow Milk Bar. The bar sells cups of white or chocolate milk for 25 cents.

He said he and Katie Stoffel come to the fair each year and always enjoy a cup of milk.

2015 Butter Sculpture Unveiled at the New York State Fair

"Thanks for the Milk, Moo York," the 2015 New York State Fair butter sculpture

You can call this “Great American Milk Drive – Part Two.”

This year’s New York State Fair butter sculpture was unveiled Wednesday morning and it is a thank you for everyone throughout New York who has donated milk to needy families through the Great American Milk Drive.

The sculpture is called “Thanks for the Milk, Moo York.” The 2014 State Fair sculpture kicked off the Great American Milk Drive, which resulted in more than 22,000 gallons of milk being donated in the state.

Made of 800 pounds of unsalted butter from O-At-Ka Milk in Batavia, the sculpture shows a dairy farmer, milk processor and retailer each holding gallons of milk. There also are key New York state elements behind them, such as Niagara Falls, the Statue of Liberty and the Carrier Dome.

The sculpture is one of the most popular sites to visit during the 12-day New York State Fair. It is in the Dairy Products Building at the New York State Fairgrounds in Geddes.

The fair opens Thursday, Aug. 27 and goes through Labor Day, Sept. 7. This is the 47th annual butter sculpture at the state fair.

“We live in one of the top producing milk states in the country, yet many families aren’t getting the nutritious, wholesome milk they want to provide for their children,” said dairy farmer Sarah Noble-Moag, of Pavilion. “The Great American Milk Drive helps draw attention to that need and makes it easy for people to donate, both in store and on line,” she said.

This is the 13th year artists Jim Victor and Marie Pelton, of Conshohocken, Pa., have worked on the sculpture. This is probably the tallest sculpture they have done, since the top of one of the milk bottles in the piece is only about a quarter inch from the top of the butter sculpture’s refrigerated room.

“It’s 77 inches high,” Ms. Pelton said. "In 2012, the sculpture about Greek yogurt during the summer of the Olympics was 2 inches below the grate.”

As part of the Great American Milk Drive and thanking people for their previous donations, the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council, which sponsors the butter sculpture, also is asking people to donate extra quarters when they buy their cup of milk at the fair’s Rainbow Milk Bar.

The additional donations will go toward purchasing milk for food banks and food pantries so needy families can obtain milk. The Rainbow Milk Bar also is in the Dairy Products Building and serves delicious, cold glasses of white or chocolate milk for 25 cents.

The Dairy Association and Dairy Council also is conducting an Instagram Selfie Contest to help spread the word about the need for milk donations. Take a selfie in front of the butter sculpture with your cup of milk from the Rainbow Milk Bar and tag it “givemilktoo.”

Each day of the fair, one winner will be selected to receive a $50 gift card for dairy products and a $50 donation will be made to a local food bank to help it purchase milk.

One second prize winter will win an Apple Watch. And one grand prize winner will receive an Ultimate Buffalo Bills Fan Weekend package, including access to pre-game practice, an overnight hotel stay in Buffalo and four club tickets to watch the Bills take on the Houston Texans.

Go to www.adadc.com for more contest information.

Donate at Rainbow Milk Bar at the Fair to Provide Milk to Needy Families

 

From the New York State Fair:

For thousands of fairgoers, the annual trip to the Great New York State Fair isn’t complete without a stop at The Rainbow Milk Bar for a cup of 25-cent, ice-cold white or chocolate milk.  

Now, fairgoers can donate their spare change to the Great American Milk Drive and help ensure more families can get milk year-round, said Rick Naczi, chief executive officer of the  American Dairy Association and Dairy Council and State Fair Acting Director Troy Waffner. 

Through The Great American Milk Drive, dairy farmers and milk processors, in partnership with Feeding America, are helping to give much needed nutrient-rich milk to millions of hungry families through area food pantries and food banks.  

There is a nationwide shortage because milk is rarely donated.  

“Milk is one of the most highly requested items at food banks throughout the country,” Naczi said. “To help provide more milk to families who depend on these facilities, we are asking fairgoers to donate a quarter for every cup of milk they purchase. We’re calling this campaign “Get One, and Give One Too.” If just a fraction of the people that visit the Milk Bar donate, we’d raise $22,000 and that would buy a lot of milk.”

Donations to support the Great American Milk Drive will be accepted at every milk station at The Rainbow Milk Bar. All proceeds will be earmarked for milk purchases and distributed to food banks throughout New York. 

“The Rainbow Milk Bar is one of the fair’s most popular exhibits, and it’s become a tradition for families to stop by and get a cup of ice-cold milk," said Waffner. "It promotes the health benefits of milk and supports our dairy farmers. Now, Fairgoers can use their love of dairy to give back, and help get fresh, nutritious milk to other families in their communities.”

Dairy Cow Birthing Center Again Will Have Live Video of Births

A newborn calf. Photo courtesy Dairy Cow Birthing Center

Be sure to go to http://www.vet.cornell.edu/news/nysfair/ to check out live feeds from the Dairy Cow Birthing Center.

State Fair Offers Cookbook Filled with Winning Recipes

The New York State is offering a cookbook filled with recipes from people who have won cooking and baking competitions at the fair.

Open the new "Blue Ribbon Recipes: The Great New York State Fair" book and you'll find recipes judged to be amont the very best in New York state.

The 100-page cookbook filled with grand champion finalist recipes from 2006 to 2014 will be available for $15 at the History of the State Fair exhibit in the Art and Home Center, said State Fair Acting Director Troy Waffner.

Every year at the fair, amateur cooks from across the state submit daily recipes and samples in a wide variety of food categories. Most of the daily winners at the competition go on to compete in the Grand Championship on Labor Day.

"For many years, some of the best food on the fairgrounds has been behind the closed doors of the culinary judging area," Waffner said. 'Blue Ribbon Recipes' throws open and shares these wonderful recipes with everyone. I've already picked a couple that I'd like to try."

This year, 141 New Yorkers submitted 626 creations to the culinary competitions.  Judges sample each offering in the search for the very best.  Winners receive small cash prizes and ribbons that signify their achievement. 

New York State Fair Opens Next Week

If there’s anything that says late summer, it’s the Great New York State Fair.

Twelve days of animals, rides, music, fun, education and of course, food, at the Aug. 27 to Sept. 7 event in Geddes, just outside of Syracuse.

2014 State Fair butter sculpture

Probably the least exciting of those is education, but learning is a big part of the fair, according to Acting Director Troy Waffner.

Fair-goers often ask questions of farmers and other producers who show animals or items they grow at the New York State Fair — the first such event ever held in the United States, in 1841.

“It’s our mission to promote everything agriculture in terms of education,” Waffner said. “When I was a fair-goer, I didn’t come here to be educated, but if you tricked me into it, I could find out the most interesting things in the world.”

This year’s fair will offer several new agricultural exhibits for fair-goers and even farmers and producers to check out:

** Equine Avenue exhibit: an interactive demonstration that allows patrons to interact directly with horses, their owners, vets and nutritionists. In a tent outside the Toyota Coliseum.

** Canning demos in the demonstration kitchen. On Aug. 27 and 28, this will feature demonstrations on the best way to can homegrown or locally grown food.

** Sweet potatoes offered in the potato booth for $1. That's in the Horticulture Building.

2014 State Fair Dairy Day Celebrity Milkshake Contest

** A youth horse show in the coliseum on Labor Day.

** New stalls and renovation in the DVM Barn. Dave Bullard, assistant public information officer for the fair, said these improvements will make working in the barn much easier and more pleasant for exhibitors.

** Vegan delight. The first all-vegan/vegeterian food vendor will be in the International Building. Syracuse’s Strong Hearts Café will serve 100 percent vegan fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner and will offer its menu of more than 40 popular milkshakes from its restaurant on East Genesee Street in Syracuse and its satellite location on the Syracuse University hill.

** Gladiola competition. Anyone at the fair at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 3 can join the new gladiola competition in the Horticulture Building. Fairgoers can try to make a gladiola bouquet arrangement in 10 minutes and then the audience will vote on their favorites.
 
**  War Dog Memorial. The unveiling of the new memorial honoring canines who have served in the military will be at 11 a.m. Sept. 3. The event will include a wreath laying by members of the military, assisted by Gold Star mothers, as well as brief memorial speeches from dignitaries. The memorial is at the Veterans Memorial in front of the

2014 State Fair maple winners

Horticulture Building.
 
** There will be no poultry exhibits due to concerns about the Avian bird flu. The flu has not been found in New York state, and state Agriculture and Markets officials want to keep it that way, so they canceled all poultry exhibits and competitions at county fairs and the state fair this year. 

** The piglets and sows will be back this year in the Swine Building. They were absent last year because of a problem nationally with Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea.
 

The most exciting of these new exhibits is the Equine Avenue. Waffner said there were comments in the past from fair-goers who were dismayed at not being able to get closer to all the horses for the International Horse Show.

Sheep at the 2014 State Fair

“They couldn’t get that close to them in the horse barns to see their beauty,” Waffner said. “With the horses outside on Equine Avenue, people will be able to pet them, take photos with them, paint them, and people who want to study equine science can check out all the breeds up close. Horses have a special allure, heritage and history.”

Another big change at the fair this year: the poultry building won’t contain any poultry.

The state fair and all county fairs in New York state canceled all bird shows and exhibits this year because of concerns about the Avian flu. 

None of the flu strain has been found in New York state, but the state Department of Agriculture and Markets wants to ensure that poultry in the state remain flu-free.

This also means the popular daily rooster crowing contest will not be held. The poultry building instead will house rabbits and cavies. The state fair is replacing the rooster contest with a rabbit-hopping demonstration on seven days.

There will be a special demonstration on Sept. 1 of combing and cutting fur from angora rabbits and spinning the fur into yarn to make hats and mittens.


The New York State Fair has operated since Sept. 29 and 30, 1841, except for 1942 through 1947, when the fairgrounds were used as a military base during World War II.

With state money given for the promotion of county fairs in 1841, the New York State Agricultural Society created the state fair, and more than 10,000 people attended that first year.

The fair moved around after that — to Albany, then to Rochester and other New York cities. But in 1890, Syracuse was chosen as the permanent site of the event.

This story originally ran in Empire Farm & Dairy magazine. If you're interested in more stories like this, subscribe to the magazine by sending $50 for a one-year subscription or $75 for two years to Empire Farm & Dairy, 260 Washington St., Watertown, NY  13601 
 

Sad Ending for C-Section Cow from 2014 State Fair

Vets operate on the cow during the 2014 State Fair to deliver her calf.

“Awwwwww.”

The veterinarians pulled out a stillborn calf. The audience members had been on the edge of their seats for more than an hour, wondering how this drama was going to end.

Their collective sound of pain told the story.

It was Dairy Day at the 2014 New York State Fair, that glorious 12 hours to celebrate all that is great about milk, cheese, ice cream and yogurt.

Thousands of people were on the fairgrounds watching milkshake making contests, trying out yogurt parfaits, tasting great New York cheeses and visiting the Empire State’s fabulous dairy cattle.

They also had filed in and out of the Dairy Cow Birthing Center to watch the beginning of the milk cycle -- the miracle of a calf’s birth. It was the second year for the birthing center and a huge hit at the fair.

But this day was a little different. Life played out in front of hundreds of people in the birthing center at about 3 or so that afternoon.

A dairy cow owned by Walnut Ridge Dairy in Lansing, Tompkins County, was ready to give birth. People packed the bleachers and seats to witness the birth.

Each day, three cows would give birth to calves in the center. Adults and children alike ooohed and aaahed as the cute little Holsteins slipped into the world. The mother cow would produce milk from giving birth and from there, she would be milked daily to provide all of us delicious milk to drink or dairy products to eat.

But on Dairy Day, of all days, things didn’t go as planned for this one cow.

“What’s going on?” I asked a lady on the bleachers as I sat down, a few minutes after the drama had begun.

“She’s having problems,” the lady said of the cow. “They’re not sure what’s wrong.”

After watching for a while, I heard Steve Palladino, a partner in Walnut Ridge Dairy, and others on the scene thought either she had a stillborn calf or possibly there were twins on the way.

A bunch of veterinarians came in. They reached inside the cow’s birth canal to see if they could grab the calf and pull it out. That effort failed.

Palladino, nervous for his cow, told the packed house what was going on. People asked questions and Palladino and others tried to answer as best they could.

“My main concern was for the cow,” Palladino said.

Eventually, it became obvious to the veterinarians that a Caesarian section would have to be performed on the cow. Jessica Ziehm, executive director of the New York Animal Agriculture Coalition which runs the birthing center, said this definitely was not planned, but it shows what real life is like on a farm.

The C-section was performed. Spectators were warned in advance that they might want to leave if they couldn’t stomach what was being done. I was sitting right in back of the cow and I have to say, the entire operation was shielded pretty well from view so those watching really couldn’t see anything objectionable.
 
"I was a nervous wreck," Palladino said. "It's bad enough your cow is going through this but in front of 600 to 700 people?"

There weren’t twins. Only one calf that was stillborn.

“Awwwwww,” the audience said in unison when it heard the outcome.

The cow’s incision was sewn up. The audience was told they would keep an eye on her to be sure she was healing well.

Palladino said at that time she would be able to have more calves and remain a productive member of the Walnut Ridge dairy herd.

But, it was not to be. When checking up on the cow in July, I was told she had been sold to slaughter.

A heart-wrenching decision, to be sure. Palladino said the cow never made much milk after the stillborn birth. 

A farmer has to weigh the costs when considering his herd -- does he want to use a lot of feed to keep a cow going if that cow doesn’t produce milk the farmer can sell?

Ziehm said dairy farms are businesses and “at the end of the day they must make decisions that allow them to keep feed in front of the cows, the lights on and bills paid.”

“She did not come into milk or produce enough milk after she calved to justify keeping her in the herd,” Ziehm said. “This is always a difficult decision for a dairy farmer as they have thousands of dollars invested in raising her, as well as the cost of the surgery. So this is not only a tough call emotionally as this is an animal that was raised and cared for from birth on the farm, it’s a significant financial loss as well.”

Palladino said the decision was rough, but one that had to be made.

"Ninety percent of cows that have had C-sections are bred back," Palladino said. "She healed fine, but she didn't come into milk well. This doesn't normally happen."

So in late February or early March -- Palladino couldn't remember exactly -- the cow was sold.

Yes, the Dairy Cow Birthing Center and all dairy farms are real life, folks.

How You Can Tell Your Kids Are Into the Fair

Check out this great blog entry.

https://rootsandladders.wordpress.com/2015/03/13/you-know-you-are-a-fair-kid-when/

Advance Sale State Fair Tickets On Sale July 13

Advance ticket sales for the 2015 Great New York State Fairgo on sale at 9 a.m. July 13  with expanded online savings for advance admission, midway and bargain book items. 

For the first time, online purchases will be available throughout all 12 days of the fair and fairgoers will be able to use an electronic ticket on their smartphone for easy entry. Tickets will be available online and in hundreds of stores across New York.
Five products will be sold online at www.etix.com, the fair's official and only online ticket seller: 

** Single-day advance sale tickets for $6, a 40 percent savings over the full admission price; ** Six-day admission Frequent Fairgoer coupon books for $30, a 50 percent savings over full price; ** Vouchers for ride-all-day wristbands at the Wade Shows Midway for $20, a discount of $5 over the weekday price and $10 over the weekend price; ** Vouchers for ride-everyday Mega Passes to the Wade Shows Midway for $70, which is $20 less than full price; ** The Fair’s Best Bets Bargain Book of more than 100 coupons for $4, a 20 percent savings over the full price.

No processing fees will be charged for tickets bought online, though credit card fees will apply.

New York State Fair Selects Vegan-Vegetarian Vendor

The first vegan-vegetarian menu is coming to the New York State Fair this year.
 
Acting Fair Director Troy Waffner said Syracuse’s Strong Hearts Café was chosen from four proposals to provide food that would appeal to vegans and vegetarians. 

The restaurant’s stand will be in the International Building, which is next to the State Police exhibit at the fair.
 
“We are thrilled to have an operator of the quality and commitment of the Strong Hearts team as part of the family of vendors at the State Fair,” Waffner said. “I know this will be a home run for fairgoers, who come to the fair to find great new foods to taste.”
 
In addition to serving 100 percent vegan fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Strong Hearts offers more than 40 milkshakes at its popular restaurant on East Genesee Street in Syracuse and its satellite location on the Syracuse University hill.
 
The restaurant will offer some of its milkshake lineup at the fair and will create a new milkshake especially for the fair.
Strong Hearts’ menu also will include smoothies, salads, sandwiches, wraps and side dishes. And, in keeping with state fair tradition, will offer a deep-fried delicacy — vegan chicken wings.
 
“People are ready for these fun and healthy alternatives,” said Strong Hearts co-owner Joel Capolongo. “We know what people like and want, and we’re ready to prove it to the hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Great New York State Fair.  I know fairgoers are going to love this food.”
 
The effort to find a vegan/vegetarian food vendor is part of the fair’s ongoing effort to diversify its food choices. As openings occur in food vending spots, the fair seeks new vendors with diverse menus.
 
Surveys of fairgoers find year after year that the number one reason they go to the fair is for the food. There are about 200 food vendors at the New York State Fair.
 
The New York State Fair runs from Thursday, Aug. 27, to Monday, Sept. 7.

Avian Flu Ditches All Fowl Competitions at Fairs in NYS

From the state Department of Agriculture and Markets:

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets has issued an order banning all live fowl competitions at the New York State Fair and at all county fairs in New York.

The order is the direct result of the continuing spread of strains of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the Midwest. 

“Avian influenza has not yet been detected in New York state, but it is a very serious threat to poultry and all breeds of fowl and is continuing to spread," said Ag and Markets Commissioner Richard Ball. 

"Despite the efforts of the best poultry health experts in North America, we do not fully understand the cause of the rapid spread of this virus. This commonsense step will help limit the spread of the influenza to other farms and chickens,” Ball said.

The ban covers all breeds of fowl, including chickens, pigeons, turkeys, pheasants, guinea fowl, bantam poultry, geese and ducks. Exhibitors who have already registered fowl for the 2015 New York State Fair will be contacted and will receive a refund of their entry fees.

“This is a disappointment to us as well as to fairgoers and our exhibitors, who look forward to this competition every year. But we believe people understand that we are stewards of the animals in our care and I know they understand that we’re doing what’s best for everyone, and especially for the birds,” said Acting Fair Director Troy Waffner.

The State Fair has already made plans to fill the space in the Poultry Barn normally used for displaying chickens with rabbits and cavies, and the daily rooster crowing contest will be replaced by a rabbit hopping demonstration on seven days. There will be a special demonstration on Tuesday, Sept. 1 of combing and cutting fur from angora rabbits and spinning the fur into yarn to make hats and mittens.

The Rooster Crowing Competition is one of the highlights of each day at the fair. The winners from each day of competition would square off at the end of the fair's run.

While the current strains of avian influenza circulating in the Midwest are extraordinarily deadly to birds, experts stress that the H5N2 and H5N8 strains are not a threat to humans. Officials also stress that chicken and eggs are safe to eat. 

The ban extends to all chartered county fairs and youth fairs in New York state. There are 45 county fairs and 6 chartered youth shows for the fair season that runs from June through October. 

“We believe the public will be very receptive to this. They know that we want to do the right thing.  We want to do what we can to prevent the spread of this disease to our local farms,” said Doug Hanno, President of the New York State Association of Agricultural Fairs and an official of the Lewis County Fair.     

Last year, sows with piglets were banned from the State Fair due to a relatively new virus known as Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv), which has a high mortality rate among piglets.

Several states have banned poultry competitions and exhibitions at fairs, including West Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Dakota and Minnesota. Ohio has banned poultry entries from states affected by the virus outbreak and may consider a complete ban on competitions and displays.