Local Producers Can Taste Test Products at Fort Drum Commissary

Here is some important information from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County:

Are you a producer trying to market a value added product? 

As part of the Food Hub Initiative Cornell Cooperative Extension and Food Venture Advisors (FVA) invite you to participate in a taste-testing of your product to a potentially significant market – Military Commissaries in the North East.

Northern New York producers making/marketing eligible products will lead the way by showcasing their value added foods at a taste testing in the Fort Drum Commissary from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 17.

Food Venture Advisors is searching for high quality, value added products that can meet required year round quantity and food safety standards and which contain mostly locally produced ingredients.  Producers will be asked to supply samples of their products to FVA.   

Samples should be delivered to CCE – Jefferson no later than Nov. 1. Examples of value added products include locally produced cheeses, pickled vegetables, jams, jellies, meat jerky, mustards etc. 

Producers with products that meet the criteria will be notified and should deliver their samples and for-sale products to the FVA warehouse at 200 Howk St., Watertown on Nov. 14. 

Products will be evaluated to ensure the product meets required quality, ingredients, packaging, production history, estimated capacity, etc.  

On the day of the event, FVA will transport all products to the Commissary in refrigerated vehicles.   Any unused products can be returned to CCE Jefferson office for producers to pick up after the event.   

Producers are invited to attend and participate at the event and will be carpooled onto the Fort from CCE – Jefferson Office starting at 9 a.m. Producers will be allowed to sell their product during the tasting. However, samples are not reimbursable. 

Please bring your own sample spoons, cups, napkins, plates, signage, etc. The Commissary will provide: tables, trash, staff and marketing.

Products which attract significant interest at the event will be selected by the Commissary staff.  Selected products will be stocked on a limited basis and distributed by FVA to the Fort Drum Commissary.   

Note: as with any retail opportunity distribution fees and retail markups apply. However, Commissaries generally mark up products only 5 percent. 

For more information contact Remy Cline at (315) 789-0042.

New Farm Store Opening in Onondaga County

Dan Palladino of Palladino Farms in Pompey is opening a new farm store at 2 p.m. Friday Jan. 13 (today).

Palladino said "we will have product samples and tastings by Trinity Valley Dairy, Clean Slate balsamic vinegars and honey, breads by Alambria Springs farm and maple products from Dutch Hill maple."

Palladino said the primary reason for starting the store is he believes there is a "huge unmet need for a place selling local foods in our town and area. In addition, the town of Pompey passed a very farm friendly law in 2015 called the "farm business overlay", which allows qualified farmers to have commercial enterprises on their farm if they meet certain criteria."

One of the main criteria is a certain percentage of foods sold must be actually grown in Pompey.

"Our goal is to bring the connection between consumer and farmer even closer," Palladino said. "The store will give other small farms that only produce one or a few items an outlet to sell their products where they otherwise could not afford to."

Palladino also believes food should be affordable and some stores and retail sites sell healthy local foods at higher prices.

"While this is unavoidable with some premium and organic products, I plan to price as competitively as possible so that all people can enjoy shopping for local products at our farm store and not have to go to a large retailer or buy from unknown sources," he said.
 
Palladino said his goal is to carry as many made in Onondaga County products as possible, as well as some regionally produced products (from other counties and a few items from Pennsylvania) until he can find a local source of those products.

It's National Farmers Market Week

Get out and visit your local farmers market!!!

NY Begins Farmers' Market Manager Certification Program

The state is beginning a program to train farmers' markets managers.

The state Department of Agriculture and Markets and The Farmers’ Market Federation of NY in Syracuse, in partnership with SUNY Cobleskill and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County, announced Monday the Farmers’ Market Managers Professional Certification Course.

The FMM PRO program is poised to grow and professionalize New York’s increasing number of farmers’ markets and create New York state’s first market manager certification designation, which is recognized through the SUNY system.  

FMM PRO also is geared toward opening new markets and increasing opportunities for New York state agriculture producers.

 

A growing demand from consumers for fresh, healthy local foods has brought an increase in the number of farmers’ markets across the state.  New York state is home to 646 farmers’ markets, up nearly 35 percent from just five years ago.

 

The FMM PRO program provides an online curriculum to ensure the quality and performance of farmers’ markets across the state. The 22 unique training modules will help market managers better organize, administer and promote their markets.

 

The FMM PRO course curriculum includes all aspects of maintaining and growing a successful farmers’ market and is broken down into three modules:

 

1.     Nuts and Bolts of Managing Markets

2.     Reaching Out to the Market Community

3.     Building Market Systems

 

Program participants who complete the full curriculum will receive a certificate and earn the title of Certified Market Manager. As a FMM PRO Certified Market Manager, graduates of the program will:

 

**   Be fully knowledgeable in today’s best practices for managing farmers’ markets

**   Learn tactics to expand and optimize their farmers’ market

**  Be equipped to build successful relationships with farmers and shoppers

**  Be able to use their certification to leverage funding and support for their market

 

The cost of the SUNY Farmers’ Market Managers Professional Certification is $200 for 12 months of access to the online curriculum.  Discounts are available for multiple registrations for market organizations.  

Participants need to complete all 22 sessions within this time frame, including a quiz and homework assignment from each section in order to receive certification. 

In addition, they will need to earn two continuing education credits bi-annually by attending special sessions at the Federation’s annual Farmers’ Market Managers Conference and/or specified manager training webinars in order to maintain their certification.  

The program is also available to out-of-state participants. 

 

Registration for the course is ongoing, enabling participants to register and complete the full curriculum at their convenience. To register, a participant will need to complete an online application and submit payment online. Once your payment is received, participants will be emailed a code to access the online course. 

To register for FMM Pro: Farmers’ Market Managers Certification Program, go to  http://www.nyfarmersmarket.com/fmmpro

Vote for Your Favorite Farmers' Market

Vote for your favorite farmers' market by going to http://markets.farmland.org/

Oswego County Harvest Dinner Set for Oct. 2

The sixth annual Oswego County Harvest Dinner is set for 6:15 p.m. Oct. 2 at The American Foundry.

The dinner has become a popular event in its first five years and those who want to attend should get tickets early because the event usually sells out.

Tickets for the event are $35 for one or $65 for two and must be purchased ahead of time. Prepaid reservations can be made by contacting Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County at 315-963-7286 or e-mailing lkw39@cornell.edu. No tickets will be sold at the door.

The annual event celebrates Oswego County agriculture and all the local food it provides. The dinner features locally grown and sourced food. It begins with a social hour, including a sampling of Oswego County beverages. Guests will be served a six-course meal showcasing delicious Oswego County food prepared by the chefs of The American Foundry. 

Following dinner a guest speaker will entertain the crowd. There will also be raffle baskets featuring Oswego County’s finest agricultural products and more.