Empire Farm Days 2017 Kicks Off Aug. 8 in Seneca Falls

From Empire Farm & Dairy magazine

EMPIRE FARM DAYS
 
SENECA FALLS — Lift the hood. Kick the tires. Sit in the cab. Test drive tractors, trucks, applicators, UTVs and construction equipment.
 
“Come See for Yourself!” is the theme of this summer’s Empire Farm Days event Aug. 8 to10 at Rodman Lott and Son Farms, 2973 State Route 414, in Seneca Falls.
 
This show is the largest outdoor agricultural trade event in the northeastern U.S.
 
Here’s a quick look at what’s new at the 2017 show:
 
Expanded, irrigation-fed field demonstrations include:
 
** Hard hose reel system irrigation-fed crops
 
** More pieces of equipment to see and test drive
 
** Renewed focus on ‘big iron’ operating in real-time field conditions.
 
** Field demos starting at 10:30 a.m., with support from Morrisville State College and 15 equipment manufacturers: CNY Farm Supply/ROC, Cummings & Bricker/McHale, Dion-Ag Inc., H & S Manufacturing, John Deere, Marloo Equipment/SIP, Meyer Manufacturing, New Holland, Norwood/KwikTill, Oxbo International, Pequea Machine Inc., Poettinger US Inc, Rangeline Group/K-Line, Tigerco Distributing/Reese, and Unverferth Manufacturing.
 
** 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily: Test drive large applicators with Java Farm Supply/Ag Chem Rogator, John Deere, Monroe Tractor/Case IH, Chandler, Miller and Vector
 
** 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily: Ride and drive Ford Trucks, Honda, Milton Cat, RAM Trucks, and Yanmar tractors and UTVs.
 
** 10:30 a.m. daily: Cover Crops Field Demonstration Tour with King’s AgriSeeds and Seedway: Cool and warm season cover crop species/mixes; best seeding methods, timing, and purposes discussions.
 
Soil Health Center Seminars
 
** USDA NRCS Northeast Regional Soil Health Specialist Jim Hoorman from Findlay, Ohio, opens the Tuesday programs on fertilizer, manure and nutrient management in cover cropping and reduced tillage systems.
 
** Hoorman leads Wednesday’s schedule addressing prevention, reduction and mitigation strategies for compaction problems.
 
** Thursday programs focus on utilizing soil health practices in vegetable cropping systems beginning at 9:30 am with Cornell University Horticulture Professor Dr. Thomas Bjorkman.
 
** Wednesday, 2 p.m.: “The Living Soil” Keynote Presentation/Demonstration with Conservation Biologist Carmen Greenwood of SUNY Cobleskill. Learn how live soil-dwelling invertebrates, such as soil mites, serve in vital ecosystem roles, provide conservation benefits and act as indicators of soil health.
 
** Daily: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service intro to Conservation Client Gateway (1:30 p.m. presentation; one-on-one all day), Web Soil Survey, cell phone Soil Web App.
 
Dairy Profit Seminars
 
The daily 10:30 a.m. Dairy Profit Seminars are made possible by a collaboration by Cornell’s PRO-DAIRY Program, the Northeast Dairy Producers Association, and Dairy Business and Holstein World magazine.
 
** The Tuesday, Aug. 8 presentation is on Robotics and Maximizing Milk Per Box: Grouping and Feeding Strategies with Douglas F. Waterman, Director of Technology Application: Dairy for Trouw Nutrition Agresearch.
 
** The Wednesday, Aug. 9 presentation is on Transitioning to Automatic Milking Systems with farmer panelists, Bruce Dehm of Dehm Associates, LLC, and Cornell Senior Extension Associate Jason Karszes.
 
** The Thursday, Aug. 10 presentation is called, “Is Your Farm a Member of the 7 Pound Club?” Leading dairy producers delve into the next frontier of maximizing pounds of components produced while maintaining profitability with representatives of Albano Farms, Thornapple Farm, and Hanehan Family Dairy; Bruce Dehm of Dehm Associates; and Dr. Cargill Feed and Nutrition Senior Dairy Specialist Jay Giesy.
 
New Products
 
Among the new products in 2017: forage mergers, disc blades, manure spreaders, an on-farm mastitis detection system, a patented metal roofing system, a PTO-driven firewood processor from Finland, an expanded reach skidsteer; mower combination, cover crop seeder, rock picker, mineral feeder, bale grapples, apple grinder, and precision fertilizer application monitoring system.
 
Expanded Beef Programs
 
** Designing cattle handling systems with Runnings.
 
** Animal ID and pre-conditioning practices.
 
** Tuesday/Wednesday programs on feeder calf grading and evaluating with NY livestock graders and market news reporter, and how to use blood sampling to check for pregnancy as early as 28 days.
 
** One-Day-Only Programs with NY Beef Council: Wednesday: Livestock Animal Well Being; Thursday: Beef Quality Assurance Training and Recertification: must pre-register: (315) 339-6922.
 
** 11a.m. daily: Live Cattle Handling with Cornell Beef Extension Specialist Dr. Mike Baker and representatives of Hi Hog, Priefert and Powder River cattle systems.
 
Ag Education
 
** Try virtual reality welders aboard American Welding Society Careers in Welding trailer from Miami, Fla.
 
** NYS FFA students compete in NYS welding and tractor driving safety contests on Thursday.
 
** 2017 Cornell PRO-DAIRY Junior DAIRY LEADERS class graduates Wednesday, 1:30 p.m.
 
** Colleges highlighting agricultural degree programs at Empire Farm Days include Alfred State College, Cornell University, Morrisville State College, SUNY Canton and SUNY Cobleskill.
 
** Information on national Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship program and info on grass-fed milk emerging markets. in Cornell Marketplace Building.
 
New Craft Beverage Center
 
** New center to meet needs of emerging micro beverage industry in New York State. According to the state Department of Agriculture, the state has seen an increase from 10 farm distilleries in 2010 to 114 today, along with 163 farm breweries and 34 farm cideries.
 
** See bottling equipment, hammermills for grain processing, a new apple grinder that converts to milling malted grains, and high-tech filtration, separation and purification systems; talk with manufacturers.
 
** Tuesday, 9 a.m to 1 p.m., all day Wednesday: Try wine and cider “sniff test” with Cornell University Viticulture and Enology Extension specialists to identify issues and how to avoid them. Learn about Cornell Wine Lab testing and analysis services to help all types of beverage makers.
 
** Tuesday 1 to 5 p.m., all day Thursday: Talk with Brewmaster Jon Paul Partee and co-owner Craig Partee of Fleur De Lis Brew Works and Hop Yards of Seneca Falls, about hops production and their French style of artisan beer making. Their beer garden has been part of the Partee family farming legacy for three generations.
 
Farm Safety
 
** Grain Bin Simulator from National Education Center for Agricultural Safety, Peosta, Iowa, will offer demos and educate show visitors about the four most common ways to become entrapped in a grain bin, the equipment every grain bin operator should have on site, and how to protect yourself form grain dust and mold.
 
** Special Tuesday evening hands-on safety training session will be available by registration for firefighters. Contact is Jim Carrabba at New York Center for Agriculture Medicine and Health, (800) 343-7572, ext. 2216, jcarrabba@nycamh.com
 
** The New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health tent will be offering blood pressure, hearing, vision and skin cancer screenings on Tuesday and Wednesday.
 
** The winner of the new Fastest PTO Shield Installation contest at the NYCAMH booth will receive a free Bare-Co PTO Shield.
 
For the Horse Crowd
 
The rugged horses of the American West and the refinement of dressage riding will be featured in the Equine Round Pen showcases at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily.
 
** America’s Mustangs: From Wild to Mild will be featured on Tuesday Aug. 9 and Wednesday Aug. 10 with celebrated horse trainers and 2017 Extreme Mustang Makeover regional winners Jack and Emma Minteer of Rose Hill Ranch, Naples.
 
** On Thursday. Aug. 10, Lucretia Galbraith, raised in a family of Standardbred racing royalty and a lifelong horsewoman, will demonstrate the skills that make her a five-time Western NY Dressage Association Professional Rider of the Year and a United States Dressage Association Bronze Medalist.
 
Farm Family Fun and Learning
 
** “Why I Farm,” pumpkin production, and the Chicken Chat large board game are all new attractions at the NY Farm Bureau Family Education Center.
 
** The Dancing Digger will perform ‘hydraulic handstands’ to music daily.
 
** The New York State Grange has added quilting presentations to programming at 11:05 a.m. and 2:05 p.m. Dalmatian Sparks and handler Tibbie Dell lead off at 9:30 a.m. with You CAN Teach an Old Dog New Tricks.
 
** Did you know that in addition to making tractors International Harvester made refrigerators? See tractors, implements and other farm and household items made by agricultural manufacturers at the Old Iron exhibits.
 
Get in the Farm Pond
 
Those 10 and older can try a standup paddleboard or kayak with Morgan Marine in the farm pond. Participants must attend a preceding water safety program by New York Sea Grant, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, and New York State Parks Marine Services Bureau.

Empire Farm Days show hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday. Admission is $10 per vehicle. 

For daily schedules and more information, visit www.empirefarmdays.com, check out Empire Farm Days on Facebook, or call 877-697-7837.

Lots of New to See at Empire Farm Days Aug. 9-11

From Empire Farm & Dairy Magazine

Empire Farm Days is coming back to the Rodman Lott Farm outside Seneca Falls Aug. 9-11.

This year’s theme is “Experience Empire.” 

Here are some of the things you will find at this year's event:


** The 2016 Soil Health Center seminars, crop plot tours and farmer panel discussions are focused on the use of cover cropping, interseeding, soil biology, reduced tillage practices and utilizing winter grain cover crops for forage. Presenters include Dr. Matthew Ryan and Dr. Janice E. Thies of Cornell University, and Cornell PRO-DAIRY Dairy Forage Systems Specialist Joe Lawrence.
 
New York grower Donn Branton, farmer and nutritionist Gabriel Carpenter, and Pennsylvania No-Till Alliance President Jim Hershey are among several farmers participating in panel discussions.
 
** The time has changed for the ever-popular Field Equipment Demonstrations. The demos will be at 10 a.m. for the daily Tillage and GPS-Guided demonstrations followed by Hay Mowing at 11 a.m. and Forage Chopping and Handling demonstrations at 1 p.m. and Hay Raking, Baling, Processing and Handling at 2 p.m.
 
** There will be new live coverage sprinkler irrigation demonstrations with systems designed for use in field crops, fruit orchards and berry patches at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily, sponsored by Nelson Irrigation and CFS Irrigation Supply.
Presenter Steve McCoon will help growers learn how to balance available water supply with plant needs, soil health, depth and intake rates.
 
** A Precision Ag Seminar will be presented from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Aug. 10 at the Soil Health Center. It will be put on by Western New York Crop Management IT Manager Avery DeGolyer, Ben Flansburg with BCA Ag Technologies, and a farmer panel and is sponsored by the New York Farm Viability Institute. 
Presentations will cover field prescriptions, data management and security, different hardware and software systems and how to develop the right prescription for specific farm needs.
 
** The Empire Farm Days Test Drive and Ride Experience is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily at the farm show. The event features the opportunity to try CAT Equipment, a Kubota skid loader equipped with the new Michelin Tweel® tires and RAM trucks.
 
** Dairy Profit Seminars on Enhancing Herd Health through Effective Protocol Management; Spreading the Word on Manure: the Planning and Implementation Process; and The Changing Labor Environment: Responses and Approaches, sponsored by ASAP Interiors, Dairy Farmers of America, Farm Credit East, Farm Family Casualty Insurance, Lallemand Animal Nutrition, Multimin USA, PikeSide Enterprises, Cornell PRO-DAIRY and DairyBusiness and HolsteinWorld magazines.
 
** Mock self-propelled applicator slow moving vehicle inspection demonstrations with the New York State Police daily at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., sponsored by the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health, New York State Agri-Business Association and Northeast Region Certified Crop Advisers.
 
** The new federal Worker Protection Standard requirements and implementation schedule for agriculture chemical handling will be presented at 1 p.m. Aug. 9. The presentation is by state Department of Environmental Conservation Pesticide Control Specialist Christopher Wainwright, sponsored by the New York State Agri-Business Association, and Northeast Region Certified Crop Advisers.
 
** The New York pork industry is in the Farm Bureau Family Education Center spotlight with new interactive games for young and old.
The Franklin County Farm Bureau Farm Safety Day program will be showcased as the Farm Bureau Promotion and Education Award Winner.
 
** The Ag in the Classroom exhibit focuses on “What’s in the Garden?” as the Ag Literacy Week book for 2017.
 
** The Empire Farm Days Equine Center Round Pen demonstrations with live horses will feature Miniature Horses for Show and Therapy with Jessica Gulvin of Heart O’Gold Equine on Aug. 9, Living American History with American Mustangs with Emma and Jack Minteer of Rose Hill Ranch on Aug. 10, and an Introduction to Equestrian Vaulting with Laura Bagley of Sunshine Meadows Farm and Stables on Aug. 11. 

The demonstrations take place at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily and are sponsored by Layden Fence and Livestock.
 
** Planter Technology and Tile Plow Seminars will be offered respectively at 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. daily by White’s Farm Supply.
 
The short presentations will cover the advantages of using variable rate seed and fertilizer applications, section control and technologies that ensure proper seed depth and placement for optimal corn and soybean production; and how farmers can use a tile plow to install farm drainage for water management to improve crop production.
 
** A Small Farm Seminars series will be offered on Aug. 10 in the theater area of the Cornell Empire Building.
 
At 9:30 a.m., Cornell Small Farms Program Overview of Resources with Violet Stone, communications coordinator, small farm program; 10 a.m., Starting a Farm? The Northeast Beginning Farmer Program Can Help! with Violet Stone; 10:30 a.m., Building Soil Health: Approaches that Work on Small Farms, Ryan Maher, soil health specialist, small farms program; 11 a.m., Agroforestry Overview: New Crops and Products, Steve Gabriel, agroforestry specialist, small farms program; 11:30 a.m., Mushroom Production Basics, Steve Gabriel; noon, NY Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship Program, Fay Benson, small dairy specialist, Cornell University SCNY Regional Team.
 
** Casella Organics is presenting daily 10 a.m. field demonstrations of its Fiberlime™ product, a mix of recovered lime, clay and short paper fibers. The lime is calcium carbonate, similar to the ground limestone rock commonly used to raise soil pH and add calcium for plant growth while the cellulose fiber helps improve soil structure.
 
** The Potato Field Days started in 1931 by the Empire State Potato Growers is now Empire Farm Days. The new SPUD NATION™ Food Truck, a 2016 initiative of the U.S. Potato Board, will be at Empire Farm Days with its globally-inspired potato dishes menu. Stop by the Empire State Potato Growers booth for a free bag of potato chips.  

** The NY Beef Center will feature live cattle handling demonstrations with Cornell University Beef Extension Specialist Mike Baker daily at 11:30 a.m., a cattle breeds exhibit with live animals and a special training program on Aug. 9 for the Beef Quality Assurance program.
 
** Shooting sports take center stage in the Empire Farm Days Outdoor Center with members of New York’s first-ever scholastic trap shooting team from Belleville Henderson Central School in Jefferson County.
They will have information on the growing interest in this student endeavor in New York and nationwide. The Outdoor Center is sponsored by Fred’s Tents and Canopies.
 
** An historic 7-foot round boat that looks like a flying saucer will be at the Empire Farm Days pond near the in-water safety demonstrations with New York Sea Grant, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and state Marine Services Bureau.
 
**  The History of Match Box Toys will be a new program at the New York State Grange Center tent.
The daily schedule of 25-minute programs opens at 9:30 a.m. with Fire Safety is Fun with Dalmatian ‘Sparks’ and Tibbie Dell.
 
** The Match Box Toys program with Richard McKee will begin at 1:35 p.m. each day.

Empire Farm Days runs 9 am to 5 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 am to 4 pm on Thursday. Parking is $10 per vehicle. Learn more at www.empirefarmdays.com, 877-697-7837.

Empire Farm Days Open Tuesday Outside Seneca Falls

Overview of Empire Farm Days at Rodman Lott & Son Farm just south of Seneca Falls

The theme of this year’s Empire Farm Days is “Nobody Wants to Be Left Behind, So Everyone is Here.”
 
Farmers and vendors alike know this to be true. Empire Farm Days is the largest outdoor farm show in the Northeast and if farmers want to see the latest in technology, equipment and materials for farming, this is the place to be.
 
The 82nd edition of Empire Farm Days will be held Tuesday through Thursday at the Rodman Lott & Son Farm in Seneca Falls. 

It features more than 600 exhibitors and 70,000 visitors each year along with scores of educational programs, equipment and machinery displays, and demonstrations and activities on the 300-acre site.
 
“It’s a good opportunity to interact with vendors and suppliers,” said Douglas W. Shelmidine, owner of Sheland Farm in the town of Ellisburg, Jefferson County.
 
“You can see lots of innovative products because there is a tremendous cross section of vendors,” said Shelmidine, who has attended Empire Farm Days for several years and hopes to go again this year. “And you can see all the newest technology.”
 
“I went for seven or eight years, and the show is where you should be to see what is out there in agriculture,” said Paul Mason, of River Haven Farm in Cape Vincent. “You have a lot of different dealers, like John Deere and International, and you can compare them all. And they do demonstrations there — you can see the equipment actually being used. There is so much information at that show.”
 
Everyone from dairy producers and cattle ranchers to cash croppers, equipment operators, horse owners and farm families attend the show each year.
 
One of the highlights of this year’s show is the Confined Space Manure Pit Simulator to help farmers protect themselves from the hazards around manure pits. The four different gases from manure pits and lagoons can render someone unconscious in seconds and could lead to injury or death.
 
Manure pits also can be explosive.
 
Farmers attending demonstrations of the simulator will learn about the importance of air quality monitoring, along with how to properly use breathing apparatus, harnessing and rigging.
 
Dan Neenan, agricultural safety director at the National Education Center at Northeast Iowa Community College, will offer 20-minute safety-education demonstrations every hour throughout the show. There also will be free, four-hour Confined Space Manure Pit Rescue Training for emergency services personnel. This special training for EMTs will be after the show closes at 5 p.m. Aug. 11 and 12.
 
The Manure Pit Simulator will be located near the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health and Safety tent. EMTs can register for the training by calling James Carrabba at the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health at 800-343-7527 ext. 2216 or emailing jcarrabba@nycamh.com

Some other new items at the show this year:

*** Seminars on pop-up fertilizer and using a tile plow to install drainage. From 10 to 10:30 a.m. daily in the Welcome Center, presentations will be given on the advantages of using pop-up fertilizers in direct contact with seed plants to increase early season nutrient availability of corn and soybeans.
From 10:30 to 11 a.m., the presentations will focus on how tiling impacts water management for crop production and how farmers can use tile plows to install farm drainage tile or corrugated tubing.
 
*** The dairy industry will be the featured agricultural sector at the Farm Bureau Family Education Center. Exhibits and resources will focus on the wide array of dairy products in New York state. Visitors can test their dairy knowledge with the Wheel of Agriculture. Another new exhibit this year will showcase programming created by the Seneca County Farm Bureau and highlight local agricultural sites of interest.
 
*** Also at the Farm Bureau center will be another new exhibit showcasing the successful programming created by the Seneca County Farm Bureau and highlighting local ag points of interest. Meanwhile, the pictorial tour of New York agriculture around the perimeter of the tent will note major statistics on farming in New York, with photos depicting agriculture throughout the 11 Farm Bureau regions of the state.
 
*** The new Soil Health Seminar Center will feature two speakers and a farmer panel each day of the event. Presenters will include a soil-health-testing innovator and representatives from the Cornell University Pro-Dairy Program, Western New York Crop Management Association, Seedway and Kings Agriseeds.
 
*** Growers can learn new apple and grape grafting techniques by talking with scientists from the Agricultural Research Service Plant Genetic Resources Unit in Geneva. There will be daily demonstrations of grafting techniques used with apple trees and grapevines.

Deadline is June 29 for FFA Students to Enter Tractor Driving Safety Contest

The deadline is June 29 for FFA students to enter the New York State FFA Tractor Driving Safety Contest at the 2015 Empire Farm Days at Rodman Lott & Son Farms in Seneca Falls.

The competition will be held Thursday, Aug. 13 as part of the Northeast’s largest outdoor agricultural trade show.

Students complete a written safety exam, a parts identification task, and driving courses with 2-wheel and 4-wheel wagons. The Junior division is open to 14-16 year olds; the 16-18-year-old Senior division winner will compete at the Big E Exposition in Springfield, Mass., in September.

“This annual competition at Empire Farm Days encourages students to learn proper tractor operation and to make safety on the farm a priority,” says New York State FFA Tractor Driving Safety Contest Coordinator Jon Clayson.

To pre-register, contestants may submit their name and age division by June 29 to JClayson@pioneercsd.org. Walk-up registrations will be accepted the day of the contest.

Register by June 30 for Empire Farm Days FFA Tractor Driving Safety Contest

June 30 is the deadline to pre-register for the New York State FFA Tractor Driving Safety Contest at the 2014 Empire Farm Days at Rodman Lott & Son Farms in Seneca Falls, NY. 

The competition for students aged 14 to 18 will be held Thursday, August 7 at the Northeast’s largest outdoor agricultural trade show.

The Junior division of the contest is open to 14-16 year olds; the Senior division is for 16-18 year olds. The Senior Division winner goes on to compete at the Big E Exposition in Springfield, Mass., in September.

Preparing for the annual competition teaches students the importance of learning and using safe farm equipment operating skills. Students complete a written safety exam, a parts identification task, and driving courses with 2-wheel and 4-wheel wagons.

‘This competition helps students test how well they have learned safe tractor operation and driving skills. A strong performance at Empire Farm Days is something they can add to their resumes in pursuit of an agricultural career,’ says New York State FFA Tractor Driving Safety Contest Coordinator Jon Clayson.

To pre-register, contestants may submit their name and age division to Clayson by June 30 at JClayson@pioneercsd.org. Walk-up registrations will be accepted the day of the contest.

Empire Farm Days Contest Winners Announced

Winners of contests and competitions at Empire Farm Days in Seneca Falls have been announced.

Lyons, NY, dairyman Dan Wolf won the Kubota RTV 400 sponsored by Kubota and Empire Farm Days.

“We go to Empire Farm Days see what’s new, talk to specific product dealers, and see people we do not cross paths with anywhere else,” Wolf adds. “It was a great surprise to win. It will get used a lot in varied ways because it is so convenient to jump on and go. It is a fair distance between the dairy complex and the shop, so the RTV is already saving us a lot of jogging back and forth,” Wolf says.

Dairy farmer Brad Almeter of Strykersville in western New York won the Savage 10 Trophy Hunter XP bolt action, accutrigger rifle with a Nikon 39x40 BDC scope sponsored by Beikirch’s Ammunition of Rochester.

Almeter says, “I try to go to Empire Farm Days every year. I was very surprised to win the rifle this year and plan to use it to hunt deer and small game.”

Joanne Schoonmaker of Manlius, Onondaga County, won the Empire Farm Days Equine Center saddle sponsored by Empire Farm Days.

Schoonmaker, who grew up on a small farm in the Hudson Valley and now own three horses, says, “I have always been interested in agricultural enterprises and Empire Farm Days is a wonderful place to be among the farming community, to see the equipment, and attend the different equine demonstrations each year.”

The top three winners of the 2013 New York State FFA Welding Contest, sponsored by Haun Welding, Briggs and Stratton Yard Power Products Group, Clinton Tractor and Implement, and the Calidonna Family, at Empire Farm Days received Morrisville State College scholarships. Dakota Pingrey of Pioneer Central School, Yorkshire, NY, earned top individual honors, followed by Perry Lewis of Penn Yan Central School and Hewitt Meeder of Sherman Central School. Meeder and Gabe Rater of Sherman Central School earned the High Team Performance honors.

The New York State Tractor Driving Safety Contest, sponsored by John Deere, Kubota, H&S Farm Equipment, New Holland Case International, the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health, Massey Ferguson, Java Farm Supply, Mabie Brothers, and the NYS FFA Leadership Training Foundation at the 2013 Empire Farm Days welcomed students from across the state. The winner of the Junior Division for 14-16-year-olds was Hadley Palmerton of Pioneer Central School. Dakota Pingrey of Pioneer Central School won the Senior Division for 16-18-year-olds.

Michael Murphy of Wayland, NY, received the 2013 Empire State Potato Growers Association Scholarship at the 2013 Empire Farm Days Ag Leadership Luncheon. The scholarship provides $500 per academic year for up to four consecutive years of agricultural education. Murphy has begun studying agricultural science with a business minor at Cornell University.

Sheland Dairy Farms, owned and operated by the Donald, Doug, and Todd Shelmidine of Jefferson County, was presented the NYS Agricultural Environmental Management Award, co-sponsored by the Empire State Potato Growers, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, and American Agriculturist magazine at the 2013 Empire Farm Days Leadership Luncheon.

Melanie Wickham, who manages the Northeast’s largest outdoor agricultural show, says, “We thank the Empire State Potato Growers Association, all the agribusiness sponsors, and FFA leaders who make the annual Empire Farm Days prize giveaways and youth contests possible. The prize winners are always thrilled to receive the practical items they can put to use right away on their farms and the students can add their successful competition performances to their resumes.” 

Planning for the Aug. 5-7, 2014 Empire Farm Days is already underway.

For more details, contact Empire Farm Days Manager Melanie Wickham, 877-697-7837, mwickham@empirefarmdays.com.

Empire Farm Days in Seneca Falls Continues Through Thursday

Empire Farm Days continues through Thursday at the Rodman Lott and Son Farm on Route 414, Seneca Falls.

The 80th anniversary of the Empire Farm Days is set for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 7 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 8. Admission is free and parking is $10.

Here are some photos from the show, all taken by show director Melanie Wickham:

 

This shows a live animal demonstration on how to safely handle cattle. It is one of the demonstrations at Empire Farm Days.

Empire Farm Days takes place on a working farm operated by three generations of the Rodman Lott Family in Seneca Falls.

  

Equipment inspection at Empire Farm Days is always a highlight.

Craig Todd of Todd Farms trims this Boer goat’s hooves as part of the goat care demonstrations at Empire Farm Days

Empire Farm Days Set for Aug. 6-8 in Seneca Falls

Attendees watch a demo at Empire Farm Days

Remember everyone!

The Northeast's biggest farm show --  complete with more than 600 exhibitors -- begins Tuesday, Aug. 6.

The 80th anniversary of the Empire Farm Days is set for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 6 and 7 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 8. The event is at its regular spot, the Rodman Lott and Son Farms, 2973 State Route 414, Seneca Falls.

Admission is free and parking is $10.

Check out numerous displays of farm equipment, learn how to increase your dairy profits, learn how to keep safe on the farm, find out how wind energy can help the farm and sample New York cheeses.  

Here's what else to expect:

** The 2013 Dairy Profit Seminars are focused on the next generation of young dairy operators, robotic milking technology, and how to measure, monitor and improve cow comfort. The free seminars start at 10:30 a.m. and are open to the public at the Empire Farm Days Dairy Seminar Center. The seminars are free and open to the public. Industry updates from the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council and the Beef Checkoff program, and a picnic lunch follow immediately.

** On Aug. 7, the 2013 class of Junior Dairy Leaders graduate with presentations of their experiences with the hands-on program for 16-to-19-year-old youth interested in learning about career opportunities in the dairy industry.

** Dairy operators interested in learning more about how to comply with farm worker housing requirements can take advantage of the new mini-seminars on farm labor offered by the state Department of Labor daily at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. State Agriculture Labor Specialists Parker Filer and Laura Tramontana also will discuss how to use forms developed specifically to assist agricultural employers in complying with New York’s Wage Theft Prevention Act.      

** New product exhibits will feature everything from one-piece group hutches for calves and a natural fine-texture agricultural lime for balancing soil pH to cover crop seeders, large capacity mixing wagons, LED lighting, and the latest in smart remote control technology.

** Those interested in farm and home-size wind energy opportunities can see turbines on display and attend daily information presentations at the Wind Center.

** Cattle handlers will want to stop by the 11:30 a.m. daily demonstrations by Cornell University Beef Extension Specialist Mike Baker, who will be working with the latest equipment and demonstrating the farmer-developed Bud Box method for directing cattle into chutes and pens. The NY Beef Industry Center is also adding clipping demonstrations this year.

** The new Alpacas: From Start to Finish exhibit will have live animals, spinning and weaving demonstrations, and finished products made with the luxurious fiber.

** The three exciting Equine Center round pen presenters for 2013 are wild Mustang trainers Emma and Jack Minteer, draft breed horseman Dave Ayers, and natural horsemanship instructor Stasia Newell.

** McCadam Cheese in Chateaugay, Clinton County, will be available for tasting at the Agri-Mark booth as will samples of Cabot Cheese with its new brand logo recognizing its New York farm family owners.

** The Beikirch’s Outdoor Sporting Center is more than doubling in size with the latest sporting equipment and safety information for boating, fishing, and hunting enthusiasts.

** Popular returning exhibits at the 2013 Empire Farm Days include therapy dog Sparks demonstrating fire safety in the NYS Grange Family Center each morning, ag plastics recycling and goat care demonstrations, the FFA student tractor driving safety and welding contests, and the daily Old Iron tractor parade.
 
** New York Sea Grant and US Coast Guard Auxiliary will be in the farm pond demonstrating life jacket and canoe/kayak safety measures.

** The annual Ag Leadership luncheon Aug. 7 will recognize New York’s Agricultural Environmental Management Award and Empire State Potato Growers Scholarship winners, and provide a New York Farm Viability Institute update on cutting edge research taking place on New York farms. 

For more information, go to www.empirefarmdays.com or contact Empire Farm Days Manager Melanie Wickham at (877) 697-7837 or mwickham@empirefarmdays.com.  

Empire Farm Days Set for Seneca Falls Aug. 6-8

Attendees watch a demonstration at last year's Empire Farm Days

Here's information on the upcoming Empire Farm Days from publicist Kara Lynn Dunn:

The 80th anniversary of the Empire Farm Days is set for Aug. 6 to 8 at the Rodman Lott & Son Farm on Route 414 in Seneca Falls.

The 2013 edition of the show is the 26th year the Lott family has hosted the Northeast’s largest outdoor agricultural show that fills 300 acres with the latest equipment, educational seminars, demonstrations, test driving and Ask the Experts opportunities.

The show runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 6 and 7 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 8. Admission is free and parking is $10.

Here is some of what you'll find at the show:

** The 2013 Dairy Profit Seminars are focused on the next generation of young dairy operators, robotic milking technology, and how to measure, monitor and improve cow comfort. The free seminars start at 10:30 a.m. and are open to the public at the Empire Farm Days Dairy Seminar Center. The seminars are free and open to the public. Industry updates from the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council and the Beef Checkoff program, and a picnic lunch follow immediately.

** On Aug. 7, the 2013 class of Junior Dairy Leaders graduate with presentations of their experiences with the hands-on program for 16-to-19-year-old youth interested in learning about career opportunities in the dairy industry.

** Dairy operators interested in learning more about how to comply with farm worker housing requirements can take advantage of the new mini-seminars on farm labor offered by the state Department of Labor daily at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. State Agriculture Labor Specialists Parker Filer and Laura Tramontana also will discuss how to use forms developed specifically to assist agricultural employers in complying with New York’s Wage Theft Prevention Act.        

** New product exhibits will feature everything from one-piece group hutches for calves and a natural fine-texture agricultural lime for balancing soil pH to cover crop seeders, large capacity mixing wagons, LED lighting, and the latest in smart remote control technology.

** Those interested in farm and home-size wind energy opportunities can see turbines on display and attend daily information presentations at the Wind Center.

** Cattle handlers will want to stop by the 11:30 a.m. daily demonstrations by Cornell University Beef Extension Specialist Mike Baker, who will be working with the latest equipment and demonstrating the farmer-developed Bud Box method for directing cattle into chutes and pens. The NY Beef Industry Center is also adding clipping demonstrations this year.

** The new Alpacas: From Start to Finish exhibit will have live animals, spinning and weaving demonstrations, and finished products made with the luxurious fiber.

** The three exciting Equine Center round pen presenters for 2013 are wild Mustang trainers Emma and Jack Minteer, draft breed horseman Dave Ayers, and natural horsemanship instructor Stasia Newell.

** McCadam Cheese in Chateaugay, Clinton County, will be available for tasting at the Agri-Mark booth as will samples of Cabot Cheese with its new brand logo recognizing its New York farm family owners.

** The Beikirch’s Outdoor Sporting Center is more than doubling in size with the latest sporting equipment and safety information for boating, fishing, and hunting enthusiasts.

** Popular returning exhibits at the 2013 Empire Farm Days include therapy dog Sparks demonstrating fire safety in the NYS Grange Family Center each morning, ag plastics recycling and goat care demonstrations, the FFA student tractor driving safety and welding contests, and the daily Old Iron tractor parade.
 
** New York Sea Grant and US Coast Guard Auxiliary will be in the farm pond demonstrating life jacket and canoe/kayak safety measures.

** The annual Ag Leadership luncheon on Aug. 7 will recognize New York’s Agricultural Environmental Management Award and Empire State Potato Growers Scholarship winners, and provide a New York Farm Viability Institute update on cutting edge research taking place on New York farms. 

Empire Farm Days features 600-plus representatives of agricultural institutions and organizations. Go to www.empirefarmdays.com to learn more or contact Empire Farm Days Manager Melanie Wickham at (877) 697-7837 or mwickham@empirefarmdays.com.