The state’s Taste
NY Culinary Tour in the Hudson Valley was conducted Monday by Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard Ball.
The tour provided more than 30
leading restaurateurs and chefs from the Hudson Valley, New York
City, Western New York, Central New York and Capital Regions a
first-hand look at the quality and diversity of New York agriculture in
the region.
Following
two successful Taste NY Culinary Tours in the Finger Lakes and on Long
Island in August, Monday’s tour included visits to three farms and
processors across Dutchess and Ulster counties. As a result of
the three tours, nearly 100 chefs and restaurant owners from across the
state have been introduced to some of New York state’s best
agricultural food and beverage producers.
The
Culinary Tours were organized following the Governor’s Farm to Table
Upstate-Downstate Summit in an effort to connect restaurateurs with
regional producers and growers, and highlight the many opportunities
for the sourcing of local foods.
The
Hudson Valley region is known for its strengths in the agricultural
industry — its rich soils, abundant water supply and proximity to
metropolitan markets.Dutchess County agriculture comprises over 170,000
acres,
one third of its total acreage), producing $44.8 million in market
value products, a large part of the county’s $438 million tourism
industry.
Agriculture is also the county’s third largest employer.
Ulster County also has a long agricultural history and
is home to a diverse array of agricultural enterprises including fruit
and vegetable production as well as dairy and egg.
The
three stops on the Hudson Valley Culinary Tour included Hepworth Farms
in Milton, Ulster County (vegetables), Bad Seed Cider in Highland,
Ulster County (cider), and Hudson Valley Fresh in Wappingers Falls,
Dutchess County (dairy farm).
Hepworth
Farms is a seventh generation family farm that produces more than 400
varieties of vegetables using organic practices on its 250 acres of
farmland. Produce is sold to restaurants, processors and at farmers’
markets, and the farm works with several local distributors to sell its
vegetables in the wholesale marketplace.
While at Hepworth Farms,
participants had the opportunity to tour the packinghouse and get a
firsthand look at operations.
Participants
also visited Bad Seed Cider in Highland, which makes its cider with 100
percent fresh pressed apples, some of which are grown at neighboring
Wilklow Orchards. Manhattan Beer sells the cider wholesale
throughout the Hudson Valley and New York City area.
At
Stormfield Swiss in Wappingers Falls, one of the dairy farms in the
Hudson Valley Fresh cooperative, participants toured the farm, learned
about the dairy cooperative enterprise, and sampled various dairy
products. Hudson Valley Fresh produces whole, skim, low-fat and chocolate milk
along with half and half, heavy cream, yogurt, ice cream mix and sour
cream. Milk is locally sourced, processed and distributed to local
businesses.
“We feel it is important to provide these tours
so that the consumer has the opportunity to see firsthand where
their product comes from. They also see the care that goes into a
product which they use every day," said Jennifer
DeForest, owner of Stormfield Swiss, one of nine farms producing Hudson
Valley Fresh milk.
Amy
Hepworth, owner of Hepworth Farms, said, “Anytime anyone in the food
industry knows more about agriculture as it pertains to their food and
food supply, the better. It’s very important for chefs and others
to understand agriculture first hand and this is what this opportunity
presents.Chefs influence people," said Amy Hepworth, owner of Hepworth Farms.
The
Taste NY Culinary Tour concluded with a tour of The Culinary Institute
of America in Hyde Park. A reception to kick off Hudson Valley
Restaurant Week capped off the evening with more than 300 guests.
