Eat First

Beak & Skiff Research CBD-infused sparkling waters

I've been using CBD oil, also called tincture, for a couple of years now. I take the dark brown oil via a dropper, under the tongue, several times a day. It brings some relief to my achy joints and helps me get a better night's sleep.

 

In Central New York, we're fortunate to have several companies that produce CBD products from seed to bottle. CBD, a derivative of the hemp plant, is something that people seem to have a lot of questions about. I know I did when I started using it, and I'm not sure I would have started using CBD if local options like Head & Heal and Beak & Skiff Research weren't available.

 

For the uninitiated, CBD -- full name cannabidiol -- is a compound derived from the hemp plant, which is a cousin of the marijuana plant. CBD is a non-psychoactive relative of THC, the compound in cannabis that produces the high. CBD is having "a moment" and seems to be showing up everywhere. There are lotions, creams, salves, balms and bath products infused with CBD. You may have seen CBD-infused cupcakes, coffee pods, coffee beverages, yogurts and more.

 

Beak & Skiff Research, a division of Beak & Skiff Apple Farms in LaFayette, introduced the first legal, organic, CBD-infused beverage in New York State earlier this year. Its CBD sparkling waters contain no sugar, no calories, no artificial ingredients and no gluten. Each can is infused with 20 mg of full spectrum CBD extract, which is made from the whole hemp plant. The seltzer is available in two flavors, black cherry and blood orange.

 

The company sent me samples of both flavors of seltzer to sample, and since I'm already familiar with CBD, I had no qualms about giving them a try. They're effervescent and a little cloudy in the glass. The blood orange seltzer has a light, citrusy flavor -- you're not going to confuse it with orange soda -- while the black cherry seltzer has a bit of sweetness to it. I would describe both flavors as subtle.

 

I've enjoyed the Beak & Skiff seltzers after supper, as a way to unwind before bed. They seem like a great way for people with little or no experience with CBD to give it a try. The CBD oil I use has an earthy taste and aftertaste to it. Some people like to add the oil to coffee or tea rather than swallow it as is. I can see how some people might prefer to take CBD in the form of capsules, chewables or gummies -- or a bubbly beverage.

 

The company recommends enjoying the seltzers "post-workout, pre-snooze or anytime you feel like hydrating with a boost.'' The retail price is $39.95 per 12-pack. Mixed packs are available.

 

Beak & Skiff is a family-owned business in LaFayette that is best known for apples, apple picking and apple-derived spirits and craft beverages, including several varieties of hard cider. Sister company Beak & Skiff Research started growing industrial hemp several years ago as a way to diversify the business. The hemp is grown in the middle of apple orchards that date back more than 100 years and the crop is processed and packaged nearby. In addition to the seltzers, the CBD product line includes tinctures, chewables (some of them apple flavored) and balms. 

 

Individual results vary, but CBD is said to have therapeutic benefits. It has been shown to alleviate pain, inflammation and anxiety, aid people in getting a restful night's sleep and promote a general sense of well-being. Research suggests that some skin conditions, including acne and psoriasis, may improve with CBD use.

 

For more information on the Beak & Skiff research division, including its CBD products, click HERE. Be sure to visit the FAQ section of the website.

 

Note: All photos by Margaret McCormick unless otherwise indicated.

 

 

 

Locally grown flowers in Central New York

Photo courtesy of Post St. Farm, Franklin Springs

You’ve heard of the farm-to-table movement. But are you familiar with the farm-to-vase movement?

An estimated 80% of the flowers sold in the United States are imported. But a small but growing number of farmers are pursuing their passion for flowers – growing them, selling them at markets, offering flower CSA shares, creating custom arrangements for life’s special moments and inviting customers to pick-your-own parties and “bloom bars,’’ where you can purchase flowers by the stem and build your own bouquets.

Flower farms are popping up all over Central New York. Since spring is here and summer is coming, I thought it would be nice to spotlight some of them. Most of the growers are women and all focus on flowers you’re not going to find at the grocery store, like snapdragons, ranunculus, peonies, foxglove, delphinium, dahlias, celosia, zinnias and heirloom mums. 

Flowers have the power to lift moods and make people happy – whether we’re giving them, receiving them or treating ourselves to a bouquet. This season, why not support local growers and get your flower fix right here, where we’re planted? Mother’s Day is coming up – it’s one of the biggest flower days of the year and “like Super Bowl Weekend for flower farmers,’’ in the words of one local grower. So act soon.

Follow these farms/farmers on social media to learn more about what they do and grow and stay informed about special events. 

Catalpa Flower Farm, Homer: On less than an acre of land near Homer, in Cortland County, Lindsey McDonnell grows a wide variety of perennial flowers for seasonal CSA shares (sort of like a weekly flower club membership you pay for in advance). But that’s not all: She also offers edible flowers for restaurants and has her hand in flowers and floral design services for weddings and other special events. Look for her every other Saturday at the Homer Regional Farmers Market starting in June. And keep an eye on social media for details on Catalpa’s roadside flower stand at the farmette, also starting in June. More information: Instagram, Facebook, website 

Ranunculus photo courtesy of Catalpa Flower Farm, Homer

Post St. Farm, Franklin Springs: This small-scale produce and flower farm near Clinton (Oneida County) is a regular presence at the Hamilton Farmers Market and the Clinton Farmers Market, in season. In addition to specialty produce and blooms (beginning with an early season tulip subscription, plus other options), co-owner Allie Healy Howard pops up at events here and there with make-your-own-bouquet bars. She recently left the world of local journalism to farm full-time with her husband. More info: Instagram, Facebook, website

Forest Ridge Farmstead, Warners: Owner Tabitha Sebastino is in flower mode year-round, starting with spring tulips, then summer stems and fall flowers. Christmas flowers, Valentine’s Day flowers and Easter flowers? She does them, too, bringing in American-grown blooms for customers. Check out her social media and website for information on CSA shares and to find out when her flowers are available at local retail outlets and at her self-serve, honor system roadside farm stand. More info: Instagram, Facebook, website

Brainard Farmette, LaFayette: Brainard Farmette is a small custom flower farm and apiary. Owner Stephanie Brainard is drawn to growing and raising things, from flowers to bees to chickens. She raises more than 20 types of flowers and offers cut flower subscriptions for individuals and businesses, with several pick-up locations in Central New York. Find Brainard Farmette honey at Spill the Tea Cafe, Minoa, and other locations. More info: Instagram, Facebook, website 

Withy Hollow Flower Farm, Erieville: The owners of this sustainably-grown flower farm in Madison County want people to celebrate the special moments of their lives in a flowery fashion: birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, engagements – and, well, just because. Visit the Fayetteville Farmers Market in the summer (noon to 6 p.m. Thursdays) to check out their floral flair. And visit the farm’s website and social media for information on on-farm events and opportunities to visit and pick your own blooms. More info: Instagram, Facebook, website

Catalpa Flower Farm zinnia bouquets at the Homer Farmers Market

The Meadow, Manlius (formerly Bell Creek Farm, Phoenix): The Meadow is a small farm with a focus on specialty cut flowers and vegetables. Owners Kyle Wilson and Ginnie Hsu offer a variety of flower subscriptions, including spring tulips, dahlia bouquets and summer arrangements. Wedding floristry is part of the business and several options are available, from DIY buckets of blooms to full-service packages. The farm is in the process of transitioning from its original location in Oswego County to Manlius. More info: Instagram, website

Farmstead 1868, Cazenovia: Farmstead 1868 is a working lavender farm (and dairy) offering U-pick lavender and premium lavender products (soaps, candles, lotions, bath bombs, etc. ) made with ingredients grown on the farm. If you're a fan of the fragrant purple flowering plant, mark your calendar for this year's Lavender Festival (July 6; pre-sale tickets only). More info: Instagram Facebook website

Wake Robin Farm and Bakery, Jordan: Flowers and flours. Meg and Bruce Schader must hear that all the time. Visit the farm during growing season and you’ll see fields of colorful blooms, like sunflowers, zinnias and larkspur – and fields of wheat and other grains. Flowers are Meg's "love language.'' She turns them into market bouquets sold at the farm on Fridays (3 to 6 p.m.) and on Saturdays at the Central New York Regional Market. The grains are milled into flour, which Bruce uses to make about a dozen varieties of bread sold at the farm and the market. More info: Instagram, Facebook, website 

Cut flowers photo courtesy of Wake Robin Farm, Jordan

Petals in Bloom Flower Farm, Williamstown: Petals in Bloom is a family-owned dahlia farm in Oswego County. Owners Katherine and Miles Lewis grow hundreds of varieties of the striking flowers. They offer a seasonal dahlia bouquet club subscription (blooms are ready in late August, or when Mother Nature says) and U-pick flowers at their farm. They also sell dahlia tubers for home gardeners and hold a Dahlia Fest in the fall. More info: Instagram, Facebook, website

Brushaber Blooms, Pulaski: Brushaber Blooms is a "micro farm" specializing in dahlias. But first come tulips, zinnias and other flowers. Follow Brushaber Blooms on social media for information on its self-serve roadside flower stand. Owner Jill Brushaber gets the word out when paper-wrapped bouquets are available -- and when she has sold out. More info: Instagram, Facebook

Barn Blooms, Wolcott: Suddenly, I feel like taking a drive to Wayne County to visit Barn Blooms Flower Farm. Owner Carrie Wafler offers tulip and summer flower subscriptions and friends say it’s worth the drive to Wolcott to visit her flower stand and pick up a bouquet. Barn Bloom flowers are also featured at Sweets by Sarah Bakery in Fair Haven. In the off season, Wafler makes wreaths, porch pots and holiday centerpieces, which are sold at the stand. More info: Instagram, Facebook, website

 

The Barn on the Farm Cafe at Navarino Orchard

It was lunchtime and I was hungry when I saw a sign on Route 20 between LaFayette and Marcellus for a cafe in a barn. You know I had to check it out. Burrell’s Navarino Orchard, a third-generation, family-owned U-pick farm noted for apples and strawberries (and a country store with pies, jams, jellies and other treats), now offers a dining option: The Barn on the Farm Cafe. It’s open for lunch and supper Thursday to Saturday and brunch and supper on Sundays. More hours are coming soon.

The menu is casual and includes starters, like hummus and charcuterie (with and without meat), sandwiches and wraps, burgers and salads, including several vegetarian/vegan options. The Sunday brunch menu features French toast made with breads from the orchard’s bakery, quiche, a breakfast sandwich, eggs Benedict, and brunch-y drinks, including bottomless mimosas and “loaded” Bloody Marys. The bar menu features the orchard’s own hard cider, along with local and regional beers and wines. New York State spirits are used in cocktails, like mules and martinis.

Bring some patience with you when you visit: The Barn on the Farm Cafe has only been open a few weeks and just two people were working when I visited on a Friday. They were busy but didn't miss a beat. The barn itself is a 200-year-old building with high ceilings, lots of natural light and strings of twinkly lights. It’s rustic, with plank floors and wooden tables in various seating configurations, plus about a dozen seats at the bar. The bartender presented food and drink menus and took my order, which he walked to a food truck outside. Everything is made to order, one order at a time.

As a newbie vegetarian, I was happy to see a roasted vegetable wrap and a vegan burger on the menu. I went with the burger ($14), a patty made with a mix of black beans, corn and other vegetables, served on a roll, with lettuce, tomato slice and red onion on the side. I’m not a vegan, so I ordered the veggie burger with American cheese. The pesto aioli mentioned on the menu was missing, but the veggie patty was hot off the grill and the French fries on the side were crisp and well browned -- fried potatoes, my favorite vegetable. Roasted vegetables and applesauce are also offered as sides. How nice is that? A glass of peach lemonade ($3) was refreshing on a warm day.

Navarino Orchard and The Barn on the Farm Cafe are sure to be buzzing with activity as apple season kicks into gear in Central New York. Since I visited in July, the owners have added a Friday fish fry that runs all day and they plan to offer brunch on Saturday as well as Sunday. For more information on the cafe, including menus, visit the Navarino Orchard Facebook page.

Navarino Orchard is at 3655 Cherry Valley Turnpike (Route 20), LaFayette. The Barn on the Farm Cafe is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The owners plan to have the cafe open seven days a week starting in September. Information: 315-673-9181.

Interior photo of The Barn on the Farm Cafe, courtesy of Navarino Orchard on Facebook.

All other photos © Margaret McCormick.

                         

Sweet Venus Farm, Syracuse: an urban homestead

You've heard the expression "grow food, not lawns.'' That's what Chellsea Jones does at her home off Teall Avenue in Syracuse, a couple blocks from Henninger High School.

Jones and her partner, Jacob Eichten, bought their house on Robinson Street in 2009 partly because it has a big kitchen and partly because it's on a double city lot. There, Jones has established Sweet Venus Farm. Some would call it a micro-farm, farmette or city farm, but Jones calls it an urban homestead. It’s a magical place where she raises enough produce to feed herself, Jacob and their three children -- with plenty left over for the freezer, for canning and to share, swap or sell when there is an abundance. “Not only do we do a lot of cooking, but we also tend to congregate in the kitchen,’’ Jones says. “We really value family meals.’’

Follow Sweet Venus Farm on Instagram for updates: Jones alerts the farm's followers when things like eggs, spinach, squashes and garlic are available. I buy eggs from her regularly and love having fresh, beautiful eggs from chickens raised just over a mile from our house.

You’re not going to confuse Sweet Venus Farm with more sprawling urban farms like the Brady Farm and Urban Delights Farm on the south side of Syracuse, which are big enough to bring produce to local markets and to offer CSA shares. Jones’ goal is to live off the land as much as possible – and make the most of her small plot of it. The property is on a city bus line and across the street from a neighborhood tavern, yet there is a seclusion to it, especially out back, away from the street.

The back yard is lush, green and quiet. This is where Jones channels most of her energy and time. The space is planted with all kinds of traditional and non-traditional crops: Swiss chard, carrots, sweet potatoes, strawberries, raspberries, horseradish, onions, garlic, lemon cucumbers, Mexican sour cucumbers, sweet potatoes, three varieties of beets, tomatoes and The Three Sisters – corn, beans and squash.

“The Mexican cucumbers look like little watermelons,’’ Jones says. “I’m really excited about those.’’

She is a fan of purple and has planted some purple produce for fun, like peas and corn. At the back of the property, along the fence line, is a hazelnut bush. A chicken coop that houses 20 chickens takes up a chunk of the property. In season, Jones says, the chickens produce about a dozen eggs a day. She also has ducks for eggs and raises rabbits for meat.

The small farm is primarily her project, Jones says, adding that Jacob lends emotional and financial support and builds just about anything she needs, from fencing to the chicken coop to a wooden walkway made from pallets.

The front yard is planted with sunflowers, irises, roses and some lettuces. There’s two rain barrels from Onondaga County’s Save the Rain program and a Little Free Library, where neighbors and visitors can take a book or leave a book.

Jones, 36, grew up in the Oneida County community of Holland Patent, where her mother had a big flower garden and she cultivated an interest in growing things. She studied biology and nature interpretation/natural history at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and has worked in the agriculture field, including stints at Grindstone Farm in Pulaski and as farm manager for the Urban Delights Farm in Syracuse. “It was during my years at ESF that I really became interested in growing my own food,’’ she says.

Jones currently serves as chief juicemaker at Farm Girl Juicery, a juice bar with two locations (Chuck Hafner’s Farmers Market and Garden Center in North Syracuse and the Salt City Market in downtown Syracuse). When she’s not at her job, Jones spends 12 to 20 hours a week working outside – seeding, planting, weeding, and, best of all, harvesting.

She has me thinking we should plant some garlic in our elevated garden box this fall and let Mother Nature work her magic.

“What I really want to do is show people they can do this,’’ Jones says. “What’s better than getting food from your own back yard?”

All photos © Margaret McCormick, 2021

 

Farmers markets are essential: They sure are!

                    The scene on a recent Thursday at the CNY Regional Market in Syracuse.

 

One of the advantages of shopping at farmers markets is chatting with growers and local food producers and getting to know more about them, what they do and and what they have to offer. "Know farms, know food.'' 

 

Things are a little different now. Farmers markets in New York State have been deemed "essential'' during the coronavirus pandemic, but markets are also following stricter guidelines. If you haven't been to a market lately, you will notice there's more room between vendors. Some markets have arrows marking one-way traffic flow. Hand wash and/or hand sanitizer stations have been added. Customers are asked to practice social distancing, wear masks and not touch the produce and other merchandise -- allow vendors to serve you. Shop quickly if you can to limit congestion and help keep traffic moving along.

 

Coming into season now: Homegrown strawberries.

 

The variety of local farmers markets is one of the best things about living in Central New York. Markets are one-stop shopping for produce, locally raised meats and dairy products, maple syrup, honey, baked goods, prepared meals and more. In the market for annuals and perennial plants? Markets are a great place to find them, at very reasonable prices.

 

There's a market almost every day of the week -- break your routine and visit some new-to-you markets this summer.

 

SYRACUSE-AREA FARMERS MARKETS

 

Bayberry Plaza Farmers Market: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday (through Oct. 30) at the shopping plaza on Route 57, Liverpool.

 

Camillus Farmers Market: This market, formerly held on Tuesday, will be held 3 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Town of Camillus Green, 4600 W. Genesee St. 

 

Cazenovia Farmers Market: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays at the Village Green across from the high school. This is a new location to allow more space for vendors and shoppers.

 

Heirloom tomatoes from Mountain Grown Farm, at the Fayetteville Farmers Market

 

Central New York Regional Market: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, year-round; 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday (through mid-November), 2100 Park St., Syracuse. 

 

Downtown Syracuse Farmers Market: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday (June 9-October 13) at Clinton Square. New this year: Foot traffic will be one-way to encourage social distancing. There will not be any food trucks. Look for a tent featuring food from downtown restaurants.

Greater Baldwinsville Community Farmers Market: Organizers have decided not to hold a weekly market this season. Check the website for information on the Fall Market Festravaganza, a market-style event with produce vendors, food trucks and local artisans and crafters. The event is scheduled for Sept. 15. 

 

Syracuse Eastside Neighborhood Farmers Market: This small market, with just three or four vendors, opens for the season July 8. It's held Wednesday afternoons in the parking lot at Westcott Community Center, 826 Euclid Ave., Syracuse. 

 

Fayetteville Farmers Market: Noon to 6 p.m. Thursday through late October in the parking lot at Towne Center at Fayetteville (near Bonefish Grill). 

 

Kings Corner Market: 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday in August, at the intersection of Clinton and State streets in Tully.

 

Freedom Rains Farm at Middle Ages Brewing, photo courtesy of the brewery, on Facebook

 

Pop-up market with Freedom Rains Farm: 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, throughout June (and perhaps beyond) at Middle Ages Brewing Company, 120 Wilkinson St., Syracuse. Freedom Rains Farm is a small, family-owned organic farm near Pulaski. Produce from the farm, as well as market essentials like meat and eggs, will be available. While you're there, pick up a six-pack, get your growler filled or enjoy a Middle Ages beer outside. Several customers at a time are allowed inside to make purchases. 

 

Skaneateles Farmers Market: 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in the Austin Park Pavilion parking lot on Jordan Street. The market is set up with an entrance and exit for one-way customer flow. 

 

FURTHER AFIELD:

 

Auburn Farmers Co-Op Market: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 96 State St. (in the parking lot across from Curley's Restaurant).

 

Clinton Farmers Market: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday on the village green. Note: The first hour of the market is reserved for senior citizens and the vulnerable.

 

Cottage Lawn Farmers Market: 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Madison County Historical Society, 435 Main St., Oneida.

 

Cortland City Farmers Market: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday and Saturday along Main Street, in downtown Cortland.

 

Greater Oswego-Fulton Farmers Markets: 4:15 to 7:45 p.m. Thursday, starting July 12, on West First Street in Oswego and 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, starting July 14, at the Canal Landing parking lot in Fulton.

 

Hamilton Farmers Market: Friends say this market (above; photo via Facebook) is one of the best things about living in/near Hamilton. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday on the village green. 

Homer Farmers Market: Canceled for the 2020 season.

 

Oneida County Public Market: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Utica's Historic Union Station, 321 Main St., Utica. Take some time to explore the inside of this magnificent transportation hub.

 

Owasco Farmers Market: Canceled for the 2020 season.

 

Pulaski Farmers Market and Music in the Park: 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, starting June 19, at Historic South Park in the village.

 

 

 

 

 Photos by Margaret McCormick unless otherwise indicated.

 

 

Wake Robin Farm is ‘moo-ving on’ from dairy production

                A trip to the Central New York Regional Market isn't complete without Wake Robin Farm yogurt and cheese curds.

There is one local product we are almost never without at our house: Wake Robin Farm cream-on-top, full-fat yogurt. They say that yogurt is a “superfood,’’ offering benefits for heart health, gut health, weight management and more, but mostly we find Wake Robin’s vanilla yogurt, flavored with vanilla extract and sweetened lightly with New York State maple syrup, to be super delicious. Once you’ve had yogurt that fresh, made 20 miles from Syracuse from milk produced by Meg and Bruce Schader’s small herd of Jersey cows, there’s no going back to supermarket yogurt.

In the next few weeks we’re going to stock up on it – and on Wake Robin Farm cheeses. In an email sent to customers earlier this week, the Schaders announced they are “moo-ving on’’ from dairy farming and production to focus on new projects on and off the farm. Bruce will focus his efforts on baking handmade breads and growing small crops and Meg will continue to freelance as a copyeditor, teach yoga and work part-time at Baltimore Woods Nature Center in Marcellus. She'll also be finishing up her Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Environmental Studies at SUNY-ESF next spring and helping Bruce on the farm and in the bakery.

All of this means they will no longer be milking cows, bottling milk and producing yogurt and cheeses. This “life-changing decision,’’ as Meg calls it, comes after almost 14 years of dairy farming and for a variety of personal and business reasons. “We are looking forward to the freedom to travel together to visit our son at college, sleep in on Sunday mornings and take a 21-year overdue honeymoon to Ireland next spring,’’ the eblast noted. “Milking cows twice a day and processing milk several times a week has kept us very close to home for 14 years.’’ 

The Schaders have been farming together in Jordan since 1999, when they plowed up a couple acres off Brutus Road and began to grow organic vegetables and cut flowers. Before long, they expanded to 15 acres, offered CSA shares and had cultivated a loyal customer following. They transitioned to dairy in 2006, starting small with four Jersey cows. At first, they offered just European-style yogurt, which was a big hit with customers. They later started bottling milk and making cheeses.

From the beginning, all products have been made, from start to finish, on the farm. For a time, you could purchase Wake Robin Farm products at places like Wegmans, Natur-Tyme and the Syracuse Real Food Co-Op (now Syracuse Cooperative Market). For the last few years, their products have been sold solely on Saturdays at the Central New York Regional Market and at the farm store in Jordan. Longtime market customers have watched the Schader’s son, Hugh, grow from school-age boy to young man. He’s now a sophomore at Harvard University.

At the end of the summer, the Schaders plowed their hay fields. They’ve started to sell their dairy equipment and will sell their cows at the end of the year. The process has been bittersweet for them, but they stress they are not retiring – just evolving, like any small business.

They will be selling their artisan breads and baked goods (“and some other surprises’’) on Saturdays at the Central New York Regional Market. After December 24, the Wake Robin Farm store will be open Fridays only (3 to 6 p.m.) for customers to pick up fresh bread.

Wake Robin Farm is at 125 Brutus Road, Jordan. Website Facebook

 

 

 

Truxton Academy Charter School

Open house attendees visit the vegetable garden at Truxton Academy Charter School during an open house earlier this month.

 

As August winds down, there's no denying the hint of fall in the air. Branden Brown, co-owner of Trinity Valley Dairy, is looking forward to this year's corn maze adventure on the farm and the deluge of families that will come out to navigate it. He's also excited about the start of the school year. Two of his children will be attending Truxton Academy Charter School. The school -- New York State's first rural, agriculture-focused elementary charter school -- will welcome its first students next week. Landen Brown, 6, will be in first grade; daughter Lillian, 5, is ready for kindergarten.

 

Brown is grateful for an opportunity to choose where his children attend school and how they learn. His son has lots of energy, he says, so a curriculum that gets him up from behind a desk and out of the confines of a conventional classroom is a good thing. "I really like the idea of hands-on learning,'' Brown says. "Kids don't all learn the same way and there should be choices. Plus, it's agriculture based, which is right up our alley.'' 

 

Branden Brown and his wife, Rebekah Poole Brown, have supported the school since planning and lobbying the state for it began five years ago, and Trinity Valley Dairy is one of the school's business partners. "We're excited. We're big proponents of anything agriculture. I have no doubt it will be a success,'' Brown says.

 

Caterpillars in the classroom: Students will learn about the life cycle of the butterfly at Truxton Academy Charter School.

 

The Truxton Academy Charter School has enrolled about 45 kindergarten, first grade and second grade pupils to date and hopes to have up to 140 students in grades K-6 in the next five years. The tuition-free public charter school is in the former Hartnett Elementary School in Truxton. The Homer Central School District closed Hartnett in 2015 due to declining enrollment.

 

For those who are not familiar, a charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the state school system. That gives the schools more flexibility in how they operate and the curriculum they offer. Truxton Academy is governed by an 11-member board of trustees and founding members. The board meets at 7 p.m. the second Monday of each month and meetings are open to the public.  

 

At a series of open houses this spring and summer, prospective pupils met Head of School Sara Petit-McClure and some of the teachers, toured the unconventional classrooms with carpeted floors and unstructured seating, learned about the curriculum, headed outside to have a look at the school garden (currently planted with squashes and pumpkins) and enjoyed healthy snacks.

 

School organizers and volunteers say they want the school to be the heart of the rural Cortland County community. They're on a mission to share with students the importance of rural life and agriculture and the role of agriculture in the years ahead. The school is expected to draw students from Onondaga, Cortland, Madison and Tompkins counties.

 

The school's curriculum will focus on hands-on, project-based learning, incorporating science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) plus the arts. Spanish language classes will begin in kindergarten. Students will get outside for physical education and wellness programs and get their hands dirty in the Rural Life Lab, where they will learn about growing food, composting and raising farm animals. A chef has been hired to prepare farm-to-school lunches, utilizing ingredients from the school garden and local farms like Twin Oaks Dairy (organic beef), Shared Roots Farm and Main Street Farms (fresh produce) and Trinity Valley (milk).

 

An important part of project-based learning is getting students out into the community. There will be field trips, of course, to local farms, businesses and dairy producers.

 

"Students will have field lessons and see, hands-on, the science behind modern-day farming,'' says Carly Arnold Dougherty, co-owner with her husband, Dave, of Food and Ferments, a Truxton-based producer of naturally fermented sauerkrauts, kimchi, beet kvass and other products sold at area markets and stores.

 

Food and Ferments is one of the school’s community partners. Carly Dougherty grew up at Twin Oaks Dairy, her family's farm in Truxton, and lived in Philadelphia for a few years before she and her husband relocated their business to the family farm. She volunteers at the school and has been actively involved from the start in getting it established.

 

"The whole idea is for the students to be able to learn in a hands-on, project based way, connecting to the rural traditions and agricultural region we live in, while also incorporating STEM/STEAM,'' she says.

 

The Truxton Academy Charter School is at 6337 Academy St., Truxton. Enrollment is ongoing. Information: 607-842-6252.

 

 A vegetable garden grows at Truxton Academy Charter School.

 

All photos by Margaret McCormick unless otherwise indicated.

 

 

 

Fresh Herbs of Fabius

Clockwise from top left: Mahogany tomatoes; a Parisian carrot; lettuce leaf basil and a handful of white currants, all grown at Fresh Herbs of Fabius.

 

Like many farmers, Ken and Elizabeth Nevius grow a lot of produce for chefs. They started out growing herbs exclusively -- hence the name of their business, Fresh Herbs of Fabius -- but before long branched into microgreens, heirloom vegetables and some fruits.

 

They started out on a small plot of land at their home in rural Fabius, in southeastern Onondaga County, and have since expanded to five acres of tiered growing space on the hillside behind their home. They now grow hundreds of varieties of herbs and specialty produce.

 

A field of fingerling potatoes at Fresh Herbs of Fabius

 

I visited the farm on a recent weekday, in the prime of the growing season. Elizabeth showed me around in a golf cart and Ken walked the land. They pointed out a long field of fingerling potatoes, many of which will be used by chef Damien Brownlow at Kitty Hoynes Irish Pub & Restaurant in downtown Syracuse. I was introduced to short and stubby Parisian carrots and Mexican gherkins, which look like tiny watermelons but are said to taste like cucumber. There was so much to see: baby eggplants in various shades of purple, baby summer squashes, pole beans, peppers, heirloom cucumbers and heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and mahogany tomatoes slowly starting to ripen.

 

And then there are the herbs, too numerous to mention all by name: spicy bush basil, opal basil, Thai basil, lettuce leaf basil as big as your hand, which chefs like to use for beautiful wraps and roll-ups. Parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, tarragon, chamomile, chives, cilantro, borage, fennel, oregano, lemon balm, lemon grass -- the list goes on and on. They also grow fruits, including tiny, tart red and white currants, sour cherries, white cherries, pears and apples etc. Last but not least, they grow nasturtiums, pansies, roses, bachelor buttons and other edible flowers to add color, flavor and artistry to plates.

 

Come fall, they'll have winter squashes and sugar pumpkins. They start everything from seeds in a small greenhouse and are able to grow and offer microgreens, salad greens and some micro flowers year-round. 

 

The Nevius' didn't plan to be niche growers for restaurants. Ken grew up in Connecticut and worked for many years as a manufacturing and production engineer at the former Philips Broadband Networks plant in Manlius. When the company shut down, he worked as a custodian for the local school district and he and Elizabeth researched how to grow herbs.

 

They launched their business in 1999, showing up at restaurants like the former Kettle Lakes Restaurant in Tully with beautiful micro greens and herbs. The late chef Brian Shore, who owned and operated Kettle Lakes and later served as executive chef at the Arad Evans Inn in Fayetteville, was one of their early customers. "He really was an advocate for local farmers and locally grown produce,'' Ken Nevius recalls. Shore helped to spread the word about Fresh Herbs of Fabius.

 

Both Ken and Elizabeth work on the farm and share in the marketing of their produce. Their list of clients includes many fine dining restaurants in Central New York: Defi Cuisine Corp. and The York in downtown Syracuse, and Mirbeau Inn & Spa, Rosalie's Cucina and The Krebs in Skaneateles, to name a few. Clients are emailed each week with a list of what's available on the farm. Produce is harvested and packed by hand, delivered to restaurants and often served the same day it's picked.

 

The Nevius' sometimes grow specific items for specific chefs and restaurants -- like the potatoes for Kitty Hoynes. Chefs are invited to take field trips to the farm and sometimes they do, when their schedules allow.

 

"We're focused on quality, not quantity,'' Ken says. "We grow things for flavor.''

 

For more information on Fresh Herbs of Fabius, call 315-683-5159.

 

Note: All photos by Margaret McCormick unless otherwise indicated.

 

Deep purple opal basil at Fresh Herbs of Fabius.