by Herb Carpenter
Did you know that despite the growth of large, commercial farms across the country, small family farms operate almost half of U.S. farm land and generate 21% of production?
We begin this issue of Strictly Business with a visit to the Remillard Farm with its 800+ cows and 1,500 acres. For more than 100 years a Remillard has been a tenant, a caretaker or a farm owner in the town of Peru, New York. Today the family farm is operated by the third and fourth generation. Don’t miss their inspiring story of hard work and devotion to family.
Adirondack Cuisine Trails, an idea that had been discussed for years, is finally a reality. Designed to encourage sustainable agritourism and offer intimate farm experiences, the trails feature farms, retail stores, wineries, breweries and restaurants. Six unique areas stretch from near the Canadian border to southern Essex County. Spearheading the effort is Essex County Cooperative Extension.
The Miner Institute is well known in the North Country for its many philanthropic efforts – Physicians Hospital in Plattsburgh, Chazy Central Rural School and the William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute in Chazy. In this issue of SB, we offer a look at what the Ag Institute has done for students interested in farming and family farms in our area.
Hyland Road in Keeseville, New York has become a tourism magnet in large part due to the efforts of Lindsay and Ryan Campagna and their extended family. Their vineyard produces fine wines locally grown, fermented and served in a serene atmosphere overlooking Lake Champlain. What a wonderful place to decompress and raise a glass with friends.
Lavender, a plant that dates back to Roman times, can now be found growing on the hills near Keeseville. Adirondack View Lavender Farm owner Lindsey Pashow does more than grow the flowers, she uses them as a backdrop for events like yoga in the fields. U-Pick days allow visitors to immerse themselves in the fragrance, and her farm store offers products hand made using the lavender blossoms. One more reason for you to check out the unique experiences you will find in the Keeseville area.
On an Italian vacation in 2009, Dan and Kimmy Rivera took a bread class and it changed their lives. Don’t miss the story of what brought them to a farm in the Adirondacks known as Triple Green Jade, and now to a thriving business producing breads that are created using organic grains, fermented using a slow process and cooked in a wood fired oven.
And then Garry Douglas wraps up this issue on an optimistic note, talking about what the North Country Chamber of Commerce is doing to help the community cope with the loss of SterRx and its 150 jobs on the heels of the announced closing of Nova Bus and its 350 jobs. Both of these announcements were unexpected, but the Chamber’s response is what it always is when bad news happens. They take charge and lead the way to a bright future.
We hope you will enjoy this issue of SB designed to showcase individuals and families who are central to the agricultural economy of the North Country. Their entrepreneurial efforts are inspirational.
…and that’s good for business.
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