This past spring, the US Department of Agriculture released results from the 2017 Farm Census, which is taken every five years. For the first time, the survey allowed farming families to list more than one “principal” farmer. Couples who own farms no longer must designate one person—usually a husband—as the principal farmer. As a result, women as a percent of farmers has risen by 26% nationwide and by 36% in New Jersey. Some of this increase may be real—more women involved in farming than in 2012. But most of it is surely due to the methodology change, which finally gives women credit for their work in agriculture. You can support and celebrate these innovative, hard working, resilient women by visiting their Central New Jersey farms, farm markets, farm stands or dining in farm-to-table restaurants or farm-to-fork events where their foods are sourced. Nina White, Farmer & Master Baker at Bobolink Dairy Farm & Bakehouse operates her multi-faceted regenerative farm along with her husband Jonathan. Nina heads the wood-fired bakery, while working with Jonathan to run their cheese, beef, and whey-fed pork production. In addition to making bread and pastries with heirloom grains in a wood-fired oven and selling all of their products at farmer’s markets in the NYC metro area, they offer 1-hour farm tours, on farm special events and concerts, hands-on bread-making, cheese-making and charcuterie classes. Check out the rest of the Central New Jersey women who tirelessly work to put food on our table. Download the NEW agritourism map over at DiscoverCentralNJ.com and start planning your farm escape! And if you’re car-less, many of these farms are just a quick cab ride away from the nearest bus or train stop via NJ Transit or Transbridge Bus (New Brunswick, Frenchtown, Somerville, Princeton) with service from NYC.
This past spring, the US Department of Agriculture released results from the 2017 Farm Census, which is taken every five years. For the first time, the survey allowed farming families to list more than one “principal” farmer. Couples who own farms no longer must designate one person—usually a husband—as the principal farmer. As a result, women as a percent of farmers has risen by 26% nationwide and by 36% in New Jersey. Some of this
EscapeMaker.com will offer the first-of-its-kind “Virtual Agritourism Conference” on its B2B site: www.EscapeMaker.biz, launching May 6th, 2019. The conference, presented by EscapeMaker.com and Fulton Stall Market, is not only the first digital conference focusing on the tourism and agriculture industries (agritourism), but also will be produced solely by women, 30% of whom are certified as an M/WBE (Minority Women-Owned Business Enterprise). Fourteen female industry experts will come together on one online platform to share insider tips, trends and best practices for preparing a business to capitalize on the rapidly changing travel landscape and to meet the demands of leisure, group, event and corporate travel markets. The interest in agritourism travel, i.e. visits to farms, wineries, craft beverage trails, bed and breakfasts, harvest festivals, farm-to-table events, etc., has greatly increased in recent years in the NYC metro area and everywhere as people get more interested in where their food comes from, how it’s made and sharing authentic experiences outdoors with their friends and families. Based on a survey produced by EscapeMaker for GrowNYC, many regional farmers and producers have PYO (Pick-Your-Own) operations or tasting rooms, but are still seeking education on marketing, event production, temporary on-site lodging, infrastructure improvements, insurance, liability risks, packaging and partnership opportunities, best practices in tourism and more. Each of the 12 digital presentations is 25-45 minutes long and includes access to information on financing from Kiva, plus additional workshop downloads and links to more resources. All combined, the conference is 6+ hours of education. Presented by EscapeMaker.com and Fulton Stall Market, the conference sponsors and partners include: Kiva, Edible Manhattan, New York Apples, Heritage Radio Network, Metro-North Railroad and Women in Hospitality United, all of which are organizations with a commitment to the advancement of the food, farm, beverage and agritourism industries and their stakeholders. The
EscapeMaker.com will offer the first-of-its-kind “Virtual Agritourism Conference” on its B2B site: www.EscapeMaker.biz, launching May 6th, 2019. The conference, presented by EscapeMaker.com and Fulton Stall Market, is not only the first digital conference focusing on the tourism and agriculture industries (agritourism), but also will be produced solely by women, 30% of whom are certified as an M/WBE (Minority Women-Owned Business Enterprise). Fourteen female industry experts will come together on one online platform to share insider
Get excited, Greenmarket goers! Warmer days have arrived, which means EscapeMaker's monthly market visits are about to commence. We'll be posted up in markets a few times a month across Manhattan and Brooklyn from April through the end of October. Stop by, say hello and let us help you plan your next weekend getaway! Check out our full schedule below. APRIL: Thursday, April 27th at Columbia Friday, April 28th at Union Square Saturday, April 29th at McCarren Park MAY: Thursday, May 11th at Columbia Friday, May 12th at Union Square Thursday, May 18th at Tucker Square JUNE: Friday, June 9th at Union Square Saturday, June 10th at McCarren Park 28th at Union Square Friday, June 16th -- EscapeMaker's County Fair Jamboree at Union Square JULY: Thursday, July 27th at Tucker Square Friday, July 28th at Union Square Saturday, July 29th at McCarren Park AUGUST: Thursday, August 10th at Columbia Friday, August 11th at Union Square Saturday, August 12th at McCarren Park SEPTEMBER: Friday, September 15th -- EscapeMaker's Apple Palooza at Union Square Thursday, September 21st at Columbia Friday, September 22nd at Union Square OCTOBER: Friday, October 20th at Union Square Thursday, October 26th at Columbia Friday, October 27th at Union Square For additonal info and maps/directions to the various GrowNYC Greenmarkets across New York City, visit www.grownyc.org/greenmarket.
Get excited, Greenmarket goers! Warmer days have arrived, which means EscapeMaker’s monthly market visits are about to commence. We’ll be posted up in markets a few times a month across Manhattan and Brooklyn from April through the end of October. Stop by, say hello and let us help you plan your next weekend getaway! Check out our full schedule below. APRIL: Thursday, April 27th at Columbia Friday, April 28th at Union Square Saturday, April 29th
Women's History Month may be coming to a close, but the celebration of women cannot and should not be limited to one month out of the year. This evergreen celebration is as important now as it has ever been, and for those of you looking for special ways to remember and honor strong females past and present, we've got a few ideas for you...day trips, weekend getaways and the perfect spring escapes! Plan a getaway to the Finger Lakes to visit the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, NY. The Hall of Fame is the nation's oldest membership organization dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the achievements of great American women, including inspirations like Maya Angelou, Julia Child, Hilary Rodham Clinton, Betty Ford, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Helen Keller, Coretta Scott King, Annie Oakley, Rosa Parks, Janet Reno, Eleanor Roosevelt, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Harriet Tubman, Edith Wharton, Oprah Winfrey and so many more. Make a whole weekend out of it by booking EscapeMaker's Craft Beverage Package in the Finger Lakes! Discover New York State's Women's Heritage Trail, filled with historic sites and museums that celebrate the achievements and history of women in NY. Visit the Hudson Valley's Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site in Dutchess County; the Matilda Joslyn Gage Home just outside of Syracuse, celebrating Gage who was a noted speaker and writer on woman’s suffrage, and an abolitionist; the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Museum in Chautauqua County; or visit the national historic landmark, the Susan B. Anthony House, in Rochester. Or, celebrate women in agriculture by visiting some of the female-led farms and producers across the state and in New York's citywide Greenmarkets. Meet two of the Hudson Valley's finest: Elizabeth Ryan of Breezy Hill Orchard in Dutchess County and Beth Linskey of Beth's Farm Kitchen in Columbia County;
Women’s History Month may be coming to a close, but the celebration of women cannot and should not be limited to one month out of the year. This evergreen celebration is as important now as it has ever been, and for those of you looking for special ways to remember and honor strong females past and present, we’ve got a few ideas for you…day trips, weekend getaways and the perfect spring escapes! Plan a getaway
Shoppers at GrowNYC’s Union Square Greenmarket will be greeted with a special treat on March 17th, 2017 when EscapeMaker.com, New York’s guide to local getaways and farm escapes, hosts its second annual Maple Fest. The event will run from 10am – 4pm on the north side of the square and will feature maple product samples, dancing maple trees, competing pancakes and more. Attendees will get to taste maple yogurt, maple candy, icy local treat “sugar on snow,” and compare a variety of syrups at a maple tasting bar. The event kicks off the 2017 series of agritourism-themed events designed to promote Greenmarket farmers, producers and winemakers within a day’s drive or train ride of New York City. EscapeMaker will be on hand with general agritourism info on how to visit farms, farm stores, breweries and wineries whether by car, bus, ZipCar, Metro-North Railroad or by Amtrak. Beginning at 10am, market-goers can listen to live music, watch maple-inspired cooking demos, and enjoy free samples of a variety of local maple products from New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont. There will also be an opportunity to learn about agritourism getaways through literature and conversations with the representatives from a number of tourism regions. Attendees can find information about Maple Weekends via Amtrak in Vermont, craft beverage trails in the Finger Lakes, charming bed & breakfast stays in the Hudson Valley, Farm Fresh Tours via Metro-North Railroad in Dutchess County, and more. “We’re thrilled to be back for our second year of special agritourism-themed events with GrowNYC,” said Caylin Sanders, President and Founder of EscapeMaker.com since 2000. “Our 2016 events were a huge success in terms of interacting with Greenmarket shoppers, providing agritourism education and inspiring local getaways and vacation packages. We look forward to building upon that enhanced shopping experience – beginning with
Shoppers at GrowNYC’s Union Square Greenmarket will be greeted with a special treat on March 17th, 2017 when EscapeMaker.com, New York’s guide to local getaways and farm escapes, hosts its second annual Maple Fest. The event will run from 10am – 4pm on the north side of the square and will feature maple product samples, dancing maple trees, competing pancakes and more. Attendees will get to taste maple yogurt, maple candy, icy local treat “sugar
It's the sweetest time of the year, EscapeMakers! Every spring for a few short weeks, maple sugarmakers across the Northeast open the doors of their sugarhouses for maple weekends, inviting visitors to discover the sweet flavors and traditions involved in making maple syrup. Between Vermont and New York State, more than half of the country's maple syrup production takes place just a train ride away from NYC via Metro North Railroad or Amtrak! And with the days getting warmer, now is the time to start planning for your escapes to the long list of sugarhouses within reach. Vermont is the nation’s leading producer of maple syrup. Producing over 1.3 million gallons of syrup, Vermont generates 42% of the country’s maple syrup from more than 1,500 sugar houses statewide. In 2014, Vermont produced 1,230,000 gallons of the sweet, sticky goodness. Vermont Maple Open House Weekend takes place this year on March 25-26. The sites and activities at the many sugarhouses in the region range from tours to pancake breakfasts to maple tapping demonstrations to samples of maple syrup, candy, creams and more. Check out some hot spots like Nebraska Knoll Sugar Farm, Corse Maple Farm, or Green Mountain Sugar House...or get the full list of all participating Vermont sugarhouses here and plan your maple weekend escape! New York is second leader in maple production in the USA, following Vermont. In 2014, New York produced 546,000 gallons of maple syrup, which makes up over 17% of the entire country's supply. With locations at approximately 160 farms and museums, Maple Weekend across New York State takes place March 18-19 and March 25-26. Visitors will find sugarhouse tours, free samples, activities and so much more! Check out Roxbury Mountain Maple in the Catskills (Sullivan County), or the Hudson Valley's White Oak Farm (Westchester County),
It’s the sweetest time of the year, EscapeMakers! Every spring for a few short weeks, maple sugarmakers across the Northeast open the doors of their sugarhouses for maple weekends, inviting visitors to discover the sweet flavors and traditions involved in making maple syrup. Between Vermont and New York State, more than half of the country’s maple syrup production takes place just a train ride away from NYC via Metro North Railroad or Amtrak! And with
Chris Harp is an organic beekeeper, “Bee Doctor”, beekeeping teacher and co-founder of HoneybeeLives. He has been tending his own hives in New Paltz, NY for twenty-six years. He has expanded his naturalist and biodynamic approach to tend approximately 200 colonies in locations in New York and Connecticut for both individuals and organizations. Harp is a consultant on hive health for troubled colonies and concerned beekeepers. Harp's naturalist and biodynamic methods, and unique hive designs, have developed from his years of working with, and listening to, Honeybees, as well as having studied with Gunther Hauk at the Pfeiffer Center. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Catskill Mountain Beekeepers’ Club, and is currently on the advisory board of the Ulster County Beekeepers Association. Harp was also a consultant for the CNG (Certified-Naturally-Grown) Apiary Standards for their Certification Program and the ensuing publication Handbook for Natural Beekeeping. VISIT: Chris Harp and Grai Rice teach intensive 2-day beekeeping workshops in the winter in the Hudson Valley and Brooklyn, and seasonal hands-on classes in the New Paltz apiary in spring and late summer. PUBLIC TRANSIT: Trailways Bus from NYC 2.5 hours to New Paltz + 6-minute Taxi.
Chris Harp is an organic beekeeper, “Bee Doctor”, beekeeping teacher and co-founder of HoneybeeLives. He has been tending his own hives in New Paltz, NY for twenty-six years. He has expanded his naturalist and biodynamic approach to tend approximately 200 colonies in locations in New York and Connecticut for both individuals and organizations. Harp is a consultant on hive health for troubled colonies and concerned beekeepers. Harp’s naturalist and biodynamic methods, and unique hive designs,
Peace and Carrots Farm is a 4-acre, 75-member, non-certified CSA in its fourth year. The farm has been a dairy operation for four generations and Peace and Carrots' parcel takes up only 3 of about 200 acres that composes the farm as a whole. The farm is located in the Hudson Valley, which is known for its natural beauty. Laura Nywening grew up on C.F. Johnson and Son Farm, making forts in the surrounding woods, riding her bike up and down the steep hills and showing cows each summer through 4-H at the Orange County Fair. Laura went to college at Westfield State University and earned her B.A. in History Education. She worked for the National Park Service on Assateague Island in Virginia before she volunteered for a year with Heifer Project International in Rutland, Massachusetts, where she realized her passion for educational farming. Before landing at Peace & Carrots, she worked for Keith’s Farm in Westtown, NY and Sandbrook Meadow Farm in Stockton, NJ to further her education in the art of growing organic vegetables. VISIT: Visit the Peace & Carrots website for upcoming events and updated information about living and working on the farm. PUBLIC TRANSIT: Coach USA bus to Chester, NY (1.5 hours) + Cab (5 minutes)
Peace and Carrots Farm is a 4-acre, 75-member, non-certified CSA in its fourth year. The farm has been a dairy operation for four generations and Peace and Carrots’ parcel takes up only 3 of about 200 acres that composes the farm as a whole. The farm is located in the Hudson Valley, which is known for its natural beauty. Laura Nywening grew up on C.F. Johnson and Son Farm, making forts in the surrounding woods,
Lowland Farm is named for the flat expanse of rich, grassy pastures and fields that slope into lofty hills skirted by the rambling Pochuck Creek. Farmer Will Brown aims to raise the farm’s animals responsibly, to graze its land in a sustainable fashion, and to price its grass-fed beef & pork reasonably. Lowland Farm’s cows spend their entire lives out of doors, grazing on open pastures in Amity, by the Black Dirt fields of Pine Island, NY. Cows are mixed breeds, including Angus, Hereford, and Devon. They graze on grass in the summer and in winter eat hay harvested from the bottomlands of the farm. Pigs are heritage breeds that live on feed and the fruits of their foraging. Not crowded into feedlots, they do not need, nor receive, antibiotics. They grow naturally, free of growth-promoting hormones. VISIT: Visit their farm store Saturdays year-round 10am-3pm. PUBLIC TRANSIT: Take NJ Bus Transit 2 hrs to Warwick, NY + Taxi 15 min.
Lowland Farm is named for the flat expanse of rich, grassy pastures and fields that slope into lofty hills skirted by the rambling Pochuck Creek. Farmer Will Brown aims to raise the farm’s animals responsibly, to graze its land in a sustainable fashion, and to price its grass-fed beef & pork reasonably. Lowland Farm’s cows spend their entire lives out of doors, grazing on open pastures in Amity, by the Black Dirt fields of Pine
Hanna Bail is proprietor of Threshold Farm, a small, diverse biodynamic farm, which is protected by the Columbia Land Conservancy. The farm specializes in tree fruit; vegetables; and grass-fed beef and pork, fed with strictly organic and soy free grain and the farm’s fruit and vegetables. Farm records dating from the 1700’s to present show that Threshold farm has never been treated with pesticides, herbicides or artificial fertilizers. The farm’s own cowherd fertilizes the fields and its nearly 100% orchard hygiene lends to the growth of organic/biodynamic peaches, pears and apples with exceptional flavor. The farm is off the grid, with a beautiful rammed earth room, where most of the materials have come from within a few hundred feet! VISIT: Call at least one day in advance to visit the farm. PUBLIC TRANSIT: AMTRAK to Hudson, NY (2 hours from NYC) + Cab (18 minutes).
Hanna Bail is proprietor of Threshold Farm, a small, diverse biodynamic farm, which is protected by the Columbia Land Conservancy. The farm specializes in tree fruit; vegetables; and grass-fed beef and pork, fed with strictly organic and soy free grain and the farm’s fruit and vegetables. Farm records dating from the 1700’s to present show that Threshold farm has never been treated with pesticides, herbicides or artificial fertilizers. The farm’s own cowherd fertilizes the fields
