Cornell Cooperative Extension

Submitted by Karen Baase

(Morrisville, NY – March 2013) As a kid, if I were asked to do something I didn’t want to do, I’d mutter under my breath, “When donkeys fly.” But that was years ago. As an adult, I would just say it and live with the consequences.

At this point, though, I’ve learned not to rush to any hasty judgment or harsh words. In fact, a new task may just be the thing I need: a new perspective.

Take, for example, the Bed & Breakfast Project, a grant which was awarded to Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County two years ago. My colleague, Steve Miller, New York state’s hops specialist, landed the grant from the state Department of Agriculture and Markets and USDA for our association, but since he’s fully committed to New York hops producers, helping rejuvenate an agricultural enterprise that’s experiencing phenomenal growth, he passed the B&B project to me.

The idea behind the B&B project is to expand marketing opportunities between New York farmers – including small scale food processors – with bed and breakfast innkeepers. And what better way to do that than for them to meet face-to-face?

They will get to know what farmers have to sell or what innkeepers want for their guests.

Our project collaborators include the Empire State Bed & Breakfast Association, New York Small Scale Food Processors and Northeast Organic Farmer Association in New York.

Every innkeeper will take home a market basket full of New York farm products. Some of the products are from farmers near each workshop, while others are from a Madison County “stash” that I carry with me: products like Our Farm rhubarb sauce, Kriemhild butter and G&M Farms salsa.

In the next month, I’ll be visiting five more locations like East Aurora, Canton and the Lake George areas, as well as the Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown and the Wine & Culinary Institute in Canandaigua.

And there may be an opportunity for a more local workshop in Madison County; we’ll keep you posted.

So, what have I learned? After the first two workshops in Kingston and Ithaca, I’ve been totally impressed with everyone’s enthusiasm, energy and generosity. A number of farmers donated products, while certified shared kitchen owners opened their doors for small scale food processing.

One vendor will teach soap-making classes to innkeeper guests, and farm tours became another “product” for sale.

This is just the beginning of a success story in the making.

Karen Baase is Association Issue Leader, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County.

By martha

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