The New York Department of Ag & Markets, with support from the Farm Journal Foundation, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) Foundation and CCE Onondaga, announced that the New York Voice of the Farmer Garden will feature several new interactive components at the 2024 Great New York State Fair.
The garden, which opened at the 2023 NYS Fair, has been expanded this year to include new crops such as hops, guest speakers, demonstrations, videos, children’s activities and more.
New York State Ag Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “Since its very first opening day in 1841, the Great New York State Fair has always been rooted in agriculture. While the fair has evolved over time, we’re proud to say that it remains a cornerstone of New York State’s rich agricultural heritage, providing fairgoers an exciting space to learn about our industry. We’re excited that the Voice of the Farmer Garden has expanded so much in the last year alone, now offering visitors from all corners of the state and beyond opportunities to engage with our hardworking agricultural community and explore the wide variety of crops and food products that we produce right here in our own backyard.”
The New York Voice of the Farmer Garden opened at the NYS Fair in 2023, becoming the very first statewide garden of its kind to open at a state fair in the U.S. The garden, which is located across from the Expo Center near the Goat Pavilion and kitty-corner from the Family Fun Zone, is a living, interactive learning space for visitors to see many of the major crops grown in New York.
It features over 35 varieties of vegetable crops, herbs, fruits and pollinator plants. Visitors can learn about NYS state agriculture on a walking tour with QR codes that, when scanned on their phones, link to videos provided by Farm Journal Foundation and CCE Onondaga of farmers and others in the food supply chain telling the story of agriculture in New York and around the country.
In the CCE tent, visitors can speak with Master Gardner Volunteers and CCE Onondaga staff, who planted and maintain the exhibit. Fairgoers will also be able to explore a newly added map of prime soils and posters about Farmland Protection and the NYS Ag Census.
The youngest fairgoers will also be able to enjoy the popular interactive scavenger hunt by visiting the shelled corn wading pool containing tokens to learn about a crop and win a prize. This year’s garden also adds new and exciting activities for kids of all ages, including a more in-depth “Quest in the Garden” for older youth to locate and describe plants in the garden that are foods they eat, a toddler potting bench with soil and seeds and a toddler picnic table with vegetable matching games.
This year, the garden will also feature several added interactive presentations, demonstrations and discussions featuring guest speakers from numerous agricultural organizations, including a presentation on hops, the newest addition to the garden’s diverse array of crops. The schedule of events is listed below and is also available on the fair’s newly launched Voice of the Farmer Garden webpage.
- From the Farm to the School – Learn how local farm products get to school lunch trays in this interactive demo with Lizzy Cooper, CCE Harvest NY: Aug. 21 at 11 a.m.
- Celebrating Careers in Agriculture with NYS Ag Commissioner Richard Ball: Aug. 22 at 11 a.m.
- Experience Hops! Sensory Panel and Tasting with Adam Kryder, Hop Growers of New York Association: Aug. 22 at 11:30 a.m.
- Step Inside the Hive! Anatomy of a Hive Demo with Ray Lowe, Hiwire Honey: Aug. 23 at 11 a.m.
- Cut Flower Farming for Profit! Claire Collie, owner of Fernwood Flower Farm and Stephanie Brainard, owner of Brainard Farmette, will demonstrate cut flower growing techniques used on their cut flower farms: Aug. 27 at 11 a.m.
- The Latest Irrigation Technology for Vegetable Farms Demo with Nolan Reeves, Reeves Farms: Aug. 28 at 1 p.m.
- Eggs-cellent! Egg Grading and Sorting Demo with Christina Hudson from Hudson Egg Farms: Aug. 29 at 11 a.m.
- An Apple a Day … New York State Apple Association: Aug. 30 at 11 a.m.
- Culturally Important Crops in Central New York with Jacob Gigler-Caro and Manika Gautam, Salt City Harvest Farm: Sept. 2 at 11 a.m.
