The Center's Summer 2007 Bus Tour

The Center held its first tour July 26, a beautiful summer day. About 40 participants met at Fox Run Vineyards, RT 14, to board a coach bus. The first stop was at Nelson and Erla Horning's farm on Lovejoy Rd. We watched the Horning family process broilers for on-farm sale and viewed the grass-fed cattle out on pasture. Last summer the family grew produce and sold it on a small stand, but their oldest son has taken a job off farm; he was in charge of this part of farm operation.

The second stop was at David and Elva Hoover's farm on RT 14A. David has a grass-based dairy, moving the milk cows to fresh grass every 12 hours. David also has a furniture and cabinetmaking business. The family has a large garden that supplies fresh as well as home-canned food for the large family.
The third stop brought to the organic vegetable and grain crop farm of Klaas and Mary Howell Martens. Klaas runs the farm and Mary Howell is in charge of Lakeview Grains, an organic mill in Penn Yan. They farm on a larger scale than the previous stops, but are no less dedicated to the land and community.

The bus brought us back to Fox Run where we enjoyed a locally grown and prepared lunch. We visited the vineyard at Fox Run and learned a bit about Sustainable Viticulture.