Genesee County Farm Bureau

Press Release:

Spring has arrived, and with it comes Genesee County’s Farm Bureau’s annual event Kinderfarmin’! We are ecstatic to be able to bring this wonderful tradition to our kindergarten students and families! Kinderfarmin’ is being held on Wednesday, June 4, at Post Dairy Farms, LLC in Oakfield. This event, in one form or another, has been happening for over 40 years in Genesee County and has become a staple for classrooms.

Kinderfarmin’ has been recognized by the American Farm Bureau Federation as an “Event of Excellence”.

This day attracts over 600 kindergarten students from ten school districts. Including teachers, chaperones, and the hundred volunteers, the host farm will have over 1000 visitors in a single day. For this one day, this local dairy farm will continue to be a dairy and be transformed into a classroom with hands-on learning stations and guided tours.

Genesee County Farm Bureau partners with roughly 20 local businesses and organizations to provide a unique, fun and educational experience for all ages. We aim to highlight all the effort that goes into making our favorite dairy products like milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, and of course ice cream!

Our field trip is FREE for every student and would not be possible without the generosity of our many sponsors and local farmers. 

Press Release:

Plans are already underway for the 20th Annual Celebrate Agriculture Dinner which will take place on Saturday, March 16 at 6 p.m. at the Alexander Fire Hall. This annual event is a celebration of Genesee County’s #1 Industry, Agriculture!

The highlight of the night is a delicious meal using locally produced foods prepared by the Culinary Arts Students from the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center. Let by Chef Alberto Santos and Denise Kaus, Culinary Arts teacher aide, this will be the third year of this perfect collaboration between the Chamber’s Agricultural Committee & Culinary Arts Program. The dinner is open to the public.

Tickets go on sale Dec. 4 at the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, 8276 Park Road, Batavia. Tickets are $30 each or a table of 10 can be purchased for $275.

Sponsorships are also available which help support agriculture educational events in Genesee County. Only 400 tickets will be sold. Tickets must be purchased by February 24, 2024. For more information or to download the registration flyer visit the
Chamber’s Website www.geneseeny.com.

The Celebrate Ag Dinner is coordinated by the following partners: Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, Genesee County Soil & Water Conservation District and Genesee County Farm Bureau. 

Sponsors of the 2023 celebration included: Alleghany Farm Services, Arctic Refrigeration, Baskin Livestock, Inc., Batavia Muckdogs, Carolina Eastern Crocker, CPL, Farm Credit East. ACA, Farm Family Insurance, Fieldstone Private Wealth, Freed Maxick CPA, Junction Motor Freight, L&M Specialty Fabrications, LLC, Lamb Farms, LandPro Equipment, Lawley, L-Brooke Farms, LLC, Monroe Tractor, My-T Acres, National Grid, OXBO International, Perry Veterinary Clinic, Sackett Farms, Torrey Farms, Western New York Energy, LLC, Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc. William Kent, Inc. and Windy Acres
Farm. 

Farms and businesses that donated locally grown food for the 2023 dinner included: Dorman Farms, Farm Fresh First, Inc/Nortera Foods, Fenton’s Produce, Harrington’s Produce, SJ Starowitz Farms, Torrey Farms, Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc., Kreher Family Farms, Daves Ice Cream, Doug & Peggy Torrey, Yancey’s Fancy. 

For ticket information or questions contact the Kelly B. at The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, 585-343-7440 or kbermingham@geneseeny.com.

Even dairy farmers know how to turn lemons into lemonade.

Volunteers had to act quickly Wednesday to reconfigure their annual Kinderfarmin' event at Hildene Farm in Pavilion after air quality concerns caused superintendents at eight of the 10 scheduled schools to cancel field trips.

"Agriculture never stops," noted organizer Natasha Sutherland, and neither do kindergarteners. 

But students at the schools that didn't make the trip to Hildene got the important message about the connection between dairy farms and the milk they might pour over their cereal in the morning.

"We're excited that many volunteers were able to pivot with us because the idea was thrown out very quickly that we could take the day to the students," Sutherland said. "I've got volunteers driving milk and swag bags to schools. There are also virtual dairy tours available on the internet that they are currently watching."

Hildene Farm, with 1,250 dairy cows, hosted the event last year, too. The event takes about 100 volunteers to run with the typical participation of 10 school districts and more than 600 students.

The smaller group of children this year at the farm meant that each child got more individual attention and could spend more time at each of the educational stations set up on the lawn.

"The kids are getting so much more one-on-one impact and exposure," Sutherland said. "I'm hoping that the day is so much more impactful because they're getting everything truly catered to them as individuals. It's exciting to see their little faces light up, and the kids that are here are truly enjoying every bit of that."

Sutherland said the event builds lifetime memories for the children who attend.

"It is the highlight of the year for these kindergarten students," Sutherland said. "It's not just about dairy. It's about the whole breadbasket that is Western New York. We've got beef producers, we've got sheep, we've got goats, we've got lambs, we've got rabbits. We've got people spinning wool, and we've got giant articulated tractors for children to sit in. Today is all about connecting kids to their food."

Genesee County is the last county in the state that still hosts a Kinderfarmin' event as originally designed, with a visit to a dairy farm that includes hands-on educational activities that are also fun for the kids, Sutherland said.

"Everyone's kind of morphed it into something else, but we're the last one that still keeps it completely school focused, completely focused on the kindergarteners sticking to the core curriculum," Sutherland said. "We work really hard to make sure that these kids get the originally intended day as education first and foremost, not just play."

Photos by Howard Owens.

Press release:

The Genesee County Farm Bureau (“GCFB”) is awarding a $1,000 scholarship to a graduating high school senior in 2016. The award will go to a student member or to the son or daughter of a regular or associate member of the Genesee County Farm Bureau.  

Eligibility

Eligible students must be continuing their education beyond high school through a trade-school or two-year/four-year collegiate program.

Application Forms & Deadlines

Scholarship application forms are available from the Genesee County Farm Bureau office by calling 585-343-3489, by going to the GCFB Web site at www.geneseecountyfarmbureau.com, or by replying to this e-mail.

The award decision will be based on: involvement in agriculture and the applicant’s stated intentions to remain involved in agriculture; scholastic participation; activities; application responses and essays. The GCFB Scholarship Committee will review all applications and make a final decision about the award recipient.

Completed applications must be returned to the GCFB office no later than April 30. Interviews will be held if necessary. The award recipient will be notified by June 1^st.

Award Details

The $1,000 award will be provided in two payments:  the first will be awarded on September 1^st and the second will be awarded upon receipt of the first semester grades.  A copy of the first semester transcript must be sent to the GCFB office for review.  The student must obtain a minimum 2.5 GPA or higher to receive the second scholarship payment.

Contact: Diane Chamberlain, resource specialist

NYFB WNY Office

 29 Liberty St., Suite 212 Batavia, NY 14020

1-877-383-7663 (toll free) or 585-343-3489