Monday, August 30, 2010

Good, Clean, Country Fun at the Dutchess County Fair

As I sat at the Joe Nichols concert Saturday night at the Dutchess County Fair, I took the time between entertainers to just look around me and take everything in... the lights, the sounds, the people, the animals, the smell of that food I just love and only allow myself to have on special nights like this, the stables and horse paddocks to my right. Two young ladies had brought their horses out for some late-night grazing and a run around the field.

Just being there makes me happy. And after sitting in hours of traffic to get there, I didn't think being happy would be possible. I was pretty cranky by the time I parked my car, but my mood changed pretty quickly as I walked through the main gate and entered the fair. As I sat on the Grandstand taking everything in, I couldn't imagine anywhere else I would rather be. And I couldn't help but think how very lucky we are, here in the Hudson Valley, to have such a great county fair every August.

My family and close friends actually plan our vacations around the fair, because none of us want to miss it. So if you've never gone, or haven't been there lately, make sure you mark your calendars for next year. Bring your family and your friends and have a day of good, clean, country fun at the Dutchess County Fair!

Thursday, August 12, 2010

6th Annual heirloom Tomato and Music Fest
W. Rogowski Farm plans biggest tomato celebration ever on the Black Dirt

Everyone will be seeing red, and tasting it too, at the 6th Annual Heirloom Tomato and Music Festival on the W. Rogowski Farm on Glenwood Road in Pine Island on Sunday, August 22nd. "We're planning a bumper crop of family fun from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.," says Cheryl Rogowski, 2nd generation farmer at the Rogowski's Pine Island farm in the Black Dirt region.

Since the farm grows over 250 varieties of produce each season, crop-tasting will be high on the menu with the heirloom tomato in the spotlight as the special of the day. Tomatoes will be a main ingredient, but not the only one, in the culinary demonstrations taking place throughout the festival.

No matter how you slice it, this celebration will include far more than just pleasures of the palette alone. Cheryl says there will also be arts and handcrafts exhibits, agricultural workshops, raffles for baskets and prizes along with other entertainment like pony rides and face painting.

Musical accompaniments for the festivities will include performances by local musicians, such as Marty Koppel, Mike Sinatra, Project Mercury and Uncle Shoehorn. The Black Dirt Dance Company is planning a special performance.

Tickets are $3 for adults (two adults for $5). There is no admission charge for children under 15 years. Each ticket entitles the bearer to a free raffle ticket and a tomato tasting.

“We live in a rural community, but many people aren’t familiar with their local farms or with farming practices in general,” says Cheryl. “This is a chance to understand what goes into growing our food and why it makes a difference to buy locally,” she adds.

The W. Rogowski Farm is family-operated and proudly shares old-fashioned family values. The family also is progressive, utilizing ecologically friendly and environmentally sound practices to provide healthy, wholesome, nutritious food to the Hudson Valley and beyond.

For more information, contact Deborah Garry at 845.695.1880, or the W. Rogowski Farm at 845.258.4574.