A celebrational/educational event, feast and community gathering in the Hudson Valley

Posted on March 17, 2010 by in Beginning Farmers, Education, Events, Local Food // 0 Comments

Vernal equinox hogget Cook Off! In honor of the vernal equinox, spring and the start of a new growing season, join The Greenhorns and Animal Welfare Approved at Kinderhook Farm in Valatie, NY on March 20-21 for a celebration of agricultural activities, rural community and a farm to table feast. Thanks to Flying Deer Nature Center, McEnroe Organic Farm, Hawthorne Valley Farm and Art & Agriculture for their support.What is a Hogget? A Hogget is a yearling lamb yet to be sheared that has been raised on pasture throughout the year and fed hay & legumes from the farm through the winter. Lambs are traditionally born between the end of January and beginning of March. This allows the young lambs to nurse naturally and weaned when the pastures grow back in the spring. The Kinderhook Farm hogget we will be working with reflects the age, size and tenderness of a lamb of this age. The event begins with a butchery demonstration of the whole hogget, followed by a cooking demonstration, hide tanning, wool crafts and soap making. Saturday will close with a feast and musical performance by folk collective The Red Rooster. Coffee, tea and snacks will be provided throughout the day. On Sunday the activities will continue with morning Yoga at Kinderhook Farm and tours of McEnroe Organic Farm and Old Chatham Sheepherding Company. There are also great local hiking trails, sculpture fields and restaurants worth checking out. This weekend couldn’t be possible without the help of farmers and community allies. Please help out by shopping and supporting local businesses. www.kinderhookfarm.com; https://flyingdeernaturecenter.org; https://mcenroeorganicfarm.com/; https://www.blacksheepcheese.com; https://www.strongtreecoffee.com; www.hawthornevalleyfarm.org; https://artandagriculture.org/; www.fishkillfarms.com. Weekend admission: $45-200/per adult (sliding scale) $15/per child under 12 years old. ***Worktrade options available.Special thanks to butcher Adam Danforth, Chef La Mason and Chef Fiore Tedesco. For any Questions please contact: La Mason @ cheflamason@gmail.com or Severine von Tscharner Fleming @ severine@pixiepoppins.org

Schedule of events:

Saturday, March 20
At Kinderhook Farm

All Day – Hide Tanning, Wool Crafts, Soap Making workshops
10:00 am Opening Remarks
10:30 am Hogget Butchering Demonstration
1:00 pm Light Lunch
2:00 pm Cooking Demonstrations
7:00 pm Hogget Feast in the Barn
The Red Rooster Folk Collective will close the evening with music

Sunday, March 21
At Kinderhook Farm
10:30am–3pm Hide Tanning, Wool Crafts, Soap Making
11:00am Yoga in the Barn
12:30-2:30 Hogget Stew

At McEnroe Organic Farm
1pm Farm Tour
3pm Farm Tour

Directions to Kinderhook Farm:

From Taconic Parkway:
Take Taconic Parkway to the Austerlitz/Chatham Route 203 exit. If coming from the
south, turn right at end of ramp onto Route 203. If coming from the north, turn left at end
of ramp onto Route 203. In 4.1 miles (just after passing Callander’s Nursery), turn left
onto County Route 21B. Take the first right onto County Road 21. Kinderhook Farm is
about 1/2 mile on your right.

From NY State Thruway:
Take NY State Thruway (I-87) to Exit 21. After tollbooth turn left and in 1/2 mile turn
left onto Route 23 eastbound. Follow signs to Rip Van Winkle Bridge, cross bridge, and
continue on Route 23 for 2.6 miles to the first traffic light. At the light, turn left onto
Route 9. At first stop sign, bear right. Continue past the Columbia Memorial Hospital on
your left. At second stop sign, turn right onto Route 66. Follow Route 66 for 9.8 miles to
the hamlet of Ghent. Turn left onto County Route 21. Follow County Route 21 for 3.1
miles. County Route 21 turns left just after passing the grass airstrip on the left.
Kinderhook Farm will be on your right 1/2 mile after making that turn.

From Albany Area:
Take I-90 east to Exit 12 (Route 9 Hudson). At end of ramp, turn right towards Hudson.
Continue on Route 9 south 5.6 miles to Valatie. Turn left onto Route 203 eastbound.
Follow Route 203 (making a right turn over the bridge as you leave the village of Valatie)
4 miles. Turn right onto County Route 21B. Take the first right onto County Route 21.
Kinderhook Farm is about 1/2 mile on your right.

From Hudson, NY:
Take Columbia Street eastbound until you pass Columbia Memorial Hospital on your
right. Columbia Street turns into Route 66. From the hospital, follow Route 66 for 9.8
miles to the hamlet of Ghent. Turn left onto County Route 21. Follow County Route 21
for 3.1 miles. County Route 21 turns left just after passing the grass airstrip on the left.
Kinderhook Farm will be on your right 1/2 mile after making that turn.

Driving from New York City: (Approx. 120 miles)
Find your way to the Taconic Parkway or to the New York State Thruway (I-87)
northbound. Then continue according to the directions above for each highway.

Places to Stay:

Chatham Travel Lodge
Route 295
Chatham, NY 12037
Telephone # 518-392-4066
www.chathamtravellodge.com
$65-$69 per nightBlue Spruce Inn & Suites
Route 9, Valatie, New York 12184
(518) 758-9711
https://www.bluespruceinnsuites.com
$65-$90 per nightThyme in the Country B&B
671 Fish and Game Road
Hudson, NY 12534
518-672-6166
https://thymeinthecountrybandb.com
$130-$155 per nightThe Van Schaack House
20 Broad St.
Kinderhook NY 12106
Phone: 518-758-6118
https://www.vanschaackhouse.com/index.html
$150-$210 per nightThe Inn at Hudson
317 Allen St
Hudson, NY
518-822-9322
www.theinnathudson.com
$200-$225 first night
$100-$125 second nightHudson City B&B
326 Allen St
Hudson, NY
518-822-8044
www.hudsoncitybnb.com
$100-$150 per nightThe Country Squire Bed & Breakfast
251 Allen Street
Hudson, NY 12534
518-822-9229
www.countrysquireny.com
$130-$155 per night

+ this just in! our interactive mapping website, Serve Your Country Food

, has been nominated for a TreeHugger.com “Best of Green” award in the Food & Health category .Starting today and running until Friday, April 2, 2010 is the reader’s choice voting period. Show some love and vote for Serve Your Country Food for “Best Website About Farming or Gardening”. You can vote once a day until voting ends. Winners will be announced the week of April 12, 2010.