We know that the COVID pandemic has put a damper on everyone’s travel plans recently. During this program, we will take you on a virtual tour of four farm stores around our Eastern New York region from the comfort of your own home. Our farm stand owner/manager panel will tell us about their stores, products, and experiences. This program is ideal for produce growers interested in building a new farm store or renovating their existing store.
Agenda
9:00am: Welcome and introductions
9:10am: Bowman virtual tour, Q&A with Kevin Bowman
9:30am: Cold Spring virtual tour, Q&A with Lenny Prezorski
9:50am: Rulfs virtual tour, Q&A with Shannon Wilkins
10:10am: Hub on the Hill virtual tour, Q&A with Jori Wekin
10:30am: Adjourn
Grower Panel
Kevin Bowman: Kevin is the owner/operator of Bowman Orchards, a 98-acre family farm in Rexford, NY offering pick-your-own and retail apples, berries, and vegetables. Bowman Orchards is described as an “oasis” in the suburban Saratoga Springs area, and is a popular fall destination.
Lenny Prezorski: Lenny is the owner/operator of Cold Spring Farm in Cobleskill, NY. With his wife Lauren, the Prezorskis manage 28 acres of vegetables and 20 acres of field crops, selling their products through their farm stand and wholesale.
Jori Wekin: Jori is the manager of Hub on the Hill, a food hub and market in Essex, NY serving the greater Adirondack region. The hub offers a variety of services to agricultural producers and local businesses, including use of commercial kitchen space, co-packing, delivery, and marketing assistance.
Shannon Wilkins: Shannon is the business manager for Rulfs Orchard, a diversified fruit and vegetable farm in Peru, NY. Rulfs offers their own apples, berries, flowers, and vegetables through pick your own, their retail store, and wholesale. Conveniently located off of the Northway, Rulfs is a popular agritourism destination in Clinton County.