An unexpected phone call led to the appearance of a Delhi farm couple _ and their registered Berkshire pig _ on an upcoming episode of Martha Stewart's television show, according to the couple and the show's website.
A producer at "The Martha Stewart Show" contacted Maple Shade Farm, owned by Jay and Abby Wilson, on Tuesday for a photo of their purebred swine, the couple said late last week.
But sensing the opportunity, they offered to bring two animals to the show's studio in Manhattan. One was scheduled to appear with Martha Stewart and the couple, according to the show's website. Photos and video will be available on the site after the air date.
The hourlong program will air Tuesday on Time Warner Cable in Oneonta, Channel 2, from 3 to 4 a.m., according to the show's website. It was also seen at 11 a.m. Monday on an HD digital cable channel. A production assistant at the show would not discuss the appearance when reached Thursday. More information on the episode and a link to the farm's website is available at www.marthastewart.com.
Maple Shade Farm is the only registered breeder in New York state listed on the American Berkshire Association's website, Jay Wilson said when asked why he thinks the farm was contacted. Stewart is a big fan of the breed, he said.
They left late Wednesday morning, headed to the studio for the scheduled 3 p.m. taping, with their children, McKenzie, 7; Ryan, 4; and John, 10 months; and two Berkshires.
"Jay and Abby Wilson from Maple Shade Farm in Delhi, New York, stop by with an adorable 7-week-old Berkshire pig," is how the website describes the segment, which Jay Wilson said lasts about a minute. The couple said they are not allowed to discuss the details beforehand, but they shared some of the excitement of the experience.
"It was so wild," Abby Wilson said. "It was like a dream come true." She said she has been a fan of the show for years, and of Stewart's magazine.
"Nobody would think one day you would get (such) a phone call," she said.
Stewart was very accessible, Jay Wilson said. "She is a good person, and she has a good crew." The pig that made the show was later named for the multimedia tycoon, and will have an honored place on the farm, along with the one who didn't make it on camera, now called Stewart, the couple said. The animals usually aren't named because their breeding is part of a business.
Besides the livestock, the couple raise turkeys, chickens and pumpkins on their 200-acre farm.
They also sell products made by area farmers, but the main business is agritourism, which could get a boost in visitors interested in seeing the pigs in person, Jay Wilson said. The pigs are available for viewing.
Abby, 39, takes care of her children and the 2-year-old farm operation at an historic location on county Route 18. Besides his farm responsibilities, Jay, 40, is a sales manager for Blue Seal Feeds.
After the pig was introduced to the audience on the show, Jay took it from Stewart and the couple sat in the front row. The children were off stage.
One of the show's main guests was documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, who was promoting his new movie, "Capitalism: A Love Story." When asked what he was like, Jay Wilson said: "I had a pig on my lap; I didn't pay too much attention."
Abby Wilson said both before and after the taping, Stewart was friendly, making small talk with the couple and their children and asking about the farm. She accepted a gift basket with local products sold on the farm, and "she was very gracious." They left to go back home after the approximately two-hour taping.
"She is one of the richest and most powerful women in the world," so it was "exciting" to meet her, Abby Wilson said.
She was "very pretty" and "very nice," and it was really exciting to see all that went on behind the scenes, she said.
