Catskill farming network plans Walton event

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July 9, 2012

Catskill farming network plans Walton event

Anonymous Staff Report The Daily Star Mon Jul 09, 2012, 03:30 AM EDT

The Catskills CRAFT group will meet from 5 to 7 p.m. July 16 at Stony Creek Farmstead in Walton.

Catskills CRAFT, or Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training, is an educational networking group for beginning farmers. Farm interns, employees and operators of recently established or transitioning farm enterprises are welcome to attend the event.

Since 2005, Dan and Kate Marsiglio have been growing meat, eggs and vegetables at their farm in Walton. Stony Creek Farmstead's meats and eggs are pasture-raised, and their vegetables, herbs and flowers are grown organically. As their website states, "We adhere to rigorous free-range, beyond organic, pasturing practices for all of our animals and supplement their grazing diet with local organic grains."

They sell their beef, pork, lamb, eggs and broiler chickens from the farm and at the Franklin Farmers' Market, and offer a seasonal CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. The farm also hosts workshops and school group tours in addition to offering overnight farm stays.

The first portion of the Catskills CRAFT visit will provide training on raising mixed livestock. Following the training, the group will share a potluck meal.

Catskills CRAFT brings a national model aimed at developing beginning farmer networks across the country to the region. More details on the group and the monthly farm visits planned throughout 2012 can be found at www.catskillscraft.org. Contact Sonia Janiszewski at info@catskillscraft.org or (914) 720-1020 for more information.

Catskills CRAFT is made possible with leadership support from Catskills region beginning farmers, financial support from Farmhearts and administrative support from the Watershed Agricultural Council. For more information on Farmhearts, please visit www.farmhearts.org.

The purpose of the Watershed Agricultural Council is to protect both the rural, land-based economy of the watershed region and its drinking water quality for more than 9 million people. Working with farmers, agribusinesses, forest landowners, forest industry professionals and others, the council seeks to enhance both business profitability and environmental stewardship. It also champions the use of conservation easements as an option to keep land within a working landscape context. The Council works through partnerships with other nonprofit organizations, government agencies and community stakeholders to achieve its purpose. For more information, visit www.nycwatershed.org.