Farm to Fork Tourism Partners
Are you an agriculture or culinary professional? Then this page is for you.
Agriculinary Tourism Conference
March 5, 2019
The Hotel Ithaca
8:30am-5pm
You’re invited, Visit Ithaca and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County present the 2019 Agriculinary Tourism Conference! The conference is organized for agriculture and culinary professionals, in and around Tompkins County, who are looking to expand their business, offerings, and revenue. Join us on March 5th for a series of panel discussions and presentations to learn about hosting events or overnights on your land, how to market your business, and how to develop an efficient farm to table relationship. Come to cultivate connections or simply to absorb useful knowledge. We look forward to having you.ty.
8:30AM – Check In
9AM – Welcome
9:15 – 10:15 AM Key Note Presenters – Mindy & Oskar Vizcarro – Becker Farms
Becker Farms and Vizcarra Vineyards, located east of Buffalo, NY, is a 5th Generation family owned 340-acre working fruit and vegetable farm that sells most of their products directly to the public at their farm. Becker Farms has steadily expanded their agritourism activities to include a farm store and bakery, winery and brewery; school tours and activities for kids; event space for parties and weddings with a farm to table menu; and lodging. This provides a unique setting for visitors to connect, explore, experience, taste, shop and stay. Mindy and Oskar will talk about the evolution of their farm from when they began to a full service agriculinary tourism destination.
10:30 AM – Noon – Concurrent Sessions
Session A - Farm to Table Cuisine – Creating Successful Farmer-Chef Relationships
Our panelists of chefs and farmers will share experiences of working together to integrate seasonal produce, local meats, and artisan products into menus. Panelists will discuss logistics and tips for this unique selling arrangements.
Brud Holland – FLX Made, Finger Lakes Culinary Bounty, and Fox Run Winery
Nathaniel and Emily Thompson – Remembrance Farm, Trumansburg
Heather Sandford – The Piggery, Store in Ithaca, Farms in Trumansburg and Eaton
Frank Purazzi – Northstar House, Ithaca
Andre Jacquet – Agava, Ithaca
Silas Conroy – Headwater Foods, Ontario, NY
Session B – Hosting Private Events at Your Farm – Challenges and Opportunities
Private events such as weddings, present unique challenges. Panelists will discuss how to provide for client needs, accommodate caterers and other vendors, work through zoning and insurance requirements, marketing your venue, and maintaining your site’s integrity as a farm or culinary business.
Allison Usavage – Sweet Bough Wedding Collective, photographer
Rachel Ostlund – Sweet Bough Wedding Collective & Kinship & Company
Gordie Gallup – Silver Queen Farm, venue & working farm.
Mark Renodin – Six Mile Creek Winery, venue, winery & tasting room
NOON – 1 PM – Lunch Provided
1:00 – 2:30 PM – Concurrent Sessions
Session C – Digging Deeper: Seed to Table
This panel takes the farm to table theme to a new level. Here how plant breeders, farmers and chefs are partnering to grow and feature great tasting varieties of produce on menus. Learn from our panel of speakers who are all involved with this trend.
Dr. Michael Mazourek – Row 7 Seeds, Cornell Plant Breeder
Kara Cusolito and Aaron Munzer – Plowbreak Farm, Burdett
Lisa Jonckheere and Justin Paterson – Hazelnut Kitchen, Trumansburg
Session D - Providing Overnight Lodging at your Farm
Learn about the variety of lodging being offered at farms and agri-tourism venues today from camping to platform tents, to cabins, and rooms in homes. Panelists will discuss lodging they provide, how they got started, regulations, promotion, what visitors expect, and how to manage a lodging business.
Rita Rosenberg – RoseBarb Farm, Caroline
Erica Frenay – Shelterbelt Farm, Caroline
Chrys Gardener – Danby
Steve and Anne – Hawk Meadow Farm, Mecklenburg
2:45 – 3:45 PM General Session – How to Market Your Agriculinary Tourism Business
Learn strategies and tactics for using online marketing and social media to encourage consumers to visit and spend money at your business.
Dr. Cory Young – Associate Professor of Strategic Communication, Ithaca College
4:00 - 5:00 PM - Social Hour
Take advantage of this time to meet and get to know others from our region involved in agriculinary tourism. Share ideas, business cards, and cultivate new connections.
Register Here!
Farm to Fork Microgrant Program
Want to boost revenue? Increase visitors to your farm? Need help with projects that make your business more visitor-friendly?
We're here for you!
2019 Microgrant Application
Rolling applications until Sept 1, 2019 or until grant funding is expended.
2019 Microgrant Final Report
Due November 30, 2019. Requires photographs and invoices.
Have questions about Farm to Fork or Agriculinary related programs? Please contact Kendall Blizzard, Agriculinary Tourism and Marketing Coordinator at kendall@visitithaca.com or call 607-272-1313.
