ALBANY—Farm to You Fest 2009! takes place in schools and communities throughout the state October 5 to 11.
Officially known as New York Harvest for New York Kids Week, this annual event is a celebration of local food and agriculture, state Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker announced in a press release.
“Farm to You Fest 2009! provides an exciting opportunity for schools and their communities to learn about New York State agriculture, enjoy locally grown foods, and inspire healthy food choices in students. We are pleased to once again sponsor this event and provide schools and supporting organizations with an assortment of materials that aid in filling their student’s stomachs and brains with nutritional goodness,” the commissioner said in the release.
During the weeklong promotion, school food service directors, teachers, principals, parents, nutritionists, 4-H clubs, librarians, farmers and others are encouraged to organize fun and educational activities for students in pre-school, elementary, high school and even college.
Many schools will celebrate local, healthy foods by featuring New York farm products on their school lunch menus.
Other examples of celebrations include: classes having guest speakers such as a farmer or nutritionist, students taking a field trip to a local farm or farmers market, libraries suggesting a farm or food related reading list, or a variety of school-wide or community events that incorporate activities for all ages.
In addition to the fest week, harvest events are planned throughout the entire month of October. A list of local Farm to You Fest activities across the state can be found at http://www.agmkt.state.ny.us/f2s/news.html.
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Amedure faces off against Hinchey, again
By Melanie Lekocevic
Capital Region Independent Media
RENSSELAERVILLE — Republican Richard Amedure announced Tuesday he will challenge Democratic incumbent state Sen. Michelle Hinchey to a rematch.
Hinchey defeated Amedure by a slim margin of about 3,000 votes in the 2020 election to win her first term in the 46th Senate District.
With the district’s lines redrawn through redistricting this year, Hinchey now represents a newly reconfigured district — the 48th Senate District.
The 48th District covers all of Greene and Ulster counties, and parts of Albany and Columbia counties.
Amedure, an Army veteran and retired New York state trooper, runs a small family farm in Rensselaerville, where he also served on the town’s planning board.
“The 48th Senate District needs a representative who is not only experienced, but is a proven fighter,” Amedure said. “I have a long history of serving the communities of the 48th Senate district, my state and my nation. I have always fought for what I believe in throughout my entire career, and I will continue to do so in the state Senate.”
Amedure said that if elected, he will work to steer the state in a new direction.
“There is no question — our state is moving in the wrong direction,” Amedure said. “This district, and our state, need a commonsense voice that will help lead New York state back in the right direction and stand up against the radical, unaffordable policies coming from Albany politicians.”
Hinchey defeated Amedure the first time around in 2020 to replace three-term Republican incumbent state Sen. George Amedore, who did not run for re-election.
Hinchey stated on her re-election campaign website that she ran for office in 2020 pledging she would serve as an advocate for upstate communities.
“I am proud that over my first two years in office I have been able to deliver on that promise and am a strong voice for our upstate communities,” Hinchey said. “In my first year alone, my office and I passed over 30 bills with broad bipartisan support on important issues ranging from expanding health care and broadband access to making agriculture a key partner in the fight against climate change.”
The district lines were redrawn this year and the newly formed 48th state Senate district leans more heavily Democratic than the previous 46th district.
Voters in the former 46th district cast ballots for Democratic President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election in higher numbers than the new 48th district — with 52.3% of voters in the former district voting for Biden and 57.8% of voters in the new 48th district casting ballots for the Democrat.
Similarly, in the former 46th district, 47.7% of voters chose former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election, while 42.2% did so in the newly formed 48th district.
Town mulling farm animal law
By Melanie Lekocevic
Capital Region Independent Media
COEYMANS — The town is expected to revise a proposed law prohibiting farm animals and fowl in some areas of the town.
Proposed Local Law No. 8 of 2023 would make it unlawful for farm animals or fowl to be kept within the commercial, business or industrial zones in the town.
But pleas from several residents whose homes are in the industrial zone led town officials to reconsider portions of the law. Those changes are expected to be made at the town board’s next meeting July 13 and if enacted, would remove the town’s industrial zone from the prohibition.
The law would make it unlawful to keep animals including cows, cattle, horses, ponies, donkeys, mules, pigs, goats, sheep, chickens, roosters, ducks, geese and others.
Resident Emily Zinkhen lives in Selkirk but the land surrounding her home is zoned industrial for the town of Coeymans, she told the board at a public hearing June 22.
“In the early spring of 2020, as COVID restrictions and lockdowns were being put in place, our family rescued a little black sheep from slaughter,” Zinkhen said. “We raised her as if she were a puppy, with love and respect, and in turn she ate our weeds and fertilized our soil. That November, my family rescued a pig from a breeder in Tennessee. She became a member of our family quickly and helps us refresh our garden and till our soil. The next spring brought us a baby goat and another sheep, both of which were rescued from certain death at a meat market.”
The animals have become members of the family, Zinkhen said.
“Our two sheep, goat and pig are beloved pets. They keep us sane during hard times and greatly improve not only the quality of our lives, but the quality of our land,” she said. “We look forward to spending our time caring for them, especially when times get a little rougher. Fruit trees and gardens now grow where the soils were once dust, and our grass truly is greener with them here.”
The passage of Local Law No. 8 in its original form would negatively impact her family and home, which is otherwise “surrounded by industry and pollution,” Zinkhen said.
Zinkhen’s mother, Gina Al-Mahdi, broke into tears as she addressed the board at the public hearing.
“Not only did we save these animals, but these animals saved my children and my family,” she said. “We need them. They aren’t nobody. They even have Instagram (accounts), and people follow them. They harm nobody.”
Al-Mahdi said her children with special needs have greatly benefited from having the animals around. The animals have helped alleviate symptoms of depression and helped the children develop life and social skills.
“I just wanted to point out that not only did we save them, but they saved us as well,” Al-Mahdi said.
Selkirk resident Janet Kessler spoke on behalf of the family and their animals.
“These people have had these animals — they are considered pets,” Kessler said.
No other community members spoke out on behalf of keeping farm animals on properties in either the business or commercial zones, and Town Supervisor George McHugh said the town council could revise the law to omit industrial zones.
“Frankly, the complaints that we’re receiving are not from the industrial zones, they are from the commercial and business districts,” McHugh said.
Resident Barbara Tanner asked if the farm animals at the Zinkhen property would be grandfathered in in the event the law is passed in its original form.
“They would not be,” McHugh responded. “But that doesn’t mean that we’re going to keep industrial in.”
McHugh said the town council would consult with the town attorney before adopting the law, and that a revised law may be presented at the next meeting of the town council on July 13.
