Press release:
As high school students from the GLOW (Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, Wyoming) region converge on GCC on Thursday, Oct. 20, for the fifth annual Harvest Festival and Farmer's Market, the general public is also welcome to the yearly event for a cornucopia of delicious delights.
Students explore the many local career opportunities available in agribusiness in the Conable Technology Building, while locally produced products from maple syrup to freshly grown fruits and vegetables will once again be available to purchase from 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.in the William W. Stuart Forum. The Harvest Festival is free and open to the public at the GCC Batavia campus.
Agribusiness professionals from the GLOW area begin the day with 20-minute, mini presentations running concurrently from 9 – 11 a.m. and 12 – 12:45 p.m. The presentations focus on food processing, technology and the many career opportunities from the following presenters:
• Gina Lee, Finger Lakes Community College Wine Technology Program
• Todd Hofheins, Maple Moon, Attica
• Jeremy Liles, Oliver's Chocolates, Batavia
• Holly Partridge, Farm to Table, Genesee Valley Education Partnership, Batavia Campus
• Peter Metzler, Porter Farms CSA, Elba
Finger Lakes Community College, Cornell University and SUNY Alfred State will also be on hand to offer guidance for completing a degree in an agribusiness-related field.
Children and animal enthusiasts will once again be delighted by a small petting zoo, hosted by the GCC Veterinary Technology Club and located on the east lawn of the campus from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
All attendees are also invited to participate in a collective Campus "Crunch" at 12:45 p.m. in the Forum. Across the state, a number of private and public colleges and universities participate in the "New York Campus Crunch." Together, they will bite into an apple simultaneously to affirm their commitment to food that is healthy for people and the planet and celebrating New York's being the second-largest apple-producing state in the United States. GCC will conduct its "crunch" at the Harvest Festival and a free delicious apple will be provided for those that wish to take part.
"With so much going on, Harvest Fest has something for everyone," said Festival co-coordinator and GCC Accelerated College Enrollment (ACE) Programs assistant Lindsay Carney.
"In addition to local artisan food, drink and products, visitors can learn about careers in agribusiness, which include marketing, social media, accounting and technology. Much more than traditional farming field positions. Of course, at this time of year, we again excited to welcome another great group of vendors who will offer some of the very best local products," Carney said.
Vendors who plan to attend include:
• Harrington's, Batavia – vegetables and fruits
• Harper Hill Farms, Darien – goat milk soaps
• Hill 'n' Hollow, Pavilion – chutneys and vinegars
• Maple Moon Farms, Attica – maple syrup
• Once Again Nut Butter, Nunda – butters and honey
• Mama Bucks, Dansville – brittles
New to the Harvest Fest this year will be exhibits by Genesee County Park, BCA Ag Technologies, CY Farms, Provitello and USDA-NRCS. They will join a host of other local businesses that will have displays students can explore in the Forum, including Cornell Cooperative Extension, Genesee County Soil and Water, Oxbo International, Perry's Ice Cream and Upstate Niagara Milk Cooperative.
