WESTPORT — Linda Gillilland says it's a joy every day to get up and look out at her farm.

"We love it here, and I learn something every day," said the Willsboro woman, who, along with her husband, Shaun, purchased the Ben Wever farm four years ago.

That farm and several others that belong to Cornell Extension's Adirondack Harvest Program recently provided open houses to show how and what they grow.

NEW LIFE


In the shadow of a three-story barn that used to raise thousands of chickens, Linda and Shaun collaborated with the farm's previous owner, "senior agricultural consultant emeritus" Ben Wever, to learn the intricacies of farm life.

The Gillilland family has given new life to the old farm, creating a diversified operation specializing in grass-fed beef, pork, chicken and turkeys.

They also sell eggs and honey amid a picturesque farmscape scattered with roaming horses.

On the day of the tour, farrier Darrell Martin was on the premises tending to the Gillillands' horses and providing an education concerning equine care.

Linda explained how they utilize hogs to graze an area that had several buildings that burned about 50 years ago. Voracious eaters, the hogs have been ridding the area of dense growth and in the process have uncovered many pieces of metal that would damage farm implements if the soil were worked.

SHOWCASE


"Adirondack Harvest celebrations are opportunities for farmers, chefs and store managers to showcase their products," Adirondack Harvest Coordinator Laurie Davis said in a news release, "and at the same time learn about the benefits and resources, such as training programs and promotional materials that Adirondack Harvest can provide to help them sell more products."

Adirondack Harvest, the community-based farm and food development and promotion program, has celebrated the fall harvest season with several special events.

The celebrations provided consumers with opportunities to meet farmers, visit farms, taste products and become Adirondack Harvest members.

Members receive marketing and promotional support, quarterly newsletters, workshop invitations and premiums, from an Adirondack Harvest apron to the "Three Farms" DVD, gift baskets and the "Adirondack Harvest Cookbook," with ideas for serving local foods.

Like most farms in the North Country, Black Watch Farm outside Port Henry is a busy place. As visitors arrived, Lynn Wallace, who owns the farm with her husband Mike, was canning a batch of the 40 quarts of blackberry jam from this year's harvest.

Black Watch is a Civil War-era farm situated on 60 acres. The dwelling was also utilized as a birthing house before clinics and hospitals came to the area.

The vegetable garden is laden with pumpkins, gourds and cornstalks.

In addition to crops, Black Watch is a horse farm offering riding lessons with Connemara ponies, which are originally from Ireland.

Like many small-farm operators, the Wallaces have another source of income, as Mike works for National Grid.

"I grew up in the Saratoga area and always rode horses," Lynn gave as part of the rationale for the Wallaces purchasing the farm five years ago.

Other farms that participated in a recent open house are:

  Adirondack Heritage Hogs in Lewis, which has 20 pigs, free-range turkeys, laying hens and meat chickens. In addition, the farmers are operating a sawmill and nearing completion on a custom butcher facility.

  DaCy Meadow Farm near Westport, where the Johnston family raises British heritage livestock, sells natural pork and beef and has an art gallery. They host special events, business meetings, educational groups and serve farm-to-table meals.

  Uihlein Field Station in Lake Placid, with a sugar bush of 4,000 taps, which demonstrated the merits of new technology and proper forest stewardship.

  Crooked Brook Farm & Studios in Wadhams, where a crop of sculptures by Ted Cornell dot the landscape. In addition, his paintings may be viewed in a barn-like structure.

E-mail Alvin Reiner at: rondackirambler@yahoo.com