Frank and Debra Bradt’s Bradt Homestead in Sloansville has been recognized as one of three 2021 Century Farms by the NYS Agricultural Society.
Each January, agricultural industry leaders gather at the NYS Agricultural Society Annual Meeting & Forum to discuss priority issues and recognize peers for outstanding leadership, innovation, stewardship, consumer outreach, and safety efforts.
At the historic 189th annual forum conducted virtually on Thursday, January 7, three farms were recognized as 2021 Century Farm honorees.
The Eastern NY operations have been in continuous operation by the same family on the same property for 100 years or more.

Bradt Homestead – Sloansville
The Bradt Homestead Farm was founded on January 13, 1920.
At its start, it consisted of 149 acres, a Greek Revival home, and an 1830s era dairy barn constructed from wood from a nearby sawmill. A barn addition was built to house 56 dairy cows.
Although a tractor was purchased in the late 1940s for field work, horses were used on the farm until the early 1960s.
In 1991, a team of Belgian horses was reintroduced.
Many silo fills and plow days have been held at the farm in the year’s since, some of them drawing as many as two dozen horse teams.
Horses have also been used used to spread manure and seed fields.
The Bradts’ dairy herd was sold in November 2000 and they kept and raised replacements until 2003.
Horses are still used to seed fields.
The farm makes 5,000-plus bales of hay in a season and plants an average of eight acres of grain corn for cattle.
Representing the family’s third generation, Frank Jr. and wife Debbie are active farm managers.
They are members of Cornell Cooperative Extension, Farm Bureau and the Eastern Regional Draft Horse Association.

Fogarty’s Farm – Schaghticoke
In 1916 John D. Fogarty purchased this 200-acre farm and operated it as a small dairy.
His great-grandson Bill Fogarty took over daily operations in 1990. He increased the herd to 75 milking cows, purchased upgraded equipment, built barn additions and began raising heifers and calves.
The farm has received High-Quality Milk and Gold Dairy of Distinction awards.
In 2014, the Fogartys transitioned from dairy to raising beef cows and replacements.
The herd has grown to 130 head.
The farm has always grown its own hay and corn, and currently sells hay and straw.
The Fogartys have worked closely with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rensselaer County to educate youth through the 4H program.
Mr. Fogarty is a current member of NY Farm Bureau and has worked with Soil and Water Conservation to make improvements to ensure best land management practices.
He is currently a councilman for the Town of Schaghticoke.

Overlook Hereford Farm – Afton
All it took was a concrete road to convince Earl Shapely to purchase this farm in Chenango County over a competing property in nearby Broome County in 1919.
The 165-acre dairy farm was purchased for $6,500.
An additional 40-acre parcel was purchased in 1930.
The Norfolk & Southern Railway runs through the farm, and the property borders the Susquehanna River. In conjunction with the farm, Mr. Shapely operated a Dodge car dealership and harvested timber from the farm property. The timber enterprise continues today.
In the early 1960s the farm transferred to Earl and Mary Reiling, the third generation.
They began a cash crop operation.
The dairy enterprise was sold in 1961, but the farm continued to raise first-calf heifers until 1983.
The Shapeleys opened Reiling’s Garage in 1965 while continuing to farm; they harvest soybeans, corn, oats and rye.
Their other enterprises include timber harvesting and raising Hereford beef cattle, which son Blane launched in high school.
Overlook Hereford Farm has been recognized as a second place Conservation Farmer in Chenango County, Master Conservation Farmer of Chenango County, and winner of the county’s Outstanding Forestry Achievement Award.
Established in 1832, the mission of the NYS Agricultural Society is to foster, promote, and improve the NYS food and agricultural industry through education, leadership development and recognition programs. The Society has 800 members representing all segments of the ag and food supply chain.