Sharon pair staging Harvest Festival

8/25/2009

By Patsy Nicosia

In hopes of drawing more attention to the importance of the region’s agriculture, two men with ties to both New York City and Sharon Springs have big plans for a September 18-20 Harvest Festival.
Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, owners of the Beekman Mansion and now, farm, have been growing 150 varieties of heirloom vegetables at the Sharon Springs landmark since buying it in 2007.
They also have a herd of 100 goats, initially milked for goat milk soap and now operating as a grade A dairy.
Mr. Ridge said the experience has deepened their appreciation of agriculture and its role locally.
“We’ve gotten just a taste of how difficult it is to get a farm up and running and how important agriculture is economically and historically,” he explained.
Mr. Ridge has worked for Martha Stewart and Mr. Kilmer-Purcell as an advertising executive.
They’ve already played hosts to TV food personality Rachel Ray for a piece on farm-to-table that will air on The Food Network in 2010 and now they’re hoping the Harvest Festival will let them put their marketing skills to use promoting other farmers and other forms of agriculture.
The Harvest Festival will kick off on the 18th with a garden party in the Beekman’s heirloom vegetable garden.
There will be a wine tasting and a competition between graduates of the SUNY Delhi Culinary Arts Program to create the most unique canapés using vegetables from the farm’s Landreth Heirloom Seed Collections.
A portion of the preview party’s proceeds will be donated to SUNY Delhi to promote the use and better appreciation of heirloom vegetables.
The event will run from 5:30-7:30pm.
For ticket information, visit www.beekman1802.com.
Saturday, the 19th, the focus will switch to downtown Sharon Springs, where local farmers, artisans, and craftsmen are invited to display and sell their wares at the Harvest Festival.
There will be no charge to farmers; the festival will run from 9-4.
For more information on vendor space, contact Joe Todd at The Finishing Touch, 284-2884.
“We realize we’re asking these farmers to take a day out of their already busy lives, so we’re hoping for a good turnout this year,” Mr. Ridge said.
“And buying locally is the best way people can support our local agriculture. We’d like to see this become something that’s recognized nationally, much like the Aspen and Miami Food & Wine Festivals.”
Saturday’s event will also include a Historic Harvest Festival at The American Hotel featuring, again, heirloom vegetables and New York State wine.
The dinner at The American will begin at 7pm.
Throughout the weekend, The Discovery Channel will be on hand to film the event.
“Our whole goal here is to make people more aware of how important agriculture is to us all,” Mr. Ridge said.
“Schoharie County has a very, very rich agriculture history. There’s a reason it was called the Breadbasket of the Revolution. That’s still something to celebrate.”
For more information on the Harvest Festival Weekend, go online to www.beekman1802.com.