Ag Fair fun fills Village Green in Cornwall

CORNWALL — The 33rd annual Cornwall Agricultural Fair was held beneath clear blue skies Saturday, Sept. 13.

Organized by the Cornwall Agricultural Commission, the yearly event brings people, animals and produce together on the Village Green for a day of agricultural appreciation.

Vendors sold goods, community organizations shared information on their efforts and locally sourced produce was judged by experts.

Nathan Young presents his blue ribbon eggs at the Ag Fair.Riley Klein

Nathan Young, sophomore at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, entered a dozen eggs into the competition. His assortment of white and brown eggs was awarded first place in the egg division. Young said the first step to producing prize-winning eggs is, “Get some chickens.”

At high noon, Pastor Micki Nunn-Miller of the United Church of Christ in Cornwall led the traditional blessing of the animals. “Whether they are pets or working animals, we are grateful. Bless them. Amen,” she said in the vicinity of dogs, chickens, cows, llamas, a donkey and a horse.

Pastor Micki Nunn-Miller blesses the animals.Riley Klein

The Cornwall Conservation Commission was raising awareness on composting and also invasive species in the area. Bruce Bennett was at the booth signing up attendees for a free raffle to award new composters to lucky winners. He also showed examples of invasive plants, citing bittersweet and knotweed as the two most problematic species in town. Those who could identify the invasive plants by sight got a bonus raffle ticket for the composter.

Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department’s booth was promoting its effort to raise money for new trucks. President Dick Sears said the fundraising campaign, which seeks to raise $600,000 by December, is off to a good start and “the main event” will be the CVFD Open House Sunday, Oct. 19, from 12 to 2 p.m. at the firehouse in West Cornwall.

The Ag Commission tent was staffed by Jen Markow. She helped organize the event and had a last-minute idea to offer corn, milk and cookies in her booth. “I baked the cookies last night,” she said.

Her son, Spencer Markow, was over at the other end of the Green with the antique tractors and engines. “These are so fascinating to me,” he said after explaining the different components of a gas-powered engine to a youngster that showed interest. Markow graduated from SUNY Morrisville last year with a degree in agricultural mechanics.

Spencer Markow explains how gas engines work to a youngster who showed interest at the Ag Fair.Riley Klein

Nearby was war reenactor Warren Stevens in full Revolutionary-era regalia. He demonstrated different aspects of life in 1775 to help promote Cornwall’s plans to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday next year.

Next to him was the Produce2thePeople tent, a small volunteer group that supplies and redistributes food to pantries in the Northwest Corner. Michelle Shipp and Chris Mullins grow vegetables at the community garden plots on Route 4 and deliver it, along with other donations, to food banks in need. “The need is so great,” said Shipp. “We have been delivering seven days a week.”

And in the middle of it all was a stack of haybales and yard games for children. After a couple hours of climbing and playing, the games and the haybales morphed into one big playpen that produced youthful giggles through the afternoon.