GCC Harvest Festival Thursday spotlights agri-businesses

The Daily News Online:

BATAVIA — The community is welcome to join hundreds of high school students from across the region at the fourth annual Harvest Festival and Farmer’s Market on Thursday, Oct. 15 at Genesee Community College.

The event aims to expose students interested in careers in agriculture to all the local opportunities available in agri-business. Visitors can purchase locally produced products from maple syrup to apples.

The college will also participate in its own version of the New York Campus Crunch, a statewide celebration of local food that’s healthy for people and the planet.

The event kicks off with presentations focused on food processing by local agri-business professionals who will offer 20-minute presentations that will run concurrently from 9 to 11 a.m. and 12 to 12:45 p.m. Presenters include:

— Barb Shine, business consultant and trainer/GCC professor of business (retired)

— Greg Sharpe, food processing technology instructor at GCC

— Robin Waite, quality, R&D manager, Perry’s Ice Cream

— Katie Scarborough, quality systems coordinator, Muller Quaker Dairy

— Kendra Lamb, Lamb Farms

The GCC Veterinary Technology Club will once again delight children and animal enthusiasts with the small animal petting zoo hosted by students and located on the east lawn of the campus. A new addition to the petting zoo this year will be Lamb Farms, which will offer a meet-and-greet session with a calf.

All attendees are invited to participate in GCC’s Campus “Crunch” at 1 p.m. in the central Forum. Statewide, a number of colleges and universities participate in the “New York Campus Crunch” during October. Collectively across campus, participants bite into an apple at the same time together to affirm a commitment to food that is healthy, and in GCC’s case, locally grown.

GCC will conduct its crunch at the Harvest Fest providing a free, delicious apple to each “cruncher.”

“Harvest Fest is a great event that focuses on the agri-business community in the GLOW region,” said Debbie Dunlevy, GCC Career Pathways program director and festival organizer. “It’s a fun event and we continue to open up students’ eyes to the many careers in this important segment of our local economy.”

The Festival’s Farmer’s Market is open to all from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Forum.

“We have another great group of vendors who will be selling their wares,” Dunlevy said. “So, don’t forget your wallet.”

Locally grown fruits and vegetables, maple produ cts, soaps and fiber art items will be featured during the market. 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

— Tripleberry Farm, Kendall; fruit jams and jellies

— Artisans on North; variety of handmade items

— Mama Bucks, Dansville; brittles