A new PBS documentary, "The Performers: Taking Center Stage in New York Agriculture" will air on all nine New York Public Television Stations. And the curtain goes up for the first time tonight, with all PBS stations airing the program in May and June.
This one-hour documentary features today's agriculture today and the variety of products being produced on New York State farms. It also shows the cutting edge technology that'll keep agriculture competitive in a global economy.
Hosted by Liz Ayers, WCNY's vice president of Television and Media Services, the documentary takes viewers on a journey across the state to capture New York's bounty and explore the impact of 21st century farmers. "This is agriculture like (non-farmers) have never seen before, with high-tech equipment that drives us to the future," says Ayers.
You'll meet 12 farm families and discover how they embrace yesterday's traditions along with today's innovations. Farms featured include:
- Intergrow Greenhouses in Albion (Orleans County) growing hydroponic tomatoes and peppers.
- Satur Farms, Cutchogue (Suffolk County) with its gourmet vegetables.
- Indian Ladder Farms, Voorheesville (Albany County) with its use of experimental tunnels to extend growing seasons.
- Evans Farmhouse Creamery, Norwich (Chenango County) an organic dairy.
- Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars, Hammondsport (Steuben County), wine-making.
- Ivy Acres, Baiting Hollow (Suffolk County) specializing in supplying bedding plants throughout the Northeast.
- Patterson Farms, Auburn (Cayuga County) focusing on technological changes at a traditional dairy farm.
- Ridgeline Farms, Clymer (Chautauqua County), a dairy farm using methane gas to generate electricity.
- Plainville Farms, Plainville (Onondaga County), using organic feed in raising turkeys - the largest turkey farm in the state.
- Roxbury Farm, Kinderhook (Columbia County), focusing on agri-tourism.
- Reeves Farm, Baldwinsville (Onondaga County) selling local produce to major grocers.
- ESF Willow Plantation, Tully (Onondaga County) growing willow trees to be used as fuel
PBS Showing schedule
- WPBS (Watertown) Tuesday, May 15 at 10 pm and Sunday, May 20 at 2 p.m.
- WMHT (Capital District) Thursday, May 17 at 9 p.m.
- WCNY (Syracuse) Monday, May 21 at 9 p.m.
- WXXI (Rochester) Saturday, May 26 at 6 p.m.
- WSKG (Binghamton) Thursday, May 31 at 8 p.m.
- WNED (Buffalo) Wednesday, June 13 at 10 p.m.
- WNET (New York City) Sunday, June 17 at 2 p.m.
- WLIW (Long Island) Tuesday, June 26 at midnight
- WCFE (Plattsburgh) in June (to be announced)
DVD copies can be ordered by contacting Joyce Hamlin at 315-453-2424, Ext. 270 or e-mailing joyce_hamlin@wcny.org. The cost: $19.99, plus shipping and handling.