Events

The Sixth Annual New York State Conference on Preserving Historic Barns

We will screen the film“A Farm Picture,” produced by the Long Island Farm Bureau. Filmmaker Gebhard examines the lives of current day farmers from Nassau and Suffolk counties. They include Liz Grossman of Grossman’s farm in Malverne, Fred Terry of Orient who participates in NYC Greenmarkets program, Dick Hendrickson of Bridgehampton, a retired poultry and dairy farmer, potato farmer Marilee Foster of Sagaponack, Phil Schmidt of Schmidt Farms and Lyle Wells and 11th generation farmer. More...

Plenary Speaker: Prof. John Michael Vlach (American Studies Dept. George Washington University), author of the recently published book Barns (New York: W.W. Norton, 2003)

Workshop Session A: The Diversity of Barns on Long Island
History of Long Island agriculture, how it is unique and how it relates to barns. A Hallockville barn will be used to illustrate adaptation to various agricultural uses over time.
- Richard Wines, Director of the Hallockville Farm Museum

Workshop Session B: Materials Old and New
Comparison of available and appropriate materials for barn repairs, pros and cons of each, and what every barn owner needs to know before they start.
- Rick Lazurus, Lazarus and Company
- Peter R. Stoutenburgh, Environment East, Inc.
- Richard Baxter, Richard Baxter Restorations

Workshop Session A: The barns of Southold Town
Overview of an inventory of over 600 barns in the Town of Southold done in 2001-2002. Illustrations of structural variety as well as a discussion of current use.
- Mary Ann Spencer, survey author

Workshop Session B: Economics of Appraisals & Easements
When appraising the land and the buildings, often the preservation of the family farm is thrown in high relief. What are the options?
- Roger Tibbetts, Chairman, Town of Redmon; Exec. Brd., Cooperative Tug Hill Council, Redfield, NY
- Jill Schwartz, Director of Marketing American Farmland Trust, Washington, DC.
- Tom Williams, Director, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County

Workshop Session A: Outbuildings of Central New York
The focus will be on drying Barns, hop houses, and other specialized farm buildings. Learn their uses and how to identify them.
- Professor Michael Tomlan, Historic Preservation, Cornell University
- Professor Kristen Brennan, Cornell University, NYSBC board member

Workshop Session B: Protecting your Farmstead
State and Federal grants and programs for farmland protection and barn preservation.
- Representative, Preservation League of New York State
- Phil Bair, NYS Barns Restoration & Preservation Program, NYSHPO

Featuring a caller, a band, and contra dancing, at the Hallockville Farm Museum in a renovated barn on site. A second, historic barn will be open to conference attendees at no charge. Drinks and food available. Attendance at dance requires the purchase of a $15 ticket. Read more about the dance and the museum...

The tour leader is Zach Studenroth, Director of the Sag Harbor Whaling Museum. Eastern Suffolk County contains a variety of barns and outbuildings, quite unlike other areas of the state. Drawing on a field survey of over 600 structures in the area conducted by Mary Ann Spencer, the tour will inculude potato barns, 18th century shingled barns, and restorations in progress. Fee for tour is $30, pre-registration is required. Tour open to all. Conference participation is not required to go on the tour.

The agricultural industry in New York State has experienced significant changes over the past few decades. As a result, the delicate fabric of our landscape is slowly disappearing as historic barns across the state are dismantled or fall into disrepair due to lack of maintenance.

This conference is designed to educate the public about the importance of historical barns and the need to preserve these wonderful cultural resources. Plenary sessions include an historic overview of state and regional barns, how to identify and research your historic barn, financial incentives available to barn owners including the New York State grant program, panel discussions by restoration experts on repair and adaptive reuse, as well as creative solutions like agritourism.

REGISTRATION

To register for the conference, use this printer-friendly REGISTRATION FORM.

This conference is open to anyone with an interest in historic barns and their preservation. To attend, please fill out and mail the "printer-friendly" REGISTRATION FORM along with a check to pay for the conference activities in which you choose to participate. Conference seating is limited so please register early. The Sunday historic barn tour is also limited; advance registration is required.

Conference Fees:

• Early Registration for NYS Barn Coalition members (postmarked by Oct 4th): $40
• Early Registration for non Coalition members (postmarked by Oct 4th): $45
• Registration for Coalition members postmarked after Oct 4th: $50
• Registration for non Coalition member postmarked after Oct 4th: $55
• Barn Dance: $15
• Sunday Bus Tour: $30

The registration fee is for the conference on Friday evening and all day Saturday. It includes conference materials, lunch and coffee breaks. The bus tour of historic barns on Sunday is optional, and includes a box lunch and transportation.

COOPERATING ORGANIZATIONS

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County
The Hallockville Farm Museum
The Office of State Senator Ken LaValle
The Long Island Farm Bureau
The New York State Preservation League
The Old House Society (631-298-5248)
The Peconic Land Trust
The Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities

LODGING

The conference will be held at the East End Best Western located at 1830 Route 25 (West Main Street), Riverhead, Long Island 11901; 631-369-2200. The room rates are $109/night for Friday and Saturday nights.

QUESTIONS / CONTACT

Contact Sue Chesire at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County (Co-sponsors of this year’s meeting) at smc29@cornell.edu or 631-727-7850 ext. 343.

To register for the conference, use this printer-friendly REGISTRATION FORM.

© 2008 New York State Barn Coalition