Music plays, sawdust flies at Farm Fest

Hudson, NY— Musicians and a storyteller, professional lumberjacks and children's hands-on activities are all part of the family fun at Farm Fest '05, Saturday, October 1, 10 a.m. to 5p.m.

Three musical groups will keep everyone entertained, with a mix of bluegrass, folk, country and blues.

The Kitchen Kaylie Band is a trio that has played traditional folk, bluegrass and some jazz for almost three decades. Peter Dufault of Hillsdale plays five-string banjo and fiddle. Anne Banks of Hillsdale plays mandolin, guitar, fiddle and tenor banjo while handling the vocals. Gene Partzek of Nassau plays back-up guitar, harmonica and a bodhran, an Irish goatskin drum.

“Kaylie” comes from a Celtic word to describe festival entertainment where everyone joins in. They have appeared at Farm Fest since its inception three years ago, and have proved so popular that they have once again been invited back.

Also returning is Michael Carr, who teams up with Matt Bowe this year to perform toe-tapping bluegrass.

And returning is crowd-pleaser Nancy Johnson, who is paired with Dick Hogle as the acoustic duo known as Foolin' Nobody. She plays rhythm guitar and does most of the vocals. He plays a mean lead guitar and banjo, and joins in on some of the vocals. Their style of folkie/country/blues ranges from classic to fun, from gorgeous ballads to heart-rending blues to rollicking tunes.

But music is just part of the entertainment line-up. The Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show is a must-see, performing for the first time in Columbia County . The show includes an axe throwing competition in which two men toss their three-pound double-bit axes at a target twenty feet away, with hair-splitting accuracy.

Speed, strength, accuracy and dexterity are again on display when the lumberjacks compete in the underhand chopping contest. They stand atop a log and swing a 5 ½-pound razor-sharp New Zealand speed axe between their feet. In the two-man crosscut sawing, they rip 70 razor sharp saw teeth through the wood at amazing speed, faster than any chainsaw.

The show, one of several put on by the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show over the last 29 years, has done more than 100,000 performances, reaching a million people a year around the world. Now it is time for Columbia County residents and visitors to see it.

On a quieter note, storyteller Mary Rachel Platt weaves a verbal tapestry for her audience. She performs an extensive repertoire of international tales and original stories, using characterization, movement and gesture to make her words come alive. She has been telling tales professionally for 15 years. This is her debut appearance at Farm Fest.

The primary purpose of Farm Fest, organized by the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, is to show off the rich diversity of the local agricultural community. Vendors and exhibitors will display products and livestock from Columbia County lands.

An animal meet-and-greet allows visitors to get up close to farm animals, and a hay maze and hay jump provide some old-fashioned farm fun for everyone. Visitors will have the opportunity to taste and take home many of the delicious products.

Farm Fest '05 is at the Columbia County Fairgrounds off Route 66. Admission, which includes parking and raffle tickets, is $5 per person. Children 12 and under enter for free.

Farm Fest ‘05 is produced by the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce with overwhelming support from The Columbia Land Conservancy. Additional supporters include the Columbia County Agricultural Society, Columbia County Farm Bureau, Community Supported Agriculture of Columbia County, First Pioneer Farm Credit ACA, Assemblyman Patrick Manning, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia County, the Columbia Hudson Partnership, and the Green Pastures Grant awarded by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. Sponsors include: American Farmland Trust, Beckenrah Farm, The Berry Farm, Coach Dairy Goat Farm, Meltz Lumber, Logging and Land Clearing and Trustco Bank. Media sponsors include: The Independent, The Register Star and Clear Channel Radio of the Hudson Valley . Hudson River Bank & Trust Foundation is the lead sponsor of the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show. Additional sponsors include Dunn Builders Supply, Davis Tractor & Turf, Inc., Meltz Lumber, Logging and Land Clearing and Ed Herrington, Inc.

For information, call the Chamber at 828-4417.