Rock Stream, NY -- Shtayburne Farm is excited to announce they are bringing back their Fall Family Festival this autumn. This kid-focused event will be hosted by the Hostetler family on October 14, from 10:00am until 4:00pm, right on their family farm.
Shtayburne Farm is a working dairy farm on the west side of Seneca Lake just off State Route 14 in Rock Stream. The farm has been owned and operated by the Hostetler family for 4 generations, and is a Mennonite farm. The family began making farmstead cheese in 2010, and opened their farm store in November of that year. The Festival is being held to celebrate family, fall and farming.
"We hosted our first Fall Family Festival in 2015 to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the opening of our family Cheese Shop," said Lorin Hostetler, owner of the family-run dairy and its creamery, as well as head cheesemaker. "It was meant to be a one-time event. But we've had so many requests to do this family-centric event again, and well, we are! It's a great opportunity to share the harvest season and family values we hold dear with other families, neighbors and visitors to the farm."
The Festival will be held on the front lawn of the farm, which is where the first Finger Lakes Cheese Festival was held in 2011. Under the big top, there will a cooking with cheese demo at 2:30pm and handful of local vendors selling a cornucopia of fall favorites all day, including Side Hill Acres Goat Farm, who will be on hand with their award-winning goat cheeses, HIP Artisan Jams and Catharine Valley Crackers. Silo Food Truck will be making their famous fried chicken out of their Mac Express station, which will feature a special mac & cheese dish made with Shtayburne cheese. And of course, Shtayburne Farm will be sampling and selling their many varieties of cows' milk cheeses and a several different types of homemade baked goods.
And because this event is all about family, there will be many family and kid activities throughout the day:
• Hayrides at 11:00, 1:00 and 3:00
• Guided Farm Tours at 12:00 and 2:00
• Petting Zoo
• Bounce House & Play Area
• Several old-fashioned, fall-themed Kids' Games
• Pumpkin Decorating Contest
Admission to the Festival is free and includes farm tours, petting zoo, play area, big top admission and bounce house. Hayrides are just $1, and games just 25 cents each, where the kids can compete for farm-themed prizes. Admission to the Cooking Seminar is also free, but attendance is limited to the first 50 seated.
"We can't thank our friends, neighbors and visitors enough for their support over the years, and really hope everyone can make it down to the farm for the Festival, whether for an hour or the whole day," invites Hostetler. "We've ordered good fall weather for the day, too!"
