By Mark Hallum
State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) allocated $25,000 to the Colonial Farmhouse Restoration Society of Bellerose to support its agricultural education program, which specializes in sustainable farming, at the Queens County Farm Museum.
Dating to 1697, the Queens County Farm Museum, which is operated by the Colonial Farmhouse Restoration Society, is one of the longest continually cultivated sites in New York state and spans 47 acres, according to the website. The museum offers attractions such as livestock, a greenhouse complex, planting fields, orchards and an herb garden.
“The Queens County Farm Museum captures a piece of Queens’ past that has long since passed, throughout the rest of the borough. You simply won’t find anything like it within the city of New York. Rather than have them travel large distances, the farmhouse provides students an educational experience on how sustainable agriculture and livestock are maintained right here in Queens,” Avella said. “I’m happy to have secured the funding that will help the Queens County Farm Museum continue its educational and agricultural programs, which connect us to the history of our borough and environmental preservation,” Avella said.
The Queens Country Farm Museum is owned by the city Department of Parks and Recreation and is registered with the Historic House Trust of New York City. Jim Trent, president of the Colonial Farmhouse Restoration Society, accepted the check, which will go toward feed for livestock, seeds for field crops and supplies for the sustainable agriculture education program.
Amy Boncardo is the executive director of the Colonial Farmhouse Restoration Society of Bellerose, which has educational programs for both students and adults.
“This funding will benefit thousands of area school students and individuals who take part in our workshops, tours, and training programs,” Boncardo said.
The Adriance family were the original owners of the property and much of the youth and adult education programs center on the lives of this colonial family by providing period examples of how these farming methods were employed. Some sustainable techniques practiced at the farm are crop rotation, timed planting, and companion planting. These methods are employed to retain the fertility of the soil and to reduce the need for pesticides.
Reach reporter Mark Hallum by e-mail at mhall
