Natural Choice Vacation

Apacalachin Farms is open to the public for the 5th Annual Harvest Festival, “Get your Hands on Alpaca” on Monday, May 31, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Alpacalachin Farms is located at 2571 Chestnut Ridge Rd. in Apalachin, NY and admission is free. Come learn about the many uses of alpaca fiber. Demonstrations from shearing and cleaning fleece to creating a finished product will occur all day long. Demonstrations of agility training will be provided and participants will be able to try their skill and luck on our obstacle course at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Craft your own fiber project.  For more info, call 607-687-6950 or www.alpacalachin.com

FINGER LAKES CHEESE TRAIL TOURS

Did you ever wonder how cheese is made? Then you should go take a tour. And you don’t have to travel all the way to Wisconsin to do that! Right here, in our own backyard, we have some world class cheese crafts-persons, turning out world class artisan cheeses.

About a dozen farmstead cheese houses have sprouted up in the past few years, amongst the wine trails. Some have started making cheese as a way to enhance the low price that farmers get for their milk, but all are in it for a love of the product that they craft.

There is Sheep’s Milk Cheese…..Goudas…..Goats Milk Cheese……Cheddars…..Jacks……Colby…. Washed Rind Stinkies……even Cheese Curds.

Samples and sales are part of the event, so plan to buy cheese, stop at a winery, grab a loaf of bread, and enjoy a day touring in the Finger Lakes. There is no charge and no advance registration is required for these self-guided tours.

Four events are planned for this year:
Saturday May 29 10am-4pm
Saturday July 10 10am-4pm
Saturday and Sunday on the Columbus Holiday Weekend, October 9 and 10 (Sat 10-4, Sun 12-4)
Saturday December 11 – Holiday Cheese Shopping  – **Locations TBD**

For an interactive map of the cheese houses:  http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?client=firefox-a&hl=en&ie=UTF8&t=h&vps=1&jsv=225b&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=114964679664065312110.00047a3bdb6610cb060db