Farm Progress

The museum is open from 8:30 a.m.to 4 p.m. each day of New York Farm Show.

February 13, 2020

2 Min Read
Visitors enjoy the Daniel Parrish Witter Agricultural Museum at the New York State Fairgrounds
SEE AG HISTORY: The Daniel Parrish Witter Agricultural Museum will be open from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. each day of New York Farm Show. Photo courtesy of Witter Ag Museum

The Daniel Parrish Witter Agricultural Museum at the New York State Fairgrounds will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day of the New York Farm Show.

The Witter Museum is located between the Expo Center and the Dairy Cattle Building. Admission is free to all New York Farm Show attendees.

The Witter Museum, built in 1928, celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2018. The museum contains many displays and exhibits as well as actual demonstrators. Subjects include weaving, broom making, wood working, spinning, hops, basket making, sewing, quilting, dairy, apples and much more.

The museum houses a wide array of antique farming artifacts and tells the history of agriculture in New York state. One of the highlights is an authentic 1810 log cabin that was moved to this location from a farm in Schoharie County in 1928.

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DISOVER DAIRY HISTORY: See artifacts from the dairy industry including milking machines, milk bottles, butter churns, cream separators, milk cans, etc.

Here’s a list of the demonstrations people might see at the museum this year:

Basket making. Attendees will actually have the opportunity to make an basket themselves with guidance from an experienced basket maker.

Butter making. We will be making butter at least once a day. This is a hands-on demonstration and they will put their butter on a cracker and consume it.

Soap making. Attendees will be shown how soap is made and soap samples will be available for purchase, usually done several times during each day.

Weaving. Attendees will take a turn at weaving on several looms.

Woodworkers and woodturners. Attendees can see a variety of woodworking techniques in operation.

Log cabin interpretation. Someone in Colonial dress will be showing attendees what living in a log cabin was all about.

Erie Canal exhibit. A video will show the history of the Erie Canal and its effects on farming and rural life along the canal.

Hops exhibit. Displays artifacts from a time when hops were commercially grown in the state.

Haying exhibit. Shows tools once used for harvesting and storing hay:

Dairy exhibit. Shows artifacts from the dairy industry including milking machines, milk bottles, butter churns, cream separators, milk cans, etc.

Kids korner. Located in the dairy wing, this is an area where younger attendees can play with farm sets, color pictures and learn about where their milk comes from.

For more information, visit newyorkfarmshow.com.

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