Gerald and Tina Carlin (above) were hosts of the Farmstead Festival held on Sept. 17. The event was sponsored and organized by the Kitston Art Alliance, whose members hope to make it an annual event. Held in Susquehanna County on Saturday, Farmstead attracted at least 400 patrons who enjoyed music, arts, crafts and great food.
The first Farmstead Festival in Susquehanna County proved so successful on Sept. 17 that organizers and hosts were already talking about 2017 half way through the six-hour celebration.
“We hope that it continues,” said Tina Carlin, who has operated the Auburn Township farm with her husband, Gerald Carlin since 1991. “We already have a waiting list of vendors for next year.”
The postcard-perfect farm with its red barn and towering silos (below) has been in Gerald’s family since 1903 and seemed perfectly situated to draw patrons from throughout the Endless Mountains, New York’s southern tier, the Abingtons and beyond.
Farmstead effectively pulled together three if not four elements of rural living that the more than 400 people visiting seemed to enjoy equally: art, music, and agriculture. It was also a very familial event, with several generations of many families in attendance.
Live music could be heard at both ends of the festival grounds, with arts, crafts, and culinary delights and exhibitions interspersed in a large area stretching from the Four Seasons Farm Market on Rattlesnake Hill Road north of Meshoppen to the other side of a pole barn on the far side of the Carlin’s house.
The festival was sponsored by the Kitson Art Alliance (KAA) and organized by Dan Tompkins and Patrick Kitson Robinson. Tompkins is happily transplanted to Pennsylvania from New Jersey and has a solid background in event promotion. Robinson is a writer from Tunkhannock and an avid supporter of the arts, having formed the Kitson Art Partnership and opened the Kitson Art Gallery.
Tompkins noted that he was so impressed by Robinson’s passion for promoting local artists that he was eager to get a program up and running as soon as possible. The two formed the Kitson Art Alliance in January as a collaboration between farmers, musicians, and other artists. “We didn’t want to just do another art alliance,” Tompkins explained. “By bringing the three together, we offer a much more essential organization than with visual arts alone.”
The idea for Farmstead was conceived in July, and word of the event spread quickly via social media. Artisans from a myriad of disciplines stepped up as participants.
Vendors on Sept. 17 displayed paintings, photography, woodwork, candles, jewelry, fiber arts and more. Visitors could see the work behind the wares as vendors like Heather Rainey (above) and Lura Trossello (below) casually knitted and spun yarn, respectively.
Whimsical farm scenes painted by Sadie Allen of Granville Summit piqued the interest of many festival goers and were indicative of the spirit of the event. Colorful cows frolicking in knee-deep freshly-fallen snow put smiles on the faces of young and old alike.
“Where do you get your inspiration?” Diana Bean of Brackney asked Sadie.
“Well, I grew up on a farm,” she explained. “I was not allowed to draw on the walls of the house, but I was allowed to draw on the walls of the barn with chalk.”
Pointing to the winter scene with the cows, Diana asked, “You’ve never seen cows play like that, have you?”
“Maybe,” Sadie answered with a grin. “It’s all in how you perceive it.”
Music ran the gamut from folk and bluegrass to acoustic alternative. Organic food products like honey were available for purchase, as were barbecue chicken dinners and many other items in a spacious food court. Children enjoyed face-painting, pony rides, games of skill and catching airtime in a virtual playland of bouncy buildings. Hay rides were available, and live and silent auctions were conducted.
Deborah and Bob Calin of Clark Summit found the perfect table to take in some music and some favorite foods with their grandchildren, James and Verity Ziegler (below). Their daughter and son-in-law, Abigail and Tim Ziegler performed several sets of folk music, with baby Irene in tow. Deborah was impressed by the variety of vendors to browse.
“There’s some very unique items in the booths,” she remarked.
KAA has a nine-member board and nine additional strategic partners. The Alliance has another event planned as a followup: “halloWINEfestival” on Saturday, Oct. 9 at the Wyoming County Fairgrounds. A nascent organization enjoying such solid growth in less than a year might seem unlikely, “but word of mouth on Facebook has been phenomenal,” said Tompkins. “Local people have embraced it so much.”
As for Farmstead, Tompkins added, “If they are taking ownership of this as their neighborhood event, I’m happy about that.”
Interested readers can follow Kitson Art Alliance on Facebook to learn of upcoming events and ways to become involved.
Additional photos:
Children gather on the grass to join in a program of interactive folk music played by Tim and Abi Ziegler of Factoryville at Saturday’s farmstead held near South Auburn.
Traver Farms Family Chicken Barbecue of Friendsville was busy throughout Farmstead on Sept. 17 with workers (from left) Elsa Rozboril, Dalton McCullough, Adrianna Vaskas, and Cheryl Traver.
Representing the Endless Mountains Council of the Arts at Farmstead on Saturday were (from left) Bob Daniels, Earl Lehman, Mary Sadauckas, Lavona Daniels, and Michelle Thomas.
Susquehanna County 4-H supporters Kelly Debree and Saige Bach gave pony and horse rides to patrons for five dollars. Animal owner Amy Rupert (not pictured) noted that the proceeds would be split between the Kitson Art Alliance and a 4-H scholarship fund.
Six-year-old Kayleigh Brown, granddaughter of Dale Wilsey (not pictured) of Tunkhannock couldn’t stop laughing as she tried to master the bungee run.
Angelo Maruzzelli and Shannon Walling of LondonForce thrilled the food court crowd with an hour-long set of acoustic alternative music.
Painter Erika Bertram of Falls said that she was very impressed with the scope of the first Farmstead Festival.
Standing at the ready on Saturday were Meshoppen Volunteer Fire Company members (from left) Jolene Sharer and Terri Tyler.
Susquehanna County Diary Maid Courtney Marvin and Dairy Princess Brooke Martin helped Farmstead guests make their own “shaker pudding.”
Kitson Art Alliance cofounder Dan Tompkins gives auctioneer Brian Burke a quick escort to the auction tent on Saturday.
Eric McGlynn, co-owner of SAW Products of Meshoppen displayed woodwork in a booth that also featured watercolor prints and honey.
The Zieglers perform, while baby Irene takes a little nap.
Randy and Bridget White were among the many patrons to attend the first Farmstead Festival on Sept. 17.
Additional crowd shots:
