annual report 2014 - The Farmers` Museum

ANNUAL
REPORT
2014
MISSION
PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
OFFICERS
Jane Forbes Clark
Chairman
Cultivating an understanding of the rural heritage that has
shaped our land, communities, and American culture.
VISION
By focusing on interpretive quality, authenticity, and visible
annual improvements, The Farmers’ Museum will strengthen
its reputation as a highly desirable destination and regional
resource (real and virtual) for adults, families, and school
groups, and as a leader among outdoor history museums.
J. Michael Moffat
Vice Chairman
The Farmers’ Museum engaged our community
and visitors alike in new and innovative ways in 2014,
and our constituents responded with enthusiasm, as our
attendance rose by nearly 7%. The Museum revamped
the visitor experience by creating a trained group of
staff and volunteers to perform historical vignettes on
such topics as the Anti-Rent Wars. This new effort, called
Dramatic Interpretation, delighted audiences with its
interactivity, spontaneity, and solid historical content. In
addition, the theatrical troupe performed character tours
and even works by Edgar Allan Poe and Charles Dickens.
Paul S. D’Ambrosio
President and
Chief Executive Officer
Joseph Siracusa
Vice President for Operations
Glenn A. Perrone
Secretary
Another new offering was the inaugural conference, “A Celebration of Our Agricultural
Community,” which attracted more than 200 participants from local farms and
agricultural organizations to discuss the state of agriculture in our region and across
the state. This program is now positioned to become an annual mainstay of the
region and a great opportunity for local farmers to become better connected.
Richard C. Vanison
Treasurer
Meanwhile, our programming in the historic village of the museum continued to
delight audiences with opportunities to explore aspects of 19th-century life in
depth. Our popular series of Step Back in Time Weekends has now become a
highlight of the season in our region. The series, which included Herbal Remedies,
Farmland to Table, Civil War Life, a Band Organ Rally, and Quilts and Quilting,
once again saw more visitors than the preceding year. We also continued to refine
our special events and Harvest Festival and Candlelight Evening were once again
lively, fun, engaging, and memorable days in the life of our community.
DIRECTORS
Many more programs and activities took place in 2014 than can be recounted here. It
is clear that the Museum is a vital resource to the region, as well as a place where one
can simply take time away from their busy lives to take an imaginative, informative, and
fun step back into the past. Many thanks to all of our donors, supporters, and visitors
—and to the hard-working corps of staff and volunteers who serve them—for making
The Farmers’ Museum a magical place and a prime destination for people of all ages.
PAUL S. D’AMBROSIO, Ph.D.
President and CEO
David T. Bliss
Jane Forbes Clark
Stephen M. Duff
Gates Helms Hawn
Hon. John F. Lambert
J. Michael Moffat
Kevin S. Moore
Josh Purcell
Brent Ridge, MD
Edward W. Stack
Douglas Thompson
Henry F. C. Weil
NEW!
DRAMATIC
2014 HIGHLIGHTS
INTERPRETATION
AT THE FARMERS’ MUSEUM
Walking through our historic village,
you feel as if you have stepped back
in time. Suddenly, across the green,
two men dressed in historic clothing
start a loud conversation. Drawn into
their discussion, you relive the past
in a way you never have before.
In 2014, The Farmers’ Museum launched
a series of historical reenactments and
partially fictionalized scenes that would
pop up throughout our historic village.
A heated argument in the tavern or an
auction at the farmstead incorporates
the experiences of people into history
and brings an emotional and theatrical
element to our historic village.
In 2014, the vignettes were themed around the
Anti-Rent Wars, a pivotal chapter in Central New
York’s history. Going forward, we plan to expand
the Dramatic Interpretation program and add
additional vignettes, each applicable to modernday issues. This program uniquely helps our
visitors navigate a complex understanding of how
the past impacts the present. The lessons taught
honor and preserve our rural heritage, and reflect
what is, who we are, and how we came to be.
In addition, an actor playing Susan Fenimore
Cooper led a series of popular tours through
the historic gardens of The Farmers’ Museum. A
dramatic telling of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The TellTale Heart” by candlelight made our October
lantern tours even more spooky. For the second
year in a row, our community celebrated
the holidays with a festive live performance
of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
The Dramatic Interpretation program was
developed by Danielle Henrici, Director
of Education, and is supported by an
essential cast and crew of twenty actors,
directors, writers, and researchers.
2014 HIGHLIGHTS
CELEBRATION OF AGRICULTURE
Where our food comes from is an important topic that impacts each of us.
The Farmers’ Museum is in a unique position to inform and inspire both
our regional agricultural community and the general public. Each will be
better served by a more unified and energized agricultural economy.
The capstone of our agricultural programming in 2014 was the 1st Annual
Conference on Food and Farming: A Celebration of Our Agricultural Community,
held on Saturday, November 15th. This free conference featured a keynote
address from the Commissioner of Agriculture William Ball as well as talks from
other noteworthy leaders in the agricultural community. Successful farms and
agriculture-based businesses in the region led a series of breakout sessions.
The conference empowered the public to become educated consumers.
It also recognized the importance of contemporary farming, providing
resources, tools, and networking opportunities for regional farmers to
connect with information, potential partners, and prospective customers.
As a prelude to the conference, Featured Farm Fridays ran throughout the
summer, highlighting local farms and creating opportunities for visitors
to engage with farmers and learn about their products and process.
GROWING
OUR
ECONOMY
FEEDING
OUR
COMMUNITIES
Image: Tracy Helgeson, Almost Evening (2013), oil on panel.
A CELEBRATION OF OUR
AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY
S AT U R D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 5
9AM-5PM
FREE ADMISSION.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
T H E FA R M E R S ’ M U S E U M
5 7 7 5 S TAT E H I G H WAY 8 0
COOPERSTOWN, NY
Connect with potential partners and prospective
c u s t o m e r s . Le a r n f r o m o t h e r f a r m b u s i n e s s o w n e r s a s
they share their knowledge and experience. Discover
what’s new, what’s trending and the opportunities
that exist. Share challenges and solutions. Understand
and appreciate the critical importance of agriculture
i n o u r c o m m u n i t y a n d e c o n o m y.
Ke y n o t e s p e a ke r s : R i c h a r d B a l l , C o m m i s s i o n e r o f t h e
N Y S t a t e D e p a r t m e n t o f A g r i c u l t u r e a n d M a r ke t s ;
Jason Evans, Assistant Professor of Agriculture, SUNY
C o b l e s k i l l a n d D o u g T h o m p s o n , G &T Fa r m .
Featuring breakout sessions on food and farming led by regional farmers.
PLOWLINE: IMAGES OF RURAL NEW YORK
A simple photograph best captures the rapidly changing landscape
of farming. The Farmers’ Museum has now collected over 4,000
photographs and objects that provide a glimpse into the vast impact
of inventions, technology and industry on the unceasing progress
that comprises New York State’s agrarian past and present.
With the continued support of the Gipson Family, The Farmers’
Museum’s photography collection Plowline: Images of Rural New York
grew by over 1,400 prints, negatives, and other objects in 2014.
The acquisition of a large collection of glass plate negatives, taken
mostly by Central New York amateur photographers, provides a
historical snapshot of local farming practices, creameries, farmsteads,
and ancillary businesses at the turn of the 20th century.
Contrasting this collection, photography by Rod Sutton from the late
1980s documents a more modern and behind-the-scenes glimpse
into the daily labors on three dairy farms in Chenango County.
In addition to these larger groupings, objects documenting smalltown retail businesses, farmsteads, and Grange groups, as well
as smaller operations raising poultry, hogs, or potatoes, add to
the comprehensive look into New York State’s agricultural history
that the Museum strives to illustrate through Plowline.
Photography from Plowline can be found on a new, more interactive
website, launched in the fall of 2014 at plowline.farmersmuseum.org.
FarmersMuseum.org/food-farm
SCHOOL
Programs
A sixth grader visited The Farmers’ Museum
on a field trip in the fall of 2014. He learned
how to marble, a decorative technique used
to embellish paper and books, as part of
our brand-new 19th-Century Life Workshop.
Our museum teacher asked him to teach his
teacher how to do it. His first reaction was to
say “I can’t do that. I am not that smart.” With
encouragement, he successfully taught the
whole process to his teacher. She commented
on what a good job he did. He straightened up
his shoulders and said, “I guess I am smart!”
Hands-on school programs at The Farmers’
Museum level the playing field for students
who may not always have a chance to shine in
their traditional classrooms. In 2014, over 7,000
students had the opportunity to step back in
time in our immersive environment. Our historic
buildings and working farm are the perfect
setting to teach curriculum-driven skills in diverse
content areas, including science, social studies,
ELA, and math. To extend the students’ learning,
we offered them a free ticket to return with their
families or friends for the first time in 2014.
The close of 2014 marks the halfway point of
our three-year partnership with the Delaware
Creating Rural Opportunities Partnership (CROP)
After School and Summer Program, which serves
students in Delaware, Schoharie, and Greene
counties. This year, we created ten new programs
that serve students in their classrooms through
on-site programming and distance learning.
Especially popular were our “Dirty Work Circa
1845” distance learning program, which played
off the popular TV show Dirty Jobs, and our inclassroom paired programs “Under Where” and
“Sheep to Sweater.” In 2014, these programs
reached over 700 students through over 2,400
unique interactions with our staff and collections.
ANDS-ON SCHOOL PROGRAMS AT THE FARMERS’ MUSEUM LEVEL
H
THE PLAYING FIELD FOR STUDENTS WHO MAY NOT ALWAYS HAVE A
CHANCE TO SHINE IN THEIR TRADITIONAL CLASSROOMS.
COLLECTIONS ACQUISITIONS 2014
gifts
Photographic Prints, 40 black and white prints by Rod Sutton of the
Davidson family farm in Sherburne, NY, 1986–1987. Gift of Rod Sutton.
Asparagus Buncher, 1887. Found at Fernleigh Cottage, Cooperstown. Gift of the Clark Foundation.
Cabbage Bags, two 50-lb bags for cabbage retail, ca. 1950. Gift of Anonymous.
Medical Equipment, 20th century. Used by Dr. Rudolph Frederick Hust in his Unadilla
general practice (1946–1996). Gift of the Family of Dr. R.F. Hust, in his honor.
Purchases
Film Negative, Long Island farmers
with baskets of eggs ca. 1945.
Glass Plate Negative, Bee
Keeping in Tioga County ca. 1900.
Glass Plate Negatives, 13
negatives of livestock on Meridale
Farm in Delaware County, NY, ca
1900–1930. Three photographs
of barrel factory employees
and two of barns, ca. 1900.
Glass Plate Negatives, 210
glass plate negatives of
agricultural scenes, many
by identified photographers
from the early 20th century.
Lantern Slides, ca. 1920. 27
slides from the New York State
Department of Ag and Markets.
Photographic Print, by E. W.
Burrows, 1898. Beekeeping
in Roxbury, NY.
Photographic Print, ca. 1900.
Workers processing apples
in Western New York.
Photographic Print, Lake Cayuga
Company farmers with potatoes.
Photographic Prints, 19 items
including 16 photo postcards, 1
mounted albumen, 1 hand-colored
print, and 1 framed panorama.
Photographic Prints, 24
items including exterior farm
scenes, nut foraging, girl with
peaches, and girl with corn.
Photographic Prints, 26 items
including Reynold’s Feed Store,
Kingston Milk Council parade
float, creameries, and livestock.
Photograph Album, ca
1940s–1950s. Rockland and
Orange County Granges.
Photographic Prints, 56 items
including Dairyman’s League
meeting, photo postcards,
Long Island farming scenes.
Photographic Print, 1950.
Panoramic view of tractors
lined up behind a fuel truck.
Photographic Prints, 7
items including early crop
watering and grain binding.
Photographic Prints, 13
items including real photo
postcards including Smith Flatts
Creamery, and cheese factory.
Brookdale Farm, Meridale,
NY, potato harvesting, barn
building and creameries.
Photographic Prints, 17 items
including prints and snapshots of
a 1920s/1930s truck pulling a load
of hay, girls with pumpkins, family
on a tractor with chained tires.
Real Photo Postcards, Glass
Plate Negatives and an Album,
180 items including a Sharples
vacuum milker display, a man
and woman with a hand-crank
tractor and potato harvesting.
Photographic Prints, 45 items
including prints by Charles Holle,
Rensselaer County, NY, ca. 18901910 and others by Northern
Survey Co. ca. 1870–1890s.
Slide Transparencies and Glass
Plate Negatives, 223 items
including color photography
by Rod Sutton of farming
practices in the late 1980s.
Photographic Prints, 51 items
including photo postcards and
photographs documenting
beekeeping, Grange & Farm
Bureau displays, creameries,
maple sugaring, produce growing,
poultry and the wine industry.
Egg Crate, Humpty Dumpty
Egg Carrier, ca 1920.
Egg Crate, Star Egg Carrier,
Rochester, NY, ca 1906.
Egg Scale, Zenith Egg Grader,
Earlville, NY, ca. 1955.
Photographic Prints, ca 1920,
three prints of mowing and loading
loose hay with a hay loader.
Egg Scale, Jiffy Way brand
egg scale, ca. 1940.
Photographic Prints, two
prints of produce displays.
Wire Shopping Basket,
Elmira, NY, ca. 1950.
Real Photo Postcards, 90
items including D.H. MacKey’s
STEP BACK IN TIME WEEKENDS
18th Annual Benefit Horse Show
Each summer, The Farmers’ Museum
dedicates several weekends to specific
areas of interest to delve far beyond
what we could normally provide.
Each new event brings exciting
activities to educate and entertain.
On a beautiful Sunday in June, 73 riders competed for nationally
renowned judges in 11 divisions encompassing 41 classes. Breaking
all of our fundraising records, this Horse Show was one of our
most successful shows to date. It is inspiring to watch the riders as
they develop poise, self-discipline, and devotion to their animals.
The jumps of Cooperstown landmarks set against the beautiful
scenery of the Iroquois Farm create a beautiful setting.
Herbal Remedies
July 12 – 13
Sponsored by Cooperstown Natural Foods
Farmland to Table
August 2 -3
Civil War Life
August 16 -17
Band Organ Rally
August 23 – 24
Quilts and Quilting
September 20 – 21
Visitation
Attendance by the numbers
Admissions
Individual: 25,662
Youth Group: 432
Adult Group: 922
Education: 8,662
Programs: 1,761
Special Events: 18,521
Visitors Under 7: 3,876
Members: 3,420
Total: 63,256
Website Unique Visitors:
469,854 (+27%)
Mobile Website Unique Visitors:
61,450 (+32%)
Thank you to our sponsors:
GOLD SPONSOR
Jane Forbes Clark
Steven and Christine Glazer
Mr. and Mrs. J. Michael Moffat
Dr. and Mrs. Randy Parkhurst
John and Ellen Sanford
Chris and Ed Stack
SILVER SPONSOR
Lou Allstadt and Melinda Hardin
The Gotwald Family
Fiddlestick Farm/Jonathan and Jenny Richman
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Harris - Royal Chrysler
and Hyundai of Oneonta
Smith Ford Cooperstown, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene V. Thaw
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Thompson
Rebecca and Henry Weil
BRONZE SPONSOR
Bank of Cooperstown
Bassett Healthcare Network
Flis and Andy Blum
Dr. Paul S. and Anna T. D’Ambrosio
Dr. and Mrs. Lewis L. Hamilton
Allison and Keyes Hill-Edgar
Mr. and Mrs. H. William Smith, Jr.
BENEFACTOR SPONSOR
Patricia and Bart Barown, Jr.
Beval Saddlery
Dr. and Mrs. Robert E. Booth, Jr.
Elaine and Marc Bresee
Bruce Hall Home Center
Tony and Lucille Esposito
Ed and Diana Gozigian
Martha Schwori Grossi
Bob and Pat Hanft
Honorable and Mrs. M. Langhorne Keith
Mr. and Mrs. Mark LaValley
Life Works Photography
Jim and Karen Miles
Mr. Johannes Neckermann
Angela and James Plowden-Wardlaw
Brian and Susan Prew
Roger and Dorothy Smith
Standard Insulating Company
Ken and Carol Steigelman
FRIENDS
Marion S. King
Mrs. Suzanne Kingsley
Leatherstocking Region Federal Credit Union
Mrs. Elaine Moffat
Joseph and Kathleen Siracusa
Lucy Townsend
Ms. Joan W. White*
ANNUAL BENEFIT GALA
YOUR SUPPORT
Into the
WOODS
Our Annual Benefit Gala in 2014
was a most memorable evening
with friends of the Museums. We
recognized Lucy (Bunny) Hamilton
for her longtime commitment
to the Museums. Inspired by
the Fenimore’s exhibition The
Adirondack World of Arthur
Fitzwilliam Tait, guests enjoyed
company and cocktails in the
“lodge” and dinner in
the “woods.”
Many thanks to the Gala Committee,
led by co-chairs Shelley Graham
and Joan Kegelman, whose
vision makes the Gala possible.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE EVENING’S GENEROUS SPONSORS:
MOOSE
Jane Forbes Clark
Dr. and Mrs. Lewis Hamilton
Ms. Erna Morgan McReynolds
and Mr. Tom Morgan
Mr. and Mrs. Byron F. Thomas, Jr.
Mr. Frank Tosto
BLACK BEAR
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew M. Blum
DEER
Mr. Lou Allstadt and Ms. Melinda Hardin
Mr. and Mrs. A. William Bertsch
Dr. Paul S. and Anna T. D’Ambrosio
Dr. and Mrs. Gerald Evans
Mr. and Mrs. Steven D. Glazer
Mr. Anthony A. Grey and Dr. Anne Cochran Grey
Mr. Charles T. Hage and Mrs.Ursula Hage
Mr. Louis Busch Hager, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Hanft
Allison and W. Keyes Hill-Edgar
Honorable and Mrs. M. Langhorne Keith
Mr. W. David McCoy and Mrs. Millington F. McCoy
Morris Tent Rentals, Inc.
Angela and James C. Plowden-Wardlaw
Dr. Jeffrey Pressman and Dr. Nancy Kollisch
Mr. John Sanford and Mrs. Ellen H. Sanford
Mr. and Mrs. Edward W. Stack
Mr. and Mrs. John B. Stetson
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Thompson
Mr. and Mrs. William Waller
SALMON
Dr. and Mrs. Allan J. Ahearne
Bank of Cooperstown
Dr. Carlos Bermejo and Dr. Jennifer Lucas
Elaine and Marc Bresee
Charles* and Patricia Carrier
Nicole and Gaylord Dillingham
Mark DiOrio Photography
Mrs. Karen M. Elting
Dr. and Mrs. Douglas E. Evelyn
Mr. and Mrs. Gates Helms Hawn
Chris and Alice Holbrook
The Inn at Cooperstown
Ms. Michelle Kennedy and Dr. Nicholas Hellenthal
Dr. and Mrs. Harvey Leventhal
Mr. and Mrs. Lindsay Macarthur
Mrs. Doris Fischer Malesardi and
Mr. Robert Malesardi
Ms. Jacqueline Badger Mars
Meelan’s Carpet One
The Otesaga Resort Hotel
Mr. and Mrs. Brian Prew
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas O. Putnam
Mr. and Mrs. H. William Smith, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Hugh K. Webster
FRIENDS
Randy and Karen Crissman
Cay and Chris Franck
Nancy J. Friedman Public Relations
Mrs. Belle Gadomski
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Graham
Mrs. Erika Hall and Ms. Carla Hall-Friedman
Lady Juliet Tadgell and Dr. Christopher Tadgell
Ms. Lucy Townsend
Dr. and Mrs. Clifton R. Wharton, Jr.
Mrs. Denise Wicks
JUNIOR LIVESTOCK SHOW
“I was surprised and honored to receive this scholarship…This money will be used to help
pay college expenses…before I go home to help run the family farm.” –Peter Robinson
The Junior Livestock show is a three-day event
that brings together the area’s best livestock
and youth exhibitors, ages 8–18. In 2014, 260
exhibitors tested their skills and presented 600
animals (dairy, cows, beef, swine, dairy goats, and
sheep of various breeds) that they own, care for,
and have prepared for competition. At the show,
34 major awards are given out to competitors
from nine counties in Central New York.
$1,000+
Mr. and Mrs. David Bliss
Chobani, Inc.
Brandow’s Feed ‘N Seed Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. Michael
J. Opalka
Brandows IBA, Inc.
Otsego Land Trust
Mr. and Mrs. John Clark
Mr. and Mrs. James Rice
Cobleskill Agway
Mr. Jeffery Schonberg
Farm Credit East, ACA
Sherman Hill Farmstead
- Linda Smith
New in 2014, Chobani sponsored four scholarships
for participants. Winners were selected based
on an essay they submitted demonstrating their
passion for agriculture, animals, and farming.
Nasco Farm and Ranch
Since 1947, The Farmers’ Museum has
collaborated with the Cooperative Extension’s 4-H
program to produce the show, which is the second
largest youth competition in New York State.
$100 – $999
Mr. and Mrs. C. H.
Bantham, Jr.
Gold Star Feed and
Grain, LLC
Land O’Lakes/Purina
Organic Valley
SUNY Cobleskill
GIFTS TO $99
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Aborn
Dr. Carol A. Beechy and
Ms. Kathryn Boardman
Mrs. Edie Jennings
Through Cornell
Cooperative Extension
Dr. William Johnson
and Dr. Lisa Johnson
Mr. and Mrs. Robert
W. Kersman
Stamford Farmers’
Cooperative
Stewart’s Shops
Mr. Lester Tyler and
Ms. Pam Woodrow
Ms. MacKenzie Waro
Lutz Feed Company
Mr. Donald E. Wivell and
Mrs. Samantha Porter-Wivell
OHM Holstein Club
Zoetis
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Lesniak
Corporate, Foundation,
and Government Support
$50,000+
The Clark Foundation
The Tianaderrah Foundation
Individual Giving
$750+
Mr. and Mrs. A. William Bertsch
Dr. and Mrs. Gerald Evans
Mr. Anthony A. Grey and
Dr. Anne Cochran Grey
Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Hanft
Mr. and Mrs. Charles T. Hage
Mr. and Mrs. W. David McCoy
Mr. and Mrs. James C.
Plowden-Wardlaw
Mr. and Mrs. John B. Stetson
$250 – $749
Dr. and Mrs. Allan J. Ahearne
Mr. and Mrs. Bart Barown, Jr.
Dr. Carlos Bermejo and
Dr. Jennifer Lucas
Mr. and Mrs. Marc Bresee
Mrs. Patricia Carrier and
Mr. Charles Carrier*
Mrs. Karen Crissman and
Mr. Randy Crissman
Mr. and Mrs. Gaylord Dillingham
Dr. and Mrs. Douglas E. Evelyn
Mrs. Martha S. Grossi
Ms. Elaine Grudzinski
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Holbrook
Ms. Michelle Kennedy and
Dr. Nicholas Hellenthal
Mr. and Mrs. Mark LaValley
Dr. and Mrs. Harvey Leventhal
Mr. and Mrs. Lindsay Macarthur
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Malesardi
Ms. Jacqueline Badger Mars
Mr. and Mrs. James C. Miles
Mr. Richard C. More and
THANK YOU TO THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO HELP FUND OUR FUTURE. GIFTS OF ALL SIZES
LITERALLY HELP THE FARMERS’ MUSEUM GROW.
Mrs. Catherine J. More
Mr. and Mrs. Mark J. Norton
Dr. Jeffrey Pressman and
Dr. Nancy Kollisch
Mr. and Mrs. Brian M. Prew
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas O. Putnam
The Soell Family
Mr. and Mrs. Hugh K. Webster
$100 – $249
Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Bantham, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. David Bliss
Dr. and Mrs. Robert E. Booth, Jr.
Dr. and Mrs. James Bordley, IV
Dr. Marina Bravin and Dr. Eric Bravin
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Curcio Jr.
Mr. William K. Davis
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony S. Esposito
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Gozigian
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Graham
Mr. Joseph Haefle
Ms. Susan J. Huxtable
Ms. Leanna Jensen
Mrs. Suzanne Kingsley
Christina and Brian Milliman
Mr. and Mrs. Johannes Neckermann
Ms. Mary Ann Oliver
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Siracusa
Mr. and Mrs. Roger C. Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Ken Steigelman
Lady Juliet Tadgell and Dr.
Christopher Tadgell
GIFTS TO $99
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Aborn
Mr. David R. Aitken
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher F. Anderson
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Baker
Dr. Carol A. Beechy and
Ms. Kathryn Boardman
Ms. Cheryl Bertocchi
Mr. and Mrs. John Clark
David and Michele Clutter
Ms. Mary F. D’Ambrosio Zielinski
Mr. Jeffrey W. DeLucia
Ms. Elaine Downing
Mr. and Mrs. Donald A. Drake
Mr. and Mrs. Roy Edwards
Ms. Valerie Ann Elbrick
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Fallon
Ms. Christina Faughnan
Dr. and Mrs. Walter Franck
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Friedlander
Mrs. Belle Gadomski
Ms. Barbara Gibbs
Mr. and Mrs. William Goertemoeller
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Goliber
Mrs. Erika Hall and Ms.
Carla Hall-Friedman
Ms. Angela Harvey
Mr. Richmond J. Hulse, Sr.
Dr. William Johnson and
Dr. Lisa Johnson
Mr. Jeremy Kaufman
Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Kersman
Ms. Elizabeth Ketterson and
Mr. Robert Graepel
Marion S. King
Mrs. Deborah Kiser
Mr. Leopold Koppel
Mr. and Mrs. Brent Leonard
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Lesniak
Dr. Robert E. Lynk
Mr. Bill McClelland
Mrs. Elaine Moffat
Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Opalka
Steven D. and Nancy J. Purdy
Mr. Leo Rabkin
Mr. and Mrs. James Rice
Ms. Cynthia Robinson and
Mr. Paul Stodghill
Ms. Kathryn Saddlemire
Mr. Jeffery Schonberg
Ms. Patricia F. Scott
Ms. Linda Smith
Ms. Christene Springle
Colleen Sullivan
Mr. Scott Symons
Ms. Lucy Townsend
Mr. Lester Tyler and Ms.
Pam Woodrow
Ms. Phyllis Y. Van Alstine
Ms. Christine Van Deusen
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen V. Walker
Ms. MacKenzie Waro
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Weiss
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Whelihan
Ms. Joan W. White*
Mrs. Denise Wicks
Mr. Earl G. Wilkinson and
Ms. Laurie Wilson
Mr. Donald E. Wivell and Mrs.
Samantha Porter-Wivell
Mr. Kevin Wray
$10,000 – $49,000
C.J. Heilig Foundation, Inc.
Gates Helms Hawn Foundation
Malesardi Family Foundation
New York State Council on the Arts
Roxbury Central School
$5,000 – $9,999
Bank of Cooperstown
$1,000 – $4,999
Alice Busch Gronewaldt Foundation
Allstadt Hardin Foundation
Black Ash Holding Co., Inc.
Chobani, Inc.
Community Bank, NA
Cooperstown Natural Foods
Eggleston Foundation
G & T Farm
THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY PRESERVES OUR RURAL HERITAGE AND
PROVIDES A WIDE-RANGE OF AUTHENTIC, HANDS-ON EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
FOR OUR COMMUNITY WITH THEIR SUPPORT OF THE FARMERS’ MUSEUM.
Mohican Flowers
NBT Bank
New York Community Trust
Opportunities for Otsego, Inc.
Organic Valley
Patricia M. & H. William Smith Jr Foundation
Peterson Family Charitable Trust
Royal Auto Group
Schlather & Birch-Attorneys at Law
Smith Ford Cooperstown, Inc.
Stewart’s Shops
SUNY Cobleskill
Tallman Enterprises
The Lagan Family Foundation
The Morgan McReynolds Group
at Morgan Stanley
The R. David Sudarsky Charitable Foundation
The Rogers Foundation
TRUiST
GIFTS TO $999
Bassett Healthcare Network
Brandow’s Feed ‘N Seed Inc.
Brandows IBA, Inc.
Bruce Hall Home Center
Cazenovia Equipment Company
Cobleskill Agway
Cornell Cooperative Extension
Dolores and Clifton Wharton
Foundation/Ayco Charitable Fdn
Farm Credit East, ACA
Gold Star Feed and Grain, LLC
HOW S4 Productions, Inc.
L.M. Townsend Catering
Leatherstocking Region Federal Credit Union
Lutz Feed Company
Meelan’s Carpet One
Nancy J. Friedman Public Relations
Otsego Land Trust
Raw TV
Stamford Farmers’ Cooperative
Standard Insulating Company
The Inn at Cooperstown
The OHM Holstein Club
The Otesaga Resort Hotel
Zoetis
The Pioneer Society
Pioneer Society members bring history to life at The Farmers’ Museum. Many thanks to these
individuals who create the magical moments that make our museum so memorable to all who visit.
$25,000+
Jane Forbes Clark
Robert and Nellie Gipson
$10,000 – $24,999
Mr. and Mrs. Gates Helms Hawn
Dr. and Mrs. William W. LeCates
$5,000 – $9,999
Mr. Matthew Sohns and Ms.
Mary-Margaret Robbins
$2,500 – $4,999
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew M. Blum
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Guenther
Dr. and Mrs. Lewis L. Hamilton
Allison and W. Keyes Hill-Edgar
Mr. Tom Morgan and
Ms. Erna Morgan McReynolds
Ms. Corinne M. Plummer
The Rogers Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis A. Tallman
Mr. and Mrs. Byron F. Thomas, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Thompson
Mr. Frank Tosto
$1,000 – $2,499
Ms. Kathy Allen and Ms. Barby Allen
Mr. Lou Allstadt and Ms. Melinda Hardin
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Altherr
Mr. Henry S.F. Cooper, Jr.
Dr. Paul S. and Anna T. D’Ambrosio
Mrs. Karen M. Elting
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher A. Franck
Mr. and Mrs. Steven D. Glazer
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen M. Gotwald
Mr. Louis Busch Hager, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Haggerty
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Harris
Lisa and Dan Heinrich
Mr. and Mrs. Philip R. Holz
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce R. Johnson
Honorable and Mrs. M. Langhorne Keith
Mrs. Suzanne Kingsley
The Lachance Family
Mr. Thomas Lagan and Ms. Ginna Roeding
Mr. Steven E. Larson and Mr. John Townsend
Mr. and Mrs. William Lewis
Dr. Bertine McKenna and Mr. Patrick McKenna
Mr. and Mrs. J. Michael Moffat
Mr. Jeffery T. More and Ms. Helen Quick
Mr. and Mrs. Kevin S. Moore
Ms. Esther Nelson and Mr. Bernd Ulken
Dr. and Mrs. Randy Parkhurst
Dr. and Mrs. Earle N. Peterson
Mrs. Fran Raeder
Mr. and Mrs. James Richardson
Dr. and Mrs. Jonathan Richman
Mr. John Sanford and Mrs. Ellen H. Sanford
Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Schlather
Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Schuermann
Mr. Edward Smith
Mr. and Mrs. H. William Smith, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Edward W. Stack
Dr. and Mrs. William Streck
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene V. Thaw
Mr. and Mrs. Lyman B. Townsend
Mrs. Rose C. Wadsworth
Mr. and Mrs. William Waller
Ms. Marguerite R. Webster and
Mr. Royce Webster
Dr. and Mrs. Henry F.C. Weil
Dr. Renee Wellenstein and
Dr. Komron Ostovar
Thank you to our amazing volunteers!
Volunteers generously contributed
9,589 hours of service to The Farmers’
Museum in 2014. From helping to care
for the animals to assisting at all the
special events, our volunteers make The
Farmers’ Museum a great place to visit.
A special thanks to those volunteers who
generously donated 100 hours or more
of their time to the Museums in 2014:
Jane Adsit
Gene Berman
Deirdre Brett
Richard Brockman
Mary Brown
Barbara Chamberlain
Clara Clack
Bob & Rae Consigli
Steve Davis
Alex Dickson
Dawne Dietz
Anna Edgington
Heidi Edmonds
In Recognition
Eileen & Howard
Elliott
Dianne Feury
Irene Fickbohm
Paula Gilbert
Pamela Good
Carol Goodrich
Kimberly Gottfried
Lu Gotti
John Gralinski
Judy Green
Tom Heitz
Susan Henderson
Michael Henrici
Lois Holz
Marianne Johns
Claire Kepner
Megan Kern
Collette Lago
Robert Manker
Susan Morgan
Chuck Newman
Emma Peters
Joan Pondolfino
Leonard Pudelka
Gail Rogers
Judith Russell
Ambrose Santiago
Maggie Schuermann
Rosemary Sibbern
Larry Smith
Prudence Stelling
Carol Teich
Scott Vanduren
Linda Vieweg
Deni Wicks
Mary Zaengle
Thank you to everyone who chose to honor or remember someone
important to them through a gift to The Farmers’ Museum.
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew M. Blum
Mrs. Karen Crissman and Mr. Randy Crissman
Mr. and Mrs. William Goertemoeller
Ms. Cynthia Robinson and Mr. Paul Stodghill
GIFTS IN HONOR OF:
Bunny Hamilton
Erin Richardson
Meg Preston
John Robinson
Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Bantham, Jr.
David and Michele Clutter
Ms. Mary F. D’Ambrosio Zielinski
Mrs. Karen M. Elting
Ms. Leanna Jensen
Ms. Corinne M. Plummer
Ms. Phyllis Y. Van Alstine
Ms. Phyllis Y. Van Alstine
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Fallon
Mr. and Mrs. William Goertemoeller
Mr. and Mrs. Philip R. Holz
The Soell Family
Mr. and Mrs. Edward W. Stack
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Weiss
GIFTS IN MEMORY OF:
Clayton H. Bantham
Susan Kidder Hand
Frances D’Ambrosio
James J. Elting. M.D.
Esther Dornburgh
Lyn W. Edinger
Lana Elizabeth Waffl
Alberta Clearwater Yerdon
Jack Weber
Jack Weber
Jack Weber
Jack Weber
Jack Weber
Jack Weber
Creating your legacy
Friends who include The Farmers’ Museum in
their will or other estate plans make a lasting
difference at our beloved museum. The gift
you leave behind brings history to life for
generations to come. To learn more about
how you can join the Clark Legacy Circle,
contact Paul D’Ambrosio, President and CEO,
at 607-547-1418 or [email protected].
balance sheet
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents:
$14,063,414
Investments: 50,619,524
Accounts receivable: 3,080
Contributions receivable:
$13,600
Prepaid expenses: 63,694
Inventories: -Land, buildings, and equipment: 2,951,922
Total assets:
$ 67,715,234
LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
Accounts payable
and accrued expenses: Payable to the New York State
Historical Association: Deferred revenue:
Total liabilities:
$172,243
1,019
209,323
382,585
Net Assets:
Unrestricted:
Undesignated:3,313,377
Designated for investing: 56,040,091
Temporarily restricted
Accumulation of
endowment earnings: 6,918,631
Other :
174,333
Permanently restricted:
886,217
Total net assets: 67,332,649
Total liabilities and net assets: $ 67,715,234
The Farmers’ Museum is a private,
non-governmental, non-profit educational
organization that is recognized by the Internal
Revenue Service (IRS) as a 501 (c)(3). Gifts to
The Farmers’ Museum are tax deductible to
the fullest extent allowable by law. For more
information, The Farmers’ Museum’s IRS form
990 can be viewed at www.guidestar.org.