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RateAg Fest a true family affair
By Hilary Hawke
NEW BALTIMORE — The Van Etten family has been running the New Baltimore Ag Fest Antique Machinery and Agricultural Festival since 1991 and this year marked their 18th anniversary.
Originally started by Bill Burns and Robert Van Etten, their two farms, one on Rotue 9W and the other on Sawmill Road served as event sites with school buses shuttling guests between locations.
But when Bill Burns’ wife became ill, the Van Ettens started holding the festival on their grounds.
Pauline Van Etten said the idea for Ag Fest arose because Burns and her husband both had antique machinery, belonged to local clubs such as the one in Gallupville and had often displayed their own equipment at other events.
“I’m so proud of what my husband helped create,” Pauline said. “He worked so hard to start Ag Fest.”
Robert Van Etten passed away several years ago and now their son, Robert, who Pauline characterizes as a man who works nonstop, is largely responsible for the event.
Pauline said she sometimes worries it’s just too much but her son insists, “Mom. I want to do it.”
Designed as a way to help local businesses and bring people together, Ag Fest involves the entire town with over 100 local businesses and individuals donating money and items to the silent auction.
Earnings from the auction, conducted by New Baltimore resident Virginia Macerrelli, are earmarked for the next year’s festival.
Advertisement is chiefly word-of-mouth but each year the festival gets larger.
“We’ve had tractors come from as far away as Connecticut and Kingston,” Pauline said.
The tractors she references are one of the main draws of the festival and for many the tractor pull is the crown jewel.
“We have so many people helping,” Pauline said. “We meet every month and plan the festival. I bribe people with my baking, my pies, my cookies, my coffee and teas,” she quipped.
The Van Ettens have never charged admission. Even the vendors pay only $15 a day or $25 for the weekend.
This year’s event featured agricultural displays of equipment from the 1800s to the present.
Among the exhibitions were touch and go planes, hit-and-miss engines, a working portable sawmill and an antique working steam engine
Local businesses donated merchandise and gift certificates for the silent auction and the Cornell Hook and Ladder Company and the Ladies Auxiliary provided barbecue, breakfast, lunch and snacks.
There was plenty for the kids, too, including pedal tractor pulls, face painting, hay rides, a tractor maze, games, contests and crafts.
The Rock Solid Church supervised many of the children’s activities.
Ag Fest has many sponsors including the Greene County Promotions and Economic Development Office, the Town of New Baltimore, Stewart’s and many Ravena and Coxsackie businesses.
Squeeze Play, Steve Schweber, the Shovel Back Band, Kevin Hotaling and Peaceful Country Ralph Barger provided the music.
Spiderweb Farms offered horse and carriage rides, Dick and Janet Brooks displayed wood carvings, the Albany Greene ATV club provided security and Charly Bulky exhibited of his airplanes.
Originally started by Bill Burns and Robert Van Etten, their two farms, one on Rotue 9W and the other on Sawmill Road served as event sites with school buses shuttling guests between locations.
But when Bill Burns’ wife became ill, the Van Ettens started holding the festival on their grounds.
Pauline Van Etten said the idea for Ag Fest arose because Burns and her husband both had antique machinery, belonged to local clubs such as the one in Gallupville and had often displayed their own equipment at other events.
“I’m so proud of what my husband helped create,” Pauline said. “He worked so hard to start Ag Fest.”
Robert Van Etten passed away several years ago and now their son, Robert, who Pauline characterizes as a man who works nonstop, is largely responsible for the event.
Pauline said she sometimes worries it’s just too much but her son insists, “Mom. I want to do it.”
Designed as a way to help local businesses and bring people together, Ag Fest involves the entire town with over 100 local businesses and individuals donating money and items to the silent auction.
Earnings from the auction, conducted by New Baltimore resident Virginia Macerrelli, are earmarked for the next year’s festival.
Advertisement is chiefly word-of-mouth but each year the festival gets larger.
“We’ve had tractors come from as far away as Connecticut and Kingston,” Pauline said.
The tractors she references are one of the main draws of the festival and for many the tractor pull is the crown jewel.
“We have so many people helping,” Pauline said. “We meet every month and plan the festival. I bribe people with my baking, my pies, my cookies, my coffee and teas,” she quipped.
The Van Ettens have never charged admission. Even the vendors pay only $15 a day or $25 for the weekend.
This year’s event featured agricultural displays of equipment from the 1800s to the present.
Among the exhibitions were touch and go planes, hit-and-miss engines, a working portable sawmill and an antique working steam engine
Local businesses donated merchandise and gift certificates for the silent auction and the Cornell Hook and Ladder Company and the Ladies Auxiliary provided barbecue, breakfast, lunch and snacks.
There was plenty for the kids, too, including pedal tractor pulls, face painting, hay rides, a tractor maze, games, contests and crafts.
The Rock Solid Church supervised many of the children’s activities.
Ag Fest has many sponsors including the Greene County Promotions and Economic Development Office, the Town of New Baltimore, Stewart’s and many Ravena and Coxsackie businesses.
Squeeze Play, Steve Schweber, the Shovel Back Band, Kevin Hotaling and Peaceful Country Ralph Barger provided the music.
Spiderweb Farms offered horse and carriage rides, Dick and Janet Brooks displayed wood carvings, the Albany Greene ATV club provided security and Charly Bulky exhibited of his airplanes.
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