Dutchess County Fair - Legacy of Agriculture & Community

Discover the vital role honeybees play in pollination, agriculture, and our food supply in this episode of Monday Moments. Host Suzanne Rajczi sits down with beekeeper Michael  Vlei Forge Apiary, in Rhinebeck, NY, to explore the fascinating world of beekeeping in the Hudson Valley.From hive structure and bee lifecycles to raw honey production and pollination economics, this episode breaks down how bees impact everything from local farms to global food systems. Michael shares his journey from professional horseshoer to beekeeper, along with insights on hive management, swarming, winter survival, and transporting bees for crop pollination.We also dive into major threats facing honeybees today, including pesticides, habitat loss, weather changes, and varroa mites—plus how organic beekeeping practices can help.If you’ve ever wondered how bees make honey, how to start beekeeping, or why bees are essential to agriculture, this episode is for you.TIMESTAMPS00:00 Welcome to the Podcast 02:45 Western Honeybee Basics 04:41 Pollination Economics 06:27 How Bees Navigate Home 09:45 Bee Life Cycle Explained 13:37 Winter Survival and Feeding 15:43 Swarming and Space Management 17:29 Hive Architecture Tour 20:28 Queen Marking and Stings 24:43 Hudson Valley Nectar Flows 29:17 Fairground Apiary and Organic Care 31:03 Mites and Bee Biosecurity 34:21 Dutchess County Fair 38:03 Bee Stressors and Habitat 40:00 Starting Beekeeping Tips 46:04 Real Honey vs Adulteration 49:10 Harvesting and Bottling Honey 50:59 Honey Varieties and Judging 56:45 Comb Honey and Wax 58:44 Helping Bees at Home 01:00:40 Stings and Protective Gear 

Host Suzanne Rajczi visits Soukup Farms in Dover Plains, New York, to learn from Mark and Jennifer Soukup about their multigenerational maple operation and its ties to the Dutchess County Fair’s working sugar shack. They discuss the farm’s history from a pre–Civil War orchard to today’s 150 acres owned, 500+ farmed, and 3,000+ tapped trees, along with sustainable forest management and proper tapping practices. The episode explains how sap becomes syrup through reverse osmosis, boiling on an evaporator, and hot filtering, including the “rule of 87” and how weather-driven freeze-thaw cycles determine season timing, sap flow, and syrup grades from golden to very dark. The Soukups also highlight community education via maple weekends, school and bus tours, and value-added products like maple sugar, cream, candy, and sauces.00:00 Welcome to Soukup Farms 05:00 Maple Varieties Explained06:14 Jennifer Joins the Operation07:14 Evaporator and Filtering09:16 Reverse Osmosis Basics10:35 Weather and Sap Season15:10 Tapping, Tubing, and Workflow20:44 Boiling Hours and Yield Math26:02 Flavor Profiles by Color31:08 Tours and Maple Weekends34:16 Dutchess Fair Sugar Shack40:37 Cooking with Maple Syrup41:27 Real vs Imitation Syrup43:51 Value Added Maple Products45:50 Closing and Next Episodes

Suzanne Rajczi sits down with Russ and Amanda Brezinski of North Wind Farms in Tivoli, New York, a family-owned, vertically integrated livestock farm. Russ shares how the farm grew from his father’s 1982 start raising antibiotic-free poultry into a diversified operation with chickens, turkeys, cattle, pigs, lambs, goats, ducks, geese, guinea hens, and rabbits. They describe raising and processing poultry on-farm, turkey breeds and seasonal ordering, biosecurity practices, feed sourcing, and timelines for turkey and beef production. The conversation covers pasture rotation, soil health, farm size and herd numbers, winter challenges, labor shortages, processing and USDA inspection constraints, farmers’ market sales, customer education, and misconceptions about farming’s demands. They also discuss ties to the Dutchess County Fair, 4-H, and hopes to preserve farmland for future generations, including support for FFA.

Today we visit Battenfeld Flower & Tree Farm in Red Hook, New York, to explore the story behind one of Dutchess County’s most unique multigenerational farms. Fred Battenfeld shares how the family operation evolved from apple orchards, dairy farming, and violet greenhouses into a thriving flower and Christmas tree business. The farm became known for greenhouse-grown anemones cold-season flowers that thrive in the Hudson Valley developed through careful seed breeding, cross-pollination, and meticulous greenhouse practices.Fred also discusses the seasonal rhythm of the farm, from breeding new flower varieties and shipping blooms nationwide to managing nearly 100 acres of Christmas trees. He reflects on the craftsmanship behind pruning and shaping trees, the intense holiday rush when visitors arrive for cut-your-own trees, and the Battenfeld family’s decades-long involvement with the Dutchess County Fair, helping expand agricultural education and community traditions.

The Dutchess County Agricultural Society is proud to present Episode 1 of our new podcast, The Legacy of Agriculture and Community. Hosted by Suzanne Rajczi, this series celebrates the people, farms, and traditions that define our region.Our first guest is Jennifer DeForest from Stormfield Swiss Farm. Located on the historic Knapp Farm property, Stormfield Swiss is a testament to the resilience of New York agriculture. Join us as we explore Jennifer’s journey from 4-H member to dairy farm owner and advocate.

Hello and welcome to the Dutchess County Fair – Legacy of Agriculture & Community, a podcast dedicated to celebrating the people, farms, and traditions that make agriculture such an important part of our lives here in Dutchess County and beyond.I’m your host, Suzanne Rajczi — a 25-year member of the Dutchess County Agricultural Society, a foodservice industry leader, community advocate, and passionate supporter of local agriculture.Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with farmers, producers, and foodservice professionals who are committed to quality, sustainability, and community.This podcast shines a spotlight on agriculture and community — and the incredible stories behind them.