New Exhibition at The Farmers Museum Celebrates the Role of Children on Family Farms Past and Present

New exhibition opening April 23

Growing Tomorrow’s Farmers

April 23–October 30, 2022
The Farmers’ Museum, Cooperstown, NY / Main Barn Exhibition Space

FarmersMuseum.org

Cooperstown, New York — The Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown opens a new exhibition celebrating the role children played on family farms from the 19th century to the present. Growing Tomorrow’s Farmers, on view from April 23–October 30, 2022 and again in 2023, demonstrates that youth and family farms continue to remain at the heart of farming's future. Through the exhibition, guest curated by Caroline Welsh, visitors are introduced to new and legacy farmers that are changing the agricultural scene while growing local economies, culture, and tourism. It also examines the role of farmers of color in New York State—the barriers they faced historically and are still facing today, and the resurgence they are currently leading. 

Growing Tomorrow’s Farmers showcases area farmers through captivating imagery produced by an array of contemporary photographers including Richard Walker, Wesley Bernard, Dana Matthews, and others. Visitors will also find historical photographs from Plowline, The Farmers’ Museum’s collection of original photography that documents changes in agricultural practice, rural life and farming families in New York State dating back to the 1800s. The exhibit includes objects from the Museum’s extensive collections as well as related artwork from Fenimore Art Museum. 

Growing Tomorrow’s Farmers is sponsored in part by Nellie and Robert Gipson, and NYCM Insurance.

While visiting the Museum, enjoy a ride on the Empire State Carousel, explore the 19th-century country village and farmstead, check out Todd’s General Store, and visit the famous Cardiff Giant. Kids can learn about life on the farm and delight in the baby animals at the Children’s Barnyard.

The museum is currently open Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (closed Mondays). Starting May 7, the Museum is open daily from 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.  Admission: Adults and juniors (ages 13-64): $15.00; seniors (65+): $12.50; youth (7-12): $6.00; children (6 and under): free. Museum members are always admitted free, as are active-duty and retired career military. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, active-duty military and up to five family members are admitted free through the Blue Star Museum program. 

The Farmers’ Museum is located at 5775 Route 80 in Cooperstown. Visit FarmersMuseum.org for more information.

About The Farmers’ Museum

As one of the oldest rural life museums in the country, The Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown, New York, provides visitors with a unique opportunity to experience 19th-century rural and village life first-hand through authentic demonstrations and interpretative exhibits. The museum, founded in 1943, comprises a Colonial Revival stone barn listed on the National Register for Historic Places, a recreated historic village circa 1845, the Empire State Carousel, and a working farmstead. Through its 19th-century village and farm, the museum preserves important examples of upstate New York architecture, early agricultural tools and equipment, and heritage livestock. The Farmers’ Museum’s outstanding collection of more than 23,000 items encompasses significant historic objects ranging from butter molds to carriages, and hand planes to plows. The museum also presents a broad range of interactive educational programs for school groups, families, and adults that explore and preserve the rich agricultural history of the region.

FarmersMuseum.org