Albany-Tula Alliance

For photos of the afternoon, press

AN AFTERNOON IN THE COUNTRY

at the Otterness Farm, Altamont, New York

Sunday, May 18, 1997

1:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Country crafts and activities
Maypole dancing
Sheep herding and shearing
Pet and feed the animals
Wine tasting courtesy of Larry's Vineyard & Winery
Lamb Bar-B-Q and Russian Picnic
Country games
Russian music

Craft Sales ? Door Prizes ? Country Attire

(Sturdy footgear recommended)

Please bring packets of seeds ~ flowers and vegetables ~ to help plant the seeds of democracy,
both literally and figuratively, in Tula.

For every packet of seeds, you will receive a chance at one of many door prizes.

An Afternoon in the Country to benefit the Albany-Tula Alliance

Adults $25
Children (under 14) $10

Please respond by Saturday, May 10, 1997

Make checks payable to the Albany-Tula Alliance

c/o Raymond Joyce
33 Brookline Avenue
Albany, NY 12203

Directions to the Otterness Farm
Route 397, Dunnsville Road
Altamont, New York
355-5722

From Rte. 20: Proceed west on Rte. 20 past Crossgates Mall. Pass Rte. 146. Pass Rte. 158. About 2 miles beyond, turn LEFT on Rte. 397. Otterness Farm is 0.9 miles on the right.

From the Delmar / Slingerlands area: From Rte 85 (New Scotland Road) turn Right on Rte. 85A. In Voorheesville take Rte. 156 to Altamont. In Altamont, turn RIGHT on Rte. 146. Follow Rte. 146 turning LEFT on Maple Avenue. Turn RIGHT on Rte. 397, which is Dunnsville Road. Pass Altamont Orchards on your right. Otterness Farm in the next farm on the LEFT, #6829. If you come to Rte. 20, you have gone too far.

In the Beginning ...

Altamont farmer Don Otterness, while reading about the plight of Russian farmers in the wake of the fall of the Soviet Union in January 1991, saw Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev's address in the newspaper. Otterness wrote to express his concern and offer his assistance. And nothing happened.

Then one day out of the clear blue July sky the phone rang and a heavily accented Russian voice asked Otterness how many farmers he could accommodate and how long they could stay. By August Otterness was hosting nine Russians for two weeks at his farm!

During the visit the coup in Russia took place and the little group of visitors became instant celebrities with inquiries (through their interpreter) from the three network TV stations and many newspapers. All this attention helped Capital District residents focus on the harsh realities of Russian life in the '90s and inspired many people to help.

In 1992 and 1993 American farmers visited Tula, taking pounds of hybrid grain seeds and thousands of packages of vegetable seeds. The delegation led seminars on topics ranging from concepts of crop rotation, conservation, and harvest to storage and marketing. In 1994 farmers from Tula visited the U.S., this time concentrating on high-intensity and high-volume technologies.

While there remains much to be done -- lack of equipment and outmoded techniques still plague Russian agriculture -- Don Otterness observes that when Russian farmers have had contact with American agriculture there is a "visible difference."

In June 1997 a delegation from the U.S. will again visit Tula, sharing more grain seeds and expertise.

On Sunday, May 18 you can be a part of "spreading the seeds of democracy ...."