June Farm Friday at JoGlenn Farms

For 2026, the Livingston County Chamber is trading the tablecloths for trail boots. We are thrilled to introduce Farm Fridays, a new series of on-site farm visits designed to pull back the curtain on the industry that defines our region.

What are Farm Fridays? Instead of bringing the farm to the table, we’re bringing the community to the farm. These are focused, educational "field trips" for adults and neighbors to learn about the grit, innovation, and expertise required to run a modern agricultural operation in Livingston County.

Whether it’s a dairy, specialty crop farm, or other Ag operation, Farm Fridays offer a rare look at the hard work happening right in our backyard. Come prepared to learn, walk the land, and see Livingston County from a whole new perspective.

JoGlenn Farms

4395 Cameron Road, Caledonia

Friday, June 26th at 8:30am

Their Story

The Estes family arrived in Boston in 1684 from Kent, England, and made their way west into the Genesee Valley, where they have farmed Livingston County soil for roughly two centuries. JoGlenn Farms, in Caledonia, is the third-generation expression of that longer story — the specific ground where Ken’s grandfather, father, and now Ken and Kerry have raised crops, livestock, and a family. Ken reserves the title of “farmer” for his father; for himself, he prefers “land steward,” a word that holds the full weight of what seven generations of care actually means.

What They Do

JoGlenn Farms is a working farm and a research farm. Ken and Kerry operate the farm together while balancing two demanding callings beyond it: Kerry as a cardiac nurse manager, and Ken as Agricultural Program Manager for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Livingston County. The farm hosts on-farm trials — most recently a four-acre, two-cutting teff grass project in collaboration with Cornell — and serves as the proving ground for the equine, forage, and stewardship practices Ken brings into his extension work. It is, in every sense, a farm that teaches.

Breeding Lippitt Morgans

At the heart of JoGlenn Farms is a small, intentional Lippitt Morgan breeding program centered on our stallion, Harwich Attila. The Lippitt Morgan is one of the oldest and most genetically conserved strains of the original American Morgan horse — a true heritage bloodline, prized for soundness, sensibility, and remarkable versatility. They breed for the qualities that built the Morgan reputation in the first place: a willing mind, an honest gait, a stout frame, and the kind of disposition that suits both serious sport and the everyday work of a farm. Their sport-horse focus leans toward eventing and the broader competitive disciplines, but theur deeper aim is simply to produce horses that can do a day’s work and live a long, useful life.

Land Stewardship

Stewardship, for them, is not an abstraction. It is riparian buffer restoration along the creek that feeds the Genesee River; it is rotational management of pasture and hay ground; it is the on-farm research that asks honest questions about what works in our soils and our climate. Ken serves on the Livingston County Farmland Protection Board and has long advocated for conservation easements, Purchase of Development Rights, and — most recently — the inclusion of PFAS contamination in the county’s updated Farmland Protection Plan. We believe farmland is not a commodity to be drawn down but a trust to be passed on. The measure of our stewardship is not what we take from this land, but what the eighth generation finds when they arrive.

(dress for the farm & the weather!)

Coffee & Donuts Provided

 

Know Before You Go!
To ensure a great experience for both our guests and our host farmers, please keep the following guidelines in mind:

🥾 Dress for the Dirt

• Closed-Toe Shoes are Mandatory: You will be walking on uneven terrain, gravel, or through barns. For your safety, sandals or flip-flops are not permitted. Boots or sturdy sneakers are highly recommended.
• Check the Weather: Farm Fridays happen rain or shine! Wear layers and bring a rain jacket or sun hat as needed.
• Wear Clothes That Can Get Dirty: Farms are dusty, muddy, and authentic. Don't wear anything you aren't prepared to get a little "farm" on.

🛡️ Safety & Biosecurity

• Follow the Leader: For your safety and the safety of the animals/crops, please stay with the group and only enter areas designated by our host.
• Biosecurity Protocols: Some farms (especially dairy or livestock) may require you to step through a footbath or wear disposable boot covers to prevent the spread of outside bacteria.

📸 Photos & Questions

• Ask Before You Snap: Most farmers are proud to show off their operations, but please check with the host before taking photos of specific equipment or inside certain facilities.
• Curiosity is Encouraged: This is a learning series! There is no such thing as a "silly" question. Our farmers are excited to share their expertise with you.

📍 Arrival & Parking

• Look for the Chamber Signs: Parking on a farm is different than parking at a storefront. Look for the "Farm Friday" signs to find the designated parking area (often a mowed field or gravel pad).
• Arrive 10 Minutes Early: We start our tours promptly to respect the farmer’s busy schedule.