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The first of five planned courses would start in September 2015. “Education was one of the many suggestions voiced during our Tilly Foster Task Force meetings, and now we’re moving forward with BOCES to do exactly that,” said Physical Services Committee Deputy County Executive Bruce Walker. BOCES Director of Career and Technical Education Catherine Balestrieri addressed the committee at the standing-room-only meeting. “By locating at Tilly Foster, we can offer a unique culinary program which will include internships at many of the surrounding restaurants in this particular area,” she said. The Culinary Arts course would be held in the building known as The Lodge on weekdays with three sessions of classes running from 7:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. The county will work closely with BOCES who will supply additional equipment including refrigerators, freezers, a six-burner stove, dishwasher, ice machine, work tables, cabinets and cooking utensils. Walker and Highways and Facilities Commissioner Fred Pena said preliminary plans for building out the kitchen to create additional work space were already prepared.
The plans first were introduced to the public at the July Country Fair. The Legislature already had approved a $300,000 bond for work to be done on the 199-acre farm. A portion of that will be used to build out the Lodge kitchen to suit the number of students working there. Additional bathrooms also will be added to The Lodge to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. The plans can be viewed on the Tilly Foster Farm webpage at www.PutnamTillyFoster.com. BOCES plans to feature more classes in the future, including new visions environmental science and sustainability, animal care, animal care skills and horse science and management, all of which will be held on the farm.
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