SAP TAP FARMS INTRODUCES SUSTAINABLE WOOL PELLETS
Sap Tap Farms is partnering with local sheep farmers to produce a natural, slow-release fertilizer alternative made from wool pellets. The small family-owned farm in Bloomfield uses raw sheep fleece that would otherwise be wasted to make wool pellets that can hold about twenty times their weight in water. These pellets are useful for regulating soil water retention and reducing watering for plants.
The farm, in conjunction with local sheep farmers, is also partnering with Operation Walk New York, a nonprofit that provides free hip and knee replacements to underserved patients. OpWalk NY specializes in helping those who suffer from joint pain or arthritis. It provides medical personnel, equipment, and supplies for each of its mission trips and builds its own operating rooms to provide medical assistance to those in need. Some local sheep farmers have chosen to donate their payments from the wool pellets to support OpWalk NY and their next mission in Ghana, funding life-changing surgeries.
Sap Tap Farms owners Chris Graffeo and Jenn Voorhees say, “We work directly with local farmers helping to provide them extra cash for their waste wool. It is our strong belief that wool has value. When we first started our sheep journey, Jenn was bothered by the amount of waste that we encountered and being told that wool had little to no value to farmers. It seemed more like a burden than anything else to them. Jenn started researching alternatives and there was an answer we could work toward: ‘wool pellets.’”
The wool pellets work in both wet and dry conditions and allow for strong root growth. The pellets are perfect for hanging baskets and containers on decks because of their water retention capabilities. Normally hanging baskets can be extremely dry during the summer, but these pellets will slowly release water to maintain healthy soil. Upstate Gardeners’ Journal’s editorial team is using the wool pellets in their personal gardens to test out the pellets’ abilities.
Graffeo and Voorhees are passionate about their community and connections with local farmers. They produce syrup, honey, and wool pellets on their farm and will soon be producing meats from their growing flock of sheep. Sap Tap Farms was able to save over 4,000 pounds of wool from local farmers just last year. They are continuing to offer alternatives to better sustain our environment. For more info visit saptapfarms.com.
BECBG CELEBRATES 125 YEARS
The historic Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens is observing 125 years of being on operation. Originally called the South Park Conservatory, its doors opened in 1900. Frederick Lord and William Burnham of Lord & Burnham Co. were hired as the designers of the botanical gardens and modeled the tri-domed building after the Crystal Palace in England. It is located within a park system that was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in the 1800s. Olmsted was also known for designing several renowned parks around New York and the US, including Central Park in New York City and Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester. Today the land is owned by Erie County and operated by the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens Society, Inc. Visitors to the gardens will experience an arboretum and rich outdoor gardens across twelve magnificent acres. The gardens are open year-round and host workshops and special events to share the beauty of the conservatory. Admission is $18 for adults, $9.50 for kids 3–12, and botanical gardens members get in free. For more info visit buffalogardens.com/plan-your-visit.
CCE DAY OF CARING A SUCCESS
On May 15, the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County (CCE Monroe) participated in the 2025 Day of Caring. This is an annual event that gives local businesses and members of the community an opportunity to give back, hands-on. This project builds community and uplifts local businesses, schools, and community organizations in the Finger Lakes Region. CCE Monroe had more than forty volunteers from CareStream and Quidelortho join the project to accomplish weeks’ worth of tasks in just one day. These volunteers took on landscaping work from weeding to setting up the biochar (a sustainable soil enrichment tool) kiln. Volunteers primarily worked on the South Lawn Farm, preparing planting beds and helping maintain the land.
CCE Monroe provides educational opportunities and outreach projects, like the Day of Caring, to ensure that communities in Monroe County thrive. “We are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support and service shown by each and every volunteer,” says Andrea Lista, executive director of CCE Monroe. “It was inspiring to witness such commitment to strengthening our shared community spaces.”
Abby Chamot is a senior journalism major at James Madison University in Virginia.
This article originally appeared in the July/August 2025 issue of Upstate Gardeners’ Journal.
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