POMPEY, N.Y. (NCC News) — Heritage Hill invited the public to come out and celebrate summer on the farm. The event venue hosted a chicken barbeque, live music, a hot air balloon ride and its animals for petting.
The first time Heritage Hill provided a sunset hot air balloon ride was in October on its anniversary several years ago.
“It worked and people just loved it,” Dan Palladino, co-owner of Heritage Hill, said. “Then we had somebody that took off from a hot balloon from here.”
The farm is now 179 years old and has changed over the years. The space is expecting to roll out small events more often, rather than a couple big ones every year. Dan Palladino described what he hoped the day would bring for the family-oriented business.
“For people to come up and bring their kids. You can see the kids on the playground, and visiting the animals, and the adults can enjoy a beverage and enjoy the day,” Dan Palladino said. “This is what Central New York is about.”
As each event consists of planning, food was not left off the table. Nick Palladino, Dan’s brother, said he prepped the Cornell-style chicken a day or two beforehand. The recipe comes from Cornell University.
While the chicken sat in a marinade, Nick Palladino created another batch of it but as a brine. He made them separate as the brine is fresher and won’t have remnants. For events like these, as they cook in bulk, the brine is quadrupled as well.
Nick Palladino said getting ready for a festivity like this takes a lot of planning.
“It’s a good feeling,” said Nick Palladino. “I hope the public realizes the work that’s involved and the time and effort. We’ll do our best to make it comfortable.”
TJ Jones, an occasional visitor, is familiar with Heritage Hill, even though he’s not from the area.
“This is our third year, now, coming here,” Jones said. “So we’re from out of town but we visit family. Every time we come here, we come to Heritage Hill Brewery.”
This rural-life experience is one you can uniquely get from Heritage Hill, whether you’re local or from elsewhere.
“I just love the fact that, for the first time, some people can come here and have their first taste of a farm,” Dan Palladino said. “And appreciate it. You know they can see the tractors out in the field, the cows, and the goats and appreciate what all goes on a farm.”
Nick Palladino agreed, saying that they cater to events during all parts of life.
“It is special. We get a lot of thank yous and appreciation from a lot of people for having this open and having the animals available and facility for special events.”
Heritage Hill was awarded New York Farm Beer of the Year in 2024 and is also a part of the local campaign “Onondaga Grown.”
“I think it just fits so well into what we want to just put a stake in the ground and say this is what you’re gonna experience at Heritage Hill,” said Dan Palladino. “You’re going to get a taste of the farm. We’re about ON Farm Fest, we’re about Onondaga Grown. We just won New York Farm Beer of the Year this year, and that was just an amazing honor. So, it just all folds into that concept of we’re a local farm raising our products here and want the public come here and appreciate what it is. That’s what we are first, and foremost, is a farm.”
