Don’t miss the gorgeous farms, pastures, and big barns of Allegany County!
From Tim Bigham, Regional County Manager, New York Farm Bureau;
And Laura Hunsberger, Executive Director, Cornell Cooperative Extension Allegany County
Photo from Craig Braack
If you were trying to “sell” the joy of Allegany County, you’d likely appeal to all the senses — but sight would surely top the list. Allegany County is a feast for the eyes: rich in varied topography, open spaces mingled with forested hills, scattered homesteads, working farms, and charming small businesses. It’s the kind of place where you might see a hot air balloon from the Wellsville Balloon Rally drift gently down into a field dotted with freshly baled hay, grazing sheep, and a weathered, brick-red barn in the background. It’s the kind of beauty that seems effortless — and yet, it’s our farms that make everything about Allegany County even better.
Without someone pointing out the picturesque backdrop our farms and barns create, it’s easy to take them for granted. That’s where the idea of “pointing a finger” comes in — gently directing attention to the beauty all around us.
Coming up soon is the Allegany Artisans Studio Tour, October 17th to the 19th. This is a great time to not only visit Allegany County’s artists and craftsmen, but while traveling around the county to take in the many scenic barns that can be found. Some of these barns are featured and listed on the map in this year’s studio tour booklet. If you do plan to enjoy driving past these agricultural icons, please drive safely and respect private property.
For instance, while visiting painting and pottery studios in the north part of the county, one can take a side detour to Sand Hill Road in Rushford to view a barn built in 1910, interesting due to its conglomeration of buildings added to the original structure.
On Route 19 between Belfast and Belmont, after visiting pottery, wood and resin turning studios, drivers will pass a stunningly red barn with three distinctive barn vents.
Along Route 244, while leaving Belmont and heading towards Alfred for a cornucopia of artisan shops specializing in jewelry, paper crafts, textiles, woodcarving, pottery, and timber framing is the first organic, robotic dairy in the U.S.A. Willow Creek Farm. It is distinctively recognized this time of year by the abundance of ‘giant marshmallows’ stacked outside to provide food for the dairy cows through the winter.
While traveling to Cuba on the way to blown glass and art studios, drivers may pass the wonderfully, historic McKinney Stables “Block Barn” with its immense terra-cotta roof. It can be seen on Route 305 south of Cuba.
In the southern portion of the county, where photography, ceramic, candle and wax sculpture studios are located, is your typical country hay barn. It can be found off County Route 22 by taking Crandall Road and going right on Frank Nye Road.
Recognizing that those who appreciate art are often the first to notice such beauty, a new partnership was born between the Allegany Artisan Studio Tour and local agricultural leaders. Tim Bigham, County Manager for the New York Farm Bureau (serving Allegany among six counties), and Laura Hunsberger, Executive Director of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Allegany County — and an artisan on the tour herself — teamed up to highlight this vital aspect of our community. Together, they submitted a tribute to county barns for the 2025 Allegany Artisan Tour Guide.
Inspired by local advocates like retired County Historian Craig Braack, Tim and Laura hope their contribution helps continue a proud tradition: reminding residents and visitors alike that so much of what is good in Allegany County comes from the rich agricultural tapestry woven through its hills and valleys.
If you enjoy beauty and appreciate art but haven’t yet paused to appreciate the county’s barns and farms, we invite you to do so. It costs nothing, takes no effort — only your attention. And once you start seeing the synergy between our artisans and the environment they work in, you’ll understand what makes Allegany County truly special.
To find a map of the studios and the barns that are passed along the way, visit www.alleganyartisans.com.
You can also follow Allegany Artisans on Facebook at www.facebook.com/alleganyartisans or contact them at alleganyartisans@yahoo.com.
