Established by the private sector, Schoharie Economic Enterprise Corporation, commonly known as “SEEC,” was organized as a not-for-profit to strengthen Schoharie County by fostering economic growth. SEEC serves as a liaison to local municipalities and institutional leaders with the common goal of highlighting distinctive points of light within the community, cultivating entrepreneurial endeavors and enhancing the ability of local businesses to add value to their enterprises. SEEC is guided by social, environmental and financial principles that will accelerate growth and help provide sustainability through a collaborative and thriving business community.
Nestled in picturesque upstate New York, Schoharie County is located about 30 miles west of the Empire State’s capital of Albany and just 150 miles north of New York City.
Schoharie County is an agricultural-based rural community in Central New York with just over 30,000 residents, spread out over 16 towns and six separate villages (Cobleskill, Esperance, Middleburgh, Schoharie, Sharon Springs, and Richmondville), featuring pedestrian-friendly, walkable historic downtown areas, flanked by retail stores and restaurants.
The county overlaps with three unique regional economies: the Albany/Capital District area to the east, the Mohawk Valley Region to the west, and the Catskills/Appalachian region to the south.
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Owner and certified floral designer of Cross Hill Heirlooms, Jenna Malette, specializes in creating custom floral designs for all occasions.
No stranger to the industry, Jenna began her career as a landscaper and spent years in floral design before becoming certified in October of 2019.
Growing up in Cobleskill, Jenna was surrounded by the natural beauty of the Schoharie Valley, which helped foster her passion for growing cut flowers. This setting also provided the inspiration for what would later become Cross Hill Heirlooms.
Many of Jenna’s homegrown flowers are featured in her arrangements. Having the ability to cultivate her own blooms, has provided Jenna with an opportunity to custom plant some really unique varieties for clients such as strawflower and annual phlox.
Needless to say, there’s always something blooming at Cross Hill Heirlooms!
Jenna can be reached by phone at 518.369.1414 or via email at crosshillheirlooms@yahoo.com. Be sure to visit Jenna’s new website – https://www.crosshillheirlooms.com/. Her new shop is located on France Lane in Cobleskill. Shop hours are Wednesday and Thursday from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM and Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Jenna is available for private consultations and phone orders anytime.
Named the “Kosher Distillery of the Year” by NY Spirit Competition 2020, Sauvage is a winery and farm distillery specializing in handcrafted, fruit-based, kosher wines and spirits which relocated to Schoharie County. Four new jobs and new distilling equipment are coming soon to boost production by yearend.
While most businesses were distracted by the pandemic this summer, Sauvage relocated its existing fermenting tanks, stills, automated bottling production line, packaging inventory and employees to Charlotteville establishing its expanded processing facility in Town of Summit. Sauvage was previously operating in Otsego County but outgrew its manufacturing space.
“We’re pleased the building will continue to be producing quality spirits and creating new jobs for area residents,” commented Supervisor Vroman, Town of Summit. “Sauvage has planned significant investment in our community.”
One such investment happened in April. Sauvage, in collaboration with former Kymar Farm Distillery, produced hand sanitizer in Charlotteville, and supplied it at no cost to local communities and organizations.
Five years ago, Sauvage started in a 4,000 square foot facility in Oneonta, NY. In 2020 to enable the business expansion, Sauvage acquired the 22,000 square feet distillery from Kymar Farms along with 20 acres of farmland in Charlotteville, NY. The Town of Summit and SEEC recently partnered to support Sauvage’s expansion by working together to secure and administer a NYS CDBG Small Business Assistance grant. The funds will go towards new jobs and acquiring new equipment that will significantly increase production. The scale-up project investment totals more than $255,000. A $100,000 grant was awarded in September.
The grant award was not the only good news Sauvage received this year.
“Our specialty at Sauvage is to bring innovative, quality, and unique alcoholic beverages to the market,” enthused Sauvage Beverages LLC head distiller, Ken Wortz. “We will soon install one of the largest still available in New York State so we may process more of our award winning products in the Town of Summit”.
Sauvage Beverages entered numerous tasting events winning accolades across the county in different spirit competitions. In August, Sauvage earned a Gold Medal in the San Francisco Spirit Competition, one of the largest in the country. Sauvage also earned three highest awards at Spirit International Prestige competition in the vodka category and won a Platinum Medal at the SIP Awards, and earned the Consumer Choice award.
For more information about Sauvage, visit www.drinksauvage.com or follow on Twitter and Instagram @drinksauvage.
On Thursday, November 12, 2020, SEEC, along with its SchoCo Promise Alliance partners, launched the second in a series of COVID-19 related Recovery Roundtable discussions. Entitled, Access to Capital, the Roundtable featured presentations from various financial experts. If you were unable to attend the discussion, the links to speaker presentations are listed below. Please click…
by Patsy Nicosia November 4, 2020 SEEC and its partners are hoping an online Business Recovery Roundtable next Thursday will give businesses, nonfor-profits, and even local government the resources and inspiration they need to push ahead into COVID 2021. Registration for the free Zoom event, set for Thursday, November 12, at 8am, is now open…
SEEC will be going back to its roots with a Recovery Roundtable over Zoom on Thursday, November 12, at 8am. The line-up of panelists will speak to small businesses, not-for-profits, and local government leaders looking for resources to help them negotiate the next budget season. Registration will be through the Schoharie County Chamber of Commerce…
The Schoharie County Eagle Trail took flight on Saturday, at the Franklinton Vlaie, where Town of Broome Supervisor Steve Weinhofer was on hand to welcome birding visitors and guests. The Eagle Trail project was introduced by SEEC founding member Steve Harris, Sterling Insurance, and SEEC student associate Jason Brizzee, a junior at SUNY Binghamton, above…
By Patsy Nicosia October 14, 2020 When SEEC inaugurates the Schoharie County Eagle Trail Saturday, it will be a chance not only for lovers of the national symbols to get first-hand advice on where and how to spot them, but maybe help grow the local economy a little as well. At 2pm Saturday at the…
Times Journal – October 14, 2020 SEEC is still accepting business applications for the Resiliency Fund program that awards local money to local businesses. Established companies may request a zero percent interest loan of $5,000, of which half may be forgiven as a grant or, as nearly two dozen businesses have elected, apply for a…
