ITHACA, NY -- Chickpea plants are putting their roots down in Central New York, and successful harvests would pack not only a nutritional, but also an economic punch in the Ithaca area and beyond. A partnership between Schuyler County, Cornell, Ithaca Hummus, and other groups launched the chickpea-growing initiative last year. Before actually placing chickpeas in the local New York soil, the seeds of the ongoing partnership were planted to help Antithesis Foods â the Ithaca-based maker of Grabanzos â simplify its supply chain and cut costs.  The Schuyler County Partnership for Economic Development organizes and manages the chickpea-growing project for Antithesis Foods. The Partnership is a collaboration between public and private sectors to both spur the growth of and offer continued support to various âclustersâ of businesses across the county.Â