The Small Farms update summarizes announcements, information resources, opportunities and upcoming events relevant to small farms. Please feel free to share this information in newsletters, email lists, etc. If you have announcements or resources you would like to include, please send us an email. Subscribe here.
Thank you again for your interest and support of small farms in New York.
Anu Rangarajan Director, Cornell Small Farm Program
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 Silver Queen Farm: Growing Commercial Raspberries and Strawberries
The season for strawberries and raspberries is quickly approaching! Learn how to grow your own with this instructional video series from Silver Queen Farm in Trumansburg, NY. Watch the videos here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEC5A192AE140E7A2
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 NOFA-NY Certified Organic Grass-Fed Certification! NOFA-NY Certified Organic, has announced the development of their new "NOFA-NY 100% Grass Fed" Program to better serve your certification needs. This program is open to all ruminant livestock operations that are currently certified organic by NOFA-NY. Please see the Grass Fed Certification Manual found here for specific requirements. Contact the certification office at 607-724-9851 or [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns regarding this new certification program. |
Loan Forgiveness For Young Farmers Proposed
The Young Farmer Success Act was introduced into Congress on June 1st, 2015. Under this act, farming as a career would be added to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, an existing program that currently includes professions such as government service, teaching, and nursing. This would serve as an incentive for young people to pursue farming as a career, thus working to ameliorate the current American crisis that not enough people are becoming new farmers. Learn more at youngfarmers.org.
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 EPA Proposes Pesticide Restrictions to Protect Bees The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed to adopt mandatory pesticide label restrictions to protect bees from toxic pesticides. These would prohibit bloom-time foliar application of pesticides acutely toxic to bees when managed bees are known to be present. the EPA will accept comments on the proposed rule until June 29, 2015. In addition, the EPA is seeking comment on a proposal to rely on efforts made by states and tribes to reduce pesticide exposures through development of locally based measures, specifically through managed-pollinator protection plans. Read the full document here. |
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NOFA-NY Field Day: Productive Urban Plots
June 17, 5pm - 7:30pm. La Finca del Sur, E. 138th St. and Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY
What's stopping you from having a successful farm in the city? Starting from the soil, and through deciding on a marketing strategy, there's help and advice for you at this field day and gathering in the Bronx. Need some solid information to improve the soil health and productivity in your urban farm or garden? Want to set up some sales from your productive plot? Make connections and walk away with ideas for your productive urban plot that you can put in place this summer and fall! To pre-register and pay, visit http://www.cvent.com/d/wrqx5l or call Stephanie at 585-271-1979 ext. 509. Pre-registration is encouraged and closes at 4pm on 6/14/15.
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Celebrate National Dairy Month: Come Travel the Milky Way!
June 21, 12pm-5pm. Delaware and Schoharie Counties.
Celebrate National Dairy Month with the Catskills Family Creameries. The third annual Come Travel the Milky Way Tour is a self-guided, one-day tour of farmstead creameries in the Catskills region. The six collaborating farms located throughout Delaware and Schoharie Counties are opening their gates and creameries, inviting the public to meet the cows and goats that produce milk, and demonstrating how butter, yogurt, cheese, milk and kefir are made! For more information and locations of participating farms, visit www.catskillsfamilycreameries.com.
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Managing Pests in the New World of Alfalfa Traits
June 23, 1pm-3pm. O. A. Borden Farm, 2841 Valley Falls Rd., Easton, NY
A free field meeting about how alfalfa traits affect integrated pest management is being offered by Cornell University Cooperative Extension. Topics include: Potato Leafhopper Resistant, RoundUp Ready, Hybrid, Low-lignin, Branch-Rooted, Rhizomatous, and Sunken Crown alfalfa. Please RSVP online at https://reg.cce.cornell.edu/newworldalf_201 or to Tove Foss Ford, 518-765-3518, [email protected]. Please direct questions to Aaron Gabriel, Capital Area Agriculture & Horticulture Program, 518-380-1496, [email protected].
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Poultry Farming Class for Beginners
June 25, 5:30pm-8pm. 64 Ferndale Loomis Rd #1, Liberty, NY
Michelle Lipari, CCESC agriculture and 4-H community educator will present this opportunity for anyone looking to learn more about the basics of poultry farming. Topics to be discussed include breed selection, egg hatching, raising chicks and adult birds, feed and nutrition, equipment, healthcare, and the regulations for selling eggs and meat. Space is limited and pre-registration is required in advance. Registration and more information can be obtained by calling CCESC at 845-292-6180 or emailing [email protected]. For more upcoming events held by CCESC, visit their website: http://sullivancce.org/events.
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3rd Annual Small Grains Field Day
July 2, 10am-2:30pm. Hudson Valley Farm Hub, U.S. Rt. 209, Kingston, NY
Join Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County for their 3rd annual Hudson Valley Small Grain Field Day. The day will include grain variety plot viewings of spring and winter wheat, barley and rye, along with selections of oats, emmer, rye, and spelt varieties. Cornell will offer multiple talks on small grains growing, and participants will enjoy a catered lunch and multiple networking opportunities. Learn about:
- Small grain research collaboration and initiatives beginning at the Hudson Valley Farm Hub.
- Cornell small grain variety criteria and selections for Hudson Valley growers with Cornell's Dr. Mark Sorrells.
- Diseases and insect pests of small grains and integrated pest management practices with Cornell's Dr. Gary Bergstrom and Ken Wise of the Cornell NYS IPM Program.
- Crop rotation considerations for small grains production with Cornell's Brian Caldwell, and Justin O'Dea of CCE Ulster County.
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June/July Workshops at Stone Barns
Every Wednesday, 2pm-5pm. Stone Barns Center for Agriculture, 630 Bedford Road, Pocantico Hills, NYRegistration for June/July beginning farmer workshops is OPEN! The Growing Farmers Initiative at the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture holds educational workshops every Wednesday for beginning farmers. Workshops are free and open to the public. Visit here to see the complete list of events. To register, contact Laurie at [email protected].
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MANY MORE EVENTS at our Statewide Events Calendar.
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Career, Etc. Opportunities
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Historic Family Farm for Sale, Cortland County, NY
Unique opportunity to purchase a historic 5 BR farmhouse on 75 acres of fields, pastures and woods in the beautiful rural farming community of Freetown, NY. The farm has remained in the same family for 140 years. Land offers 360 degrees of spectacular rural views and is a short walk away from Hoxie Gorge State Forest and within driving distance of many other State Parks. Neighborhood consists of active small farms, including Northland Sheep Dairy, a grass-fed artisanal cheese operation, and many Amish owned farms. The house, originally built in 1880, features 1,728 SQ. FT of living space and includes two full bathrooms, a fireplace and woodstove. Furnace, well, siding, roof, windows and foundation have been replaced or updated in recent years. The land is currently not under a natural gas lease and the family hopes to sell to ecologically minded stewards who will continue to protect and care for the land by using organic or sustainable farming or gardening practices, as has been done for 140 years. Asking price is $160,000. Wonderful opportunity to purchase a reasonably priced farm just 30 miles from Ithaca markets and the Groundswell Center for Local Food and Farming. For more information and photos, contact family member Violet Stone at 607-339-5014 or email [email protected].
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Last Call for Aspiring Farming Entrepreneurs!
The Hudson Valley Farm Business Incubator, a partnership with the Open Space Institute (OSI), provides the tools and resources aspiring agricultural entrepreneurs need to develop and manage viable farm enterprises in the Hudson Valley. The Incubator reduces the traditional barriers to success for new farm businesses by providing access to land, housing, shared equipment, infrastructure, low-interest capital, business mentoring and training in advanced practical skills. The deadline to apply for participation in the program is Tuesday, June 30. Interested parties must submit an application form and a detailed business proposal. For more information, please visit Glynwood's website or contact [email protected].
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Scholarship for Students Studying Agriculture: Deadline Extended
The education foundation of the New England Farmers Union is offering a $500 scholarship to a student who will study agriculture at a 2-year or 4-year accredited institution this fall. The scholarship enables Farmers Union to develop the next generation of farmer leaders who will succeed in agriculture and advocate for family farmers. Information about the scholarship, including the application, which is due June 30, 2015, is at www.newenglandfarmersunion.org/scholarship. The winner will be announced July 31.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now accepting applications to provide technical assistance to socially-disadvantaged groups in rural areas. USDA plans to make up to $3 million in grants available, with a maximum award of $175,000. Eligible applicants include groups of cooperatives, cooperative development centers, and cooperatives that serve socially-disadvantaged groups. For more information and how to apply, visit USDA's website. Applications submitted by mail must be postmarked by July 20, 2015. Electronic applications must be submitted no later than midnight Eastern Time July 14, 2015.
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Agriculture Risk Management Education Partnerships (ARME) Competitive Grants Program
The USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is offering grants to to provide U.S. agricultural producers and their families, as appropriate, with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to make informed risk management decisions that enhance profitability of their operations. For more information and to see if you are eligible, visit NIFA's website. Applications are due July 6th, 2015.
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 New Book on the Ecology of Field Crop Agriculture
The Kellogg Biological Station Long-term Ecological Research (KBS LTER) program has published a volume synthesizing two decades of research on the ecol ogy of Midwest field crops with an eye towards understanding the fundamental processes that provide agricultural and environmental benefits in addition to yield. The volume includes contributions from over 30 authors from Michigan State University and elsewhere. For more information, including PDFs of the book chapters and color slides of figures available for download, visit KBS LTER's website.
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Farmers Markets Near You: A USDA Tool
A new online search tool from the USDA allows you to find your local farmers market with even more ease. The searchable farmers market directory, complete with an interactive map, lets users filter through farmers markets by zip code, types of payment accepted, and even the products sold at the market. For more information, check out the press release here, or visit the Farmers Markets Directory Search.
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Need personal help?
Sometimes local questions are best answered by your neighborhood Cornell Cooperative Extension agent. Check out our county-by-county listing of small farm agents here. You can also get to know our Cornell Small Farms Program staff, or contact us. Just starting to farm? We have an extensive directory of beginning farmer service providers across the Northeast in the "Who Can Help?" section of our Northeast Beginning Farmers Project website.
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The Small Farms Update is intended as a resource for farmers and agricultural service providers in New York and the Northeast, and is provided to you by Cornell Small Farms Program. Our mission is to foster the sustainability of diverse, thriving small farms that contribute to food security, healthy rural communities, and the environment. The Cornell Small Farm Program is a joint effort of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Cornell Cooperative Extension.
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