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November 4th, 2015
Greetings!

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
Featured Resource 
Cornell Forestry Extension
Most small farms include a woodlot that has environmental, recreational, and economic benefits. The Cornell Forestry Extension Program has many valuable resources for small farm operators who want to capitalize on the benefits of these woodlots. With the aim of connecting forest users to the knowledge and resources needed to ensure sustainable production and ecological function on private forest lands, Cornell Department of Natural Resources maintains a website with publications, information about workshops, and more. Check it out!
Announcements
Cornell University Local Food and Fiber Fair
Come one and all! Cornell University's Mann Library will be hosting its 6th annual Local Food & Fiber Fair Thursday, November 19th, from 2-5pm. Stop by the lobby and enjoy a festive open market offering local produce, hands-on demonstrations, music, food and fiber. The fair is free and open to the public. For more information on this year's fair and those from the past, visit localfair.mannlib.cornell.edu
Corning Meat Locker
The newest meat locker in NYS opened in Steuben County in late September. This locker in Corning is part of the Finger Lakes Meat Project, launched by Cornell Cooperative Extension. The Corning Meat Locker offers a 25 gallon bin for $8 a month, or an 18 gallon bin for $5 a month. Visit fingerlakesmeatproject.com for more information about this new locker, as well as the Ithaca Meat Locker.
Events
Hops 101 Workshop
November 5, 6-8pm. CCE Broome County, 840 Front Street, Binghamton, New York 13905
Participants in this Hops 101 workshop will learn the basics of soil fertility, cover crops, and the needs of growing hops from presenters Janice Degni, South Central NY Field Crop Specialist, and Steve Miller, New York State Hops Specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County. For more information or to register please call Carol at 607-772-8953. Registration is required. The cost of the workshop is $10 per person.
Cover Crop and Soil Health Workshop and Tour
November 6, 9:30am-3:30pm. Big Flats Municipal Campus/Community Bldg, 476 Maple St., Big Flats, NY
Join the USDA for their annual cover crop workshop featuring speakers from Penn. State University, Cornell University and University of Vermont. Guest Speaker Lucas Criswell is a board member of PA No-till Alliance with 20 years of  no-tilling experience, and he now farms up to 1500 acres with 100% cover crop coverage. Tour cover crop demonstrations at the Big Flats Plant Materials Center to see multiple species, mixes and establishment techniques. Visit the event webpage to register. 
Dream funding for dream farms: Kiva's interest-free microloans for NY Farmers
November 10, 2pm-3pm. Free webinar.
Attend this online webinar to learn how your farm program can help the amazing farmers you work with access capital on Kiva Zip! Erica Frenay of the Cornell Small Farms Program will host this webinar with Katherine Lynch and Lauryn Drainie of Kiva Zip in NYC. 
Kiva Zip, part of the international nonprofit, Kiva.org, offers 0% interest loans of up to $10,000.00 for small businesses, entrepreneurs and farmers in the United States. Their mission is to re-insert relationships into our financial system. Kiva's big innovation is the concept of "social underwriting." Rather than evaluating a loan application based on credit score or collateral; they evaluate a borrower's character and network of trust to determine creditworthiness. Loans are crowd-funded on Kiva Zip's online platform by individuals around the world who invest as little as $25 each. With access to global a network of tens of thousands of lenders, Kiva Zip borrowers have a funding success rate of 95%! Lenders come to Kiva Zip because they want to support socially impactful businesses. It's not surprising that some of the most popular Kiva Zip loans have been for small farms, as dozens of happy, fully-funded farmers have already discovered! Register here.
2015 Raw Milk Workshop 
November 13 & 14. 
SUNY Cobleskill, in cooperation with New York Ag & Markets and Cornell QMPS, is pleased to announce the Raw Milk Workshop, to be held on November 13 & 14, 2015.  This is the first time in New York State that an educational producer workshop has been offered about raw milk production.  Attendees of this workshop will be learn the pros and cons of producing and selling raw milk to the NYS consumer. Day One of the workshop boasts experienced and knowledgeable speakers in topics that include NYS raw milk regulations, quality milk production, raw milk production experience, on-farm milk testing, liability risks, insurance for producers, zoonotic diseases and so much more. Day Two offers attendees an opportunity to visit two raw milk dairies in eastern New York, recognized for their quality production. For more detailed information, check out the informational brochure. If you have any questions, call (518) 255-5528. Registration deadline is November 2.
MANY MORE EVENTS at our Statewide Events Calendar.
Career, Etc. Opportunities
Program Assistant, Cornell Institute for Climate Change and Agriculture (CICCA)
This position provides a wide variety of programmatic, outreach, financial and organizational assistance to the Cornell Institute for Climate Change and Agriculture (CICCA), through the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS), with full support of a range of project and grant-related duties and activities. Specifically, the incumbent will be providing a full range of specific program, outreach, and project-related administrative coordination for the CICCA Executive Director and Director, student workers and staff, and Cornell Cooperative Extension climate smart farming extension team. Furthermore, the incumbent will also help CICCA Directors and staff draft and edit climate change related materials; provide primary support and coordination for the Climate Smart Farming Program; help develop and maintain evaluation plans for programs to review effectiveness; and assist faculty with grant applications and reporting. For more information and to apply, visit https://cornellu.taleo.net/careersection/10168/jobdetail.ftl?job=29889&lang=en.
Upcoming Webinars for New and Beginning Farmers
Farm Credit East, along with more than 20 supporting organizations, is going to be holding a three-part webinar series, geared towards beginning and start-up farmers entitled "Harvesting a Profit". The series will tackle basic financial concepts of starting or running a small to mid-sized farm. It has been scheduled in three sessions in November: 6, 20, and 30, from noon - 1pm on each date. The webinars are free and open to anyone with an interest in farming. To register, visit FarmCreditEast.com/webinars.
ProFarmer Training Program
Hudson Valley Farm Hub is pleased to announce that they are now accepting applications for the Farm Hub's Professional Farmer Training (ProFarmer) Program. ProFarmer is a multi-year, residential training program for those with farming experience who aspire to obtain farm management positions or to own and operate their own farm enterprises in the Hudson Valley. This full-time, year-round program presents a unique opportunity for farmers to work in a robust learning environment under the mentorship of the Farm Hub's management team.  Through both classroom education and on-the-job training, trainees will gain high quality technical skills, knowledge of the Hudson Valley food system, leadership and communication skills, business expertise, and deep experience with ecologically regenerative farming practices. Applications must be received no later than November 30, 2015. For the complete program description and application materials, visit hvfarmhub.org/farmer-training.
Grower Wanted - Croton on Hudson
Are you an experienced grower, or well on your way to being one? Our Farm supplies organically grown produce exclusively to our restaurant located in NYC and the farm is 30 miles north in Croton on Hudson. We practice low impact, intensive growing principles on 1+ acre. We also have 2 heated greenhouses on site for winter production. We are looking for someone who: has experience growing organicallylikes a challengeand likes to learn. Compensation package includes; housing in a great part of NYC above our restaurant, transportation to and from farm, great work environment, weekly stipendPosition open starting February 2016. Contact Michael at michaelforte@live.com
Funding Opportunities
Community Food Projects (CFP) Competitive Grants Program
NIFA's Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program is accepting applications for three kinds of grants: (1) Community Food Projects; (2) Planning Projects; and (3) Training and Technical Assistance Projects. This U.S. Department of Agriculture program seeks to encourage healthy eating and physical activity at the individual and community levels, focusing on high-risk groups, and promotes healthy diet and physical activity behaviors.
Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Grant Program
This U.S. Department of Agriculture program seeks to support projects that increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables among low-income consumers participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by providing incentives at the point of purchase. Grantees will be expected to conduct a project assessment and to cooperate with and contribute to an independent evaluation to determine the relative effectiveness of the grant program in achieving the legislative goals of "increasing fruit and vegetable purchases" and "improving the nutrition and health status" of participating households. For more information, view the 2016 Request for Applications. Applications are due December 16th, 2015.
The New York State New Farmers Grant Fund
New York State has allocated $1 million in the 2015-2016 state budget for the second round of the New York State New Farmers Grant Fund. Its purpose is to provide grants to support beginning farmers who have chosen farming as a career and who materially and substantially participate in the production of an agricultural product on their farm. These grants will help farmers improve profitability resulting in the growth of agribusiness and the concomitant tax revenues within the state. The deadline for applications is January 22, 2016. Click here for both the application and guidelines.
Latest Resources
periodiCALS: Research Fuels Resilience, the Fall 2015 Issue
Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is leading the way toward a resilient future-rooted in today's research. In this issue ofperiodiCALS, you'll meet life sciences faculty who are exploring algae, willow and switchgrass crops designed to move us toward more sustainable bioenergy systems as well as social scientists who are harnessing communication, psychology, economics, and public policy to find new and inventive ways to give public health a big boost. You can also journey underground for a glimpse of subterranean science or travel with trailblazing students in new study abroad programs in Latin America. View periodiCALS online.
Minnesota Department of Agriculture's Greenbook
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has published the 2015 Greenbook, featuring 19 stories about sustainable agriculture research and demonstration projects taking place on crop, livestock, fruit, and vegetable farms. The annual publication highlights projects funded by the state's Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant program. Whether you're more interested in the farmers' stories, the hard data, or simply want to read about new ideas, you'll find Greenbook 2015 a great resource. Find the present and past Greenbooks online here.
Get Connected!
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.
About
SFP Small Farms Program Logo
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.