Greetings!
The Small Farms update summarizes announcements, resources, opportunities and upcoming events relevant to small farms. Please feel free to share this information in newsletters, email lists, etc. If you would like to submit an item for an upcoming issue, please visit our new online form. Subscribe here. Thank you again for your interest and support of small farms in New York.
Anu Rangarajan, Director, Cornell Small Farm Program
|
| Small Farms Program Highlights |
|
|
|
2 Day Tractor Training Intensive
Are you a farmer who is interested in scaling up farm production through investment in your first tractor or upgrading to a bigger piece of equipment? The Cornell Small Farms Program is hosting a two-day workshop for farmers in New York State with less than 10 years' experience on the basics of tractor operation, safety, and daily maintenance protocols. The workshop will be held Sunday, October 9th and Monday, October 10th at Blue Star Farm in Stuyvesant, NY. Learn more here or contact Matt Weiss at 607-255-9911 or [email protected].
|
Serving Beginning Farmers?
The Cornell Small Farms Program invites ag service providers to attend the annual meeting of the Beginning Farmer Learning Network (BFLN) on Nov. 10 in Hartford, CT. This year's theme is "Raising the Bar on Beginning Farmer Training" and is a pre-conference session at the Northeast Sustainable Ag Working Group's "It Takes a Region" conference. Early Bird Registration is open until Oct. 14. NESAWG is now offering FULL SCHOLARSHIPS (including travel funding) for youth under the age of 25 to attend the conference, as well as a limited number of partial scholarships.
|
|
 |
Basics of Permaculture Workshop
Join the Cornell Small Farms Program at a free workshop for veterans interested in homesteading and market gardening! This workshop to be held on October 22 will guide beginning homesteaders and gardeners through the basic principles of permaculture, the various plants that may work best and proper growing techniques. Participants will learn about site assessment and land preparation, choosing plants that work best for the land, mulching, low input minimum impact farming and more. To RSVP or with questions, contact Logan Yarbrough at [email protected] or 607-229-5355. Check out the Small Farms Program's event calendar for more details. |
Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Broome County Presents: ANNIE'S PROJECT - Risk Management for Farm Women
Do YOU want to increase your knowledge and professional skills in agricultural risk management through goal setting, networking among farm colleagues and industry professionals to meet goals, and discovering their personality type and how it affects working with others? Annie's Project is a business planning and risk management training focused on farm business planning, marketing, financial statements, record keeping, software training, agricultural production, employee relations, and estate planning. New in 2016 -- Spots will be reserved for women veterans who are interested in pursuing agriculture as a career. This will take place over 6 Thursdays starting on October 6th from 5:30-9pm at the CCE Broome County office. The cost is $50/person and includes all handouts and time to network with speakers and other participants. Each week we will host a potluck so please bring a dish to pass! The registration deadline is September 30th. Online registration can be accessed here. Questions can be directed to Laura Biasillo at 607-584-5007 or [email protected].
|
Grazing and Soil Health Workshop
September 21, 2016, 10am-3pm
Sheffer's Grassland Dairy, 74 Sheffer Road, Hoosick, NY
Please join us for a grazing and soil health workshop at Sheffer's Grassland Dairy. The workshop will feature the New York Grazing Coalition Pasture Soil Health Trailer. Fay Benson, the Small Dairy Extension Specialist with CCE South Central NY Dairy and Field Crops, will provide information on how prescribed grazing impacts pasture productivity, conservation, and soil health. The trailer contains a rainfall simulator, water infiltration demonstration equipment, a soil quality and water movement kit, and several other items. Aaron Gabriel, the Field Crops Educator with the CCE Capital Area Agriculture and Horticulture Program, will join us to speak about the biological, physical, and chemical aspects of soil health in a grazing system and will also lead the pasture walk. The cost to attend the workshop is $10/person which includes lunch. To register, please contact Tove Ford at 518-765-3518 or [email protected].
|
Continuing the Organic Tradition with the Second Generation
September 22, 2016, 1-4pm
The Hardy Farm, 718 Aney Hill Rd, Mohawk, NY 13407 The Hardy Farm in Mohawk, NY welcomes participants to learn more about running a diverse dairy operation that also includes hogs, poultry, and beef. Aaron and Sarah Hardy lead a tour of their new beef facilities and explain how to manage livestock organically. Aaron and Dave Hardy share their story of building a family business that supports a generational transfer, and how they have worked to create a shared management system focused on building knowledge and profitability. There will be an opportunity to learn more about NOFA-NY"s Beginning Farmer Project and the On-Farm Skills Development Guide. Registration is $15/person or $25 for two or more people/farm. Click here or call (585) 271-1979 to register.
|
Growing Distilling Grains
October 5, 2016, 6-8:30pm
Gerald J. Skoda Extension Education Center, 64 Ferndale-Loomis Road, Liberty, NY 12754
Justin O'Dea of Cornell Cooperative Extension Ulster County will discuss the latest research on best practices for growing distilling grains and share tips on using no-till methods on the farm. The group will review and discuss data derived from experiments on growing barley in Sullivan County. Participants will earn NYS DEC 2.0 pesticide credits in categories 1A, 10, and 21 as well as 1.0 credit in category 23. For more info or to register with Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County, the public can visit www.sullivancce.org/events.
|
 Livestock Conference to Focus on Meats November 11, 12:30-7:30pm, November 12, 8:15am-1:30pmRamada Inn, 6300 Arsenal St, Watertown, NY 13601
Cornell Cooperative Extension invites the public to the upcoming 2016 Northeast Livestock Conference - Making Links: Producers "Meat" Consumers. This will be the first conference of its kind in Northern New York and will be the start of developing a strong local protein market. This conference is for the public as well as farmers and meat producers. The two-day conference is a part of the Local Foods Promotion Program. The Livestock Conference is designed to improve the production, quality, and market for locally produced meats and will cover topics such as marketing, costs of production, product pricing, processing, and more. Come enjoy a locally sourced meal on Friday evening and listen to "Animal Welfare is not Rare It's Well Done!" by Jessica Ziehm, Executive Director of the NY Animal Agriculture Coalition. Click here to learn more or register, or contact Kaitlyn Lawrence at (315)-788-8450. Download registration brochure here.
|
MANY MORE EVENTS at our Statewide Events Calendar.
|
|
Career, Etc. Opportunities
|
|
Free Wholesale Market Consultations from FarmersWeb
For several years, the FarmersWeb (www.farmersweb.com) team has been helping farms all over the country work with wholesale buyers. They are offering a free wholesale consultation to any farm interested. Whether you're looking to do wholesale for the first time or have already started, these one on one consultations will offer best practices and pro tips for how to streamline your wholesale operations. From when to send out your availability list to how to manage buyers expectations, bring your questions and hear from the team on how farms across the country navigate the ins and outs of wholesale. E-mail [email protected] to schedule your free consultation which will take place by phone or web chat.
|
 GenerationNext Seeks Young Ag Leaders Looking to Develop Management Skills A successful manager is required to master many aspects of the farm business. To help the next generation develop the necessary business and financial skills, Farm Credit East is looking for young leaders interested in attending upcoming GenerationNext seminars. These seminars, focused on furthering management and business knowledge, will begin in November. Farm Credit East's GenerationNext helps young leaders identify areas for personal growth and development, improve business management skills and network with other young industry leaders. It is optimal for producers, ages 20 to 35, who will be the next generation operators of a farm business. Whether just entering into a management role or an experienced manager, participants will gain valuable insights from Farm Credit East farm business consultants and from their GenerationNext colleagues. Visit the Generation Next webpage for more information or read the press release. |
Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers Course Available Online
Would-be farmers can now learn about pasture-based production and business management without leaving home. The Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers (WSBDF), the first course of its kind, is now available online. The online course offers the same curriculum as the WSBDF pasture-based dairy and livestock seminar offered on-campus, and at distance learning sites. Online learning lets students enroll at any time and take the course from any location, at their own pace. Participants have access to live recordings of WSBDF lectures addressing a wide range of topics including business planning, farm selection and setup, parlor design, livestock health, organic production and principles, marketing, soil nutrient management, and much more. The full course outline is available here. While the course emphasizes dairy and beef production, goat and sheep production are also covered. For more information and course registration, visit wsbdf.wisc.edu. The course is available for groups and organizations; please contact Dick Cates at [email protected] or 608-265-6437 for details.
|
Southwind Farm Aquaponic and Hydroponic Equipment for Sale
Looking to join the fast growing field or add to an existing system? Used Aquaponic and Hydroponic equipment FOR SALE. Southwind Farm in Otego, NY. is selling its' entire system. The Aquaponic system was purchased through Cropking. The hydroponic system was added on to grow vegetables. Examples of merchandise include tanks for rearing fish, aquaponic trays, air hose assembly and air pump, heat lamps, outflow assembly and much more. A manual for the Aquaponic system is available. This is a great opportunity for those interested in a start up or even as a hobby. Call 607 783-2897 and ask for Kelli.
|
NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets - Farm to School
Farm to School is the promotion and use of foods produced by local farmers in meals served in cafeterias of K-12 schools. Associations between farms and schools through the cafeteria and classroom can enhance the quality of food served. With over 700 school districts in NYS, there is the opportunity to foster relationships with local farmers, food hubs, producers, processors, and distributors to benefit school-age children. Where increases in childhood obesity rates are presenting challenges to communities, a statewide Farm to School Implementation Grant Program may offer a solution to improve the nutritional quality of the meals consumed by students in schools through a competitive grant process that awards funding to select schools for farm to school projects. The farm to school projects are intended to improve the school's ability to procure and/or process New York-grown specialty crops which will not only improve school nutrition, but also increase children's exposure to and consumption of NYS fruit and vegetables which will ultimately increase awareness of and demand for NYS specialty crops. Applications are due October 5, 2016 at 4:30 PM EST. For more information about the program and to access the RFP, click here.
|
National Institute of Food and Agriculture - Small Business Innovation Research Program, Phase I
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) invites science-based small business firms to submit research applications.USDA will support high quality research or research and development applications containing advanced concepts related to important scientific problems and opportunities that could lead to significant public benefit. Objectives of this program include stimulating technological innovation in the private sector, strengthening the role of small businesses in meeting Federal research and development needs, increasing private sector commercialization of innovations derived from USDA-supported research and development efforts, and fostering and encouraging participation by women-owned and socially and economically disadvantaged small business firms in technological innovation. The phase I application deadline is October 6, 2016. Check out the RFP for more information.
|
Native Agriculture and Food Systems Scholarship Program
The purpose of this scholarship program is to encourage more Native American college students to enter ag-related fields so that they can better assist their communities with these efforts. In an attempt to increase the number of students entering these fields, First Nations will award ten $1,000 scholarships for the 2016-2017 academic school year to Native American college students majoring in agriculture and agriculture-related fields. Applicants must have at least a 3.0 GPA and must demonstrate a commitment to helping their communities reclaim local food-system control. Applications must be submitted by October 5, 2016. Visit the First Nations website to learn more and apply.
|
 GLEAM-i: the Global Livestock Environmental Assessment Model interactive If you are interested in reducing your carbon footprint, check out GLEAM-i, the Global Livestock Environmental Assessment Model interactive. This new and interactive tool released by FAO allows farmers, policy makers and scientists to calculate meat, milk and eggs production as well as greenhouse-gas emissions from livestock to make the sector more productive and more climate-friendly. Learn more about this resource by visiting fao.org. |
NSAC's Special Reports
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) has released its first two "Special Reports" on the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) new food safety rules for produce farms and food processors under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). NSAC's new Special Reports feature will be an opportunity for readers to obtain in-depth and comprehensive coverage of salient sustainable agriculture issues and programs. Click here for more information about NSAC's Special Reports, or check out the two recently released Special Reports: "Understanding FDA's FSMA Rule for Produce Farms" and "Understanding FDA's FSMA Rule for Food Facilities".
|
 Organic as a Tool to Combat Antibiotic Resistance and Protect Public Health The Organic Center has released a new report, reviewing almost 100 studies, that demonstrates that the best choice consumers can make to combat antibiotic resistance and protect themselves from antibiotic-resistant bacteria is to choose organic. This review paper takes an in-depth look at everything from mechanisms by which resistance develops in bacteria and the role that modern day agricultural practices play in exacerbating the problem, to how organic agriculture provides a simple and effective means to combat the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and to protect the health of consumers. Access the report here. |
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.
|
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. We envision a future where diverse and vibrant urban and rural farms build human capacity, revitalize communities, supply regional food systems, and foster ecological resilience in a changing world. The Cornell Small Farm Program is a joint effort of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Cornell Cooperative Extension.
|
|
