October 24th, 2009. 2009 Cornell Sheep and Goat Symposium. Morrison Hall on the Cornell University campus in Ithaca, NY. Workshops on Small Ruminant Nutrition, Pasturing, Kidding/Lambing, Health issues, and more! For the complete program and registration information, visit: http://www.sheep.cornell.edu/calendar/sgsymposium/program.html
November 12-14. Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium. Marriott Hotel, Albany, NY.
Some topics and speakers include: Getting Started in Sheep Dairying, Cheesemaking with Sheep Milk, Challenges in Cheese Plant Design, Intake on Pasture, Effects of Prepubertal Lamb Nutrition on Milk Production, Genetic Markers for Milk Production, and Sheep Nutrition and Fermentable Fiber. For more details or to register, see: http://www.dsana.org/symposia.html.
Starts October 16th. Beginning Farmer Online Course. Cornell Cooperative Extension and the NY Beginning Farmer Project have created two basic online courses to help you think through the major factors related to farm start-up. Join experienced CCE educators and 29 of your new farmer peers in a dynamic learning experience that incorporates both self-paced readings and real-time virtual meetings with discussion forums, presentations by successful farmers, homework activities, and developing a customized plan for your next steps in farming. For more information, see: http://www.nybeginningfarmers.org/index.php?page=onlinecourse.
Starts October 17th. Hudson Valley Farm Beginnings (c) Course. Ghent, NY. Nine bi-monthly classroom sessions include on-farm goal setting, strategic and business planning, marketing, and financial management, for those interested in developing or expanding farming enterprises. Hudson Valley Farm Beginnings is farmer-led and farmer-taught so participants will gain access to many local and regional farmer-mentor colleagues during the classroom sessions and during four additional field days at local, sustainably managed farms. After completing a fully articulated and written business plan, participants will be able to have the plan reviewed by a farmer-mentor of their choosing. Includes 9 class sessions, 4 farm tours, and a 2-hour mentoring session. Cost: $1200 for full 9 month program. To register, email Rachel Schneider at rachel@hawthornevalleyfarm.org or call 518-672-7500 x105.
October 31, 2009. Beginning Goat Feeding Teleconference. Starting at 10am with links to Canton, Watertown, Plattsburgh, Mexico and Oriskany. Small Livestock Educator Betsy Hodge of CCE –St. Lawrence Country will host and telecast a meeting that will provide basic how to feed goats information and help people develop a goat ration to feed their animals for the winter season. Those attending any of the sessions will receive information handouts and sample feed rations. Register with your local Cornell Cooperative Extension office.
Starts November 3, 2009. Marketing Your Products for Profit Course. Tuesdays and Thursdays 5:30-8:30pm. Northern New York in Canton, Harrisville, Plattsburgh and Watertown. Interested in selling farm-raised vegetables, meats, farmstead cheese, jams and jellies or other North Country farm, artisanal, craft or small business products? Organizers are looking to engage those interested in the lively learning process that includes training and networking on business planning, marketing, e-commerce, and financial skills for existing business owners and entrepreneurs looking to develop a new enterprise. The training involves online, face-to-face and distance learning delivery methods. The cost of the entire series in $50 for materials. For more information and to register contact:
Molly Ames, CCE-Jefferson County, 315-788-8450, ext. 241
Peter Hagar, CCE-Clinton County, 518-531-7450
Katherine Lang, CCE-St. Lawrence County, 315-379-9192
Frans Vokey, CCE-Lewis County, 315-376-5270
Ruby Sprowls, Northern Adirondack Trading Cooperative, 315-386-4000 or 877-228-7810.
January and June 2010. Meat Processing and Food Safety Certificate Program. SUNY Cobleskill will be offering this program in January and June. This intensive hand on training program is designed to provide the knowledge and skills students require entering employment in the meat processing industry. Students will be skilled in sanitation, food safety, slaughter, meat cutting and processing. As part of the students’ preparation for the industry, the program consists of specialized training in the accuracy of cutting, knife handling, portion control, merchandizing and the utilization of all products. The program outline includes:
The cost for this program is $2,995 which includes textbook, hard hat, frock, 5 inch boning knife, 12 inch butcher knife and safety cutting glove. For more information about this program contact SUNY Cobleskill at 518-255-5528, or Training@cobleskill.edu.
No Events this Month
A sampling of regional/statewide events that may be of interest to small farmers.
October 20, 2009. Get Involved with Maple Workshop. Cornell Cooperative Extension Learning Farm Classroom, Canton, NY. In this workshop, landowners will learn about the options of becoming a new maple producer making syrup and-or value-added maple products, leasing trees to an existing maple producer, or tapping trees and selling sap. Additional resources provided at the workshops will include a sample landowner-producer lease agreement and information on how landowners can qualify for an agricultural assessment tax benefit. For more information, contact Anita Morrill, amr28@cornell.ed, 315-379-9192
Oct. 28th, 2009. GAPS (Good Agricultural Practices) Online Produce Safety Course. Each course is limited to 25 people. $50 fee. To register, follow this link to the registration page at www.ecornell.com/gaps. If you have any questions about the course please contact Betsy Bihn at eab38@cornell.edu or at 315-787-2625 or check out the website www.gaps.cornell.edu.
October – January. Berry Webinar Series. All webinars scheduled for 1:00pm. The Cornell University Berry Program continues to host a series of Webinars for Berry farmers. The webinars feature experts from eastern North America Speaking on production and pest management topics and their current related research. Participation is easy; all you need is a high-speed internet connection and a web browser. Connections for each webcast are limited, so register now by contacting Laura McDermott, lgm4@cornell.edu or calling 518-746-2562. For additional program details and other information: http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/Berries/webcastindex.htm. Future Programs include:
October 24, 2009. Cornell Bred Heifer Sale. Cornell Beef Teaching and Research Center, Dryden, NY. Selling 20 registered and commercial bred heifers and cow calf pairs. Brought to you by the Cornell Beef Merchandizing Class and the Empire Heifer Development Program. For more information contact Mike Baker, Cornell Beef Extension Specialist, 607-255-5923 or mjb28@cornell.edu or visit www.ansci.cornell.edu/beef.
October 28 – 30, 2009. Three-Day Value Added/Dairy Cheesemaking Workshop. 8:30am – 5pm each at the Amboy 4-H Environmental Center in Williamstown, NY. This three-day hands-on workshop will give participants the opportunity to learn about milk quality, ingredients used in cheesemaking, processes fro making an variety of cheeses, salting and brining, techniques and requirements for aging cheese, and information for establishing a business as a farmstead or artisan cheesemaker that includes equipment and facilities. The heart of the workshop is the hands-on opportunity for participants to make a number of different cheeses themselves, and to learn by actually doing it. The cost is $75/person (includes instruction fee, teaching material/workbook and lunch each day). Participants need to bring one gallon of raw or pasteurized milk each day (cow or goat milk) for the actual cheesemaking. Registration is limited on a first-come first-serve basis. Pre-registration with payment is required to hold you space. For more information and to register contact Karen Meyers at 315-963-7286 ext. 201 or Valerie Walthert at 315-963-7286 ext. 203 or visit our website at www.cee.cornell.edu/oswego.
October 29, 2009. Gas Drilling: Legal Issues for Landowners. 7-9:30pm at the James Law Auditorium of the Cornell University Vet School on Tower Road in Ithaca. Legal experts will cover the terminology and issues surrounding natural gas leases, followed by an opportunity to ask questions. Free to the public. For more information, call Tompkins County Cooperative Extension at 607-727-2292.
November 2nd and 3rd, 2009. 2009 Cornell Strategic Marketing Conference – Story Telling: Marketing the Unique Story of Your Business for Success! The Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Education Center, Hyde Park, NY. The conference will feature successful producers, processors, and other agribusinesses that will showcase their business stories and specific ways they build success through improved marketing strategies. In addition, key professional and industry experts will provide methods to help you evaluate the success of your marketing activities and analyze the financial implications of marketing strategies you employ. For more information, visit http://marketingpwt.aem.cornell.edu.
November 5, 2009. Greenhouse IPM In-depth Hands-on Workshop. Morning Session (9am-12:15pm): CCE-Monroe County office, Rochester, NY; Afternoon Greenhouse Tour (1:30pm-2:30pm): Chases Greenhouse, 4874 E. Henrietta Rd, Rush, NY. This workshop will provide hands-on experience on 3 topics: 1) identification of an insect, 2) identification of a disease, and 3) measurement of water and soil characteristics. Bring a sample of your own water to test. There will be time for disease and insect pest diagnosis so bring samples and ask experts. The workshop is $25/person (does not include lunch). To register contact Karen Klingenberger at 585-461-1000 ext. 225 or ksk8@cornell.edu. Questions abut the workshop contact Walt Nelson at 585-461-1000 ext. 268 or wnn1@cornell.edu or visit www.mycce.org/monroe/.
November 7, 2009. Southern Tier Fall Maple School. 9:15am – 1:00pm. Tyrone Firehall, Route 226, Tyrone, NY. The agenda includes getting started in maple syrup production, improving profits through better tubing systems, new challenges and opportunities for maple producers, value-added maple demonstrations, speakers include Steve Childs, NYS Extension Maple Specialist and Brett Chedzoy, Extension Natural Resources Educator, CCE-Schuyler County. North American Maple Producers Manuals will be available for $20. Pre-registration is not required, but is appreciated. To pre-register please call CCE-Schuyler County at 607-535-7161 or CCE-Steuben County at 607-664-2300.
November 13-14, 2009. It Takes A Region: A Working Conference to Build Our Northeast Food System. Desmond Hotel and Conference Center, Albany.
Through in-depth working sessions, homework, provocative debates, and exercises, we'll tackle questions such as: Why regional? What does a regional food system look like? What do we want? What will it take to get there? Who needs to be at the table? What are realistic milestones? What do we need to know, measure and monitor? We'll draw upon the exciting efforts already underway in our region and nationally, including alternative supply chain networks, research projects, infrastructure initiatives and policy advocacy. We'll address scale, size, and geography to reach beyond political boundaries and sector "silos". For more information, contact Kathryn Rhuf at 413.323.9878 or nesawg@nesawg.org.
November 14, 2009: Energy conversation and renewable energy systems. This 4 hour workshop is an introduction to energy conservation and renewable energy systems including solar electric (Photovoltaic), solar thermal, wind and geothermal. Bring your household energy bill to evaluate your own site system. View onsite solar electric, solar thermal, and wind systems. Sponsor: Sullivan Alliance for Sustainable Development and Apple Pond farm and Renewable Energy Education Center. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Bring a bag lunch. Location: 80 Hahn Road, Callicoon Center, Sullivan County www.sasdoline.org www.applepondfarm.com 845 482 4764. Pre registration preferred: $60.00/person. $70.00 at the door.
November 17-18, 2009. NYSERDA’s 9th Annual Innovations in Agriculture Conference. Hilton Garden Inn, Troy.
Topics include: how future farms will adapt to climate change; agriculture’s role in the development of renewable fuels for heating & transportation; the spectrum of controlled environment agriculture: current research and best practices; energy efficiency opportunities for farms; the current status of the Anaerobic Digester program; and federal and state funding opportunities. For more information, please visit: http://www.nyserda.org/InnovationsInAgriculture/default.asp.
November 18, 2009. Cover Crop Workshop and Tour. The workshop at the Big Flats Plant Materials Center will provide the opportunity to observe 36 different cover crops or mixes, some with several seeding dates. Observe results of different techniques, there will be 5 speakers and a farmer panel. A discussion will also follow after the tour to identify barriers and develop strategies to increase cover crop implementation. Please RSVP by Nov. 12th by calling 607-562-8404 or by emailing Julie.depue@ny.usda.gov.
November 18, 2009. Food, Finance and Climate Crises: Finding Common Roots, Searching for Solutions. 7:30pm – 9:30pm, Albright Auditorium, Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Come here from Frances Moore Lappe, democracy advocate and world food and hunger expert. Following the lecture there will a panel discussion moderated by Rodmon Kings of HWS Philosophy Department.
December 3-4. 2009 Young Farmers Conference. Registration for the 2009 Young Farmers Conference is live! Check out the brochure and register online by visiting our website: www.stonebarnscenter.org. Conference highlights include: * Over 30 workshops at beginning and intermediate levels covering: - hands-on technical skills - livestock and vegetable farming - policy, community, and advocacy issues as they relate to young farmers - land access - business planning and marketing – and much more! * Workshops are led by farmers, educators, and advocates from all over the United States. * Keynote addresses by Wes Jackson of the Land Institute, and Fred Kirschenmann of Stone Barns Center and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. * Music, contra dancing, and the opportunity to meet other young and new farmers.
December 4th, 2009. Cornell Organic Production and Marketing Work Team Meetings-Fruit and Vegetables. 9:30am – 3:00pm. A Videoconference with four locations: Ithaca, Albany, Geneva, and Riverhead/Suffolk County. Hear about research is being conducted by organic farmers and Cornell staff. Share your organic research and education concerns. Meet diverse group of people interested and committed to organic agriculture and sustainability. Help set priorities for future Cornell organic efforts. Network with farmers, educators and researchers interested in organic issues. Discuss and debate important issues facing organic agriculture in the Northeast. And last, but not least, have lunch with friends. *Not sure how to put the contact information in.
December 10, 2009. Cornell Organic Production and Marketing Work Team Meetings-Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops. 9:30am – 3:00pm. NYS Ag Experiment Station, Jordan Hall, Geneva, NY. Hear about research is being conducted by organic farmers and Cornell staff. Share your organic research and education concerns. Meet diverse group of people interested and committed to organic agriculture and sustainability. Help set priorities for future Cornell organic efforts. Network with farmers, educators and researchers interested in organic issues. Discuss and debate important issues facing organic agriculture in the Northeast. And last, but not least, have lunch with friends. RSVP to Fay Benson afb3@cornell.edu, 607-255-5439. Other locations to be determined.
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