In December, farmers and ranchers across the nation received the 2017 Census of Agriculture. Producers can mail in their completed census form, or respond online via the improved web questionnaire. The online questionnaire has been revised extensively to make it more convenient for producers. Conducted once every five years, the census of agriculture is a complete count of all U.S. farms, ranches, and those who operate them; it is the only source of uniform, comprehensive, and impartial agriculture data for every state and county in the nation. Farmers and ranchers, trade associations, government, extension educators, researchers, and many others rely on census of agriculture data when making decisions that shape American agriculture - from creating and funding farm programs to boosting services for communities and the industry. The census of agriculture is a producer's voice, future, and opportunity. For more information about the 2017 Census of Agriculture, visit www.agcensus.usda.gov  or call (888) 424-7828. Take the survey here.

February 15, 10am-3pm. Jordan Hall 2nd Floor Lounge, 630 W North St, Geneva, NY 14456

For those of you who aren't old enough to remember, a Teach-In was a popular form of sharing  information and educating. A historical definition is as follows: A teach-in is similar to a general  educational forum on any complicated issue. The main difference between a teach-in and a seminar is  the refusal to limit the discussion to a specific frame of time or a strict academic scope. Teach-ins are  meant to be practical, participatory, and oriented toward action. While they include experts lecturing on  the area of their expertise, discussion and questions from the audience are expected. In the case of this  farming program, audience participation is necessary!  To launch this farming Teach-In program, responses from a survey sent out broadly to the regional  vegetable community lead to topics chosen. For this session equipment and labor were at the top of the  list. So let's use this inaugural Teach-In to get things started and cover what people are looking for in the  way of necessary equipment. Following this topic, it would be beneficial to talk about how to come up  with a plan for solving our seasonal labor issues. This event is free of charge, but please bring a dish to pass for the pot luck luncheon. For more information, contact Robert Hadad at rgh26@cornell.edu or (595) 739-4065.

February 15 & March 1, 12pm-5pm. 

Columbia Greene Community College, PAC Building Room 612, 4400 Route 23, Hudson, NY 12534

Hudson Valley AgriBusiness Development Corporation (HVADC) will be hosting a two-part workshop program "Making It Happen: Profitability and Success," February 15 and March 1 at Columbia Greene Community College in Hudson, New York. The training is designed to give food producers the ability to use four core financial management tools to improve business decision-making. Presented in partnership with The Carrot Project, the workshops are intended for food producers with at least one year of operating experience, and are approved as a USDA Farm Service Agency borrower training program.   Participants will learn and apply financial management tools to their business that will help them answer questions such as: "Can I pay my bills?," "Is a capital investment worth it?," "Is this the right price?," or "Should I add a new product line?" As a hands-on, interactive, skills-based training program, participants will have the opportunity to review video lessons before the training begins, in order to prepare for the classes. Registration for "Making It Happen" is $15 and includes lunches and two supplementary webinars. Registration information may be found here. Questions regarding the program should be directed to  kbh@thecarrotproject.org.

February 20-21, 8am-4pm. 

Desmond Conference Center, 660 Albany Shaker Road, Albany,  New York 12211

Are you interested in learning how to make cider, grow apples, or run a small farm based business? Consider our 2018 farm internship at Eve's Cidery.  This year long commitment flows with the natural cycle of farming and cider making: from pruning and cellar work in the winter, to bottling and planting in the spring, to disgorging sparkling cider, harvest, pressing and everything else in between.  We are looking for someone who feels comfortable working in a non-hierarchical family farm setting, is easy to get along with, and has a great work ethic. The ideal candidate has a strong interest in farming or cider-making, ideally both. We value fresh perspectives. Someone who enjoys children is a plus. Women, Indigenous and people of color are highly encouraged to apply.  Pay is a combination of wages, lodging and food. In exchange for working 40 hours per week, you will receive $8 per hour, a cute cabin to live in with access to a shared bath, vegetables and fruits from our farm and some meals with our family. You'll be living on a 75 acre farm with fields, woods, ponds, a world class trout stream and lots of room to hike, forage, swim and commune with nature. Ithaca is a 35 minute drive.  Please send a letter of interest to ezra@evescidery.com. We will be conducting interviews in early February. For the full job description, check out the Eve's Cidery website.

Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, a nonprofit organization in Tarrytown, NY, has an immediate opening for a full-time Livestock Grazier. The Grazier will oversee the management and operations associated with the health and welfare of all ruminant species in our intensive 100% grass-fed system. For more information about the position, please click here. To apply, send your resume, cover letter, and salary requirements to jobs@stonebarnscenter.org.

MX Morningstar Farm seeks an Assistant Equipment Operator for the 2018 season. MX Morningstar Farm, entering its 5th season, is a certified organic vegetable farm located in Copake, NY. The farm is run by partners Max Morningstar and Maria Zordan, and collaboratively managed by a tight-knit team of dedicated and talented managers. The assistant operator will work closely with farm owner Max, aiding in the operation of the farm's tillage, planting, and cultivation equipment. This is an entry-level position. Some previous tractor work is required but we will train you to work with our equipment.  

Click here for a full job description. Apply online here.

Stone & Thistle Farm, a pasture-based livestock farm located in East Meredith, NY (Delaware County), seeks an intern(s) for the 2018 season. For 25+ years, the farm has raised 100% grass-fed beef, lamb, and goat as well as pastured pork and poultry. We sell our products at local and New York Metro area farmers markets. The farm operates a successful farm stay operation and on-site seasonal restaurant (Fable=farm+table). Fable's Kitchen sells soups, pates, spreads, meat pies, and sausages via the farmers markets and hosts food events and workshops.  Working with a team of seasoned farmers, the intern will have the opportunity to learn all aspects of the farm's operations including livestock care, on-farm poultry slaughter, farmers markets sales, and value added food processing. Housing, food and weekly stipend provided. May to November. 6 day work week, Mondays off. Sun up to sundown. Apply via email warren@stoneandthistlefarm.com  with cover letter, resume, and references by March 1. In person or online interview required.  

Happy Acres is a 90-acre farm in the hills of Sherman, Connecticut. We are looking for a summer intern to help with all aspects of our diversified farm operation. We primarily raise beef cattle, though we have been steadily diversifying to include laying hens, milk goats, an organic fruit and vegetable garden and a mini-food forest. We sell all our products locally at farmers markets, our own farm stand and a restaurant or two. We are seeking an individual (or possibly a couple) with a serious interest in permaculture, sustainable farming and living in harmony with nature's rhythms. This person must be a quick learner, enjoy outdoor physical labor and demonstrate a willingness to help with any task, large or small. Expect to work a flexible schedule six days a week (including weekends) for a total of 30 hours, on average. A typical day might include milking goats, feeding chickens, weeding the garden, stacking hay, setting up electric fence, bringing water to the cows, and helping with equipment repairs. Please read our website and browse our Facebook page carefully to get a sense of who we are before reaching out. Applicants should email a short narrative explaining who you are and why you're interested in the internship. Be sure to include any relevant farm experience. Send all inquiries to info@happyacres.farm. For the full job description, see the Craigslist ad here.

The Association Farm Supervisor will be a working supervisor who develops and oversees all aspects of the Dorothy P. Flint 4-H camp farm, including livestock, growing vegetables, fruits and herbs, managing farm workers, seasonal staff and volunteers. Prepare and maintain operating budgets. Hire, evaluate, and supervise employees. In collaboration with the Camp Specialist and Camp Facilities Manager, evaluate animal enclosures, farm buildings and grounds to ensure they are safe for use according to local and accreditation codes. Develop farm safety and training programs so that staff, volunteers and campers are adequately trained in the handling of chemicals and equipment used. Market produce and other products from farming operation, supervise equipment repair and modification. Assist Camp Specialist with the development of an overall sustainable farm production plan, including but not limited to crop rotation, composting and pest management recommendations. Perform special projects as assigned. View qualifications and application instructions  here. Contact Valerie at  vs324@cornell.edu with questions.

The ProFarmer In-Field Education Manager will be part of the Hudson Valley Farm Hub's leadership team, providing practical, hands-on farmer training grounded in the seasonal work of organic vegetable production and aligned with the ecological and social justice goals of the Farm. She/he will be responsible for in-field instruction, mentoring, and the daily supervision of ProFarmer trainees, who are full-time, year-round Farm Hub employees. The ProFarmer curriculum employs both classroom and hands-on teaching methods in organic farming at a mechanized scale of production.  The In-Field Education Manager will be a key member of the farm's management team to ensure program success while helping to develop our approach to learning and fostering a culture of inclusiveness on the farm. Additionally, the In-Field Manager will help manage trainee recruitment and support program design, evaluation, and reporting. To find out more about the position, visit the Hudson Valley Farm Hub's website. Interested candidates should email a cover letter, resume, and three professional references to profarmer@hvfarmhub.org.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)'s Bureau for Food Security (BFS) is continuing USAID's long-term support for the Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Program. This notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is issued to solicit applications to manage F2F volunteer programs under Leader with Associate Cooperative Agreements (LWAs). The LWAs resulting from this NFO will enable USAID to continue its support for US voluntary assistance for economic growth in the agricultural sector at regional and country levels. USAID intends to award up to eight (8) LWA Awards in the form of Cooperative Agreements with Leader Award programs amounts in the range of $4-16 million, subject to the availability of funds. Each applicant shall initially provide USAID with a Concept Note. The Concept Note shall be competitively evaluated against the pre-determined evaluation criterion. The most highly technically qualified Concept Notes will be invited to submit Part II Full Applications under this NFO. Read the full NFO here by clicking on "Related Documents". Prospective applicants shall submit all Concept Notes in writing via email ONLY to aoussantidja@usaid.gov no later than  February 12. 

New York's specialty crop agricultural and food systems industry is a valuable component of our State's economy, the environment, residents' health, and quality of life. The purpose of New York's Specialty Crop Block Grant Program is to enhance the competitiveness of New York specialty crops by creating partnerships; fostering innovation; increasing efficiencies and reducing costs; and enhancing the long term viability of New York's specialty crop agricultural businesses and food systems. NYFVI is soliciting proposals that solely enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops and benefit the greatest number of beneficiaries. The New York Specialty Crop Block Grant Advisory Committee, composed of farmer members of specialty crop organizations and associations, and other industry stakeholders, recommended a focus on specialty crop research and grower education.  Grants will range from $50,000 to $100,000. Projects must be completed by December 31, 2020.  All applications must be submitted online by midnight on Sunday, February 18. Read more about the program and apply online here.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers competitively awarded grants to qualified small businesses to support high quality research related to important scientific problems and opportunities in agriculture that could lead to significant public benefits. The program stimulates technological innovations in the private sector and strengthens the role of federal research and development in support of small businesses. The SBIR program also fosters and encourages participation by women-owned and socially or economically disadvantaged small businesses.

ATTRA has released four new resources to help you effectively manage grazing for your livestock: "Grazing Plan Checklist" offers considerations and tasks needed to write a grazing plan. "Grazier's Math: Matching Forage to Animal Demand"is a tip sheet that helps you determine appropriate paddock size and animal number based on animal intake, plant recovery, and the length of the grazing period. "Clip and Weigh Forage Yield Calculator" is a companion piece to the  Grazier's Math sheet that will help you measure and estimate forage yield. "Monitoring Checklist" will help you prepare a monitoring plan to ensure successful grazing strategies. All of these resources are available for free on the ATTRA website.