Cover crops can improve soil health, conserve resources and improve farm profitability. Now, your experience with what works and doesn't work can help shape the future of cover crop initiatives nationwide. Farmers who plant cover crops, used to plant cover crops, or have never tried cover crops are all encouraged to take this short survey, now in its fifth year. Data from these surveys are used to help guide policy, research, and education on cover crops nationwide.

May 6, 10am-2pm. Elly's Acres Farm, 33390 Eager Road, Jamesville, NY 13078

Calling all military veterans interested in farming! Join us for a free farm tour, a shearing demonstration and to learn more about sheep farming. Topics will include: lamb care, herd management, integration of guardian animals for small ruminants, financial aspects of a small ruminant start up, pasture management, hoof trimming, and wool markets. Registration is due by March 4th. Lunch will be provided. If you have any questions, please email jlemondes@aol.com.

May 20, 9am-2pm. Groundswell Center's Incubator Farm, 101 Rachel Carson Drive, Ithaca, NY 14850

The scythe has been used as a human powered mowing technique for centuries. Austrian-style scythe blades are forged from a single piece of steel into a light and graceful tool. Get your scythe ready for the season at this upcoming workshop! Students will learn how to prepare their blades for peening, use a peening jig and sharpen with a whetstone. Scythe fitting issues will also be addressed. Registration deadline is May 8th. Register here, and learn more about the workshop by visiting groundswellcenter.org. 

May 31-June 1. Stocking Hall, Cornell University, 411 Tower Rd., Ithaca, NY 14853

The Cured Meats Workshop is tailored to small-scale meat processors and restaurant owners interested in creating a value-added meat product for their customers. The course consists of lecture sessions that will cover basic charcuterie, meat fabrication, casings, grinding, as well as an overview of HACCP, scheduled processes, and testing. Participants will also learn through on-hands sessions the basics of cured meats production in coppa, pancetta, speck and others. The course is ideally suited for small-scale meat processors, restaurant owners, and producers wanting detailed information. Register here.

The Urban Agriculture Educator is responsible for planning, organizing, developing, implementing, and evaluating Extension educational programs for New York City commercial urban agriculture farmers.  Specifically, this position will provide leadership and delivery of educational programming related to urban agriculture including production, harvesting, packaging, marketing, food safety, and other sustainability issues.  Urban farm types include those producing in soil, greenhouses or vertical /enclosed facilities. The Educator will work closely with Cornell faculty, Regional Agriculture Teams and NYC Cornell Cooperative Extension to support research and extension on urban agriculture development and entrepreneurship.  Please apply via Academic Jobs On-line.   Applications will be reviewed as received, continuing until a suitable applicant is identified. For more information, please contact Craig Trowbridge at  cdt6@cornell.edu . 

From B.J. Hertz: My 15.5 acre farm in New Jersey needs farmers - collaborating farmers - partners, etc. for continuing farming in New Jersey (45 minutes from NY City).  If there were a group of young farmers who want to 'stack' their productive agricultural initiatives at my farm, that would be amenable. Or if there is a group of farmers who want to rent-to-own, I would also consider that possibility.  The property is still entitled to participate in "selling the development rights" to the state - for upwards of $500,000, which would go towards the purchase price if some farmers want to purchase the farm outright.  Please contact Barbara Hertz at (973) 334-3331 or stewardsffsafety@yahoo.com if you may be interested.

The Food Safety Outreach Program will complement and expand the national infrastructure of the National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grants Program. This program will build upon that national infrastructure, with a sustained focus on delivery of customized training to members of the target audiences. Awardees will develop and implement food safety training, education, extension, outreach and technical assistance projects that address the needs of owners and operators of small to mid-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially-disadvantaged farmers, small processors, or small fresh fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers. Grant applications will be solicited directly from those in local communities - to include those from community-based organizations, non-governmental organizations, food hubs, farm cooperatives, extension, and other local groups.  For more information and to apply, view the RFA here. Closing date for applications is June 6, 2017.

NOFA-NY is pleased to provide their popular Organic and Local Farm Directory in an online format that is now searchable and linked to Google Maps! Farms and food processors that are certified Organic by NOFA-NY Certified Organic, LLC and farms and food processors who have signed the NOFA-NY Farmer's Pledge™ are included. Search by farm name, location, farm type, products, and/or distribution method.

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.