Welcome back to the Cornell Small Farms newsletter!
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Winter is nearly here, which also means its conference season.
In this edition we're sharing our conference schedule, from cover crop talks to veteran meet-ups, plus a retrospective on local foods.
What does the winter season signal for your farm — are you ordering seeds, fixing machinery, organizing your finances?
Share
with us by using
#CornellSmallFarms.
Also, let us know how we can support your farm business as you begin to look ahead to next year.
You can connect with us through
Instagram
,
Facebook
,
Twitter
, or our
website
.
If you have a story idea, event, or announcement for an upcoming newsletter, y
ou can always submit
to us through our
online form
.
Thank you again for your interest and support of small farms in New York.
Anu Rangarajan
Director of the Cornell Small Farms Program
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Small Farms Program Updates
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SFP Conference Spotlight
Connect with the Cornell Small Farms Program at several conferences in early 2019. From presentations of our research to special events, you can chat with our team and network with fellow farmers.
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New Report on Livestock Industry
The 2017 NY Small Farm Summit focused on the state's livestock industry. Information gathered from the Summit, surveys, and further research is now available as a full report.
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The Latest from the Cornell Local Foods Movement
The recent Ag In-Service Conference by
Cornell Cooperative Extension
featured four sessions organized by
Local and Regional Food Systems (LRFS)
. Presenters highlighted farm to school initiatives, discussed community food systems development, shared research on food hubs, and explored legal issues and resources.
Read more
.
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Featured From #CornellSmallFarms
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@underthetreefarms shared rows of young blueberries and apples, all tucked away for winter.
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@hawthornevalley shared that their Christmas tress had arrived and student-decorated wreaths.
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@deeprootfarm shared their use of a silage tarp to prep soil before planting 3,500 cloves of garlic.
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Share what’s been happening on your farm with
#CornellSmallFarms
on Instagram and we may feature your image and story in the next newsletter.
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Additional Reading & Resources
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Register for Small Farms Program's Courses in the New Year
Learn about woodland mushrooms, markets and profits, fruit trees, financial planning, and commercial sheep through Cornell Small Farms Program’s online courses. Registration closes on Sunday, January 6th.
Learn more and register
.
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Climate Smart Farming: A Cornell Fact Sheet
Six strategies working together are key to combating climate change. A focus on soil health, managing water and risks, integrated pest management, diversifying farm enterprises and breeds, reduce livestock stress, and engage in farm planning and adaptation.
Read more
.
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Cornell Offers Free Dairy Webinars in Spanish
Communication has been identified as the hardest part of dairy-farm employees jobs, and a language barrier adds stress and leaves room for errors. Cornell University has
dairy educational programming entirely in Spanish.
Join the free webinars.
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How to Improve Your Soil in Winter
Rather than leaving your field fallow, consider one of these methods to add to your soil health. 1. Leave crop residue in the field. 2. Plant low carbon-nitrogen ratio cover crop. 3. Consider changing up your cropping sequence.
Read more
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Business & Career Opportunities
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$300,000 Available for Eastern NY Cover Cropping
Land and water conservation initiatives set by the NYS Dept. of Conservation have funding available to farmers around Cayuga, Owasco, Skaneateles and Otisco lakes.
Check your eligibility and apply.
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Young Farmers Loan Forgiveness Incentive Program
Applications are now being accepted for individuals who have an undergraduate degree from a NYS college or university, and agree to operate a farm full-time in NYS for five years.
Learn more and apply
.
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$50,000 Grants Available for NYS Grown & Certified
Mid-Hudson Valley producers: are you interested in becoming NYS Grown and Certified? Their grant program will
assist with the capital costs to
help you reach the foods safety standards necessary to become certified.
Learn more and apply
.
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Chenango County Farm Seeking Successor
Natural Borders Farm
owner Elva Svendsen
is looking for a farmer to join
her
on the land in advance of retirement. Immediate opportunity via one-year lease, and longer opportunity available via launching an enterprise on-site.
Learn more
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How to Find and Apply for Agricultural Grants
When:
Tuesday, Dec. 4,
from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Where:
Online webinar
Details:
Join Farm Credit East for a free webinar to learn about grants, cost-sharing, & more.
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Starting a Value-Added Business Workshop
When:
Thursday, Dec. 6, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Where:
Jefferson County
Details:
Review current food safety requirements and resources to start your own food business.
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Succession Planning Kickoff Seminar
When:
Friday, Dec. 14,
from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where:
East Syracuse, NY
Details:
Tax, legal, and estate implications, family communication, & more for your farm business.
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Solar Info Session in Cooperstown
Join the Leatherstocking Young Farmers Coalition to learn the ABC’s of solar on Saturday, Dec. 15 from 3 – 5:30 p.m.
You’ll hear presentations about off-grid, on-grid, and community solar options for farmers.
Learn more.
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The Farmer’s Office Webinars
Live webinars feature business practices and planning from December through March. Consider these $15 opportunities to learn how to read financial statements, learn Excel and Quickbooks, and more.
Learn more and register for the webinars
.
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Beginning Farmer Series in Mid-Hudson
CCE-Ulster is hosting a three part series for beginning farmers on Fridays throughout January. Come to one or all; there is a class for new and aspiring land owners/lessees, berry and grape production, and livestock production.
Learn more and register
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About Us
The Cornell Small Farms newsletter is a resource for farmers and agricultural service providers in New York and beyond. The Cornell Small Farms Program (SFP) envisions 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 program is a joint effort of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Cornell Cooperative Extension.
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Are you just starting to farm? We have an extensive resources available in the
"Plan Your Farm"
section of our website. Do you have farm-related questions? Sometimes local questions are best answered by your neighborhood Cornell Cooperative Extension agent. Check our
county-by-county listing
for your small farm agents.
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