August 15, 2018
Letter From the Editor
Welcome back to the refreshed Small Farms newsletter! As you may know from the last newsletter, we have recently changed-up the look of this platform. We’d love to hear from you with comments on the new format, or submit a story idea, event, or announcement for an upcoming newsletter — just use our online form.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Small Farms newsletter , for news stories, announcements, resources, opportunities and upcoming events relevant to small farms. Thank you again for your interest and support of small farms in New York. 

Anu Rangarajan
Director of the Cornell Small Farms Program
Educators Gather to
Collaborate and Learn
Baskets to Pallets, one of the projects within our program and led by Violet Stone, is in its fourth year of existence and is made up of a cohort of educators throughout the state. Last week the cohort met at the Carriage House Cafe in Ithaca, NY, for a collaborative retreat. Read more about the retreat firsthand from Violet here.
Crossover Between SFP &
Local and Regional Food Systems
The Local and Regional Food Systems program (LRFS) is a platform for increasing visibility of regional and local foods. The leadership team consists of three people, two of which are from our program. Read Anu’s profile and Kathi’s profile to learn why they’re motivated to work in this field. Learn more about the program here.
Additional Reading:
SFP Recommended Reading Week of 8/13

This week we’re reading about the dangers of ornamental plants and weeds to your pets and livestock, groundbreaking
research in the benefits of consuming insects as an alternative form of protein, and tips for storing hay.



Photo by Matt Weiss
SFP Featured in PeriodiCALS


How have we helped farmers in the past? From educational workshops to support for veterans and aiding farmers in finding alternative markets, we pride ourselves on meeting farmers’ needs.




Life Cycle Assessment on Your Farm

With increasing concern for the ecological and environmental concerns that coincide with farming, the life-cycle assessment tool was developed to assess and address environmental impacts on-farm. Learn about the assessment tool, how to apply it, and read case studies from various industries.

Announcements
Deadline for Conservation Reserve Program

August 17th is the deadline for those currently participating in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to re-apply to the program. The USDA is not allowing the general to public to apply to the program, only the continuation of those already in the program. Read more.
New Options for At-Home Processors

Typically, a 20-c license is necessary from New York State to sell value-added food items. There have been exemptions in the past for home-baked items, but now more items such as cinnamon rolls, pretzels, and trail mix have been added to the list of exempt items. Read more.
Directory Available for Organizations Serving Refugees

Do you serve refugees in agriculture? Do you want to begin serving refugees? Check out this recently published directory created in collaboration with Groundswell Center for Local Food and Farming to find contacts of those already serving refugees on farms here.
Cuomo Announces Record Funding for Farm-to-School

A monumental $1.5 million has been dedicated to furthering NYS Farm-to-School programs. With mutual benefit to NY farmers and kids in school, food authorities, public schools, charter schools, and not-for-profit schools can apply for this grant funding — kindergarten through grade 12 schools are eligible to apply. Other entities participating in the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, or the Summer Food Service Program or entities working with these programs are also eligible to apply.  Read more.
Upcoming Events
Master Gardener Training


Weekly September 5th-November 14th, Wednesdays from 5:45-9:00 pm and one additional, required training Saturday, November 3rd from 9 am-4 pm. Pre-registration required by August 24th. Cost is $225. Find out more here.
No-Till and Never-Till Soil Health Workshop


August 28th, 12:00 pm-5:30 pm. Register by August 17th. At Branton Farms in Stafford, NY. More here.
Agricultural Respirator Fit Testing Clinic

September 11-13, 9 am-4 pm. There is a fee for fittings, but NY Center for Ag Medicine and Health will properly fit workers. Evaluations, fit tests, and trainings available in both English and Spanish. Schedule an appointment here .
Opportunities
Seeking Farmers’ Input

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County and the American Farmland Trust are hosting three workshops this fall. The workshops will be focused on helping those who want to farm find the right land. Take the survey and find out more here.
Low Interest Loans Available for Worker Housing

Body Text: Funding for construction and improvement of housing for laborers is available to cover up to 90% of the project cost. Housing may be constructed in rural or urban areas. Applications due August 27th at 5:00 p.m. Learn more.
Educational Opportunity for Farmers and Food Entrepreneurs

The Hudson Valley AgriBusiness Development Corporation’s (HVADC) Farm and Food Funding Accelerator (FFFA) Program is now accepting applications. This program is designed for both farmers and food entrepreneurs to scale up and learn about financial resources. This will be the second year for FFFA and the training is six to eight months. Participants will have the opportunity to pitch their ideas to funders in Spring 2019. Applications close September 15th. Learn more and apply here.
About
Small Farms Program SFP logo
The Small Farms Update is a resource for farmers and agricultural service providers in New York and beyond. 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 Farms Program (SFP) is a joint effort of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Cornell Cooperative Extension.
Stay Connected
Sometimes local questions are best answered by your neighborhood Cornell Cooperative Extension agent. Check our county-by-county listing for your small farm agents. Just starting to farm? We have an extensive resources available in the "Plan Your Farm" section of our website.