The Home Horticulture Diagnostic Lab Celebrates 50 Years

Community Horticulture has been offering the services of our Horticulture Diagnostic Lab to residents of Long Island for 50 years! Currently helmed by Alice Raimondo and Sandra Vultaggio, the Hort Lab answers gardening questions from the public via the Horticulture Phone Hotline, office visits, diagnoses of plant samples, plant and insect identifications, and soil samples. During the busy gardening season, staff can handle more than 500 inquiries per month. Former staff of the Hort Lab include Tom Kowalsick, Dan Skabeikis, Sarah Titmus, and Marie Camenares. Many thanks to all for their dedication and 50 years of supporting the residents of Suffolk County.

Living Landscapes Workshop

On October 18th, Mina Vescera, Nursery/Landscape Specialist, coordinated the Living Landscapes workshop which was held at the beautiful Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park. The workshop highlighted plants that offer both fall beauty and important ecological function. Presenters included CCE staff Andy Senesac, Weed Science Specialist, and Tamson Yeh, Pest Management and Turf Specialist, Stephane Perreault from Greentree Foundation, and Vincent Simeone from Planting Fields Arboretum.

Please click here to learn more about CCE Suffolk Agriculture

Mobile Diabetic Screening Clinic

Throughout the month of October, we provided free diabetic screening and education services through our mobile van clinic; a collaboration with Sun River Health. Whether they had specific questions about diabetes or were just curious about their numbers, Suffolk County residents were able to get their blood sugar and/or A1C tested, as well as meet with Registered Dieticians from CCE Suffolk and get the answers they need.

Click here to learn more about CCE Suffolk Community Education

Dog Day at The Farm

Thank you to the 80 dogs and their families that attended our first annual Dog Day event despite the rain. We had dog sports, rescues, contests and fall fun! Please feel to reach out if you have ideas for next year.

Congratulations Cecilia Lockel!

On October 14th, our 4-H Summer Camp Counselor Cecilia Lockel was acknowledged by the Town of Brookhaven during their Hispanic Heritage Month celebration in recognition for outstanding academic achievement. Congratulations to Cecilia for all your hard work and for inspiring all our young people!

NYS 4-H Fall Camp Directors Meeting

Hosted in collaboration between CCE Suffolk and CCE Nassau, Camp Directors and professionals from all over NYS gathered together to reflect on the 2022 camping season and prepare to reach even higher goals next year. From mountains to oceans, the team is working toward making camp as accessible as possible to all campers!

Click here to learn more information about CCE Suffolk 4-H

Have You Heard of the

Monkfish?

Monkfish (Lophius americanus) is a species of bottom fish that inhabits the waters of the Greater Atlantic region and is targeted by commercial fishing fleets from Maine to North Carolina. The fish has firm, white, sweet-tasting meat akin to that of lobster. Its flavor has made monkfish a popular substitute for traditional lobster dishes, such as bisques and rolls. Additionally, monkfish is considerably cheaper than lobster, making it an excellent option for those who wish to enjoy the latter and don’t want to break the bank.

Currently, this species is above target population levels and highly sustainable, making it an environmentally conscious seafood choice. A new project from the Fisheries Department of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Marine Program with Food Export-Northeast's Seafood Program Coordinator Colleen Coyne and industry partners aims to rejuvenate the Northeast monkfish fishery by increasing public awareness and encouraging consumption of this delicious yet obscure fish.

Special Screening Event at Southampton Arts Center 

On 11/19, we will be hosting a special screening of On The Water + In The Field, a news magazine show produced by CCE. This episode will cover bay scallops, the kelp industry, and more!

SPAT Update

The SPAT program has been winding down the 2022 growing season with probably the greatest success rate in its 22 year history. Through the use of the new CCE Hatchery and important modifications to the culture process, we have been able to make great strides. A large percentage of oysters were able to reach an edible size in 8 months in certain locations and a very high survival rate was achieved by most members.

The SPAT workshop produced 2 new FLUPSY systems to our own design that are cutting edge and could prove to be an extremely valuable tool for the industry. The Tiana annex consisting of ~100 growers on Dune Road finalized the season and is fully packed out to the Southold location for the winter.

Presently, work is under way to produce ½ scale Gloucester light gull dories using stitch and glue methods so a number of oyster shucking boats can be completed before the holiday season as fundraising gift items.

The team is almost finished with converting the algae facility roof to full solar using polycarbonate panels. Algae culture and broodstock conditioning will be ramping up in the upcoming weeks.

Additionally, SPAT was featured in this month’s North Forker Magazine. Grab a copy and check it out!

(Photo Credit: David Benthal)

New Innovative Scallop Initiative

In late October, the fourth straight year of mass die-off of Peconic Bay Scallops was confirmed, however two innovative breeding initiatives hold forth hope for recovery. Aquaculture experts from the CCE Suffolk Marine Program and Stony Brook University have begun exploring selective breeding as a strategy to mitigate the extensive die-offs. Additionally, there are plans to spawn adult bay scallops in the fall. Work to date suggests that fall offspring appear to survive the winter better than those born earlier in the year. CCE Suffolk scientists will continue to work closely with researchers at Stony Brook to better understand the causes of scallop die-offs in the future.

Click here to learn more about CCE Suffolk Marine

How can I help my anxious child?

     We all feel anxious at times, no matter what age we are. There are a number of things that can cause children to be anxious, such as starting a new school year, joining a sports team or new club, learning to play a musical instrument, or having a difficult time with an academic subject in school.

     As a parent, ask how they are feeling, and then validate and show them that you understand those feelings. Assure them that you accept their true feelings of being worried or anxious. Then, communicate to them that you believe in their ability to cope with those feelings. It will be a challenge for them, but having your faith and belief in their ability should help them to rise to and tackle the situation. The fact that a parent is nearby and rooting for their child to overcome feelings of doubt and insecurity is so important.

     For most children, practicing a new skill makes things easier over a period of time. Encourage your child to stay with it and not give up. Praise your child for their effort and hard work. Psychologists state that ”grit” is an important quality for all of us, the ability to stay with a task and work towards a goal. Perseverance trumps taking the easy way out or giving up. Showing pride in your child’s ability to overcome fear or anxiety and meet new challenges will keep them motivated and raise their self-confidence.

     Remember that you are your child’s most important role model. They will watch you to see how you handle anxiety, and they certainly pick up on your feelings. Try to self-regulate, manage your own emotions, and show them how to successfully cope with whatever comes their way.