Agriculture News
Steuben and Schuyler Counties
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Dear Readers:
Thank you for your patience as we transition our Agriculture Newsletter design to a more streamlined electronic version. There will still be an option to receive it by mail. More information will be forthcoming in our October edition. Enjoy this edition and the cooler temperatures as we move into the autumn season.
- Ariel Kirk, Agriculture Educator
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Virtual Fall Maple Workshop Series
(Topics and dates listed below)
Registration needed to attend!
The Cornell Maple Program is offering six free online workshops this fall. Each course features a selection of self-guided materials including narrated presentations, videos and articles, followed by a live question and answer session.
Learn at your own pace from the safety of home, then dial in for the discussion with Cornell experts and fellow sugar makers. Upon registering you will be directed to a website for downloading course materials. These materials will be made available 2 weeks prior to the question and answer sessions.
For questions and additional information contact Aaron Wightman at arw6@cornell.edu
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Maple Workshop Topics and Dates:
Assessing your sugarbush and maintaining forest health
Live discussion – September 23 @ 7pm
Maple confections and new product opportunities
(Rescheduled) Live discussion September 30 @ 7pm
Setting up a maple tubing system
Live discussion – October 14 @ 7pm
Strategies for regenerating a healthy sugarbush
Live discussion – October 28 @ 7pm
Tips for top quality, high flavor syrup
Live discussion – November 11 @ 7pm
Maximizing production in your sap collection system
Live discussion – November 24 @ 7pm
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Locating forage buyers and sellers across NYS |
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Within New York State several regions have experienced drought conditions reducing the quality and quantity of forages produced for dairy and livestock production. To help agricultural producers locate forage to purchase, or for producers that have forage to sell, Cornell Cooperative Extension announces the NYS Forage Exchange website.
The NYS Forage Exchange provides a free system to match potential sellers and buyers of forage within New York State. Sellers can easily register within the system and then post the forage they have available to sell. Potential purchasers can browse the advertisements, and then contact the seller through email for additional information or to complete purchase arrangements.
This is a moderated website, so all ad submissions are reviewed for appropriateness before publication on the forage exchange website. The information provided is general and educational in nature. Employees of Cornell University and Cornell Cooperative Extension do not endorse or recommend any specific product or seller listed on this site.
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Upcoming workshops and events |
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Upcoming webinar: How Deer Affect Your Woods
Wednesday, September 30th, 2020, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., online via Zoom
Kristi Sullivan, Wildlife Biologist at Cornell University, will discuss the effects deer are having on New York’s woodlands, and share clues you can use to determine the degree to which deer are affecting a particular forest. Learn how deer browsing affects the health and future of your forest and the plants and animals that live there.
Find out how you can get use AVID, a citizen science method to Assess Vegetation Impacts from Deer aviddeer.com, to learn if deer are affecting your woods.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Co-sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County and Waterman Conservation Education Center.
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Virtual Gardening Class: Putting Your Garden to Bed
Tuesday, September 22, 2020;
3:00 – 4:00 PM
Preparing your flower garden, vegetable garden and lawns for winter can be overwhelming. In this hour long presentation, Chemung County Master Gardener, Peg Weidemann, will help you think through a checklist of items that should be focused on to best prepare for winter weather and for next year’s gardens.
Speaker: Peg Weidemann, Chemung County Master Gardener
Fee: Free.
The Zoom link to access the class is provided immediately upon completion of registration in your registration confirmation email.
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Dialing into Your Best Dairy |
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*NEW PODCAST SERIES*
Hosted by Cornell Cooperative Extension Regional Dairy Specialists and Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY.
Episodes in this series will discuss management practices and tips to reach your herd's full genetic potential. In 8 episodes, PRO-DAIRY and CCE Dairy Specialists will discuss the different life stages of the dairy cow, including raising calves through the milk phase and weaning; managing weaned heifers up to freshening; making decisions about which replacements to keep including talking about inventory, disease prevention, and culling decisions; feeding and nutrition management during lactation; facilities, time management, and ventilation considerations throughout lactation; and management factors around reproduction, gestation, and the dry period.
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The following article is from the VegEdge Newsletter. VegEdge is published 25 times a year, parallel to the production schedule of Western New York growers. Subscribers to the Cornell Vegetable Program receive a complimentary electronic subscription to the newsletter. Print copies are available for an additional fee but you must subscribe to the Cornell Vegetable Program.
For further information on how to subscribe, please contact our office at 607-664-2300 or email Ariel Kirk at adk39@cornell.edu
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FLX Farm Tours
Looking for something fun, informative and authentic to do this fall that’s close to home? Join CCE Schuyler on September 26th & 27th for our inaugural Farm Trail Weekend to experience some of the finest farms in the Watkins Glen area. Most will be offering tours, and goodies to purchase for the trip home. For full details, please visit the link below:
From Roger Ort, of Ort Family Farm:
"New this year, Ort Family Farm will have an Open House as part of the FLX Farm Tours in Schuyler County. Every plant in the nursery will be 20% off for the weekend. We will offer tours on the hour, a chip-budding grafting class daily at 2:00 pm, drawings for a Ort Family Farm Gift Basket ($50 value) & an Edible Perennial Guild (an ecological complimentary plant mix, $100 value). While you are here, shop our huge selection of Jams/Jellies, Herbal Teas and Catnip items for kitty. We have a commercial kitchen, high tunnel with figs/blackberry production, Belted Galloway cattle, composting facility, and more to see."
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October's "Design Your Succession Plan" Course
Thursday, October 8, 2020, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Thursday, October 15, 2020, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Thursday, October 22, 2020, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Thursday, October 29, 2020, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Bonus! Local Steuben finance and legal professionals session:
Thursday, November 5, 2020, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
“Empowering families to start their succession plan.”
How will your family farm operate in the future when the land or business owner retires or passes? Are you currently working with another generation or individual who may be questioning their role in the future of the farm, or are you yourself questioning your current role?
More than 80 percent of farm families hope to pass the family farm on to the next generation, but research shows only 30 percent of family farms survive to the second generation, and only 12 percent survive to the third generation. A successful transition to the next generation takes careful planning.
New York State farm families now can participate in Design Your Succession Plan, a newly designed program that provides the tools and resources to begin the farm succession planning process. This program is a working collaboration among Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Workforce Development Institute, and NY FarmNet.
Participants will have an opportunity to open lines of communication with their family to create a shared vision for the family business. They also will learn to choose and work with professional attorneys, accountants, lenders, insurance agents, and tax experts to construct a plan and documents that put the family's vision into action.
"The program will prepare you to envision, communicate, plan, write, and shape the legacy of your family farm or ranch business, as well as save hundreds of dollars by completing these crucial planning steps before visiting with professionals," said Bonnie Collins, Farm Business Management Educator, CCE Oneida County.
Registration opens on Tuesday, September 1 and closes on Thursday, September 30 to ensure on-time delivery of the program workbook. ** If you are interested after the deadline and before the course starts on October 8th, please contact Ariel Kirk (information below) and we can get you set up.**
In NYS, the program will be offered on the dates and times listed above. CCE Steuben will also be adding local professionals to the programming to present and discuss financial and legal topics on succession planning, facilitated by Ariel Kirk and Nancy Reigelsperger, Financial Educator.
Questions? Please contact Ariel Kirk, CCE Steuben’s Agriculture Educator: adk39@cornell.edu or 607-664-2574.
Thank you to all the local facilitators across New York State and to the sponsors and partnering organizations.
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Have you completed your 2020 Census? |
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County is encouraging everyone to make sure your town’s story is told by responding to the 2020 Census—the count of everyone living in the United States. When you do, you’ll also help your town get the most out of the American dream.
The 2020 Census is your chance to shape your community’s future. You can respond online using a mobile phone, tablet, or computer - even if you haven’t received your census invitation. Visit 2020Census.gov and click “Respond.” Compete the online form and be sure to include everyone who lives in your household. That’s all there is to it.
The Census is a complete population count of every individual living in the United States and takes place once every 10 years. The U.S. Constitution mandates this population count. Census responses provide data that can attract new businesses and the jobs that come with them. The data also informs where over $675 billion in federal funding is spent each year in states and communities. That includes money for things like:
- Cooperative Extension
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Rural Rental Assistance Payments
- Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers
- Medicare Part B
- Children’s Health Insurance Program
- Unemployment Insurance
- Community Development Block Grants
The Census also determines our political representation in Congress. Census data is used to determine how many seats each state will receive in the U.S. House of Representatives based on population changes (reapportionment process). The House of Representatives is a part of the U.S. Congress, and works to pass federal laws.
CCE Steuben Executive Director Tess McKinley says, “Completing the Census is important because funding goes to various communities based on how many people take the Census in their area. Doing the Census is a free, quick and easy way to support your region especially during these unprecedented times. Make Steuben count and do the Census today!”
Participating in the Census will ensure that our communities receive their fair share of resources. Resources determined by the Census are essential to the health, wellbeing, and advancement of our communities, particularly immigrant communities of color. We must participate, stand together, and make ourselves heard!
The Census questionnaire will ask for your name, age, date of birth, race, Hispanic origin, sex, whether you own or rent your residence, number of people and children living in your household, and telephone number. The Census questionnaire will NOT ask you for your government identification number. By law, the Census Bureau is required to keep all Census information confidential.
Some ways to determine if the correspondence you receive is legitimately from the Census Bureau are:
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It has the U.S. Department of Commerce in the return address (The Dept. of Commerce is the Census Bureau’s parent agency)
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The return address is set in Jefferson, Indiana. Most Census/survey materials are mailed from The National Processing Center at 1201 East 10th St, Jefferson, IN.
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You may receive a reminder letter from the Census Bureau’s headquarters in Washington DC or from one of the Regional Offices (Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York or Philadelphia).
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Correspondence from the Census Bureau will never ask for your Social Security Number or Identification Number.
Despite delays due to the current pandemic, the Census Bureau is working to complete data collection as quickly and safely as possible, while ensuring a complete and accurate count as it strives to comply with the law and statutory deadlines. All offices are scheduled to complete their work by September 30, 2020.
Every Person Counts! Whether it’s funding in communities across your state or helping determine the number of seats your state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives—every count makes an equal impact. Visit http://putknowledgetowork.org/finance/2020-census for more information.
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Cornell Cooperative Extension puts knowledge to work in pursuit of economic vitality,
ecological sustainability and social well-being. We bring local experience and
research based solutions together, helping New York State families and
communities thrive in our rapidly changing world.
Cornell University Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.
CCE does not endorse or recommend any specific product or service.
This newsletter is solely intended to educate consumers about their choices.
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