April 2023 | Vol. 15 Issue 4
Agriculture Literacy Week Celebrated
New York State Assemblyman Phil Palmesano read the 2023 Agriculture Literacy book, Tomatoes for Neela by Padma Lakshmi during New York Agricultural Literacy Week March 20-24, 2023 to a classroom of 2nd graders. Along with reading the book, a planting activity was done by the students. Each student was able to plant tomatoes and basil that they will watch grow and learn how long it takes for these plants to germinate.
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County delivers the annual agriculture-themed book to Steuben County school and community libraries each year in celebration of New York agriculture.
Volunteers throughout the county, like Assemblyman Palmesano, read the book to elementary students, with a focus on second grade classrooms. The Bath & Corning Rotaries read to different classrooms along with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County Staff. The students were excited to have guests in the classroom to partake in the reading and planting activities.
In this year’s book it talks about how Neela loves cooking with her Amma and writing down the recipes in her notebook. It makes her feel closer to her Paati who lives far away in India. On Saturday’s Neela and Amma go to the green market to learn about the different kinds of tomatoes and pick out the best ones to make Paati’s famous sauce. The book took young readers on an intergenerational journey full of delicious flavors and fun food facts that celebrates a family’s treasured recipes. Tomatoes for Neela lovingly affirms how we can connect to our cultures and build communities through food.
New York Agriculture in the Classroom is a partnership between NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, NYS Education Department, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell University, and the New York Farm Bureau. They promote Agriculture Literacy Week to help elementary school children learn about the importance of agriculture in our daily lives and the significance of farming and farmworkers across all genre of agribusinesses.
Agricultural literacy is understanding and being able to communicate the source and value of agriculture and how it affects our daily lives. Over 20% of our nation’s workforce is in some way involved in food processing, marketing, distribution, and sales – and all of us eat. Over 50% of the land in Steuben County is considered agricultural as we are considered a leading county with more farms than most.
For more information about this program, call CCE Steuben at 607-664-2300 or visit PutKnowledgeToWork.org.
CCC 15th Annual Earth Day Celebration Farmers' Market
April 19, 2023
11 am - 2 pm
SUNY Corning Community College will be hosting a Farmers' Market style event on Wednesday, April 19, 2023 from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm to increase the campus community's awareness of how to get involved in our communities, experience our natural environment, and connect to farmers producing locally grown food and natural goods.

SUNY CCC students will receive 5, $1 tokens to spend with the participants of the event. Please be sure to price your items/portion sizes according to the $1 denomination.

Students can use the tokens for vendor's goods, including fresh vegetables, honey, baked goods, or donate the money to a non-profit organization. No change will need to be given for purchases less than the $1 token value.

If you are interested in participating, you can read more about the event and access the Farmers' Market Registration Form HERE. Registration is required by April 12th.

Contact Jennifer Sellers with any questions 607-962-9479, jsellers2@corning-cc.edu.
Breaking Down Fungicides - Mahaney Farm
Learn how fungicides work, ideal spraying conditions and how to reduce spray drift. Mahaney Farm will speak on their on-farm fungicide program and how they utilize airplane application on their corn and wheat acreage.

Friday April 14, 2023 @ 1pm
Mahaney Farm
8316 Canaseraga Road
Arkport, NY 14807
Check out the new podcast episode from Extension Out Loud featuring Cornell Garden Based Learning,
Sowing the Seeds of Success: Tips for Smart Seed Selection

Here’s a link to the page with the episode, notes, and transcript:


Link to the podcast directly, here.
County Enrollment, Subscription, and Support
The Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program with Cornell Cooperative Extension offers educational programming and research based information to agricultural producers, growers, and agribusinesses in the five county region of Southwestern New York. 

Our specialists work with Cornell Faculty and Extension Educators statewide to address the issues that impact the agricultural industry and provide services to farms of all sizes and production techniques. The educational programming and support that we offer ranges from workshops to on-farm events, and includes one-on-one consultations. Our program is designed to meet the rapidly changing needs of our region's diverse agricultural community. 

For more information, contact any of the specialists.
Please support CCE Steuben by signing up for their enrollment programs.

Reach out to CCE-Steuben at 607-664-2300 and ask about enrollment.
The enrollment form can be found online, here.
The Cornell Vegetable Program works with Cornell faculty and Extension educators to address the issues that impact the New York vegetable industry. The team offers educational programs and information to growers, processors, and agribusiness professionals in pest management, variety evaluation, cultural practices, market development, and farm food safety.

Cornell Vegetable Program Specialists expertise includes processing vegetables, fresh market vegetables, weed science, soil health, food safety, organic, marketing, greenhouses and high tunnels.

To read the Vegetable Programs 2022 Year in Review, click HERE. Learn more about the specialists HERE.

To enroll click here.
The Finger Lakes Grape Program (FLGP) is a regional extension program of Cornell Cooperative Extension serving the grape and wine industry of the Finger Lakes.

The staff of the Finger Lakes Grape Program is committed to providing grape growers in the Finger Lakes and beyond with cutting edge, research-based information to help them improve the productivity and sustainability of their vineyards and the quality of the fruit that they produce. We work with researchers and extension staff from Cornell and other institutions to create informative extension materials and programs that help to keep grape growing a viable and profitable industry that enhances the communities of the Finger Lakes and upstate New York.

Learn more about the specialist HERE.

To enroll click here.
Useful Links

Attention all youth that will be selling at the 2023 Sale!
A YQCA certificate will be REQUIRED to sell an animal at the sale.
If you attend an in-person training the $3 fee will be reimbursed the day of the training. The Certificate will be due to the CCE office July 17th, 2023
Register for your class using the links below:




YOUTH MUST BE AN ENROLLED 4-Her TO PARTICPATE - ASK US HOW TO ENROLL TODAY!
Master Money Mentor Testimonial
“The financial coaching sessions were extremely helpful. I could not have moved forward without the assistance I was given. It has been beneficial to be able to have someone to follow up with”.  

CCE Steuben offers the Master Money Mentors to any and all Steuben County residents! Maybe you've tried everything, but still can't pay your bills on time, or maybe you've experienced a job loss, illness, or divorce. Maybe you feel like your life is spinning out of control from overuse of credit. Whatever the reason for your financial concerns, it might be time to speak to a Master Money Mentor. The Master Money Mentor will work with you to help achieve your goals and create a personalized budget and money-saving tips based on your needs. It's not easy to take the step and talk to someone about your finances but know that your information is secure and confidential. Contact Nancy Reigelsperger, CCE Financial & Consumer Educator to get set up with an MMM at 607-664-2573 or 607-664-2300.
Gardening: Grow For It During National Garden Month in April

Growing your own garden is a fun and rewarding way to form a personal connection to the fruits and vegetables that you eat. Some benefits of gardening include:

  • Lowering your food cost
  • Encouraging healthier eating
  • Creating a better connection to nature
  • Helping bees and other pollinating insects survive

Gardens can be large or small, depending on how much space you have available. In-ground gardens, raised bed gardens, and garden containers are all great options. Check out SNAP-Ed Connections for more ideas, tips, and benefits of growing your own garden at home: https://snaped.fns.usda.gov/nutrition-education/nutrition-education-materials/gardening

Try these recipes including some easy to grow ingredients:

 
 
Visit www.snapedny.org for more tips and resources to help you and your family save time, save money, and eat healthy!

Source: USDA SNAP-Ed Connection
Cornell Cooperative Extension of
Steuben County's
2nd Annual Farm Trail Day

We are seeking local famers to fill out a quick survey to help us start planning for our 2nd Annual Farm Trail Day event. We value your input and look forward to working with you as we promote agritourism in our County this Fall! Complete the survey HERE!

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Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County 
20 East Morris Street |  Bath, New York 14810
607-664-2300  |  mle75@cornell.edu |  PutKnowledgeToWork.org

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.