Come play trivia with us November 4th!

November 2022 | Vol. 14 Issue 11

We provide programming in four major areas:

Come Play Trivia with Us!

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County (CCE-Steuben) invites the public to join them on Friday, November 4. They will be celebrating their Annual Meeting with a TRIVIA competition led by Bob Smith of Bulldog Sounds DJ Services at the Main Place in Hornell. CCE Steuben will be presenting their annual Friends of Extension awards, sharing a tasty dinner, and offering some great prizes and raffles.

The team trivia event called “Putting Knowledge to Work (and Play)” will offer prizes for the winners. The dinner event will be held from 5:00-9:00 p.m. at The Main Place, 251 Main Street, Hornell. Trivia teams are invited to reserve their space by calling 607-664-2300 or online at bit.ly/ccedinner22. Teams of up to six persons will be accepted.

CCE-Steuben will be honoring the following Friends of Extension at the Annual Dinner:

Outstanding Youth: Trinity Daley
Campus Connection: Autumn Lavine
Outstanding Producer: Kyle Lowery of Lowery Family Farms
Outstanding Volunteer: Christine Towner
Friend of Extension: Bath Rod and Gun Club

The ticket price of $35 per person will include hors d’oeuvres, dinner provided by The Main Place, and all the fun that Bob Smith of Bulldog Sounds DJ Services provides with his trivia events. The event is supported by Farm Credit East and Charles Oliver Equipment. For more information or to register, call the CCE-Steuben office at 607-664-2300 or visit their website at PutKnowledgeToWork.org.

CCE Steuben assumes lead position of Finger Lakes Shared Business Network

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County recently has taken charge of the Finger Lakes Shared Business Network (SBN) as the lead organization. The Finger Lakes SBN consists of Cooperative Extension associations in the counties of Steuben, Livingston, Yates, Wayne, Ontario, Schuyler and Seneca. The shared business functions include IT, Finance and HR. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Livingston County was formerly in charge of the Finger Lakes SBN.

With CCE Steuben as the lead organization of the seven counties, they are acquiring three new staff members:

John Bouwens, Finger Lakes SBN Finance Lead
Kelsey James, Finger Lakes SBN HR Lead
Scot Mantelli, Finger Lakes SBN IT Lead

CCE Steuben Executive Director Tess McKinley says, “CCE Steuben is grateful and excited for the opportunity to serve other CCE Associations in the Finger Lakes region. We are honored to have been chosen to support the seven counties in our area and look forward to what is to come with the Shared Business Network. We inherited a wonderful team which will be key to our success.”

Shared Business Networks (SBN’s) were created several years ago to provide an updated infrastructure for Cornell Cooperative Extension associations statewide. Associations participating in the SBNs have access to competent, knowledgeable “leads” in the areas of finance, HR, and IT. The SBN leads have access to training, trouble shooting, and business practice development with on-campus administrators.

CCE Administration works through the local SBN functional leads. The functional leads work directly with association staff to address needs as they arise. The vision creates a structure that provides increased effectiveness at reduced transaction costs, both locally and at Cornell. Another outcome of this vision is to better position CCE in ways that will enhance sustainability of programming in difficult economic times.

The CCE mission continues, as does their focus on business operations being done to support programs.

Veggie Van pilot project in Steuben County is a success!

Not everyone can easily get to the farmer’s markets located in the bigger towns and cities of Steuben County. Transportation or health issues can limit some people’s mobility. So how do these folks access fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season in order to have a healthier diet? Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County partnered with the Office for the Aging, Corning Foundation, and Lowery Family Farms to provide a Veggie Van that could bring the produce stand right near these people’s homes.

The Veggie Van was a nine week pilot project where one farm took produce directly to areas in Steuben County known to be food deserts. These were the towns of Caton, Addison, Greenwood, Campbell, Bradford, Wayne, Pulteney, Avoca and Cohocton. The van parked for two-hour time slots among the towns on a schedule of Wednesdays throughout the summer. The van accepted Cash/Credit/Check/EBT and Farmers Market Nutrition Program Checks from its customers.

The van served 30-50 customers per day. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County’s SNAP Ed Southern Finger Lakes Program and the Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program provided resources and lessons on how to cook the produce that was distributed. The Office for the Aging and WIC distributed their FMNP checks at the Veggie Van sites so people could get produce with their FMNP checks in order to improve FMNP redemption rates.

CCE Steuben Executive Director Tess McKinley says “Lowery Family Farms did a great job of providing produce to people in food deserts throughout the summer in Steuben. They traveled on their own and provided vegetables at low costs and accepted multiple forms of payment. CCE Steuben learned a lot from this pilot project, and we look forward to expanding this program in 2023 with partnerships from various nonprofits such as Office for the Aging, Pro Action of Steuben and Yates Inc., the Institute for Human Services, and Cornell University. Without their support, we could not have done this program.”

Ribbon cutting planned for Haverling Street Community Park

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County is pleased to announce that the ribbon cutting for the new community park on Haverling Street in Bath will be held on Tuesday, November 1 at 2:30 p.m. at the site of the new dog park, teaching pavilion, and food garden. CCE Steuben raised over $15,680 for their FLXGives campaign in November 2021 – Betty’s Dream. Betty Langendorfer was a Master Gardener at CCE Steuben for many years. The Village of Bath placed the park on Betty’s former property along Haverling Street to include the dog park and a parking lot. CCE Steuben’s funds built a teaching pavilion, and a permaculture garden is planned for the spring of 2023.

The planned food forest garden project is a planting method that takes advantage of beneficial relationships between plants, resulting in a beautiful highly productive garden that doesn’t require a lot of space and is a virtually self-sustaining ecosystem. A food forest garden attracts beneficial insects, deters wildlife and repels pests, suppresses grass and weeds, and creates living mulch, compost and fertilizer among other benefits. The Haverling Street garden area will include a root zone planter where children will be able to look through the plexiglass exterior to observe the soil layers and see how roots grow. The teaching pavilion will be a place where Master Gardeners and 4-H members can learn about gardening.

For more information on this FLXGives project or other gardening topics, please contact CCE Steuben at 607-664-2300 or visit PutKnowledgeToWork.org.

CCE Steuben supports the Ramp Guys during the 2022 FLXGives campaign

Can you imagine what it is like to be trapped in your own house? To not have the mobility to get out the door and down the steps to the car? To have to wait for someone to come carry you to the car just to get to a doctor's appointment? That is the reality for more and more people in our area who are limited by wheelchairs or canes.

The Ramp Guys are a volunteer group that have heroically built numerous ramps to allow some of these folks the ability to get out of their homes and live again. But both the cost and the need has risen so that to date there are 16 local residents who still need ramps but the Ramp Guys have no funding to supply those ramps.

FLXGives is a one day campaign to raise funds for local organizations in the Finger Lakes region. The campaign date this year is from November 17 at 6 p.m. through November 18 at 6 p.m. The Ramp Guys are aiming to raise $25,000 during this campaign to build those 16 ramps.

The public is encouraged to help them reach their goal by visiting https://bit.ly/TheRampGuys. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County, the Hornell/Steuben County Office for the Aging, and the Avoca United Methodist Church are all helping to promote this project and are asking the public to join in the effort in four different ways:

Share the posts from the CCE Steuben Facebook page (facebook.com/ccesteuben) every Thursday to help spread the word.
Become a fundraiser by visiting bit.ly/TheRampGuys and click on the Fundraise button. An email will guide you through the steps for setting up your page to share with all your friends and family.
Set up a Match Donation. Pledge an amount such as $500 and allow it to be unlocked only when other donors have raised that much. Contact crd24@cornell.edu for further details on setting up such a commitment to the project.
Donate on November 17-18 to the project. Watch our posts for special times you can donate to help us unlock additional prize funds from the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, Inc.

Since the beginning of 1998 to date, the Ramp Guys have constructed 644 ramps all over Steuben County. In the early years only 6 to 10 ramps were requested each year. The average material costs per ramp were approximately $335. Over the years the requests have increased to 30 to 50 per year and the average cost per ramp is now $950 or more depending on the length of the ramp. When a ramp is no longer needed, if they are notified, they remove it, refurbish it and either put it up for someone else or use it to reduce the cost of a future ramp.

The joy The Ramp Guys see from the people they help is all the pay they need. They hear such comments as "This is wonderful"; "I was a prisoner in my home"; "I will no longer be a burden to my family and neighbors to go shopping"; ""I no longer fear falling when I need to go out"; and many more. One man came down the ramp with his power scooter while the Ramp Guys were still finishing it. He went down to the sidewalk hollering "I'm free! I'm free!"

This is the kind of freedom you can provide with your donation to the Ramp Guys on November 17-18, 2022!

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Agriculture News

CCE Steuben's first Farm Trail Day is a huge success!

We heard great feedback from the farms about this year's Farm Trail Day. Some said they have never been this busy, another wants to do this every year and one even said he wants to do Farm Trail Day EVERY weekend because of all the money he brought in. Visitors also loved Farm Trail Day. Tim Bigham from the Farm Bureau was at Lowery Family Farms and he said it was busy all day and he really enjoyed himself as well.

Congratulations to our Farm Trail Day basket winners!! Melissa Brayman won the food basket and Madilyn Meyers won the 4-H basket!

Stay tuned for next year's Farm Trail Day!!

View some of the photos from the day here.

Learn about on farm meat sales and purchasing options

Join local livestock farmers and Cornell Cooperative Extension to learn how to purchase bulk meats, taste and purchase locally produced meats, and meet the farmers who produced them.

Have you ever wondered where your meat comes from? Are you looking to reduce the steps between the farm and your freezer, but aren’t sure how? Do you want the opportunity to meet local livestock farmers who sell the meat they raise? Would you like to participate in a FREE tasting of dishes prepared to feature locally produced meats? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this event is for you!

The public is invited to join us for two “Meet Your Farmer” events this November. The first will be held on Saturday, November 5th from 1:00pm – 3:00pm at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cattaraugus County (28 Parkside Drive) in Ellicottville, NY. The second will be held on Wednesday, November 9th from 6:00pm – 8:00pm at the Fluvanna Volunteer Fire Department (3536 Fluvanna Ave) in Jamestown, NY. All are welcome to come to one or both events to taste locally produced beef, pork, lamb, goat, and chicken, and visit with area farmers to learn more about their farm businesses, ask questions, and learn more about purchasing meat directly from a farmer. Farmers will have booths at the event with individual cuts and bulk meat available for purchase.

In addition to the pop-up farmer’s market and meat tasting, there will be an official program where farmers and extension specialists will share information about bulk ordering meat, how to fill out meat cut sheets, how to utilize the website Meat Suite to find local farms, and trends in the meat industry. A panel of farmers will be available as part of this discussion, so bring your questions!

Read more here

Feeder School - November 9

The feeder is one of the most critical people on the farm. They control the diet and how consistent that feed is provided daily, which represents ~45-60% of the cost of production and is directly linked to the success of farming. The objective of the feeder school is to bring updated concepts of dairy cows’ nutrition and ingredient management to level up feeder and manager skills.

Bring your family and employees and join CCE on this hands-on, in-person program that will bring Cornell and Industry experts to cover topics such as:

Importance of feed analysis and economics
Dry Matter and Feeder Math-basics
Feed Consistency-TMR audits
Trouble Shooting Mixer Wagons
Bunker Management, drone demonstration/map out bunk, bunk silo management, packing
Density & Preservation
Safety

Everyone is welcome to participate, and this program will focus on skills for managers or employees that work directly with farm feed management. We will offer English & Spanish stations so we can accommodate everyone in one training!

Pre-register here or reach out to Camila Lage (607-422-6788 – cd546@cornell.edu to reserve your spot (payment at door available when pre-registering).

The investment for this training will be $50/per person which will cover all materials for the training and lunch. Scholarships are available for those who need them. Contact Camila Lage for more information.

If you have any questions about the training, accommodations, or other inquiries, please email cd546@cornell.edu or call 607-422-6788.

Raising and Managing Cows for Automatic Milking Systems (AMS) - Webinar

Nov. 16

12:00-1:30 p.m.

Automatic milking systems are being adopted worldwide by dairy farms. The increased wage rates and the declining labor force participation rates across the US are driving higher adoptions of automation in all farm sizes. However, in addition to the investment cost and the unknowns of the transitioning process, the required adaptations to the new management and culling rates due to the lack of adaptation of some animals to the new system often make the farmers second guess the decision to adopt AMS.

To talk with us and share the most recent high-quality research information on calf and heifer raising and cow management and behavior traits and their applicability for AMS, we invited Dr. Joao Costa, and Dr. Trevor Devries, for a webinar on Nov. 16, 2022, at noon (ET).

Each speaker will give a 25-minute presentation about raising heifers and cows' management and behavior traits in automated milking systems; after that, we will have an open space for attendees to share their experiences and questions to learn more about this important topic during a 20-minute Q&A section.

The webinar is free and open to anyone interested in learning more about raising and managing cows for AMS. Registration is required and will be accepted until November 15th at 11:59 p.m. ET. Participants will receive the Zoom webinar URL after their registration is confirmed. A recording of the webinar will be made available to registered participants.

COST: FREE

The webinar: Raising and managing cows for automated milking systems (AMS) is a collaborative extension program of Michigan State University Extension and the Cornell Cooperative Extension SWNY Dairy, livestock, and field crops program.

2022 New York Soil Summit

Join virtually (free) on Thursday, November 17th, from 9 am-12 pm, with an additional breakout session from 1-2 pm.

Join us (virtually) on Tuesday December 13th, from 9 am-12 pm, with an additional breakout session from 1-2 pm.

Policymakers, researchers, agricultural nonprofits, extension educators, and farmers will join together to share current soil health activities and discuss future opportunities in New York State.

More details and registration are coming soon!

Growing Figs in NYS

November 14th, 5:30-7:30pm

Ort Family Farm

2761 Yorksi Rd, Bradford, NY

Join the Farm Ops program at Cornell University and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County at Ort Family Farm. Roger Ort, a retired CCE educator, and son of a Thunderbolt (11th armored division during WW2), will give a tour of their fig growing operation utilizing high tunnels and teach how to grow, propagate, fertilize, harvest, winterize, and store figs based on his experience growing them here in NY for the past 8 years. As part of this class, participants will be able to take home their own 1-gal potted fig tree from a selection that Roger will have on-hand.

This live workshop is for veterans specifically residing in NY or NJ. Attendees should already have a home orchard, or be looking to purchase, and a few years of fruit tree production experience.

The funding supporting this workshop comes from the FarmOps program at Cornell University and targets active service members & military veterans only who reside in NY or NJ. Registration is limited to 20 and will fill up quickly. Questions and follow-up by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County will help us determine final eligibility to attend and participate in this workshop.

GAPs Training - Understanding Food Safety on the Farm

December 9, 2022

9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Join the Cornell Vegetable Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension for a workshop that will provide you with the why's behind food safety recommendations along with practical, farm-based ideas to improve food safety on your farm.

We'll cover manure management, packing house cleaning and sanitizing, water testing, and other topics which have big impacts on produce quality and safety.

Going through a GAPs Audit? This class will provide you with a food safety training course!

Cost: $5 (a pizza lunch is included).

Registration: Contact CCE Yates at 315-536-5123.

For more information about the topics of the meeting, contact Robert Hadad.

CCE Yates County and Cornell Vegetable Program, Robert Hadad, 585-739-4065

Location: CCE Yates County, Yates County Office Building, 417 Liberty St.

Penn Yan, NY 14527

The Northeast Greenhouse Conference

The 1-hour webinars have been approved for pesticide applicator recertification credits in New York (1a, 3a, 24) and New England. Each webinar is $25 each.

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

11:45 AM - 1:00 PM ET

Developing a pesticide rotation program for bedding plants in greenhouses

Speaker: Juang Horng “JC” Chong, Clemson University

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

11:45 AM - 1:00 PM ET

Managing Disease Caused by Fungi, Bacteria, Nematodes and Viruses in the Greenhouse

Speaker: Margery Daughtrey, Cornell University

Visit here for more information

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) "What's Bugging You?

First Friday" Webinar

November 4, 2022

12:00 pm - 12:30 pm

The presentation will be Repellents, Fencing, and other IPM Approaches for Managing Deer Damage with Paul Curtis Professor and Department Extension Leader, Natural Resources and the Environment. Register here.

Also featured is the IPM Minute—Where you chuck your pumpkins matters with Amara Dunn, Biocontrol Specialist with New York State Integrated Pest Management. This will be a brief discussion of P. capsici and disposing of pumpkins.

Spotted Lanternfly Presentations

Spotted Lanternfly and the Potential Impacts on the Maple Syrup Industry

Free webinar- November 16, 2022 at 10:00 AM

Extension Educator Brian Walsh will discuss what is known about the spotted lanternfly and observations about maple trees that provide insight as to the impact the insect could have on the industry.

Ever since the spotted lanternfly was found in Southeast Pennsylvania, it has been causing damage to agricultural plants as well as non-agricultural plants. As the insect continues to expand its range, more is being learned about the insect's lifecycle and its feeding habitats. Since the spotted lanternfly can feed very heavily upon certain tree species, the insect can potentially impact the maple syrup industry.

Visit here to register

NY Invasive Species Speaker Series Webinar

November 30th 11 AM

Carrie Brown-Lima – Director, New York Invasive Species Research Institute, Cornell University discusses Spotted Lanternfly & Detection Dogs

To join the presentation, go to the Zoom link (password: invasive) and follow the on-screen call-in details. If you cannot make the call, recordings of all past presentations can be found on the NY Invasive YouTube Channel. General agenda for these calls: 11:00 – 11:15 News from around the state. A time for PRISMs to share any new information 11:15 – 11:45 Topical discussion (see above for specific topic) 11:45 – 12:00 Upcoming activities, next call and other comment.

Click here to access the zoom link for the webinar as well as the full calendar of webinars from now through November.

All past presentations are available here.

Spotted Lantern Fly 2022 PRISM Public Service Announcement Video

Lycorma delicatula, or Spotted Lanternfly (SLF), is an invasive plant hopper from Asia and is an agricultural pest. In the United States, it was first found in Pennsylvania in 2014. Spotted Lanternfly has been found in New York State on Staten Island, all New York City boroughs, Long Island, Port Jervis, Sloatsburg, Orangeburg, Ithaca, Binghamton, Middletown, Newburgh, Highland, and the Buffalo area. SLF threatens the agriculture and forestry industries, and is also a nuisance pest. The nymphs and adults feed on over 70 different plants, but is especially detrimental to grapes, a black walnut, hops, maple trees and apples. New York State Agriculture and Markets supported CCE efforts to help bring awareness to communities and we developed this Public Service Announcement. View the PSA video using this link.

SWNYDLFC Annual Report

The SWNY Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops program is excited to share their program’s 2022 Annual Report. They sincerely appreciate your continued support and encouragement. Thank you to Amy, Katelyn Walley-Stoll, Camila Lage, Katelyn Miller, and Kelly Bourne for all of their hard work and dedication this past year!

View the Annual Report here

Free Mental Health First Aid Trainings for Ag Communities of New York State

Did you know that farmers are more likely than the general population to die by suicide?

NY FarmNet is collaborating with county Cornell Cooperative Extension offices this fall to offer free, full day, in person Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) courses. Farmers, agribusiness workers, and anyone who interacts with the agricultural community in New York is encouraged to attend.

Trainings run from 8 am to 5 pm, and lunch will be provided from a local eatery with a one hour break.

Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among adults. You’ll build skills and confidence you need to reach out and provide initial support to those who are struggling. You’ll also learn how to help connect them to appropriate support.

After the course, you will be able to:

• Recognize common signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges.

• Understand how to interact with a person in crisis and connect them with help.

• Use self-care tools and techniques.

The instructors for these courses are part of a recently trained cohort that work within the NY agricultural community. They include representatives from NY FarmNet, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Farm Bureau, Young Farmers Coalition, NY Center for Ag Medicine and Health (NYCAMH), and Black Farmers United NYS.

Scheduled full day MHFA trainings for this fall include:

Wednesday, November 2^nd in Binghamton/Broome County

Monday, November 7^th in Lockport/Niagara County

Tuesday, November 8^th in Fonda/Montgomery County

To register, go to www.nyfarmnet.org/trainings. If we don’t yet have a training scheduled in your area, check back soon, or contact NY FarmNet at 1-800-547-3276 or nyfarmnet@cornell.edu.

These free trainings are made possible by funding from the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food & Agriculture. They have invested nearly $25 million in addressing farmer behavioral health on a state by state basis as part of the Farm and Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) through state Departments of Agriculture.

This work is supported by 7 U.S.C. 5936, Section 7522 of FCEA of 2008, Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN), Grant No. 2021-70035-35550, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Cornell Professional Sheep Shearing School at Cornell University

Friday November 11, 2022 & Saturday November 12, 2022

Daily Class 8:30am-4:00pm

A two-day sheep shearing school will be held at Cornell University Ithaca, NY on November 11-12, 2022.

Instruction will include the shearing pattern, blade sharpening techniques, physical fitness, hand piece maintenance, shearing resources from the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI), and more.
This school is focused on shearers with prior experience that are looking to make shearing a profession.

The school is sponsored by the Cornell University Sheep and Goat Program

Instructors:

Primary Instructor: Doug Rathke -Lambshoppe LLC, Minnesota. Rathke is one of the top shearers and shearing instructors in the United States and has had extensive training from the New Zealand Wools. Rathke is skilled at both machine and blade shearing. Rathke has represented the USA Shearing Team for the Golden Shears World Sheep Shearing Championships in 1996, 1998, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2014 and 2019. In addition to competing in hand blade shearing, machine shearing, and wool handling Doug also serves as a USA representative to the Golden Shears World Sheep Shearing Council.
Aaron Loux - Aaron Loux's Professional Sheep Shearing, Massachusetts. Professional Sheep Shearer for over 15 years, trained in New Zealand, Australia, and Wales.
Jim Baldwin - Foxfire farms, Ithaca, NY. Professional Sheep Shearer for over 24 years. Raising Merino Sheep for 30 years.

The registration cost is $225 per person. The class will be limited to the first 12 registrants to ensure a quality training experience for all. Deadline for registration is October 21, 2022.

Shearing Equipment: Bring your own gear. It is recommended that you have a minimum of 3 medium-beveled combs and 9 cutters (3 cutters per comb). If you need gear or have any questions regarding shearing equipment, contact Doug at 320-583-7281

Useful Links

Financial & Consumer Education News

Affordable Ways to Mend YOUR Home!

Do you have a home in need of repairs? Do you need to make your home more accessible for disabled household members? Join Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County and the USDA to learn about opportunities and free resources available to you. They are offering a free informational workshop called Affordable Ways to Mend YOUR home on Thursday, November 10 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. at the Dormann Library, 101 West Morris Street, Bath.

CCE-Steuben Financial Educator Nancy Reigelsperger and representatives from the USDA will cover the ways you can:

Install a ramp for improved accessibility
Replace a roof
Make Septic system improvements
Replace your furnace
Install handrails in your bathroom
And much more!

The workshop is free, but registration is required. Please call Cornell Cooperative Extension at 607-664-2300 to reserve a space. For more information on this and related topics, visit www.putknowledgetowork.org.

Five Critical Estate Planning Documents

…and five more you may want to consider!

Is your estate plan a comprehensive estate plan which includes all of the five critical documents? Do you know what could happen if you don’t have one or more of these documents in place? Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County is offering a free workshop to answer these questions, Five Critical Estate Planning Documents …and five more you may want to consider on Wednesday, November 30 online from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

Patrick Roth, Elder Law Attorney, CPA from Corning, will lead the workshop and discuss such topics as:

What can happen if you never get around to completing your plan?
What do each of these documents do and what happens if you don’t have them.
Learn how to prevent disaster from striking you and your loved ones.

The workshop is free, but registration is required. Register your space here

SAVE THE DATE:

The Great Debate: Wills versus Trusts

Estate planning today is more complicated than it has ever been. Often, mistakes in a plan are not discovered until someone has passed on. Unfortunately, then it is too late. Join us for an informational look at planning with Revocable Living Trusts in a free workshop called Wills versus Trusts on Thursday, January 5 from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. at the Southeast Steuben County Library, 300 Civic Center Plaza, Corning.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County again partners with Patrick Roth, Elder Law Attorney, CPA from Corning, to lead this workshop. He will present such information as:

How can a Revocable Living Trust based estate plan help protect you and secure your family's future?
Do you know the unknown truths about planning with a Revocable Living Trust?
Discover the 16 situations in which a Trust can have legal advantages over a Will.
Learn the truth about the hidden costs of a Will based estate plan that no one talks about.

Visit the finance page on our website for additional programs in the future

SNAP-Ed New York News

November SNAP-Ed Classes

A free nutrition workshop with a food demo!

Tis the season...for eating! Join SNAP-Ed Nutritionists as they talk tricks on making healthy choices that will leave you feeling nourished and energized through the holidays and beyond.

Email Katie to register

Download this flyer here

Join us to learn about tips and tools for making better food choices and being more physically active. Workshops promote eating foods from all five food groups every day, eating less solid fats/added sugars/sodium every day and being physically active.

Download this flyer here

Food Safety Tips for the Holidays!

The holidays are quickly approaching and enjoying food with family and friends is one of the highlights of the holiday season. Foodborne illness is not a very fun way to spend the holidays, so follow these tips from foodsafety.gov and www.eatright.org to keep food safe, and keep family and friends healthy and happy through the holiday season.

Defrost carefully. Never allow foods to defrost at room temperature, on the counter or in warm water. Defrost food only in the refrigerator, in the microwave, or in a cool water bath (inside a leak-proof plastic bag) with water that is changed every 30 minutes. When defrosting food in the refrigerator, remember to cover raw meat and place it on the bottom shelf so juices won't drip onto other foods. When defrosting food in the microwave, cook it immediately afterward.

Wash hands before, during, and after food preparation. Proper handwashing may eliminate a large percentage of food poisoning cases. Remember to wash hands when switching tasks, such as handling raw meat and then cutting vegetables. Wash hands with soap in clean, running water for at least 20 seconds.

Keep kitchen surfaces clean. Use hot, soapy water to wash countertops and surfaces, cutting boards, refrigerator door handles and utensils. After cleaning, keep it clean by avoiding cross-contamination.

Use two cutting boards. Dedicate one for raw meat, poultry, and fish and the other for ready-to-eat foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Make it easy to remember by using color-coded cutting boards, one for raw meats and one for ready-to-eat foods.

Employ different utensils for different tasks. Use separate spoons and forks to taste, stir and serve food.

Resist temptation. When baking, avoid eating foods containing raw eggs or uncooked flour, such as cookie dough or cake batter. These ingredients may contain bacteria that can lead to food poisoning if not cooked first.

Buy and use a food thermometer. It is the only reliable way to determine the doneness of your food and ensure that food is cooked to proper internal temperatures. (Do not rely on "clear juices" to tell that the turkey is done.)

Refrigerate food within two hours of serving. This helps to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria that can lead to food poisoning. This is especially important when serving buffets. Use a refrigerator thermometer and make sure it's set at below 40°F.

This Let's Talk Turkey handout provides specific tips for thawing, cooking, and storing your holiday bird (chicken/turkey).

Try these SNAP-Ed recipes to put a healthy spin on some holiday classics:

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

Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program News

Time to Talk Turkey!

Follow these simple instructions to keep you and your family safe from food borne illness this holiday season. With a little planning and a food thermometer, your family will

enjoy a happy and healthy celebration.

Download this flyer

Contact Pat Lamphier for class information

Download this month's edition of the EFNEP Newsletter

4-H Youth Development News

Come make a special piece for your table just before the holiday! Saturday, November 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Dormann Library, 101 West Morris St, Bath. Cost is $25 per 4-H member. Not a member? Ask how to join. Online registration is required by Tuesday, Nov 8. Questions? Contact Michelle.

Let's celebrate the season with some fall fun! youth ages 5-7 (with a parent/adult) are invited to join us in 3 fun hands on activities. We'll make a tasty treat, play with leaf art, and paint "pumpkins." $5 per 4-Her. Not enrolled? Ask us how today! Register online or for questions call 607-664-2300.