March E-News

March 2024 | Vol. 16 Issue 3

Click to Register by March 4th

Agricultural Literacy Week

March 18-22, 2024

In celebration of New York agriculture, volunteers throughout the state will read a book with an agricultural theme to elementary students, with a focus on second grade classrooms. Farmers, FFA and 4-H members, adults engaged in a career in agriculture, and engaged in our food system, volunteer to enthusiastically engage students in a paired hands-on activity related to the book to extend learning. "I Love Strawberries" was selected for 2024. This year's paired activity will be sequencing the strawberry lifecycle. Each student will receive a guided worksheet and stickers with steps of the strawberry lifecycle. They will then be guided to think about the seed to fruit sequence and place their stickers accordingly. Students will then have the optional activity extension to journal about how/where they would grow strawberries or draw their own strawberry patch.

Would you consider funding the purchase of one or more books for schools throughout Steuben County?

The books are $12 each and will be donated to the school library after being read. For each book purchased, a classroom set of planting materials will be provided for 30 students.

Click the button below to donate!

Your support will help foster a love of reading while building knowledge of agriculture and what better way than learning to grow food!

Donors will be recognized on a special bookplate. You may choose to have your donated book sent to a specific school, or to read it yourself to your local school! Please contact us if you would like to volunteer to read a book!

Click the link below for more details and to donate!

Questions? Contact CCE Steuben, 607-664-2300

Click to Donate

March is National Nutrition Month; this year’s theme is Beyond the Table. The theme inspires us to look beyond our table when thinking about our health and the environment. The choices we make daily can make a big difference—both now and in the future. Healthy choices begin with eating a variety of foods from all the food groups. This month, we want to challenge you to learn new cooking skills, food preparation or meal planning skills. Experiment with new ingredients and recipes. Try new foods or global cuisines like Egyptian Red Lentil Soup or Mexican Chicken Salad or make your own favorite.

Beyond the Table encourages us to think about the environment where food is concerned. Our food choices can affect the health of our planet too. Have you ever stopped to think about the work that goes into producing the foods we eat? How the food is grown or raised, where and how it is made, or even the safety of our food? Coming up with creative ways to use your leftovers and working on ways to reduce food waste can help the environment. We can also work on adding more plant-based meals and snacks into our day, or supporting our local farmers by buying locally grown and seasonal foods. Lastly, we can grow our own food in gardens at home or in a community garden. Check out more ideas on eating Beyond the Table here.

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

What's Bugging You?

Join Live, on the first Friday of every month from Noon to 12:30 EST on Zoom.

Each month, experts will share practical information and answer questions on using integrated pest management (IPM) to avoid pest problems and promote a healthy environment where you live, work, learn and play. We’ll end with an IPM Minute and cover a specific action you can take in the next few days to help you avoid pest problems.

March 1: Changes to Home Garden Insecticide in NY - Tick Blitz

April 5: Weed ID - Rats in Vegetable Gardens

May 3: No-Mow May - What to do with Grass Clippings

June 7: Tick Mosquito Yard Treatments - Myth: Mosquito Repellent Plants

July 5: Japanese Beetle Management - Aphid-Eating Insects

August 2: Spotted Lanternfly Update - Box Tree Moth Update

September 6: Back to School: Bed Bugs - Head Lice

October 4: Identifying Pests in Your Home

November 1: 2024 Tick Blitz Results - No Spray Needed

December 6: Feed the Birds - Repurposing a Holiday Tree

Energy Efficiencies Within Southern Tier Agriculture

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

6:00pm – 7:30pm

Online Webinar

Cost: Free

The webinar will provide helpful information specifically for agricultural producers / agribusinesses to become familiar with how energy efficiencies can help save money and increase productivity. Topics include:

Learn about various statewide programs that can assist in identifying how to save energy both within the farm homestead as well as in barns and agricultural equipment.
Learn what an energy audit is and how it helps identify improvements for energy efficiencies.
Overview of energy efficiency technologies within agricultural production.
Grant and financing opportunities for upgrading equipment or renewable projects.

The webinar will be held via Zoom. It is free to attend but registration is required.

To register, visit: https://ccetompkins.wufoo.com/forms/registration-southern-tier-agenergy-webinar/.

Agritourism Workshops Monthly!

Are you thinking of starting an agritourism business or are you currently operating one?

Join the monthly lunch-hour, workshop virtual series and learn how to grow your agritourism business!

Each session will focus on specific topic to help aspiring agritourism entrepreneurs grow their knowledge and profit through this exciting on-farm business.

Pre-registration Required: Register for the Zoom Webinar here!

Price: Free

All workshops will be recorded and links shared. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Sponsor: Cornell Cooperative Extension Agritourism Program Work Team

Past topics and recordings

2024 Schedule:

March 12: Staffing your Agritourism Operation

April 9: Working with your Local Tourism Office

May 14: Overview of Agritourism Business Plan in AgPlan

June 11: How To's: Livestock Operations (not a petting zoo)

July 9: Urban Agritourism

August 13: TBA

September 10: Handling Difficult Customers

October 8: Creating Value-Added

Items/Experiences

November 12: Implementing Outdoor Recreation on the Farm

Please contact Lindsey Pashow lep67@cornell.edu or 518-569-3073 with any questions.

Learn more about becoming a Showcase Sponsor Here!

Hendershot Haflingers

Finger Lakes Dumpster Services
Hornell Moose Lodge 210
Law Office of Calvin Weaver
Lowery Family Farms
Taggart Insurance

Saltsman Trucking
Smith Stock Farms, Inc.

Useful Links

Check out all of our publications 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.