Dear Sddas, The Small Farms Update is intended as a resource for farmers and agricultural service providers in New York and the Northeast, and is provided to you by Cornell Small Farms Program. Our mission is to foster the sustainability of diverse, thriving small farms that contribute to food security, healthy rural communities, and the environment. The Cornell Small Farm Program is a joint effort of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Cornell Cooperative Extension. This update summarizes announcements, information resources, opportunities and upcoming events relevant to small farms. Please feel free to share this information in newsletters, email lists, etc. If you have announcements or resources you would like to include, please send us an email. SUBSCRIBE HERE
Thank you again for your interest and support of small farms in New York.
Anu Rangarajan Director, Cornell Small Farm Program |
It's Class Time! Online Courses for Aspiring, New, and Experienced Farmers Now Open for Registration
Are you interested in creating a farm business plan for the first time, or maximizing the efficiency of your current market strategies? With courses ranging from berry, poultry, vegetable, and organic production to financial planning and goal setting, Cornell Small Farms Program seeks to meet the educational needs of farmers of all experience levels and interests. The interactive 5- to 7-week courses are led by experienced educators and farmers who want to help you start or diversify your farm business. Read full descriptions of all upcoming classes and register at http://nebeginningfarmers.org/online-courses/. Reserve your seat soon as some courses fill quickly! |
Featured Events August 19, 2013. 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM. Twilight Grazing and Pasture Meeting. Ted and Tracey Barbour Family Farm, 994 Paulhamus Hill Rd, Cogan Station, PA. Are you interested in implementing high density grazing management practices, or pursuing enrollment in the USDA's Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)? The Barbours have first-hand experience with both! They manage a cow/calf herd for grass finish at 18-20 months using high density grazing management and in 2012 worked with neighboring landowners enrolled in CREP to graze contract acreage with great success. Michael Sherman, Executive Director of the Lycoming County USDA Farm Service Agency, will discuss requirements for adding routine grazing provisions to existing CREP contracts. Please contact Dave Hartman at Penn State Extension if you plan to attend. Call 1-800-851-9710 or 570-784-6660 or email dwh2@psu.edu. August 20-21, 2013. 8:00 AM - 5:00PM. Plant Variety Improvement for Organic Agriculture Workshop. Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, 630 Bedford Road, Pocantico Hills, NY. Join John Navazio of Organic Seed Alliance, Michael Glos and Michael Mazourek of Cornell University Department of Plant Breeding, the Northern Organic Vegetable Improvement Collaborative project, and Jack Algiere of Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture at this two-day workshop on the fundamentals of organic vegetable breeding for on-farm practices. Participants can expect to learn fundamental skills to develop and adapt vegetable varieties for their organic farm conditions. Subjects will be presented both in the classroom and in the field through hands-on activities. Prior experience in basic seed growing is recommended. Registration cost for the two-day event is $75.00 and includes breakfast, lunch, and beverages for both days; register here. For additional information contact Michael Glos at mag22@cornell.edu or 607-227-7793. August 26, 2013. 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Dairy Day at the New York State Fair. NYS Fairgrounds, 581 State Fair Blvd, Syracuse, NY. Join the Cornell Food Science Dairy Extension Program and fun-loving livestock producers from across the state for Dairy Day at the NYS Fair! The day's activities include cheese-carving, soap-making, cattle showing, Walk-a-Calf, milk bar, and more! View the day's full schedule here and stay up-to-date on other upcoming Cornell Food Science Dairy Extension Program events. For more information, contact Janene Lucia at jgg3@cornell.edu or 607-255-2892. August 26, 2013. 5:00 PM - 7:00PM. Save Your Fruits! Organic Control for Spotted Wing Drosophila. Westwind Orchard, 215 Lower Whitfield Road, Accord, NY. Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) is new invasive pest threatening NY berry crops. Join us at Westwind Orchard to learn about organic management strategies for SWD, including cultural practices and organic pesticide options. There will be a display of netted raspberries and CCE educators and entomologist from the Hudson Valley Lab on hand to talk about results of trials of organic products for SWD control. Registration fee: $10/person or $15/two or more people per farm. Pre-registration deadline: 5 PM on August 22. To register, please contact Stephanie at 585-271-1979 ext. 509 or register@nofany.org, or shop online. |
| Program Director CCE: Orleans County, Albion, NY - Apply by August 23 Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Orleans County seeks a program director whose time will be 50% devoted to 4H Youth Development Programs and the remaining 50% to CCE administrative responsibilities. These duties include building positive relationships with legislators, local government leaders, community leaders, funding agencies, and civic groups. Main qualifications are master's degree and at least 4 years relevant experience. Click here for job details and application materials. Contact ck236@cornell.edu or 607-255-0789 for questions. |
| Dairylea Cooperative, Director of Sales and Service Center Operations: Syracuse, NY Dairylea Cooperative Inc. is a farmer-owned agricultural marketing and service
organization, best known for being the largest milk-marketing organization in the Northeast. The Director of Sales and Service Center Operations position is responsible for day-to-day operation and management of the agri-services internal sales division. A bachelor's degree and 5-7 years in sales management is required, agricultural background preferred. Candidates interested in this position may apply by emailing a cover letter and resume to open.positions@dairylea.com. |
| USDA Research Grants for Small and Mid-Size Farms - Due September 26 The USDA Small Business Innovation Research Program has funds available for research projects that promote and improve the sustainability and profitability of small and mid-size farms and ranches. Applicants are strongly encouraged to emphasize how their project would benefit the small farm community and how the results of their project would be disseminated to other small farmers. View full grant details and abstracts of previously funded projects here. Click here for application instructions. For more information, contact Charles Cleland at ccleland@nifa.usda.gov. |
| Loan Funds and Incentive Financing: Yates County, NY The Finger Lakes Economic Development Center (FLEDC) Agricultural Loan Fund is offering low interest loans (1% interest) of up to $150,000 per project to maintain and grow Yates County agribusinesses that create local jobs. The FLEDC is also granting property tax, sales tax, and mortgage tax reductions or exemptions for capital investment projects such as construction or purchase of land, equipment, and machinery. Applications for all FLEDC programs are located on their website. Contact info@fingerlakesedc.com or 315-536-7328 with questions. |
| NYSERDA Energy Efficiency New Construction Program Funds and technical support are available through the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) to partially offset the capital costs of purchasing and installing energy efficient equipment. Applicants must be business owners served by electric utilities participating in the System Benefit Charge. Application and program materials are available here. For more information, call 518-862-1090, or toll free 1-866-NYSERDA, e-mail info@nyserda.org, or visit the NYSERDA website. |
| Campus to Farm Guide: A Directory of Cornell University Research and Extension Projects Supporting Small Farms Designed to bring university research directly to you, this guide collects ongoing research in horticulture, small dairy, livestock, field crops and forages, agroforestry, farm energy and more, together into one easily navigable booklet. Each project listing includes a short, descriptive summary and points you quickly to top impacts of the project, relevance to small farms, and contact information. The Campus to Farm Guide can be viewed online or downloaded as a PDF from the Cornell Small Farms Program website. |
| Bud and Graft Fruit Trees for Organic Production - Free Webinar August 29 At 12PM on August 29, the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service will present a free webinar to explore what it takes to produce regionally and locally adapted crops. Horticulture Specialist Guy Ames will discuss and demonstrate grafting, budding, cuttings, and other forms of asexual fruit propagation. Ames will allow plenty of time for participants to ask questions, general or about their own operations. Click here to register for this webinar event. |
| Finding Land to Farm: Six Ways to Secure Farmland This publication by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) highlights some common ways to lease or own land. It outlines important considerations about each of these leasing options and paths to ownership. Find out how to seek out land tenure, learn the elements of a good lease, or how to find land to farm by reading online or downloading a PDF of this publication here. |
| Succession Solutions for Farm Families eLegacyConnect is an online resource for information and support regarding farm legacy. This web service includes a first-of-its-kind 'matchmaker' service to pair aspiring farmers with transitioning farmers for career opportunities, mentor/protégé relationships, and ownership transitions. eLegacyConnect is designed to be a community of farmers, experts, and advisors, available 24/7 to answer your questions. View the website and subscription information here. |
Need personal help? Sometimes local questions are best answered by your neighborhood Cornell Cooperative Extension agent. Check out our county-by-county listing of small farm agents here. You can also get to know our Cornell Small Farms Program staff, or contact us. Just starting to farm? We have an extensive directory of beginning farmer service providers across the Northeast in the "Who Can Help?" section of our Northeast Beginning Farmers Project website. |
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