May 15 Agriculture e-news

Upcoming events in the Agriculture, Natural Resources and Horticulture in the South Central New York Region

AGRICULTURE

The Buy Local Food Guide (Southern Tier and Finger Lakes) is still accepting listings. Deadline is NO later than the end of May. If you have already listed in the past would like to renew or would like to advertise please contact Matthew Neil Leroux mnl28@cornell.edu. View the guide http://ccetompkins.org/2008_local_foods_guide.pdf. A listing in the guide is FREE!!

Saturday, May 23rd- Sunset View Creamery- A Celebration of Agriculture and Small Business from 11a.m. to 4 p.m., where we will unveil our 5 yr. old Cheddar cheese, offer samplings of Cheese, wines and other products made in NY that we carry. There will be tours, hay rides, a scavenger hunt (for the children) and other events. Please call 594.2095 for details or email farmerswife@htva.net

August 19th-20th- Save the date-Creative Agriculture Approaches to Sustainability on the Farm at the Inn on the lake Canandaigua. Please visit www.fingerlakessustainablefarming.org for more details.

HORTICULTURE

Wednesday, May 20, 4-7 p.m. Irrigation Options- Cornell’s Freeville Farm 133 Fall Creek Rd. Learn from Steve McKay, Cornell Farm manager, what it takes to set up various types of irrigation systems. Solid set irrigation with electric and PTO-operated pumps, trickle irrigation, and small and medium irrigation reels will be demonstrated. A representative from Belle Terre Irrigation will be on hand to describe the types of parameters you need to know before getting an irrigation system designed. No fee, but please pre-register at 607-687-4020.
Thursday, June 18, 6:30-8:30 pm Integrated Pest Management for Healthier Plants
Donna Levy, Plant Health Care/ IPM Program Coordinator at Cornell Plantations, will explain what IPM is and how we can use it to keep our garden and landscape plants healthy while minimizing chemical use. Fee: $5. Limited to 20 participants; prepayment required. For more information, contact Pat Curran, Horticulture Program Manager, 607-272-2292 or email pc21@cornell.edu.

NATURAL RESOURCES

May 13 and June 10, 2009 (This is a two part seminar) TIES TO THE LAND: A Facilitated Workshop on Succession Planning- Keeping Family Forests and Farms in the Family7:00-9:00pmWorkshop location: United Church of Christ, 8758 Main Street, Honeoye, NY, 14471. Workshop Fee and Registration: $30 per person (or $30 per couple if attending as a couple or with another member of your family). The fee includes refreshments and one copy per family of the workbook: Ties to the Land: Your Family Forest Heritage ($45 value; additional copies will be available at the workshop or online at the web site). Participants must attend both of the sessions. To register call Diana Bryant, Cornell University Cooperative Extension, at 607-255-2115 or log onto www.human-dimensions.org and click on “workshops” tab. For more information, please contact Keith Maynard, New York Forest Owners Association, Western Finger Lakes Chapter, kmaynard@frontiernet.net or (585)229-4102.


May 2 or May 18 from 7:30 am - 4:30 pm at the Arnot Forest- Game of Logging- These are small-group (maximum 10) hands-on classes with a certified instructor that cover safe chainsaw use, chain and engine maintenance, and tree-felling (participants personally fell a tree under the instructor's guidance). Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Cost is $152 per day (there's a discount for NYFOA members) and spaces are filled first-come, first served. Full details, including participant feedback and on-line registration or mail-in registration forms, can be found at: http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/ext/forestconnect/GOL.html

Saturday, June 6th - 10:00 am to 4:00 pm- Silvipasture: Grazing Livestock in Your Forest - - Agroforestry Resource Center, 6055 Route 23, Acra, NY (Greene County) - The term silvipasture is currently being used to describe an interactive, complementary combination of high-value timber, high-quality forage, and highly efficient livestock enterprises. This workshop will be devoted to a cursory, but comprehensive study of these integrative systems, and of how the landowner can put them to use; considering their own specific sets of resource circumstances, and objectives for their land. Information on planning of the systems, all the way through "how to" implementation techniques and systems analysis will be offered. A field trip to a local "agrosilvipastoralist" operation is also tentatively planned for the day. Cost: $15/person, $25/family, includes lunch - registration deadline June 4th. Sponsored by Hudson Mohawk RC&D and CCE of Greene County. Directions available at www.agroforestrycenter.org - to register or for more info call 518-622-9820.

Thursday, June 11, 6:30-8:30 pm Invasive Insect Pests That Threaten New York's Forests. Our forests are threatened by invasive insects from abroad, particularly the Asian Longhorned Beetle, Emerald Ash Borer, and Hemlock Woolly Adelgid. Early detection and rapid response are key to reducing damage and giving us the time to develop effective control techniques. This class by Mark Whitmore of Cornell’s Natural Resources Department will discuss basic biology, outline potential impacts, and help you look for these insects so we can find them before they become a problem. Fee: $5. Pre-registration preferred. For more information, contact Pat Curran, Horticulture Program Manager, 607-272-2292 or email pc21@cornell.edu.







Cornell Cooperative Extension in Schuyler County provides equal program and employment opportunities. Please contact us is you have any special needs.