At Dar View Farm, James Darling and his family are using technology to help prepare their dairy operation for the next generation.

The farm milks approximately 160–170 cows, raises its own feed, and operates a growing maple enterprise with about 4,000 taps.

Through the Agricultural Environmental Innovation Demonstration Program (AEIDP), Dar View is testing a precision corn planting system and dry fertilizer rate control retrofit w/ Ag Leader autosteer and console. The system can automatically adjust planting settings, maintain consistent row spacing, and shut off individual planter sections when they cross previously planted areas.

The project will compare planting data and crop performance from fields planted with and without the new technology while accounting for differences in variety, planting date and field conditions. Learn more about the grant here.

FAMILY FARM DAY IS TODAY!

Today, Saturday, August 29, 2026, celebrate the 14th Annual Family Farm Day (FFD) that will include open house events at farms from Schoharie, Otsego, and Delaware Counties.

FFD provides local farms and related businesses the opportunity to introduce current and new customers to diverse, high-quality products, generate farm-gate sales, build long-term customer bases, and share the ever-evolving farm ‘stories’ that keep the importance of agriculture in the public dialogue.

Plan your route using their interactive map by clicking here which includes direct links to farm websites, social media, farm GPS locations, travel directions, photos, and further descriptions about the farms and FFD activities offered. A digital version of the farm guide is available here. We encourage you to visit as many farms as your schedule permits between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Learn more here.

The Watershed Agricultural Council seeks qualified consultants to support a farmland access initiative focused on identifying privately owned agricultural lands that may be available for lease, or other arrangements, to farmers within the New York City West-of-Hudson Watershed region. The selected consultant will conduct outreach to agricultural landowners, develop a dataset that identifies potential opportunities for farmland leasing, organize at least one roundtable event bringing landowners together to discuss opportunities and challenges in leasing arrangements, and develop and promote the opportunities for media and communications. This opportunity is funded through a grant with American Farmland Trust and the State of New York. The selected consultant will also be responsible for uploading lease/lease-to-own/other opportunities on the NY Farmland Finder website.

For more information or to apply for this project, click here!