Andy Turner (New York State 4-H Program Leader), Shawn Tiede (4-H Camping Specialist), Jennifer Sirangelo (President and CEO of National 4-H), and Vanessa Pino Lockel (Executive Director of CCE-Suffolk)

Message from our Executive Director

August was our chance to wrap up our summer programs and get ready to launch into our busy Fall season!

Our many summer camps concluded after offering thousands of youth an experience to remember – whether it was at our marine camps throughout Suffolk or at the Suffolk County Farm!

A highlight of the month was our 4-H youth at the New York State Fair. I am so fortunate that I was able to be there to see our young people in action. Not only did they make Suffolk proud with their many awards, but they got a chance to meet Governor Kathy Hochul, a fellow 4-H alum!

Check out all the resources CCE-Suffolk has to offer as you prepare to transition into the Fall. Our Community Education Team has expert tips on helping your children get back into the swing of school. Visit your local farm stands for the best in Fall produce. And keep in touch with our Marine Team as we prepare for our Fall shellfish season!

~Vanessa Pino Lockel

Final Call- Joy of Gardening

Joy of Gardening Program has will start in mid-September. Learn about: The Beauty of Flowers, Foliage Delivers, Compost & Composting, Vegetable & Fruit Gardening, Native and Pollinator Plants, Lawn and Its Alternatives, Garden Design, Wildlife in the Garden

Suffolk 4-H at the Great New York State Fair

Our 4-H kids worked hard at the fair and had a chance to meet Governor Kathy Hochul as she received an award as a former 4-H'er herself.

The highest placing kids Alana Laks, Juliana Smith, Erin Pfeffier, and Olivia Unger. Alana placed first in her senior showmanship division, Erin placed first in her junior showmanship division, Juliana won Grand Master Showman overall in both junior and senior classes and Best in Show. Olivia took home Best in Class for her market wether kid.

The kids also won the Herdmanship Award for this year. This is awarded to the group that has the best-kept stalls and goats. The kids are responsible for everything while we're up here - feeding, watering, cleaning, sweeping, and overall having the nicest display.

Program Highlights

Agriculture

Our Agriculture researchers continued researching various crops this month. Throughout this process, our researchers measure fruits and vegetables for size and weight, sugar content, seeds, taste, visual appeal both inside out, and how the plant/fruit faired in the heat, drought, and disease, among many other things. Their Soil Health Day successfully promoted best soil practices for commercial farmers.

The Home Horticulture Diagnostic Lab has helped over 500 homeowners this summer with hundreds of lab samples to diagnose and identify plants and insects.

Community Education

We also debuted a new program this month called “Plants… Health Happens Here.” The event has 26 attendees, and those who went learned 4 new plant-based recipes. Check out every Tuesday on their social media accounts for their Diabetes Tip.

Marine

Our Marine staff that produce On the Water + In the field have been nominated for an NYS Broadcasters Association Award for their work. They will receive the "Excellence in Community Media" award this fall!

Suffolk County Farm/ 4-H

We had the great fortune of having visits at our summer camps throughout the County from Andy Turner, New York State 4-H Program Leader, Shawn Tiede, CCE 4-H Camping Specialist, and Jamie Ferris, President, PW Wood & Son. Their leadership and guidance have been invaluable for us in developing and providing a first-class camp experience for Suffolk youth.

Thank you to all our camp staff for a great camp season!

Board Member Spotlight- Erica Posniak

Dr. Erica Posniak is a board-certified physician, wellness advocate and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teacher. She has over 30 years of experience practicing medicine and teaching in academic medical centers. Founder of A mindful life MD, Dr. Posniak offers mindfulness workshops and MBSR programs to individuals, organizations and the medical community.

Along with her role as a board member, Dr. Posniak serves as the chairperson of the Community Education Program Advisory Committee and is a member of the finance committee.

The next Board of Director's meeting with be Wednesday September 28th from 6-8pm at Riverhead Griffing Ave Building.

Ask the Family Educator

Question: With a busy school year schedule, how important is it to read to children at bedtime?

New parents delight in reading to their babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. It provides for a close and imaginative time together and opens up the magical world of reading to the child. Once children become independent readers (usually by the end of first or second grade), parents might question how important their role is to continue to read aloud together every day.

A Scholastic Corporation’s Kids and Family Reading Report (2015) found that nearly one in four parents of children aged 6 to 17 stopped reading aloud to their children before they were 9 years old. Sadly, many children wished their parents hadn’t stopped. Eight in ten children aged 6 to 17 indicated that they liked being read aloud to because it was a special time together with their parents. Among children aged 6 to 11, 40% wished their parents would continue reading to them.

Having a parent’s undivided attention, and enjoying that one-on-one closeness is important. There is a difference between a child reading silently and the magical quality of a parent reading aloud with great expression. That precious time spent together builds trust and a strong, loving, meaningful relationship.

As with much of life, balance is important. Children need to choose a variety of books to read by themselves, both for pleasure and for school. Parents also should continue reading to their children, both for their children’s and their own pleasure. Keep the love of reading, and being read to, alive! Your family life will be richer for it!

Join us for our 35th Annual Pumpkinfest Fundraiser!

October 1st, 2022

10:00am - 5:00pm

(Gates will close at 4:00 pm)

$20 per person ages 3+ (if you do not buy tickets in advance, $25 per person at the gate. Eventbrite tickets will NOT be available the day of the festival) includes:

Admission price includes pumpkin picking; ONE pumpkin per paying guest, UNLIMITED wagon rides, pumpkin decorating, family games & activities, children's entertainment, farm animal encounters, live music, and our corn maze!

LIVE Music from Barbecue Bruce and the Brisket Brothers and The Cuomo Family Band

Food for purchase by Eat Me Drink Me, Rolling Smoke Wood-Fired BBQ, Rolling Ghost, Anthonys Catering Truck, Knot of This World Pretzels, Chiddy's Cheesesteaks, Kona Ice, The Big Black Food Truck, Ice Cream truck, Tashana's Kitchen and more to come!

We are thrilled to hold one of our favorite events once again! Please make a note of the following event details:

All guests ages 3+ are required to have a ticket. Only the name you registered under will be required at check-in on the event day. Everyone under the age of 3 does NOT require a ticket to attend.

Persons with disabilities should contact the Farm Office before the event. 631-852-4600

The farm is pleased to announce that we are now offering a military discount. Veterans as well as the active military will not be charged to attend. Please present your I.D. at the gate. You will also be given the Eventbrite rate day of.

To get your tickets now, click here

DONATE NOW

Your support enables us to continue to be a vital and necessary part of our county’s future. Your gift today helps ensure our programs of tomorrow.

Click here to donate

UPCOMING EVENTS

Agriculture/Gardening

Art of Seed Saving
Organic Gardening
Lawns Love Fall
Fall is for Planting Bulbs
Parks for All: Federick Law Olmsted
Joy of Gardening

Click for more events

Suffolk County Farm/ 4-H

Goat Yoga
Sunset Wagon Rides
Sunflower Wagon Rides
Fall Learn and Play
Pumpkin Fest

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Community Education

Fruit and Veggie Rx Workshops (In English and Spanish)
Ask the Nutritionist
Farm to Table (In English and Spanish)
Back to School Workshop Series
Lunchtime Learning for those with Diabetes (In English and Spanish)
Mental Health Matters
Virtual Diabetes Support Group (In English and Spanish)
Nutrition Chats (In English and Spanish)

Click for more events

Marine

Back to the Bays Lecture Series
Rams Head Inn
ArtSEA Create + Sip Night (Strong's Water Club)
The Merry Merfolk Parade 2022 (Greenport)

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IN THE PRESS

Free Diabetic Screenings and Education Services at Brookhaven Town Hall...

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Spotted lanternfly poses threat to East End Vineyards...

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CCE-Suffolk experts discuss scallop season...

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Discover Long Island

Long Island Tea Podcast shared the fan favorite Goat Yoga at Suffolk County Farm & Education Center.

STAKEHOLDER VISITS

We joined the Long Island Farm Bureau and New York Farm Bureau to tour our local farms

(picture 1.) This was an excellent opportunity to connect with our stakeholders in the Ag industry.

We joined Randi Shubin Dresner and the Island Harvest Food Bank along with PSEG Long Island and Stop & Shop for PSEG Long Island’s second annual Power to Feed Long Island summer-long food drive (picture 2.) This collection drive has been set up at 6 Stop & Shop locations across Long Island, where residents can donate non-perishable food and essential care items.

The New HOUR for Women & Children LI Back to School BBQ. This is their largest back-to-school backpack drive, with over 130 bags distributed. Our Executive Director, Vanessa Pino Lockel, is a member of the Board of Directors and participated in the giveaway (picture 3.)

Marine held their monthly Lecture Series at the Greenport Harbor Brewing co. featuring Gregg Rivara for the Back To The Bays initiative (picture 4.)

We toured the new Winters Center for Autism (picture 5), which focuses on helping adults with autism with job creation, training, and placement. Many thanks to Christine Ponzio and Lisa Lee!

Executive Director Vanessa Pino Lockel stopped at Cornell Cooperative Extension-Broome County on her way back from the NY State Fair. She met our good friend and Executive Director of CCE of Broome, Beth Roberts (picture 6.)

We enjoyed meeting with Dyashwa Sylvester of the Shinnecock Nation's Boys and Girls Club. Our team brainstormed opportunities for collaboration and sharing of programs (picture 7.)

We toured Sang Lee Farms this week with the owner, Fred Lee (picture 8). Sang Lee is a long-time Ag Program partner and organically certified. Their farm production practices include beneficial land stewardship techniques used by many conventional growers, such as cover cropping and living mulches that maintain soil health.

Our Executive Director, Vanessa Pino Lockel, joined The Rotary Club of Patchogue (picture 9) to present our mission and vision in hopes of expanding and fortifying our reach in Suffolk County. We are anxious to have Rotary members participate in future local projects!

Our Executive Director Vanessa Pino Lockel attended the Urban Agricultural Meeting (picture 10), where she promoted the new dates of LI Ag Forum (Jan 10-12).

OUT IN YOUR DISTRICT

Executive Director Vanessa Pino Lockel joined government leaders, the Suffolk County Police Department, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, Olga El Sehamy, Liz Gutierrez, and other nonprofits to hear Governor Kathy Hochul address the serious public safety issue in our region (picture 1).

Legislator Kara Hahn and our Executive Director Vanessa Pino Lockel (picture 2) took part in a running series highlighting the importance of physical wellness.

Our Marine Program welcomed the office of Congressman Lee Zeldin to the Marine Center in Southold today (picture 3). Mark Woolley and Nancy Taylor went on a tour of our hatchery and research facility.

The Collec'Thors in Oyster Bay is up and running at the Tappen Marina. We had a joint Press Conference to introduce it to the community formally (picture 4). We hope that this project increases awareness of where marine trash goes.

Joseph A. Maiorana and our Executive Director Vanessa Pino Lockel supported Long Island farms at the Bethel Hobbs Community Farm 8th Annual "Run the Farm" 4-Mile Challenge (picture 5).

Our Marine Program was proud to be a part of an oyster reef pilot project in Manhasset Bay in partnership with the Town of North Hempstead (picture 6). One million spat-on-shell oysters have been planted!

Family Life Educator
Fisheries Coordinator

See all open positions here

CCE-Suffolk.org