Welcome back to the Cornell Small Farms newsletter!
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Thank you all for the great feedback on
our last newsletter
, which had a topic feature on soil health. For this edition we're featuring woodlots: how to manage them and make a profit from maple, mushrooms and more.
Do you have a successful forest enterprise? Share
with us by using
#CornellSmallFarms.
We want to see how
things are working on your farm, and learn how we can continue to support your success.
Keep sharing with us through our
Instagram
, as well as on
Facebook
,
Twitter
, or on our
website
.
You can always submit a story idea, event, or announcement for an upcoming newsletter using our
online form
.
Thank you again for your interest and support of small farms in New York.
Anu Rangarajan
Director of the Cornell Small Farms Program
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Woodlot Management:
How to Profit from Your Forest
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Woodlot owners can use forest enterprises and products to supplement their income. A new video series produced by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chenango County, with a grant from the New York Farm Viability Institute, aims to reach more woodlot owners about these possibilities.
The videos in this series feature the forest owners and their enterprises, including a sawmill, local maple syrup businesses, and a forest lease contract.
These business owners share with their viewers the advantages of their forest enterprises, their successes, and their struggles.
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Managing Small Woodlot Parcels
In New York and most of the Eastern states, the greatest proportion of woodland owners have relatively small parcels. That acreage can still be harvested, however, with proper planning and management...
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Black Locust: A Tree with Many Uses
This tree has often been given a bad name, but it can actually benefit a farm. Black locust grows quickly to become windbreaks, their
leaves have are
nutritious for ruminants
, and they can support other crops...
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Your Guide to Maple Sugaring
Maple syrup production is an option to diversify Northeast farms and draw in customers. This guide discusses basic production, financing, and alternate sources of sugaring other than maple trees…
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Ready to Learn More About Managing Your Woodland?
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Consider signing up for our online course,
Woodland Mushroom Cultivation
. The six-week course will discuss growing mushrooms on logs, stumps, and wood chips. The registration deadline is January 6, but if you sign up more than one month in advance, you are eligible for a $25 discount on this course.
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Additional Reading & Resources
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View Climate Change on the County Level
A new tool allows users to view change in climate by county, thanks to work by the Cornell Center for Climate Smart Farming and Cornell Institute for Climate Smart Solutions. The tool features not only a temperature record, but also options to see change in growing season, growing degree days, and more.
Learn more
.
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USDA Expands Online Offerings for Farmers
Farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers in New York have new online options to access U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs. Producers can register, track and manage their applications for the Market Facilitation Program and 2017 Wildfires Hurricanes Indemnity Program. In addition to the programs available through the USDA, other programs offered by FSA can be managed with the same credentials.
Read more
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Wildflowers Amp Up Farm Nutrient Balance
Cornell researchers are working Northern New York dairy farmers and farm advisors on assessing their whole farm nutrient balance. One of their findings was that the addition of wildflower strips on farms can bring additional pollinators. The researchers’ goal is for dairy farmers to be both economically viable and environmentally sustainable.
Read more
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Farm to School Report Available Now
Are you part of the farm to school movement? Whether you are or want to be, the USDA’s Office of Community Food Systems has released a report on the history of farm to school programs and see strategies implemented by previous grantees.
Read the report.
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Business & Career Opportunities
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New York Farms Can Apply for CADE Fiscal Sponsorship
The Center for Agricultural Development and Entrepreneurship (CADE) in New York has a newly established program that will fiscally sponsor your farm, which includes fundraising consulting, access to resources, and will generally help farms find new grant and funding opportunities.
Learn more
and apply soon if interested, as applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
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Rensselaer and Washington
County Dairy Grant Available
The Agricultural Stewardship Association (ASA) is offering a new grant opportunity
to
conserve farmland and provide funding to dairy farms in transition.
The grant may cover from 75-100% of total project costs.
Learn more
about the opportunity and
schedule an appointment by
contacting
[email protected]
or
[email protected]
at ASA.
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New York Farmers: Donate Food Now, Tax Credits Later
Your harvest is probably wrapping up and you may have unsold product leftover. Consider donating to emergency food programs and receive tax credit through a NYS program launched last January. Fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs, meat and some dairy products are all eligible for the credit through qualified food pantries, food banks, and other emergency food programs. To claim the credit, a receipt or written acknowledgement from the eligible food program is necessary.
Find out more
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Northeast Farmer Grants: $15,000 Available through SARE
Northeast SARE Farmer Grants are intended for farm business owners and managers who would like to explore new sustainable production and marketing practices, often through an experiment, trial or on-farm demonstration. Reviewers look for innovation, potential for improved sustainability and results that will be useful to other farmers. Proposals due by November 27.
Learn more
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7.5 Million Available in Farm to School Grants
Eligible groups can now apply for farm to school grants. There is $20,000-50,000 available for planning and training grants and $50,000-$100,000 available for for implementation grants. The recipient is required to match 25% of the award.
Apply by December 4, 2018
.
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Full Time 2019 Seasonal Farm Crew Positions Available
Do you have a passion for agriculture and are seriously considering a career in farming?
Wild Hill Farm
, located in Ionia, NY, is hiring for the 2019 season. The farm has a 200 person CSA and works five acres of land to provide shares weekly. The position is full time, paid, and there is the potential for housing on-site.
Learn more and apply
.
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Webinars on Vegetable Research Results
When:
Thursday, Nov. 8 and Thursday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m.
Where:
Online via Zoom
The Nov. 29 webinar
will focus on high tunnel research.
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Log-Grown Shiitake Open Visit
When:
Friday, Nov. 9 from
9 to 11 a.m.
Where:
Lakeside School
6 Leaning Road, Essex
Details:
Join Cornell Small Farms Agroforestry Specialist Steve Gabriel to visit a first-year log shiitake commercial operation.
Email Carly Summers
to register for this free event.
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Farm Succession & Transition Workshops
When:
Saturday, Nov. 10 from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where:
Enfield Grange
178 Enfield Main Rd., Ithaca
Details:
Learn
about transitioning farmland across generations or to a new owner. This workshop will be repeated on Nov. 17 at Dryden Fire Station.
RSVP to
[email protected].
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Farm Financial Education for Women
Are you a female farm owner or manager? You can register for this four part series in Ulster County. Certificates will be awarded to those that successfully complete the program and apply for the project to get FSA Borrower Training. The program begins on
November 12
and will cover topics that range from risk management, building a network, managing your land, and your employees.
Find out more and register now
.
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New York Loves Food Conference
Join AgriTech and policymakers for this one day conference to discuss the NYS food system, innovation, entrepreneurship, and the steps to improve the current food system.
The event is
November 13
from 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Pre-registration is required, learn more and
register here
.
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Veteran Service Provider Education Conference
Service providers across the state who are working with veterans in a variety of capacities are invited to attend this special conference on
November 27
. Help plot the road to farming using some veteran archetypes, hear from veteran farmers who have utilized local support, and discuss policy and programmatic changes that may need to be implemented.
Learn more and register for the conference.
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Featured From #CornellSmallFarms
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@indiancreekfarmithaca
shared how their
jack-o'-lantern kept
healthy with apples instead of candy on Halloween.
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@cce_sullivan_county
shared their delivery of free produce to affordable housing communities in their area.
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@sunnyleafarm
shared how they turned a pumpkin into a vase for their beautiful fall flower bouquet.
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Share what’s been happening on your farm with
#CornellSmallFarms
on Instagram and we may feature your image and story in the next newsletter.
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About Us
The Cornell Small Farms newsletter is a resource for farmers and agricultural service providers in New York and beyond. We envision a future where diverse and vibrant urban and rural farms build human capacity, revitalize communities, supply regional food systems, and foster ecological resilience in a changing world. The Cornell Small Farms Program (SFP) is a joint effort of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Cornell Cooperative Extension.
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Are you just starting to farm? We have an extensive resources available in the
"Plan Your Farm"
section of our website. Do you have farm-related questions? Sometimes local questions are best answered by your neighborhood Cornell Cooperative Extension agent. Check our
county-by-county listing
for your small farm agents.
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