Posts by Claire Cekander

Sheep Pasture and Red Clover – Again

By Claire Cekander / October 3, 2016

by Ulf Kintzel A while back I wrote an article for Farming Magazine “Red Clover in Sheep pasture?” in which I advocated grazing red clover even during breeding season. I wrote a similar article for Small Farm Quarterly’s winter 2013 issue “Does Red Clover Cause Infertility in Sheep?” shortly thereafter. Let’s recap the premise: It is said that…

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Hazelnut Trees Are Easy!

By Claire Cekander / October 3, 2016

Native hybrid hazelnuts provide a crop that is consistently in short supply, well known by consumers, and nearly grow themselves.  by Dawn and Jeff Zarnowski Tasty and healthy hazelnuts are used in many food products desired by consumers and are chronically in short supply.  Almost all hazelnuts consumed in North America are sourced from either Oregon…

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Viability of Farmers Markets for Direct Marketing Farmers

By Claire Cekander / October 3, 2016

by Diane Eggert and Laura Biasillo Farmers all across the country often find that farmers markets are a profitable outlet for their farm products. Markets provide farmers retail level pricing, which adds significantly to their bottom line, as compared with many other venues. But farmers who are not involved in farmers markets often dismiss them as a cost effective strategy for their…

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Birds, Farms and Conservation

By Claire Cekander / October 3, 2016

by Bill Wilson Mine was not a boyhood in deeply rural America. I was born and raised in the northeast corner of New Jersey, in Bergen County. In what is now one of the most densely populated areas of the U.S., we boys and girls of the 1950s enjoyed a freedom and natural abundance in…

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Northern Exposure: New CCE Ag Team Aids North Country Farmers

By Claire Cekander / October 3, 2016

by R.J. Anderson Home to rich soil, a large dairy presence, and determined crop producers, New York’s North Country also has more square miles than the entire state of Vermont and faces unique agribusiness challenges. Helping farmers navigate those issues are a pair of new regional agriculture teams fueled by Cornell University research and resources.…

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Small Scale No-Till Vegetables at Seeds of Solidarity Farm

By Claire Cekander / October 3, 2016

by Brian Caldwell and Ryan Maher Mulches and tarps combine to build active soils and suppress weeds. In 1996, Ricky Baruc and Deb Habib moved to 30 acres of forested land in Orange, MA.  Roughly 5 acres of woods over uneven, rocky soil were logged and cleared in preparation for a house, farm and teaching center. …

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A Book Review of “The Art and Science of Grazing”

By Claire Cekander / October 3, 2016

by Rich Taber “How Grass Farmers Can Create Sustainable Systems for Healthy Animals and Farm Ecosystems”, by Sarah Flack I love to read, and will state that at the outset.  I moreover love to read about one of my undying passions, which is sustainable agriculture in general, and grazing in particular.  Sarah Flack’s recently published book, The Art…

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Open Registration for Small Farm Online Courses

By Claire Cekander / August 17, 2016

The Cornell Small Farms Program announces open registration for its 2016-2017 season of Small Farm Online Courses building the technical and business skills of farmers. Expert farmers and extension educators guide students through the latest research-based information to help improve efficiency and increase profit on small farms. Students connect with other farmers, work on farm…

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Pork Cutting Workshop

By Claire Cekander / August 12, 2016

Wednesday, August 24, 2016, 9:00am 4:00pm Want to learn about various cuts of pork? Looking to be more confident when selling your meat cuts? Wondering how to get the most return on investment for your product? CCE Harvest New York and SUNY Cobleskill invite pork producers to hone their skills in a one-day Pork Cutting Seminar…

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Workshop on Grantmanship for Non-Professionals

By Claire Cekander / August 8, 2016

Grantmanship for Non-Professionals will be the topic of the workshop sponsored by the Master Gardeners of Otsego County on August 22, 2016 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Education Center, 123 Lake St., Cooperstown, NY. Master Gardeners have recruited the expertise of Stacey Grady and Barbara Hein of Springbrook for the workshop.…

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