Year: 2011
What happens to the family farm when it’s time to retire or to pass it on? The answers are as varied as the farmers who’ve made the transition. Nancy Slye’s creativity and entrepreneurial spirit enabled her to keep her Broadway, Virginia, farm, Tralfamadore Farms, until it passes to her son. The farm is home to…
Recently, urban agriculture seems to have achieved a milestone– being lampooned. The blog Daily Candy featured “DIY Halloween Costumes” in which suggestion No. 4 was “Urban Farmer,” recommending a three ingredient recipe: “1. Same [outfit] as Paul Bunyan but replace the ax with a shovel; 2. Carry a tote bag filled with fresh veggies. and…
Organic Valley is committed to utilizing responsible and renewable energy. They have worked within their business to implement solar and wind projects to provide clean energy to their headquarters. But they haven’t stopped at simply replacing electricity with a more responsible source of power; they are also working within the cooperative to further the use…
Since 1970 when former President Nixon went to China, many Americans have become familiar with acupuncture and Oriental medicine, having either visited a practitioner or knowing someone who has. Especially since 1994, when our small mid-Hudson Valley farm was founded to grow Asian medicinal plants, the word-of-mouth popularity of this modality has increased considerably. High…
Welcome to the new ‘Technology on the Farm’ column! We at the Cornell Small Farms Program thought it was about time that we start sharing the latest technology farmers are using, be it newest innovations in farm equipment, record keeping software, or social networking and communication tools such as facebook and twitter. Have your own…
Local foods are enjoying strong demand, however, until recently the buy local movement has been largely concentrated on fresh seasonal produce. Many livestock farmers are now aware that the “buy local” movement is strong and that there is demand for their products in local markets. However, tapping into those markets may be intimidating to farmers…
In an effort to help farmers and other small scale processors market their value- added products, “Taste the Regions”, a specialty food gift box was launched in 2009. In these especially difficult days of financial support for not-for-profit organizations, it was also thought to be a small step towards raising funds for two not-for-profit organizations:…
In May of 2010 the Pennsylvania Yankee Mercantile found a home on Main Street in Penn Yan, a small town in the heart of the Finger Lakes in Upstate New York. The Pennsylvania Yankee Mercantile is a quaint country general store with a big mission. The Mercantile is a 100 mile market, meaning that all the products need…
Old Man Winter is here! Snow, wind, cold temps. What do you do to keep warm in your home? Are you nervous about your energy bill? What are some things you can do that don’t cost much money, but will help you stay toasty warm throughout the season? If you haven’t done so already, check…
Chef Dennis Spinna remembers when he found a lamb carcass at the front door of his Brooklyn restaurant. “The legs were sticking straight up and everything!” He shares this over a cup of coffee on the patio of hip Williamsburg eatery Roebling Tea Room. Dennis is a veteran of the whole carcass program, a sustainable…
