Posts by Claire Morrow

Claire is preparing to start her senior year as a Plant Science major in CALS. She is concentrating in sustainable plant production, and hopes to one day work in extension to help farmers implement sustainable practices that are both economically feasible for them and good for the planet. She is from a small town in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia where she learned to appreciate nature and great farm fresh food. She is excited to have the opportunity to both help out with Small Farms programming and get her hands dirty on the research farm this summer.
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Learn to Grow Mushrooms at September Workshop in NYC

By Claire Morrow / August 19, 2019

Interest in specialty mushroom production, or production of any mushroom other than the typical button, crimini, portabella, has grown enormously in recent years, as social and cultural influences have caused many consumers to become interested in paying for high quality mushrooms and mushroom products. With amounts of protein comparable to livestock and animal products, as…

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In The News: Specialty Mushroom Cultivation Featured in Civil Eats

By Claire Morrow / July 31, 2019

The Cornell Small Farms Program’s specialty mushroom project provides educational programming and resources to those interested in cultivating specialty mushrooms. From handbooks and supplier lists, and online classes and hands-on workshops, the mushroom project works to support those already growing mushrooms, teach beginners how to get started, and even eventually train other educators to help…

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Learn to Grow Mushrooms in Upcoming NYC Workshop

By Claire Morrow / July 8, 2019

Specialty mushrooms are easy to grow and maintain, making them a lucrative product for beginning and experienced growers alike. These mushrooms often require little start-up costs, and may even only require materials you already have on hand.  On Wednesday July 17, the Cornell Small Farms Program’s specialty mushroom project is partnering with Cornell Cooperative Extension,…

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Alfalfa-Grass Forage Trials Improve Choices for Farmers & Cows

By Claire Morrow / June 19, 2019

The addition of alfalfa to dairy forage can support healthy milk production. However, because alfalfa relies on temperature to grow rather than day length like grass, it can be challenging to know what varieties to plant in our region that will translate into the perfect mix of forage for New York dairy cows. The Northern…

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In the News: The Relationship Between a Developed Workforce and a Successful Business

By Claire Morrow / May 23, 2019

In the spring 2019 edition of their magazine In Good Tilth, organic farming nonprofit Oregon Tilth published an article  on the importance of worker development in agriculture featuring the Cornell Small Farms Program and our own Nicole Waters. The article discusses the challenges of getting farmers to invest in worker development — the biggest factor…

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New SFQ Column, Lessons from the Land

By Claire Morrow / October 3, 2016

The Groundswell Center for Local Food & Farming and the Cornell Small Farms Program have teamed up to create a new column called Lessons from the Land, which first appeared in the Fall 2016 issue of the Small Farm Quarterly. Lessons from the Land captures and shares the stories of and lessons learned from farmers, homesteaders…

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Youth Pages: Traveling with 4-H through Horticulture Contest

By Claire Morrow / January 9, 2012

I just got back from San Diego, California. Now, let me tell you how I got there. I live on an organic dairy farm with my family in a small town in Northern New York. I have been in the 4-H horticulture program for 8 years now. The first year I did the horticulture ID…

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