Posts by Tara Hammonds
One of the great mysteries of the soil are the mycorrhizal fungi, which live by forming beneficial relationships to plants. “Myco” means mushroom, and “rhizal” root, and these truly unique organisms are seen as one of the keys to healthy soil and plant communities. Until now, information to better understand the ways they work and…
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The results of a survey titled “Building a Future With Farmers II” from the National Young Farmers Coalition offers important insights to policy, education, and justice efforts needed to keep farming strong across the US. The survey, which solicited 3,517 respondents with the help of 94 partner organizations, offers a number of specific challenges young farmers face, most notably access to…
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For the community members of the St. Regis Mohawk/Akwesasne Tribe of northern New York, seeds are not just commodities to be planted for food, they are sacred. When their seeds disappear, so do their ceremonies, language, songs, farming practices, and connections to their ancestors. The Native American Seed Sanctuary project is an outgrowth of an existing partnership with The…
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Winter workshops on novel cover cropping and strip tillage practices for vegetables Attend the 2018 Empire State Producers Expo (Jan. 18 in Syracuse, NY) or the NOFA-NY Winter Conference (Jan. 19 in Saratoga Springs, NY) to learn how you can integrate cover cropping and reduced tillage practices while overcoming the residue and weed management challenges.…
Read MoreBaskets to Pallets at the 2018 NOFA-NY Winter Conference – Saratoga Springs, NY January 21, 2018, 8:00-9:15am Looking to diversify sales? Food hubs, groceries, restaurants and cooperatives are seeking your products, but these ‘intermediated’ channels require different marketing strategies. This workshop will include discussion and activities to prepare direct-marketing farmers to start building successful sales…
Read MoreSEE BELOW FOR UPDATED WORKSHOP DATES AND TIMES Your employees are your most valuable resource. Wages, salaries, and contract labor expenses represent more than 40 percent of the cost of production in labor intensive crops like fruits, vegetables, and nursery products. These four workshops will help you become better at managing your farm’s employees. The…
Read MoreThe Cornell Small Farms Program and the New York Farmer Veteran Coalition, Inc, will be hosting a celebration of our state’s farmer veterans on Nov 29th, 2019. The conference is scheduled to take place from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm in Syracuse, with a networking reception afterwards from 4:30 to 6 pm. At this conference, participants will have…
Read MoreMinority Landowner Magazine is a national publication that highlights the stories of minority, limited resource, and social disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners. The mission of the magazine is to support landowners to improve productivity, increase profitability, and maintain ownership of their land. The magazine was founded in 2005 by Victor Harris, a forester with…
Read Moreby R.J. Anderson Growing grapes in northeastern New York and Vermont requires a hardy vine and a committed hand. Researchers and extension educators from Cornell and the University of Vermont are offering wineries a helping hand with the agriculture, viticulture, and commercial challenges of growing grapes in a rugged climate. The green and red partnership…
Read MoreVeterans in New York participate in agricultural training opportunities across the state, growing skills and strengthening community connections. by Kat McCarthy Walking into classroom 167 at SUNY Adirondack on July 31, the average person wouldn’t know from a quick visual observation that there were two unifying features of the 2017 Armed to Farm cohort. Twenty-five…
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