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Small Farms Program Hosts Agroforestry Summit to “See the Farm for the Trees”
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On a wintry January day, while the trees and landscape lay dormant, one meeting space on Cornell University’s campus in Ithaca, NY, was alive with vibrant activity. More than 100 committed and passionate advocates for “trees on farms on purpose” gathered on campus for a first of its kind agroforestry summit. The Cornell Small Farms…
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Small Farms Radio Shines a Spotlight on the Power of Trees
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If you’re selling 25 million trees, New York State is looking to buy. In 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul began an ambitious reforestation goal, aiming to plant 25 million new trees in the state before 2033. While the effort has been supported by policymakers, conservationists, researchers, and agriculturalists, a key issue remained — what kind of…
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Farm Field Day Attendees Treated to Lessons on Beef, Berries, and Donuts – Oh My!
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By Tim W. Shenk Brett Chedzoy stood over a trailer outfitted with a layer of heat-resistant bricks, flipping beef burgers on a wire rack over a pile of smoldering coals. Maria Chedzoy readied the fixings. On a warm Saturday afternoon in June, the Chedzoys’ front yard at Angus Glen Farm in Watkins Glen, New York…
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More Than Maple: Cornell Research Designs Sugarbush Agroforestry Systems
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The Cornell Maple Program is growing 18 species of perennial fruit- and nut-bearing plants within a maple sugarbush forest. They want to help maple producers be more resilient to economic challenges and extreme weather events, and offer unique products like maple-elderberry wine and maple-hazelnut spreads. Virtually all of the world’s maple syrup is produced in…
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Earth Day: A Celebration and a Call to Action
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The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago; the second-best time to plant a tree is now. This idea captures the essence of Earth Day – both a celebration of our planet and a call to action for a resilient and sustainable future. As we commemorate Earth Day this year, it’s also…
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Our Team Is Growing: Now Hiring Agroforestry Specialist
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The Cornell Small Farms Program team is continuing to grow, and we are hiring! We are excited to share that the application is now open for our newest team member, Agroforestry Extension Support Specialist. Our dynamic team is working to help diverse small farms thrive and to make farming more equitable. For this position, we’re…
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Agroforestry Webinar Series to Discuss Stewardship, Support Resources, and More
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Our Agroforestry project and the Cornell Cooperative Extension Agroforestry Program Work Team is again hosting a series of webinars this year, beginning in April. These webinars will feature expert speakers, highlighting the latest information and materials available. Agroforestry describes a wide range of practices that integrate trees, forests, and agricultural production. These systems preserve…
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Clearing a Woodland Understory
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Question: I was visiting a friend’s woodlot last fall. They had logged much of the ash due to Emerald Ash borer and expanded those openings into patches to allow for replanting with walnut. The understory was mostly buckthorn, ironwood, hornbeam and other scrubby species. They cleared the understory, in anticipation of planting, by either scraping…
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Study Measures Maple Syrup Production in a Changing Climate
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A changing climate is expected to change the seasonality of crops, largely affecting farmers’ production patterns and yearly cycles. This impact on crops also includes maple syrup production, according to a new study from Dartmouth College. Maple syrup production is especially dependent on temperature, and even in the best conditions has a very short seasonal…
Forestry & Agroforestry
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