News and Updates

Dairy farmers can learn more about the USDA margin protection program (MPP-Dairy) during a webinar through Cornell Cooperative Extension Oneida County. The first session will run from 10am – 12pm, the second from 1-3pm, and the final from 7-9pm. The goal is to introduce the MPP-Dairy program to dairy farmers and explain how it works…

There will be 9 BQA (Beef Quality Assurance) certification trainings available through out New York in October (1 in September). Our goal is to certify or re-certify 100 producers. There will be a drawing for a $250 gift certificate to use at your veterinary clinic and 2  bags of minerals.  Thanks to Boehringer Ingelheim and Kent Feeds…

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cortland County will offer a cheese workshop at Trinity Valley farm store and bakery for anyone interested in learning to make cheese at home. This is a “hands on” workshop; we will break up into teams of two and each team will make a batch of cheese during the workshop, lead…

Are you looking for farmland to start a new operation, or for land to diversify and expand an existing farm? If so, the Columbia Land Conservancy (CLC) has a program tailored just for you. It is the Farmer Landowner Match Program, an initiative that connects landowners seeking to have their land farmed with farmers seeking…

For several years, we awarded grants of 3-5K to organizations in New York that presented compelling projects to serve and support small farms. Unfortunately, there is currently no funding available for the Small Farm Grant Program.  An extensive library of small farm funding opportunities can be found at https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/resources/funding/ and projects that were awarded funding in the…

Welcome to our Story Share page!  Attendees in the Telling Better Stories Workshop have submitted articles and photos to show off their new journalism and multi-media skills.  Thanks to everyone for your submissions! Article Submissions Anaerobic Digesters, by Elizabeth Newbold Willow: A New Old Crop, by Marilee Williams Telling Better Stories Workshop, by Amy Halloran New York Farm…

Journalism Training for Small Farm Educators Are you an agriculture educator or service provider who tells stories of the farmers you work with to the public?  Do you write articles, profiles, blogs, essays, take photographs, or produce podcasts about farmers?   Are you a farmer writer or blogger?  On April 11th, 2013, the Cornell Small Farms…

What does it take to make our food system strong, resilient and region-sized? What does real collaboration and cooperation look like? Explore these questions at NESAWG’s “It Takes a Region Conference” on November 11-12. The keynote speaker will be national radio commentator, writer, public speaker, and New York Times best-selling author Jim Hightower. Learn more at http://www.nefood.org/page/2014-it-takes-a-region-conference.

Ground Operations is a documentary film and social action campaign that champions the growing network of combat veterans who are transitioning into careers as sustainable farmers, ranchers and artisan food producers. Visit their website to learn more and watch the documentary’s trailer: http://www.groundoperations.net/

Q: Commercial juneberries and saskatoons are exactly the same fruit. Why two different names? A: The term “saskatoon berry” or “saskatoon” is a predominantly Canadian term for this tasty, dark berry that has spilled over to Michigan and a few other communities near the US-Canada border. Elsewhere, including North Dakota, Minnesota, and the Northeast US,…