News and Updates

The National Young Farmers Coalition wants loan forgiveness for career farmers, and they need your help to do it. Here’s what they have to say: “Right now, we’re building a campaign to tackle the issue of student debt and we need your help. We are working with Congressional offices to put together legislation that would…

Come to the UVM Greenhouse Energy Extravaganza! Greenhouse energy conservation is critical to maximize profits and reduce the energy footprint. What can YOU, a concerned GROWER do about it? You can minimize production costs by making inexpensive improvements to your existing greenhouses. You also can install special energy conserving devices. Sometimes it seems all too complicated!  That…

The hands-on activities Friday will start with a tour of the Cornell Sheep Farm in Harford NY and an explanation of ongoing research and management.  Dr. Mary Smith, DVM, will conduct a necropsy demonstration covering goat and sheep anatomy and what to look for to determine an animal’s cause of death.  She’ll demonstrate proper tubing…

The Small Farms Program has released its first orchard management video! Ian Merwin, professor emeritus in Cornell University’s Dept of Horticulture and owner of Black Diamond Farm, demonstrates the art and science of shaping the form of apple trees in “Black Diamond Farm – Pruning and Training Apple Trees.” Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDl-rfxWfIA

Are you the owner of an old empty dairy barn? Have you noticed some deterioration on the hill side of the foundation? When the cows left they took their heat with them, making room for freeze-thaw cycles that can wreak havoc on an old building. Learn what you can do about it with “Barn Foundation…

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy has released Farmer and Landowner Guide to Pollinators and Neonicotinoids in collaboration with Pesticide Action Network. This guide provides current research on causes of pollinator declines and gives landowners and farmers information on ways they can directly help pollinators survive and thrive on their land and beyond. The…

The Finger Lakes Farmstead Cheese Co have launched a crowdfunding campaign to help get the business through a very difficult and tight financial spot, all related to an FDA regulatory issue involving the use of wooden shelving which effectively shut them down and froze their assets. If you are interested in knowing more, please visit http://flxcheese.peaksmaker.com/

Having trouble with pests in your greenhouses and high tunnels? Interested in learning more about using biological control to manage them? Read SARE’s new fact sheet, Sustainable Pest Management in Greenhouses and High Tunnels, to learn how beneficial insects can protect crops in season-extending structures and enhance the sustainability of your operation. The fact sheet…

Listyourharvest.com was started this spring to assist local farmers and producers with marketing their products online to their own local community. The website is a central posting board where farmers and producers are able to post, update and control their own advertisements, giving even the smallest producer a presence on the internet and allowing them…

On July 31st at 8 pm Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County (CCE) will host the second discussion in a series of new farmer workshops.  If you are a beginning farmer, come join us to learn about marketing options for your new farm business. CCE Erie Farm Business Management Educator, and beginning farmer, Megan Burley,…