Small Farms Quarterly
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What grass and legume species are liked by sheep and are easily established? A recurring question I receive is the one of what grass and legume species to choose when a pasture is being reseeded. Exotic names are being tossed around and I am being asked my opinion. Pasture mixes that are offered by various…
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The Cornell Small Farms Program’s “Reconnecting with Purpose – A Renewal Experience for NY Farm and Food System Educators and Change Makers” fosters a welcoming and trustworthy space for participants to explore challenges, to “live their questions,” and to uncover a sense of clarity and direction in their work and lives. “One of the hardest…
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“Duragna” is a mix of wheat and barley, and sometimes other grains too, planted together rather than one type of grain sown in orderly rows. Morgan Ruelle, M.S. ’10, Ph.D. ’15, was living in the remote mountains of Ethiopia in 2011, researching his dissertation on food diversity, when he kept hearing about a crop that…
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Results from a 2021 survey of specialty mushroom growers around the USA offer an interesting glimpse into this growing industry. By Kristen Park and Steve Gabriel In January 2021, the Cornell Small Farms Program conducted a survey of specialty mushroom growers about their cultivation and marketing practices. We want to thank the growers for providing…
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Farmers are particularly susceptible to both chronic and acute stress, and one underappreciated strategy for reducing this stress load is our mindset and approach to decision-making. What causes you to feel stressed out? Major sources of stress in my life include, in no particular order: money, kids, livestock, off-farm job, my farm business, and the…
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As the nature of farming can lead to feelings of social isolation, it is important that farmers feel like they have people to talk to about their issues. Nicole Tommell knows well the financial challenges today’s farmers face. But over the last few years, Tommell – an agricultural business management specialist for Cornell Cooperative Extension…
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Black land owners account for just ~1% of private Northeast forestland. For Sydney Antonio, a love of forests took root during childhood summers visiting upstate New York, where she and her cousins explored family-owned property covered by red oak, white ash, hard maple and other trees. Today, she and her husband, Evon Antonio, sustainably…
Read MoreWelcoming a New Team Members to the Small Farms Program The Cornell Small Farms Program team continues to grow, and we recently welcomed our newest team members, Sarah Bassman and Tim W. Shenk. Sarah and Tim introduce themselves below, and share more about what they’ll be working on. From Sarah: I joined the Small Farms Program…
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Military service generates multiple transitions points for veterans, and these experiences can support a veteran’s transition into agriculture. The life transition into the military begins the day individuals raise their right hand. On that day, a person becomes one of a small percentage of Americans, who enter military service. Not to sound dramatic but just…
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In part 12 of our “What’s Your Beef?” series on raising cattle on small farms, we share how stocker cattle can provide a quick, easy way to get into the beef industry without a huge investment. If you are new to farming, or just want to take a break from the normal paradigm of raising…
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