We’re less than a month away from the start of another fun summer at our DPF 4-H Camp out in Riverhead! Our 4-H staff is busy wrapping up preparations before counselors arrive for training and campers arrive for activities. We are pleased that our Sleepaway and Day Camp registration numbers are up from last year and we can't wait to welcome all the new and returning campers!

Elsewhere, our gardens are in full bloom at East Meadow Farm and our Farmers Market at Eisenhower Park has a great slate of vendors signed up to sell their wares (but a few spots are still available if any small business would still like to join us). Throughout this email you’ll find articles with more details about what we have in store and we’re excited to share them all with you.

I'd like to extend a huge thank you to all the volunteers who have supported CCE Nassau over the past weeks as we've been gearing up for planting season and camp season. To everyone who lent a hand at EMF or DPF during a community clean up day, and to our Master Gardeners, thank you all for your assistance.

As always, we’re grateful for the support of our participants who inspire us to continue to grow and improve to provide the best educational opportunities possible to the people of Nassau County! We’re looking forward to seeing you at EMF, DPF 4-H Camp, Eisenhower Park, or the Taste NY market!

All my best,

Gregory M. Sandor

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. In its simplest form, it is a partnership between farmers and their local community where both parties share the risks and benefits, while supporting sustainable, local agriculture. Farmers receive upfront capital to support the farm while customers will receive fresh, locally grown produce.

Besides receiving delicious farm fresh produce, CSA members have access to a host of added benefits like visiting the DPF farm, meeting like-minded people who are interested in supporting local farms, receiving newsletters with tailored recipes, exclusive members-only events, 20% off discount at CCE Nassau-run farm stands and mobile markets, and much more. Our goal is to promote and support our farm and 4-H youth while highlighting other farms on Long Island and telling their stories!

Produce will be transported from participating farms to East Meadow Farm, where it will be displayed as a ‘pick your own’ market. Upon arrival, members will be informed of what produce is available for the day. Staff will assist members in picking a predetermined amount of produce. Some produce may be distributed by the item, while others may need to be weighed. Eggs will be sold on pickup day to members on a first come, first served basis.

Please Note:

• There is a $100 min deposit to hold your spot in the CSA.
• If you pay in full you will receive an insulated tote bag to transport your produce, which will be distributed on the first day of pickup.
• CSA Membership must be paid in full by June 1st.
• Once you are signed up for the CSA your payment is non-refundable, however it is transferable, so you can find someone else to take over your share if you need to leave the CSA.

Member Perks:

• 20% off discount at CCE Nassau mobile markets and farm stands.
• Receive products made from our 4-H Entrepreneur program included in your pickup at least once a month.
• Exclusive members-only events offered throughout the season.
• Delicious recipes using your produce, curated by our nutrition educators.

WHO WE ARE

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County (CCE Nassau) provides educational programming and direct support to the local community in many components of the food system, including production, access, marketing and promotion of locally produced food, and food literacy. CCE Nassau dedicates more than 20 staff and 100 trained volunteers to food systems work, who in turn collaborate with over 500 organizations in Nassau County to develop and strengthen the food system. To expand our partnership with the residents of Nassau, CCE Nassau is setting up a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. The goal is to provide CSA members with a true farm to table experience, by sourcing produce grown and harvested by 4-H youth on the CCE Nassau-run Dorothy P. Flint (DPF) Farm as well as other local farms.

With over 56 years of experience in farming, Bill Walsh is the mastermind behind CCE Nassau’s farm. Rest assured you will receive produce of the highest quality, grown using sustainable farming techniques. Throughout our CSA season, make sure you pick up Bill’s garlic, potatoes, onions, carrots, and other delicious vegetables! CCE Nassau also collaborates with Anderson’s Farm, Schmitt’s Family Farm, and Briermere Farms to offer variety in our CSA! We will continue to develop relationships with other local farms to bring the highest quality and most nutritious produce straight from the farm to your plate!

Planting season is upon us! That means it is a great time to purchase a Gardening Calendar or Journal!

The 2023 Calendar is a day-to-day guide with "best practices" (as sampled in the image below) for attaining attractive flowers gardens, productive vegetable gardens and healthy lawns, shrubs and trees that thrive in Long Island climate (Zone 7). 

The Gardener's Journal includes tips and useful information from our CCE Nassau Master Gardener Volunteers. 

Vincent Drzewucki, the Horticulture, Urban & Community Forestry Educator here at CCE Nassau is also on the Board of Directors for both the New York State Urban Forestry Council (NYSUFC) and the Long Island Arboricultural Association (LIAA). This year the LIAA's annual tree service event in celebration of Arbor Day took place at Bayard Cutting Arboretum/State Park in Great River, NY. You can read a recap of the event here: https://nysufc.org/long-island-arboricultural-association-service-event-at-bayard-cutting-arboretum/2023/05/23/

July 20-22, 2023

at

Hofstra University, Hempstead NY

Join Us!

All tree enthusiasts are invited to attend this year’s ReLeaf Conference at Hofstra University. This year’s theme is “Keeping Trees in Mind, Planning for a Better Tomorrow.” Trees can fix and mitigate issues ranging from climate change to stormwater control, and including trees in all stages of community planning helps maximize their benefits. We’ll hear from speakers on how to plant trees properly, things to consider for finding the right tree for the right place, things to consider when writing tree ordnances, and more. Attendees will also have the opportunity to network and exchange ideas with leading urban forestry specialists and professionals.

Conference Purpose

New York ReLeaf is a state program promoting sound management and care of our state’s community trees. It is a cooperative effort coordinated by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the NYS Urban Forestry Council (NYSUFC), with major funding supplied through the USDA Forest Service. The goal of New York ReLeaf is to create partnerships among tree professionals, citizen volunteers, educators, government, and the private sector. The annual ReLeaf State Conference brings together interested parties from across the state’s nine regions to share experiences, ideas, and new information.

Full Details are available on the event website, such as Continuing Education Credits, Fees, Agenda, and other helpful information!

EARLY BIRD PRICING ENDS TODAY - MAY 31 - REGISTER NOW!

Vincent Drzewucki, the Horticulture, Urban & Community Forestry Educator here at CCE Nassau, will be a guest on an upcoming installment of Project Independence and You Radio Show. 

Vinnie will be discussing “You’re Never Too Old to Harvest the Benefits of Gardening”

When:

Friday, June 9, 2023

10 a.m. to 11 a.m.  

How to Listen:

• Tune in to 88.1FM
• Listen on wcwp.org
• Download the 88.1 FM/WCWP app on your iPhone or Android device

Past episodes available on:

• Town of Hempstead website
• WCWP Studios YouTube channel

The Gardening School Workshops are horticulture programs that are designed for hobbyist gardeners. These introductory workshops provide participants with new information and the confidence to improve their own gardens and landscapes.

$30 per each 90-minute Workshop

Register Here

All workshops will be held at East Meadow Farm - 832 Merrick Avenue, East Meadow, NY 11554

Only one date remains for our Spring Community Clean Up Days! We would like to invite adults and high school students to join us on June 24th at East Meadow Farm. Our demonstration gardens and community garden plots provide educational opportunities to thousands of students and residents each year.

Help us wake up our garden beds, spruce up our educational spaces, and even help build some exciting new displays! Cornell Cooperative Extension staff and Master Gardener Volunteers will be facilitating projects on all days.

ALERT! Tomato Seed and Plants Potentially Contaminated with Virus of Concern

Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) has been found this spring on seed of two tomato varieties, Sweet Prince and Brandywise, being sold to growers and gardeners.

This emerging virus (first detected in the US in 2018) is considered more serious than others because of the ease of spread when handling infected plants, the virus’s long-term survival ability and damage to fruiting plants. 

Recommendations:

• If you are notified by a seed company regarding infected ToBRFV seed or see announcements about seed you purchased, the seed and any plants grown from them must be destroyed NOT composted, surface buried, or thrown in a cull pile.
• The infected lots reported were plants from Sweet Prince Lot #s NN21-SL-SP and NN22-SLSP2 and Brandywise Lot #s NS 10-11-br.
• There are no treatments/sprays that will cure plants of ToBRFV or any other plant virus.
•  This virus can survive in soil for years, thus there is potential for re-occurrence in future years in addition to potential for spread to other tomato and pepper plants with handling.
• Follow strict sanitation practices if you have infected plants, to include disposal or sterilization of all clothing, tools, trays, pots, hoses, benches, etc. Clean surfaces where plants have been with diluted bleach (an example of an appropriate solution is 8.2 fluid ounces of an 8.25% bleach made up to 1 gallon of solution—check whether the concentration listed on the label of the bleach you have is 8.25% and adjust if necessary).
• Handling infected seed is not known to allow seed-to-seed transmission of ToBRFV because the virus resides inside the seed not on the seed surface.
• Handling infected plants followed by handling healthy host plants is a transmission method.
• Minimize touching plants with hands, clothing and tools. Brushing plants to obtain sturdier stems is a dangerous practice because it may move viruses like ToBRFV, as well as bacterial pathogens. Watering seedlings is not considered to have enough force to transfer ToBRFV.
• When plants are handled, such as during transplanting, use hand sanitizer on gloved hands between plants when there is concern ToBRFV might be present.
• Check plants for symptoms at least once a week. Symptoms include mosaic and mottle, yellowing, bubbling in the leaf blade, and a ‘fern leaf’ look. If suspicious symptoms are seen, photograph and submit a sample to your local plant clinic. Symptoms will likely start to appear by about 4-6 weeks after seeding, but some varieties remain free from symptoms even though infected. See below for a symptom image guide.

Symptom guide: https://www.vegetables.cornell.edu/pest-management/disease-factsheets/tomato-brown-rugose-fruit-virus/

For more information: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/import-information/federal-import-orders/tobrfv/faqs/general/general

In New York, the Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic is available for testing: https://plantclinic.cornell.edu 

Alert created by Meg McGrath, with input from Margery Daughtrey, Margaret Kelly, Marc Fuchs, Karen Snover-Clift, and Elizabeth Lamb.

Photo credit: Cornell CALS

Get more from your lawn and garden this year by testing your soil!

Before planting; preparing soil; applying fertilizer, lime, compost, or other soil amendments, test, don't guess.

Our Diagnostic Lab at East Meadow Farm offers Lawn and Garden Soil pH Testing and Soil Nutrient Analysis. For more information visit our Plant Diagnostics & Soil Health Center webpage.

Be a Member! Become a CCE Nassau County Residential Member now and get 3 free soil pH test coupons with membership.

Come join our Master Gardener Volunteers for an all-inclusive tour of the Gold Medal Plant Arboretum this Saturday, June 3rd at 10am. The tour will be at our East Meadow Farm, at 832 Merrick Avenue, East Meadow, NY.

In this free, 1-2 hour-long tour, community members will have the opportunity to learn about Gold Medal Plants in our region. These trees, shrubs, perennials, vines, groundcovers, grasses, and annuals thrive in the Long Island home landscape.

You don’t want to miss this wonderful opportunity to get an in-depth tour of the Gold Medal Arboretum! We hope to see you then!

Saturdays

July 8th - October 28th, 2023

9:00am - 12:00pm

Eisenhower Park, Parking Field 8

If you are a farmer, producer, or other small business interested in joining our team of vendors for the imminent 2023 market season, we would love to have you!



For the Vendor Application, please email us at nassau@cornell.edu.

If you are interested in purchasing items from any of our 2022 CCE Nassau Farmers Market at Eisenhower Park vendors, please feel free to email us at nassau@cornell.edu for contact information.

Market season will be here before we know it! We look forward to seeing you then!

May Highlight

On May 12 & 13, Taste had a booth at Clark Botanic Garden's Annual Spring Plant Sale.

Stop by Taste on June 16th for a sampling event in celebration of Dairy Month!

Complete details are listed later in this email.

Stop by the Long Island Welcome Center and buy local!

5100 Long Island Expressway, Dix Hills, NY 11746

(between Exits 51 & 52 eastbound)

Taste NY offers a wide variety of products ranging from snacks to oils, vinegars, and sauces. Shop online.

We ran a four-class Dining with Diabetes (DWD) course for the first time! An exclusive program offered only by Cooperative Extensions across the United States, DWD helps participants learn self-management strategies to better prevent, delay, or manage complications surrounding diabetes. The next run of this course will begin July 19th - details and registration will be posted on our Event page soon.

The Nassau County Office for the Aging held their annual May Conference and Luncheon in honor of Older Americans Month on 5/17.

We taught a seminar on “growing your own salsa garden,” led by Khy Ee from our Nutrition team and Beth from our Horticulture team.

The 4-H Entrepreneur Program gives teens (ages 13+) a unique opportunity to be a part of a one-of-a-kind program that teaches agriculture, retail, and advertising skills. This free learning opportunity consists of twice-monthly meetings where teens are taught business skills they can put to practice during a weekly Farm Stand. The Entrepreneur Program will be an ongoing program that will continue after the Farm Stand season ends, transitioning into further learning experiences.

Meetings will be held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month, starting on Wednesday, June 21st. The meetings will be from 4:00pm - 5:00pm at East Meadow Farm (832 Merrick Ave.) Teens do not need to attend all meetings to participate in the Entrepreneur Program, but it would be helpful for them to attend at least one meeting a month to get the most out of this program. Registration is not required for each of these meetings as they are held regularly.

The Entrepreneur Program is divided into 3 tracks. During Wednesday meetings, each group will spend time learning about skills pertinent to their track, as well as planning their tasks and goals for upcoming Farm Stands. The registration form asks the teens to pick their area of interest. Once the program starts they will have the choice to switch to another track if they wish, or they can remain in their initially chosen track.

1. Agriculture - Participants will have the chance to learn about planting, growing, and harvesting their own produce. The skills learned will expand into soil diagnostics, crop rotation, and pest management.
2. Retail - Participants will learn the basics of customer service, product pricing, selling products, and money management. These skills will expand into wholesale pricing, product ordering, and coordination with suppliers. Skills learned in this area will be put to good use at the 4-H Farm Stand on Fridays. 
3. Marketing - Participants will learn the basics of advertising, community outreach, and photographing events for future marketing. Participants may have their work published on the CCE Nassau website, social media, or printed materials.  

4-H Entrepreneur Farm Stand

The Farm Stand runs on Fridays starting July 7th and concluding October 27th. It is open to the public from 4:00pm - 7:00pm.

Help is needed from 3:30pm - 7:00pm on Farm Stand Friday's for setup, sales, and breakdown. This time is not just for participants in the Retail track - it is a great opportunity for all participants to put their newly acquired skills to practice.

The registration form lists an option of days for teens to work at the Farm Stand. Please sign up for at least 5 days (of the 17 total) to work the Farm Stand. A letter stating hours worked can be provided for students in need of volunteer hours.

Participants will receive a certificate of completion from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County and Nassau County 4-H once they attend 5 meetings and work at 5 Farm Stands.

The Wednesday meetings during the Farm Stand season will be June 21, July 5 & 19, August 2 & 16, September 6 & 20, October 4 & 18.

If you have any questions please contact nassaucounty4h@cornell.edu or call 516-832-2591 ext. 106

Head to the Taste NY Market at the Long Island Welcome Center on Friday, June 16th between 1-3pm for a sampling event in celebration of Dairy Month!

Guests will be able to sample yogurt and cheese, as well as make their own butter (with optional flavors)!

The Dairy in the Classroom, Nutrition, and Taste NY teams from CCE Nassau are co-hosting this delicious event.

Address: 5100 Long Island Expressway (between Exits 51 & 52 eastbound) Dix Hills, NY 11746

Be sure to sign up the children in your life for another fun summer! We're using the Ultra Camp registration system again this year.

We are expecting availability to start filling up now that it is our summer season, and we are all warming up for a great season. We hope you will join us. 

You can learn more about the DPF 4-H Camp for summer 2023 by attending a Virtual or In-Person tour/open house!

The next (and last) virtual open house is June 5th from 4:00 - 6:00pm.



The final in-person open house is June 10th from 11:00am - 3:00pm. Tours leave from the Lodge (at the West entrance of Camp) at 11:00, 12:00, 1:00, & 2:00pm.

CAMP DATES:

Week 1: June 26 - July 1

Week 2: July 3 - July 8

Week 3: July 10 - July 15 

Week 4: July 17 - July 22

Week 5: July 24 - July 29 

Week 6: July 31 - August 5 

Week 7: August 7 - August 11 

Week 8: August 14 - August 19

Restarting our specialty and focused classes mean campers get to do more of what they love in new and exciting ways during select weeks. 

Creative Track Programs

Creative tracks take the place of a regularly offered class during specific weeks. Some are two hour (double-block) classes giving youth time to truly experience these opportunities. This year’s creative tracks are:

• Farm-To-Table (Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8)
• Marine Biology and Fishing (Weeks 2, 5 - This is a double-block class)
• D.I.Y. Fashion (Week 3)
• Outdoor Cooking (Weeks 3, 6)
• S.T.E.M & S.T.E.A.M (Week 4)
• 4-H Livestock Care (Week 4)
• Talent Show: Committee (Week 5)
• Sports Focus (Week 6 )
• Zombie Campout (Week 7)
• Jr. Lifeguard (Week 7)
• Camp Beautification (Week 8)

Questions? You can contact Camp staff at:

dpf4hcamp@cornell.edu

or

516-832-2591 Ext. 109

SEPTEMBER 1st - 3rd

(Labor Day Weekend)

Cost: $150

6 people maximum per family

Rent our rustic cabins for a stay on the North Fork! During these weekends our staff runs programming designed for visiting families to enjoy together. Families can choose to come to as many programs as they like at no additional cost. Activities may include guided nature hikes, outdoor cooking, farm tours and animal education, crafts, low ropes, and much more. Staff availability may allow for additional paid activities, too, such as archery or high ropes.

You're welcome to enjoy activities away from the group as well, be it a walk on the beach or an adventure to the nearby aquarium, bowling alley, or wineries. You'll return to camp's beautiful 140-acres of nature, able to enjoy access to a grill and a comfortable place to rest your head for the night.

It wouldn't be a true Family Camp Weekend without a Counsel fire every night. You'll enjoy a short story, some songs, and of course s’mores.

Read the May 2023 Sustainable and Resilient Communities - Nassau County Monthly Update from one of our Community Partners (NY Sea Grant & LISS)

The Homemakers will teach sessions at DPF 4-H Camp on July 5, 12, 19, & 26 and August 2 & 9 from 9:30am-11:30am.

Campers of any age will be invited to create projects such as:

• Painting
• Sewing - cutting material, how to use a sewing machine, & more
• Recycling items
• Crafting bird houses
• Crocheting
• Decorative pillow cases
• and other items provided by the Homemakers.

HCNC, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization that is a direct outgrowth of the Cornell Cooperative Extension Program. It is a separate and autonomous entity with members in 13 Chapters throughout Nassau County.

Community service is a key part of HCNC. Several community service projects are adopted each year at the council level and a full-fledged effort is made by each chapter to contribute support. This may include fundraising, making special items, or offering personal time for community needs. Each HCNC chapter also selects community service projects that help the local community.

Association with a Homemaker's Chapter provides friendship, stimulation and growth for people who seek to improve their knowledge, skills, family, and community.

If you would like to find out more about HCNC you can contact

Jeannette Bressant at 516-408-8118 or email nettie417@yahoo.com

CCE Nassau is currently looking to fill various positions. If interested in any of these openings, please click the link below for more details or to apply.

Main Office / East Meadow Farm

• Finance Manager
• Community Energy Educator
• Nutrition, Health, and Wellness Program Manager
• Administrative Assistant
• East Meadow Farm Facilities Coordinator (part-time)

DPF 4-H Camp / 140 Living Learning Laboratory

• 140 LLL Maintenance Coordinator (Year-round)
• 140 LLL Property Coordinator (Year-round)
• 4-H Camp Admin/4-H Camp Director (Year-round)
• Kitchen Manager/Cook (Summer)
• Boys Community Leader (Summer)
• Activity Leader: Farm (Summer)
• Activity Leader: Ropes Coordinator (Summer)
• Lifeguards - Multiple Openings (Summer)
• General Counselors - Multiple Openings (Summer)

Long Island Taste New York

• Market Sales Ambassador - NB (19hrs/wk - multiple openings)
• Market Sales Ambassador - BE (24hrs/wk)

Cornell Cooperative Extension actively supports equal educational and employment opportunities. No person shall be denied admission to any educational program or activity or be denied employment on the basis of any legally prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, color, religion, political beliefs, national or ethnic origin, sex, gender/gender identity, transgender status, sexual orientation, age, marital or family status, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. Cornell Cooperative Extension is committed to the maintenance of affirmative action programs that will assure the continuation of such equality of opportunity.

Volunteers are very important to Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County. Many individuals volunteer their time to a variety of Extension activities, contributing many hours each year!

Through duties as diverse as teaching others to prune trees or make compost, answering callers' questions on consumer or gardening issues, mentoring young people as they acquire new skills, or serving as board members or on committees that guide our work, volunteers represent the Extension's far-reaching roots in our community.

Prospective volunteers need to complete an application form. In addition, those who volunteer to work with vulnerable populations (children, individuals with disabilities, etc.) will be asked to consent to a criminal background screening at Cooperative Extension's expense, as a means of ensuring the safety and security both of our volunteers and of the people we serve through our programs.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County (CCE Nassau) is committed to building healthy lifestyles and sustainable communities by conducting high quality educational programs that connect Cornell University knowledge and research to community needs for all people in the county.

An educational, not-for-profit organization founded in 1914, CCE Nassau has served many thousands of Nassau families through programs focused on horticulture, the environment, health, nutrition, food systems, renewable energy, and youth development.  

"Helping you put knowledge to work"

CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OF NASSAU COUNTY

Eisenhower Park, SAC Building, Field 8

PO Box 148

East Meadow, NY 11554

www.ccenassau.org

E-mail: nassau@cornell.edu

Phone: 516-832-2591

Fax: 516-832-2597