Spring is here and so much is happening here at CCE Nassau. As you review our monthly update you will see that we've had a busy spring so far and that many of our important CCE programs are on the docket for the next few months.

Our Farmers Market at Eisenhower Park returns in early July and we have a great group of vendors lined up. Space is still available for more vendors, though, so if you or someone you know has a small business with locally made and grown foodstuffs, get in touch! Complete details are described later in this email.

We'll also be busy this summer with a fun eight weeks at Dorothy P. Flint 4-H Camp! Spots are filling up so be sure to complete the registration for your preferred weeks. If you're looking for a job for the summer, we're still looking to fill a selection of positions at DPF. More information is available in the 'Employment' section of this update.

Please continue to visit our CCE Nassau website for up-to-date announcements and to view our latest educational offerings. Stay safe and healthy and enjoy the beautiful spring weather. Hopefully we will see you soon in the gardens at East Meadow Farm or at our DPF 4-H Camp in Riverhead, NY.

All my best,

Gregory M. Sandor

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. 

On April 12th, CCE Nassau was represented by Michael Fiorentino during a panel held at Hofstra University as part of their Earth Day programming. Mike is the 4-H and Natural Resource Program Manager at CCE Nassau, as well as the Co-Director for the Long Island Regional Clean Energy Hub. The panel focused on existing and future clean energy availability on Long Island. In 2022, it was announced that CCE Nassau was named by Governor Kathy Hochul to lead the creation of the Long Island Regional Clean Energy Hub, and Hofstra is one of our community partners.

CCE Nassau joined Nassau County Soil and Water Conservation District and Suffolk County Soil and Water Conservation District at the Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts for the 2023 Long Island Regional Envirothon Event!

The Envirothon is an international competition in the United States, Canada, and China, where High School students (grades 9-12 or ages 14-19) utilize their content knowledge and critical thinking skills to develop real-world solutions in the areas of aquatic ecology, forestry, soils, wildlife, and current environmental issues. Congratulations to the 31 teams competing in this year’s event!

Happy Arbor Day!

You can read about Arbor Day from the Arbor Day Foundation.

~

CCE Nassau Urban Forestry and Horticulture Educator Vincent Drzewucki attended a recent tree planting event.

Earth Day and Arbor Day Celebrated at EHSLI: Planting a tree of historical significance

A special tree with a presidential lineage was planted at the Ethical Humanist Society of LI in Garden City in observation of Earth Day and Arbor Day. Vinnie Drzewucki, a member of the Ethical Society who is a Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Nassau County Horticulture and Urban Forestry Educator and a Certified Arborist, led the celebration with the planting of a Franklin D. Roosevelt American Chestnut Oak

“This tree is a perfect addition to our Ethical Society’s recently developed native garden landscape,” says Drzewucki. The American Chestnut Oak is a member of the white oak group of oaks that are native to Long Island, New York State, the Appalachians Mountains, and northeast of the U.S., and are well suited to our climate and soils. It’s named Chestnut Oak because the leaves resemble American Chestnut leaves. It will grow about a foot a year, eventually reaching 60-70 feet tall and wide and can easily live to be over 200 years old. “Like all oak trees,” says Drzewucki, “this one will provide lots of environmental, economic, social, and health benefits for all, including cleaning the air of particulates and pollution, reducing asthma and other respiratory ailments, providing oxygen, absorbing stormwater, and keeping bay and ocean waters and seafood free from pollution.”

The actual tree started its life from an acorn collected from President Roosevelt’s Little White House property in Warm Springs, Georgia. It was sprouted and grown at American Heritage Trees’ Tree Farm, Wilson County, Tennessee. President Roosevelt loved trees and identified himself as a “Tree Farmer” when registering to vote. A staunch supporter of protecting the environment, he created and supported numerous conservation projects and policies including adding millions of acres of land to America’s national forests, national parks and wildlife refuges. Through all these projects, President Roosevelt adhered to one overall philosophy: that the nation must be responsible and preserve the world we live in for future generations.

As part of the tree planting ceremony, members wrote wishes for the tree on paper that was included in the planting hole for the tree to grow up with. The Ethical Humanist Society is located at 38 Old Country Road in Garden City.

Photo: Horticulturist Vinnie Drzewucki and EHSLI President Linda Napoli. | Photo credit: EHSLI

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

As the gardening season approaches, we would like to invite adults and high school students to participate in our community clean up days 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.

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.

April is always a busy time for Master Gardener Volunteers, as we dust the cobwebs off of the hand tools, and make our way back into the gardens! As such, MGVs have been heading back into the demonstration gardens to cultivate, plant, and otherwise prepare the gardens for the season.

We have also been busy in the community, working in the Rose Garden at Clark Botanic Garden, and preparing for upcoming programs, such as Seed to Supper. For this month’s Earth Day, MGVs worked with volunteers at East Meadow Farm for our Community Clean Up Day, as well as at the Roosevelt Community Garden for their Community Garden Clean Up and Earth Day Celebration. These were excellent opportunities for our Master Gardeners to engage with community members and share their expertise!

May is set to be another busy month, with plenty of upcoming opportunities to learn and volunteer at EMF and in the community. We look forward to seeing you in the gardens again soon!

Saturdays

July 8th - October 28th

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!

Stop by the Long Island Welcome Center and buy local!

5100 Long Island Expressway

Eastbound between Exits 51 & 52

Dix Hills, NY 11746

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

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!

The Big Latch On

We were pleased to host a breastfeeding awareness event, 'The Big Latch On," on April 15th at East Meadow Farm. Thank you to all the moms who came out!

The event was co-run by Maria Fernandez of Bethpage Lactation and Donna Kimick from Lakeshore Lactation. Additional thanks go to Dr. Adam Glassman from Dream Wellness, Melissa Goldstein, SLP, Giusi Tsaousis, PT, Avanti Physical Therapy, Janey from Sensational Development, Nicole Borukhov, MS, RD, CDN, and Be her Village for their support and educational collaboration. Donations for the moms were provided by Go-Lacta, Legendairy Milk, and the New York Milk Bank.

Thanks to Lakeshore Lactation for the photos! (facebook.com/LAKESHORELACTATION)

Khy Ee Siew, one of our Nutrition Educators, has healthy suggestions for your next trip to the grocery store or farmers market!

Click on the image above to read the Spring 2023 Healthy Cooking Tips Newsletter

Cornell Cooperative Extension creates a monthly newsletter as part of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program.

Read the May edition of the EFNEP newsletter by clicking the image above.

During April we welcomed a new educator to the Nutrition team. Read about Adriana in the Staff Spotlight later in this email!

During the April vacation, we hosted a fun and enriching week of activities as part of our School Break Program!

The 4-H School Break Program is an opportunity for children to experience a wide variety of our educational programs during their school break! Youth explore the topics of environmental science, healthy living, agriculture, and S.T.E.M., while developing the soft skills that will help them succeed in life.

This program is available for kids in grades K - 6. The school break program is typically available in December, February, and April. Program sessions may be offered at CCE Nassau's main office located in Eisenhower Park, or at East Meadow Farm.  

Family Movie Night Charcuterie Board

Friday, June 16, 5pm - 7pm

Join us in the 4-H Kitchen and prepare a charcuterie board or snack tray that will be perfect to replicate at home during your next movie night!

Cost: $35 for 1 adult & 1 child

• $5 fee per additional child
• $10 fee per additional adult

Submissions will be judged by professional artists Jim Minet and Michelle Palatnik. Winning artwork will be featured in CCE Nassau's 2024 Annual Gardening Calendar.

Suggested subjects for artwork are:

• Flowers, vegetables, trees, bushes, gardens or nature scenes that are found on Long Island
• Animals, birds and insects (i.e, bees, butterflies) whose habitats are found on Long Island
• Garden tools, seed packets, garden accents (i.e., fountains, statuary, chimes, etc)
• A garden or nature scene in one of the four seasons

For complete rules and information regarding the submissions, along with biographies of this year's judges, visit: ccenassau.org/4-h-youth-development/art-competition

Do you have experience running your own business? Are you looking for a way to give back to the community?

As part of a 4-H Entrepreneur program that we'll be launching later this year, we are inviting volunteers with experience developing and managing businesses to speak to teen participants during a monthly meeting.

This is a wonderful opportunity to assist in mentoring eager minds in the world of business management, by discussing your journey in the business world and sharing your wisdom.

Any and all business people are invited to volunteer to be a mentor. If you have any questions or may be interested in serving as a volunteer 4-H Entrepreneur Mentor, please get in touch at nassaucounty4h@cornell.edu or at 516-832-2591 ext. 106. 

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.

You can learn more about the DPF 4-H Camp for summer 2023 by attending a Virtual or In-Person tour/open house! We have two virtual and three in-person open houses remaining on the schedule.

The next virtual open house is May 8th from 4:00 - 6:00pm. We'll have two in-person open houses during May - 5/13 & 5/21 - from 11:00am - 3:00pm.

Questions? You can contact Camp staff at:

dpf4hcamp@cornell.edu

or

516-832-2591 Ext. 109

MAY 19th - 21st

SEPTEMBER 2nd - 4th

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.

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 over 400 members in 10 Chapters throughout Nassau County.

The main objectives of HCNC, Inc. are:

• Friendship/Fun
• Education
• Community Service

Every HCNC Chapter offers a variety of classes during the year. There is a monthly meeting with an educational program at which scheduled classes are announced for that month. Classes cover home management, cooking, sewing, needlework, arts and crafts, and consumerism.

They are taught by members on a volunteer basis. New members add their talent to the existing chapter program.

There are many chapters (day and evening) conveniently located throughout Nassau County. You may join any open chapter. You do not have to be a resident of that town.

DAY CHAPTERS

• Hicksville
• Levittown
• Merrick South Shore
• New Hyde Park
• Rockville Centre
• Wantagh

EVENING CHAPTERS

• Baldwin
• Carle Place
• Lynbrook / Hewlett / Woodmere
• Stewart Manor

Additional chapters may be formed by interested and willing groups / individuals.

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

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

Adriana Valverde

Adriana is a chef, yogi, and writer, and passionate about wellness and joy. She loves doing nothing in a hammocks, rice and beans, poetry, and pour over coffee. She’s very much looking forward to being a force for good on the CCE Nassau EFNEP team.

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.

• Finance Manager
• Community Energy Educator
• Lead Camp Farm Assistant
• 4-H Camp Admin/4-H Camp Director 
• Long Island Taste NY Market Sales Ambassador - NB
• LI Taste NY Market Sales Ambassador - BE
• Multiple Summer Camp Staff positions

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