As Fall Approaches...

Remember to check out all the local options on Finger Lakes Farm Country (FLFC).

The Fall Apple and Pumpkin Harvest Tour shows a map highlighting some sources for fall fun. Some farms grow a variety of tree fruits that may start ripening for harvest soon so check around for what you are looking for. Agritourism options are also plentiful in our region, check them out here.

From lunch at a restaurant offering farm-to-table to various on farm experiences, you can plan a fun day centered around Steuben County Agriculture right from Finger Lakes Farm Country.

Farm producers and agrotourism business owners, don't forget to list your events with FLFC! If you aren't a listed producer/farm and would like to be,

Complete The Participation Form

Or if you have questions about Finger Lakes Farm Country please contact Kevin Peterson at kpeterson@corningfingerlakes.com or call 607-936-6544.

Producing Low Sugar Hay - Some Considerations

By Amy Barkley, Livestock Specialist, SWNYDLFC

"I have a client who needs me to produce low sugar hay… what's a foolproof method?" I hear this question quite a bit from folks who are producing hay for critters that have a low energy demand. Many of these farmers' clients feed pleasure or pet horses, that are generally easy keepers and require forage with a low sugar density. Some highly conditioned livestock like beef cattle, sheep, or goats may also need low energy forage to help them shed some pounds before breeding season to decrease the risk of breeding issues and gestational metabolic disease. So, this begs the question: how do you produce low sugar forage?

Read the full article here.

Field Day

2024 Christmas Tree IPM Field Day

August 15, 2024

4:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Learn about the research we are doing at the Cornell AgriTech farm and how it will benefit Christmas tree growers. This event will also feature research on Phytophthora being done by Timothy Waller of Rutgers Cooperative Extension. 

Agenda:

• 4 p.m.: Check in. Sandwiches, etc. available
• 4:30 p.m.: Speaker and grower introductions and What’s happening in the field?
• 4:45 p.m.: Phytophthora research with Timothy Waller
• 5:15 p.m.: Novel technologies for weed management with Lynn Sosnoskie
• 5:45 p.m.: Beneficial insects and Christmas trees with Amara Dunn
• 6:15 p.m.: Needlecast research project with Marcus Lopez
• 6:45 p.m.: Weed seedbank with Bryan Brown
• 7:15 p.m.: Evaluation
• 7:30 p.m.: Safe travels home

Cost: $40

Credits Available: 2.5 DEC pesticide recertification credits in categories 10, 1a, 3a, and 25

Location:

Vegetable Research Farm at Cornell AgriTech, 1097 County Rd 4, Geneva, NY

Register to Attend

GAPs Online Course

GAPs Online Produce Safety Course schedule 

• August 7 - August 27, 2024
• October 9 - October 29, 2024

Course Registration

More Course Information

PRODUCE SAFETY ALLIANCE GROWER TRAINING

Note: Online delivery course is a three-week course that can be completed at your own pace. The online course is expected to take 15-30 hours for successful completion.

Looking for Pesticide Credits?

Remember to always refer to NYSPAD! All opportunities with credits must be registered so you can search for upcoming opportunity in Steuben and other nearby Counties to find ones that fits your schedule most conveniently!

Access the NYSPAD Bureau of Pesticides Management - Information Portal

If you need help contact CCE Agriculture Dept, 607-664-2574.

Steuben County will be offering a Field Crops event with Pesticide Credits in Fall 2024 and a Small Fruits Event in June 2024 also offering credits.

Click here to learn more about Tar Spot

Agritourism Workshops Monthly!

Are you thinking of starting an agritourism business or are you currently operating one?

Join the monthly lunch-hour, workshop virtual series and learn how to grow your agritourism business!

Each session will focus on specific topic to help aspiring agritourism entrepreneurs grow their knowledge and profit through this exciting on-farm business.

Pre-registration Required: Register for the Zoom Webinar here!

Price: Free

All workshops will be recorded and links shared. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Sponsor: Cornell Cooperative Extension Agritourism Program Work Team

Past topics and recordings

2024 Schedule:

January 9: Agritourism for Maple Syrup Operations

February 13: Grants for Agritourism Operations

March 12: Staffing your Agritourism Operation

April 9: Working with your Local Tourism Office

May 14: Overview of Agritourism Business Plan in AgPlan

June 11: How To's: Livestock Operations (not a petting zoo)

July 9: Urban Agritourism

August 13: Cut Flower & U-pick Management, Value-Added

September 10: Handling Difficult Customers

October 8: Creating Value-Added

Items/Experiences

November 12: Implementing Outdoor Recreation on the Farm

Please contact Lindsey Pashow lep67@cornell.edu or 518-569-3073 with any questions.

Do you sell at Local Farmer

Markets?

CCE and the Farmers Market Federations of NY have put together a survey to establish Benchmarks for farmers market costs, prices, and standards. Please consider completing the survey if you sell your products at markets!

Access the survey HERE.

This weekly NY farmer's market price reporting information shows the range and average prices that farmers receive for vegetables, fruit, meats, and dairy products using Square Point of Sale software. Click "New York State Farmers Market Summary" to see weekly price. Keep in mind that the range in prices is due to many factors, including location of the market. 

Farmer Recruitment: Cornell Farmers Market Research & Price Reporting Project

The Cornell Agriculture Marketing Research Program (CAMRP) at Cornell University is recruiting NY farmer participation in research involving the use of point-of-sale (POS) software at farmers markets (FMs). The purpose of the project is to study customer spending and identify opportunities for farms to adopt marketing practices to increase customer spending and daily market sales. Additionally, the POS data can be used to create weekly Farmers Market Price Reports to share average pricing for certain farm commodities (fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy) across the state. We are seeking farms selling fruit, vegetables, meat and/or dairy products at farmers markets to participate and we pay farms $25 for each week of qualifying sales data.

Read more about the research here: https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2023/12/scanner-data-can-help-nys-farmers-boost-market-sales

HOW TO JOIN:

Farms using Square POS software at FMs are encouraged to join the project. Interested farms can read the project's Required & Recommended Best Practices for Using Square and sign up to participate here: https://farmersmarketresearch.cornell.edu/

The basic requirements of the project are:

• Set up all items in Square with clear names. Examples: "Kale BNCH" or "Potato QRT."
• Include the unit (bunch, quart, bag) in the item name for items not weighed at check-out.
• Record every customer transaction at markets in real-time, including cash sales.
• Use the "Locations" feature in Square so that we know where you're selling. Our team can help you set it up!
• Set up an account on the project website and authorize the Square API.
• WHAT IS API?
• Watch this 2-minute video to learn more: https://vod.video.cornell.edu/media/Square+API+demonstration/1_2c4bilmk

PRICE REPORTS:

Using project data, CAMRP publishes weekly FM price reports through the USDA Market News Report system. We create weekly reports that include price ranges and weighted average prices based on the actual volume of sales for a selection of crops and products. This is done by aggregating sales data from farms and markets around NY, from Buffalo to NYC. All farm and market identities are kept anonymous. Through the rest of 2024, CAMRP pays farms enrolled in price reporting for the project $25 for each week of qualifying sales data.

SEE A SAMPLE NY FARMERS MARKET PRICE REPORT HERE: https://mymarketnews.ams.usda.gov/filerepo/sites/default/files/3783/2024-06-20/841968/ams_3783_00003.pdf

JOIN THE EMAIL LIST:

CAMRP is working with USDA to publish weekly FM price reports as well as our own monthly Grocery Store Price Reports. To receive notification of future price reports and CAMRP events, join our email list. To join:

1. Write a new email addressed to AEM-AG-MARKETING-RESEARCH-L-REQUEST@cornell.edu from the email address with which you wish to subscribe.

2. Make sure the body/message portion of the email is blank (delete any signatures).

3. Type the word "join" as the subject of the email and press "send."

That's it, you will have joined the email list. We expect to start emailing price reports in July 2024.

QUESTIONS?

Our team is ready to help, including helping you set up your Square account. Please contact us with any questions or to request help. You can reach Matt at mnl28@cornell.edu.

Are you thinking about starting a small farm? Do you already have a farm that you're looking to expand? Invest in your professional development and you'll see the returns in your business. Cornell Small Farms Program offers in-person trainings, workshops, and online courses for aspiring, new and experienced farmers.

Some options for 2024 are listed below, and you can read more and enroll HERE.

Interested in NYSERDA’s Agriculture Programs?

Below you will find a brief overview of these three programs:

• Agriculture Energy Audit Program (AEAP): This program offers NY state farmers no-cost energy audits to help identify energy efficiency opportunities on their farm.
• REAP Technical Assistance Program (RTAP): This program has been designed to assist farmers at no-cost to make applications to the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). If awarded, farmers can receive up to 50% of the total project cost.
• Energy Best Practices for Agriculture: The best practices have been developed to help educate producers with energy-efficient technologies, how they function, the average cost, and the average payback in years.

To learn more about these programs and eligibility, you can scan the QR code on the image above, or click here: Agriculture Energy Assistance - NYSERDA.

Contact us now: 800-732-1399

Thank you so much for your support in ensuring the viability and growth of New York's agriculture!

Ag Energy NY website has been updated making it easier to access guidance for different types of farm's needs!

Now offering one-on-one consultations for all your ag energy needs, including Solar and Wind Energy! If you are thinking about leasing land to alternative energy, set up a consultation to learn more about how your decisions impact you in the long run!

Contact Gabriel Gurley, rg523@cornell.edu for assistance and additional information!

State Agriculture Department Confirms New Find of Spotted Lanternfly in the Finger Lakes

Urges Grape Growers and the Public to Report Sightings

Asks Visitors to Thoroughly Inspect Vehicles Before Leaving the Area

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets today announced that it has detected Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) in the grape-growing region of the Finger Lakes. Department inspectors from the Division of Plant Industry confirmed the presence of SLF in Romulus following reports it received from its partners at the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program at Cornell University. To help the Department identify the extent of the established population in the area, the Department is urging grape growers and residents to report any sightings by visiting this survey form.

Read the full article here.

What's Bugging You?

Join Live, on the first Friday of every month from Noon to 12:30 EST on Zoom.

Each month, experts will share practical information and answer questions on using integrated pest management (IPM) to avoid pest problems and promote a healthy environment where you live, work, learn and play. We’ll end with an IPM Minute and cover a specific action you can take in the next few days to help you avoid pest problems.

Watch the past Event presentations Here. Register for the 2024 events Here.

The 2024 What’s Bugging You First Friday schedule is now available on the program’s website, and you can register for multiple events using our registration form. We look forward to seeing you in 2024!

August 2^nd: Spotted Lanternfly Update | Box Tree Moth Update

September 6^th: Back to School: Bed Bugs | Head Lice

October 4^th: Identifying Pests in Your Home

November 1^st: 2024 Tick Blitz Results | No Spray Needed

December 6^th: Feed the Birds | Repurposing a Holiday Tree

What's Going on with the Weather?

Tuesday, August 13, 2024, 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM

Extreme weather events seem to be all over the news these days, and you may have even experienced extreme or unusual weather on your property. Is it 'hype', or is there really something going on? In this session, we will review this year's weather conditions, discuss weather events which may have impacted our area, and learn how these events 'fit in' to what we know about how the Earth's climate is changing. Supplemental information will be provided on how to observe and learn about the weather in your own backyard so that you can track short- and long-term changes in your specific location.



Instructor's bio: Alicia Wasula is the owner of STM Weather (formerly Shade Tree Meteorology), a forensic meteorology firm based in Troy, New York. She received her BS, MS, and PhD degrees in Atmospheric Science from the University at Albany. After teaching both general education and upper-level meteorology and related science courses for several years, Alicia moved into work in the private sector at STM Weather in 2013, and became the owner in 2016. Today, STM Weather is a team of four meteorologists with a mission to provide clearly communicated, scientifically sound weather information.

This program is in-person only at the CCE Tompkins Office at 615 Willow Ave in Ithaca, however a recording will be shared to all registered afterwards.

Fee

This program is vauled at $20, however, please pay what you are able. Paying more than $20 will help others attend this class and future workshops.

Register

https://ccetompkins.wufoo.com/forms/w1bmi5ff0mz1xvi/

Image: Alicia Wasula

Ulysses Citizen Pruner Tree Pruning

Tuesday, August 20, 2024

5:30 PM - 7:00 PM

CCE Tompkins Horticulture Team Lead, Marissa Nolan, will guide you on best practices for pruning small and large trees. Using the correct techniques will ensure your tree will be a strong part of your landscape for years to come and allow them to fulfill their important ecosystem roles. At the end of the class we will go outside and get in some practice. So come learn new skills or sharpen your existing ones.

Be sure to join us for Shrub Pruning and Plant Care the following week!

These classes give the basics to become a Citizen Pruner Volunteer for Ulysses and Trumansburg. Citizen Pruners have been taking care of Ithaca’s trees for decades and the program is now coming to Ulysses and Trumansburg! The volunteer corps will steward trees in the town and village to preserve our tree canopy.

Fee

This class is valued at $20 (the registration fee for each class helps cover the cost of materials, guest presenters, and planning for future classes; all are encouraged to pay what you are able)

Register

https://ccetompkins.wufoo.com/forms/w1d2m53w0b656y4/



Image: David Foote

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County 

20 East Morris Street | Bath, New York 14810

607-664-2300  |  smw272@cornell.edu  |  PutKnowledgeToWork.org

Cornell Cooperative Extension puts knowledge to work in pursuit of economic vitality,

ecological sustainability and social well-being. We bring local experience and

research based solutions together, helping New York State families and

communities thrive in our rapidly changing world.

Cornell University Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.

CCE does not endorse or recommend any specific product or service.

This newsletter is solely intended to educate consumers about their choices.