growing american ginseng in new york

Join Ginseng Expert Bob Beyfuss on Wednesday September 13th from 5-8 PM for a classroom presentation designed to teach beginner how to get started growing their own American ginseng on forested land. The presentation will be followed by woods walk where you will see for yourself how to assess the suitability of a forested site for growing wild simulated ginseng.

The cost for the class is $25/person and you must pre-registration is required due to  the limited number of spaced. Participants will receive a copy of ‘The Practical Guide to Growing Ginseng’ by Bob Beyfuss.

To register please mail a check, payable to CCE Allegany County to: 5435A County Rd 48 Belmont, NY 14813 to register. Active or Retired NYS Military Veterans may apply for stipend to cover cost of attending.

For more information, please contact Lynn Bliven 585-268-7644 ext. 18 or email lao3@cornell.edu 

last chance to register for cornell rotational grazing skills course this weekend!

credit: Jason Detzel

This weekend, Friday August 25th – Saturday August 26th CCEE Livestock Educator Jason Detzel is running a 2 day hands on clinic on rotational grazing. Over the course of the weekend you will learn the practical skills necessary for implementing a rotational grazing system on your farm to improve the overall health and efficiency of your animals. Rotational grazing systems can also increase your profits by lowering feed costs, improving pasture swards, decreasing on farm labour requirements among a host of other benefits.

on radio tues dec. 13: farmer, straw-bale builder, and all around agriculture do-er Erica Frenay

Live on Heritage Radio’s Greenhorns Radio show this Tuesday, we’ll interview farmer Erica Frenay of Shelterbelt Farm in Ithaca New York. Erica also works for Cornell’s Small Farms Institute, and her bio on their page should give you an idea of how many rich topics of conversation this interview might follow.

Erica began working for the Small Farms Program in 2006. A former co-manager of Cornell’s student-run farm, she graduated from Cornell in 1998 and moved to Oregon to serve in AmeriCorps. Erica spent 6 years in the Pacific Northwest, working as Project Coordinator for an agricultural land trust and then as Executive Director of an urban educational farm in Portland. In 2005 she completed a 2-year program in Holistic Management. During her long and indirect journey back to Ithaca, Erica and her husband lived on a permaculture farm and nursery in the San Juan Islands for a year, and spent another year working on farms and building with clay and straw in New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Australia. They returned to Ithaca to settle down in the summer of 2005, and five years later started Shelterbelt Farm. Now she works part-time for the Small Farms Program and part-time producing sheep, beef, duck eggs, honey, fruit, and veggies on her farm.

spring beef week programs – march 24-27

From March 24-27, the Cornell Cooperative Extension will hold 2015 Spring Beef Week programs in Canton, Malone, Watertown and Westport, New York to help farmers better understand what beef buyers want and how to produce a consistent supply of cattle that meet their demand. Cattle prices are high, leading some farmers to wonder if beef could become part of their farm’s offerings. At the same time, existing beef producers want to know if there are things they can do to better capture and sustain a viable market into the future.

Courtesy of the Farm Security Administration photo archive, Library of Congress

The 2015 Spring Beef Week programs will be held at the following times and locations:

Tuesday, March 24 at 6:30pm
Westport, NY: CCE of Essex County office, 3 Sisco Street
Register with Anita Deming at 518-962-4810 or ald6@cornell.edu

Wednesday, March 25 at 6:30pm
Malone, NY: USDA Building, 151 Finney Boulevard
Register with Diane Dumont at 518-483-7403 or drd9@cornell.edu

Thursday, March 26 at 6:30pm
Canton, NY: CCE St. Lawrence Extension Learning Farm, 2043 State Hwy 68
Register with Betsy Hodge at 315-379-9192 or bmf9@cornell.edu

Friday, March 27 at 6:30pm
Watertown, NY: CCE Jefferson County, 203 N. Hamilton Street
Register with Ron Kuck at 315-788-8450 or rak76@cornell.edu

If you have questions or would like more information about any of the above events, please visit the Spring Beef Week site or contact Betsy Hodge, CCE St. Lawrence County at 315-379-9192 or bmf9@cornell.edu.

hop, skip, and a jump – ny

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County is hiring a Community Educator – NYS Hop Specialist.

The CCE Educator will work with growers throughout New York State to re-establish commercial specialty hop production.