Monthly Archives: January 2015
You do not need to have taken Veggie Farming Part 1 to sign up for this course. The course will take you from transplanting to harvest, including information on in-season fertility; integrated pest management including pest ID and control; weed control options; harvesting strategies; and tips for marketing your products. Be prepared to create an in-season fertility and pest/weed control plan as part of this course. Weekly homework will focus on preparing you to make good decisions in the coming growing season.
More info at https://nebeginningfarmers.org/online-courses/all-courses/bf-121-veggie-farming-part-2/.
Climate change will require major transformations in agricultural systems, including increased irrigation and moving production from one region to another, according to a new study by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis. The study provides a global scenario analysis that covers nine different climates, 18 crops, and four crop-management systems, as well as the interactions between crop production, consumption, prices, and trade. View the study here.
New York State Empire State Development is accepting applications for the New Farmers Grant Fund, which is aimed at providing assistance for new or beginning stage farmers in New York State. Grants ranging from $15,000-$50,000 are available. Funds can be used for up to 50 percent of project costs including, but not limited to: lease or purchase of farm machinery and equipment; construction or expansion of farm buildings or systems; and, purchase of supplies such as root stock, seed, and fertilizer.
Click here to apply.
Featured speakers will include: Neil Dennis, of Sunnybrae Farms, Saskatchewan, Canada and Allan Nation, Editor, Stockman Grass Farmer, based in Ridgeland, Mississippi, Thomas Kilcer. Advanced Ag Systems, Kinderhook, NY and Jim and Deborah Taylor of Sunny Acres Farm, Athens, NY. Once again this year there will be a Friday evening banquet with local grass-fed beef, pork and lamb. Two scholarships will be available through the David Huse Education Scholarship Fund. Registration materials will be available in October 2014. Contact Gale Kohler at 518-765-3500 or gek4@cornell.edu or visit their website at www.ccealbany.com for details.
When: January 30 & 31, 2015.
Where: Century House, 997 New Loudon Rd. (Route 9), Latham, NY 12110.
During the past decade, major federal conservation programs that help farmers and ranchers maintain and enhance sustainable practices have increased dramatically. Access to these resources can open new opportunities to preserve agricultural lands, develop sustainable practices, and open new markets. A new ATTRA publication, Federal Conservation Resources for Sustainable Farming and Ranching, is an overview of those programs and acts as a guide for navigating the often complex and difficult application process.
The New York State New Farmers Grant Fund provides assistance to new and early-stage farmers and encourages farming as a career path. The fund will provide grants from $15,000 to $50,000 for up to 50% of project costs including, but not limited to, lease or purchase of farm machinery and equipment; construction or expansion of farm buildings or systems; and purchase of supplies such as root stock, seed, and fertilizer. Find more information here.
The Pasture Project of the Wallace Center has posted two financial calculators. The Grassfed Beef Decision Calculator is a comprehensive, interactive Excel spreadsheet that allows users to examine the costs of various beef cattle enterprises. Another spreadsheet, Comparison of Rental Rates for Landowners, lets landowners compare rents from leasing to grass-fed beef operations versus corn producers. Find the calculators here.
The Cornell Small Farms Program and Northeast Beginning Farmers Project are hiring a full-time Project Coordinator for some new beginning farmer initiatives. Please share this news far and wide so we can recruit a great pool of applicants! Click here to see more details and to apply.
Here are a few details:
This is a 3-year grant-funded full-time position based in Ithaca, NY. The Project Coordinator will oversee all aspects of a USDA project designed to 1) facilitate military veterans entering into farming as a career, and 2) improve long-term viability of”advanced” beginning farmers (defined as farmers operating 3-10 years).
Duties include: Facilitating the development and implementation of project work plans by collaborators for each component of the project, coordinating timelines, managing relationships, synthesizing evaluation data into reports, leading the outreach for the overall project, publicizing events and impacts of the project and collaborating with the SFP outreach staff to achieve these goals.
For requirements and application details, visit the job description page on the Cornell Human Resources site.
Applications are due Jan. 26, so don’t delay!
PickACarrot.com offers a free innovative and efficient way to locate, compare and purchase seeds from dozens of seed catalogs. It’s easy to filter for certified organic or conventional seed, treated or untreated, hybrid or open-pollinated, or by price, quantity, days-to-maturity, and a number of other categories. For 2015, they have improved their search and added many more seed catalogs and filters, all from requests made by farmers throughout the country.
New York State’s agricultural, food, and beverage industries are world-class, and are increasingly recognized by consumers around the world for safety, quality, and innovation. In support of those industries, under a program funded by New York’s Empire State Development Corporation, Cornell Cooperative Extension is conducting a survey of these businesses’ export market experience and potential. Please spend just a few minutes of your time completing this questionnaire. Your participation will help set priorities for export development for New York State agencies, industry associations, and Cornell Cooperative Extension in the years to come. If you have questions or comments about this survey or about CCE’s Export Development Project, please contact Jim Manning, Export Development Project Manager at or (315) 272-9529.