The Cornell University Department of Horticulture’s blog recently highlighted the work of their professor David Wolfe.

In a new book, Wolfe explains what gardeners can do to deal with climate change and reduce their carbon footprints.  

“There are many things gardeners can do to cope with climate change. And at the same time, they can reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and take other steps to slow the warming of the planet,” the blog says in its recent post Wolfe: Gardeners part of climate-change solution

According to the blog, to reduce their carbon footprints Wolfe suggests gardeners:

Be strategic with nitrogen fertilizers. Synthetic nitrogen uses copious amounts of energy to manufacture.  And once applied, a portion inevitably is released as nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas.  Try legume cover crops (which can take nitrogen from the air and leave it in the soil to fertilize future crops) and local sources of manure or compost instead.

Store carbon in your soil. Crops remove carbon dioxide from the air and leave it in the soil as organic matter. Till your soil less because tillage breaks down organic matter and returns carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

Fariello’s Confectionery of Amsterdam has produced a limited number (100 to be exact) of four ounce, solid, creamy milk chocolate bunnies as part of the 4-H Product Sale. Milk chocolate bunnies were not an option on the original order sheet; however, some have indicated an interest in this variety. We have them at the Extension Office in Canajoharie now!

So on a first-come, first-serve basis, If you would like to place an order for milk chocolate bunnies, you must 1) visit the Extension Office at 50 E. Main Street in Canajoharie, pick up the bunnies and pay for them on-site or 2)e-mail or call Linda Wegner at the Extension Office (673-5525 or lew9@cornell.edu) a.s.a.p. with the number of chocolate bunnies desired.

NOTE: THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. CCEFM will host an American Red Cross babysitter certification program for youth ages 11-15 on Friday, April 22. The class will be held at the Shirley J. Luck Senior Citizen Center, 109 E. Main St. in Johnstown from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The American Red Cross Babysitter’s Training Program will teach youth critical skills including how to supervise children and infants; basic child-care skills such as diapering, feeding and dressing; selecting safe, age-appropriate games and toys; identifying safety hazards and preventing injuries, caring for common injuries, and performing rescue breathing.

Youth will increase their skills and confidence in being competent babysitters by participating in the hands-on, educational training. The babysitting class is limited to the first 20 youth who register and pay the $63 fee.   

Individuals interested in registering for this program must contact Cornell Cooperative Extension in Fulton and Montgomery Counties at 673-5525 x. 122 or email smd69@cornell.edu. Click below to download a registration form.

If you haven't already seen it, check out the new edition of the 4-H Visions newsletter. 4-H Visions has been redesigned and is now a monthly - instead of a bi-monthly - newsletter for 4-H members, leaders and families in Fulton & Montgomery Counties.

This month’s edition includes information on recent 4-H events like Career Explorations and Public Presentation Night, directions on how to sign up for 4-H e-mail distribution lists and specifics on upcoming events such as the Red Cross Babysitting class on April 22 and the April 28 financial and safe driving workshop: Safe Driving and the Financial Freeway.

You’ll also find an update on clubs, a calendar of events and much more in the April 4-H Visions.  

Over the last several months local 4-H youth have excelled at regional and national competitions.

Most recently, two local 4-Hers earned spots, one as a competitor and another as an alternate, in the state Horse Bowl Contest in April. In the fall, two 4-H members followed up their successes at state level hippology and dairy judging contests with trips to national competitions.

On March 19, Fulton-Montgomery County 4-H members competed in the Regional Horse Bowl Contest in Saratoga County. The 4-H Horse Bowl program is an annual opportunity for local 4-H Horse Program participants to demonstrate their knowledge of equine-related subject matter in a competitive setting.

Senior Team Coach Tamara Healy led the her team to a second place finish with Alex Briggs of Mayfield placing second and Arhianna Fleres of Fultonville placing seventh. Briggs will next compete in the state Horse Bowl in Ithaca on April 16 with Coach Healy. Fleres will also be going as an alternate.

Mary Beth Allen placed ninth at the Regional Horse Bowl. Haleigh Claes and Victoria Subik were also on the local senior team that made it to the regional competition.

In the Horse Bowl Junior Division, Coach Breanne Duesler led her team to a fifth place finish. Members of the team were Kendra Kilcullen, Schuyler Claes, Kaitlyn Serpa, and Sarah Subik.

The 2011 4-H Local Foods Fundraiser is winding down. If you’d like to order local cheese, chocolate, pies or honey to benefit 4-H youth development programming in Fulton and Montgomery Counties, please get your order (with check/money order payment) to the CCEFM office in Canajoharie no later than Wednesday, March 30 at noon.

Download the 2011 4-H Product Sale Order Form to see the local products being offered.

Thanks in advance for your support.

Food items will be delivered to the Fonda Fairgrounds on Thursday, April 14 and may be picked up between 2:30 – 6:30 p.m.

As part of Agriculture Literacy Week, local CCEFM volunteers have been visiting second grade classrooms reading to students and discussing with them where their food comes from. Volunteers have been highlighting the poultry industry to the second graders reading the book Chicks & Chickens by Gail Gibbons.

This year volunteers will have reached every second grade classroom in Fulton and Montgomery Counties.  

Copies of the book were donated to the schools after the reading. The schools were also left with instructions for follow up activities.

Last year more than 1,500 books were donated to schools statewide.

In observance of Agriculture Literacy Week, strike up a conversation about where your food comes from with your children and family.

To learn more view a digital copy of Chicks and Chickens.

Cornell Cooperative Extension this week rededicated a plaque marking the site of the first field meetings held by John Barron – the first county agent in New York State. The rededication, held jointly with the New York State Farm Bureau, was held on March 21.

This year marks the 100 year anniversary of Barron’s appointment and the creation of Cornell Cooperative Extension.

While Cooperative Extension has roots dating back to 1862, it was in 1911 that Barron’s office first opened in Broome County. In 1914 an Extension office opened in Montgomery County and in 1917 one opened in Fulton County. By 1918, there were 54 Extension offices across New York.

To learn more about the history of Cornell Cooperative Extension, read CCE at 100, Celebrating 100 Years of One Great Idea! Also read about the new initiatives Cornell Cooperative Extension is undertaking in the areas of energy, food and agriculture, nutrition and health and youth, families and communities.

Also watch the below video covering Monday’s plaque rededication in Broome County from WBNG in Binghamton.

The 16th Annual Maple Weekend will take place this weekend (March 19-20) and next weekend (March 26-27). Over 100 sugarhouses throughout the state will welcome the public to explain the process of syrup making. Free, self-guided tours allow the public to see the process first hand.

Maple producers from the Fulton and Montgomery County area participating in this year’s Maple Weekend include:

>Frasiers Sugar Shack, 144 Church Street  St. Johnsville (Tel: 518-568-7438)

>Mud Road Sugar House, 261 Mud Road, Ephratah (Tel: 518-863-6313)   

>Peaceful Valley Maple Farms, 116 LaGrange Road, Johnstown (Tel:518-762-0491)

According to the Maple Weekend website, a pancake breakfast will also be held March 20 from 7 to 11 a.m. at the Rockwood Garage Lessellsville Vol Fire Dept., 5786 St Highway 29 Station 2 in Lessellsville.

For more information and to see more participating producers from around the state visit the Maple Weekend website.

Products from Palatine Valley Dairy in Nelliston, Fariello’s Confectionery in Amsterdam, Rulison Honey Farms in the Town of Florida and Smith’s Orchard Bake Shop in Charlton are featured in the 2011 4-H spring product sale in Fulton and Montgomery Counties. Proceeds from the sale benefit 4-H Youth Development programming in the two-county region.

All of the money realized from this annual sale remains in Fulton and Montgomery Counties to help make 4-H activities and programs available, affordable and accessible for local youth. No dollars are sent to the state or national organization. The 4-H local food sale is a major fundraising effort for 4-H members and 4-H youth programming outreach in the community.

Ten selections of cheese products including gift boxes, single eight ounce bars of flavored cheddar, and cheese curd are offered in addition to eight varieties of fruit pies available in regular or sugar-free versions. Solid dark chocolate, milk chocolate crispy and cookies and cream chocolate bunnies as well as milk chocolate quarter pound chocolate candy blocks and bunny tracks – chocolate covered raisins are also being sold. Two clover honey products have been added to the food product selection for the 2011 sale.

Download the 2011 4-H Product Sale Order Form to see the local products being offered.

All food products must be pre-ordered and paid for no later than March 29th.

Individuals interested in supporting local 4-H youth development programs by ordering cheese, pies, honey or candy may place an order with a local 4-H member or adult volunteer or by calling the 4-H office at Cornell Cooperative Extension, 518-673-5525 x 113.