Wednesday, May 22, 2013 Berry Sprayer Optimization and Calibration Workshops from 2-4 p.m. at Mead’s Orchard, 15 Scism Rd, Tivoli NY 12583 2 DEC Pesticide Re-certification credits will be available. Please call Jim O’Connell: 845-943-9814 to let us know you are coming! When leaving a message include your name and phone number. This helps us plan – and also allows us to cancel the class in the event of foul weather. 

     Proper sprayer calibration and optimization will be a major part of an effective Spotted Wing Drosophila management program.  Join us for one of these workshops to learn more about sprayers – large and small – and how you can improve spray distribution, monitor output and improve efficacy.  SWD monitoring will also be discussed.

     These workshops are directed at the commercial grower.  Improving the efficacy, coverage and management of your pesticides will be of imperative this year.  Learn how to calibrate air blast, boom and small hand-held or back-pack sprayers.  We will demonstrate the utility of water sensitive paper and discuss alternate row spraying and nozzle selection.

An emphasis on SWD management will be part of the workshop.  There will be time for questions and discussion.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013 Berry Sprayer Optimization and Calibration Workshops from 2-4 p.m. at Winney’s Farm, 113 Winney Road, Schuylerville, NY 12871. 2 DEC Pesticide Re-certification credits will be available. Please call Laura McDermott: 518-791-5038 to let us know you are coming! When leaving a message include your name and phone number. This helps us plan – and also allows us to cancel the class in the event of foul weather. 

     Proper sprayer calibration and optimization will be a major part of an effective Spotted Wing Drosophila management program.  Join us for one of these workshops to learn more about sprayers – large and small – and how you can improve spray distribution, monitor output and improve efficacy.  SWD monitoring will also be discussed.

     These workshops are directed at the commercial grower.  Improving the efficacy, coverage and management of your pesticides will be of imperative this year.  Learn how to calibrate air blast, boom and small hand-held or back-pack sprayers.  We will demonstrate the utility of water sensitive paper and discuss alternate row spraying and nozzle selection.

An emphasis on SWD management will be part of the workshop.  There will be time for questions and discussion.

Thursday, May 30, 2013  Berry Sprayer Optimization and Calibration Workshops from 10-12 noon at Valley View Farm, 228 State Route 9N, Ticonderoga, NY 12883.  2 DEC Pesticide Re-certification credits will be available. Please call Laura McDermott: 518-791-5038 to let us know you are coming! When leaving a message include your name and phone number. This helps us plan – and also allows us to cancel the class in the event of foul weather. 

     Proper sprayer calibration and optimization will be a major part of an effective Spotted Wing Drosophila management program.  Join us for one of these workshops to learn more about sprayers – large and small – and how you can improve spray distribution, monitor output and improve efficacy.  SWD monitoring will also be discussed.

     These workshops are directed at the commercial grower.  Improving the efficacy, coverage and management of your pesticides will be of imperative this year.  Learn how to calibrate air blast, boom and small hand-held or back-pack sprayers.  We will demonstrate the utility of water sensitive paper and discuss alternate row spraying and nozzle selection.

An emphasis on SWD management will be part of the workshop.  There will be time for questions and discussion.

Sales opportunity for farmers’ market vendors ahead of the Summer market season – we have been called by the Hadley (NY) Business Association looking to recruit some more farm product vendors for their 9th Annual Maple Festival on April 27 & 28, 2013.  The festival takes place in downtown Hadley from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a French toast breakfast, craft vendors and Train passengers.

        There will also be boiling demonstrations of maple sap (held over frozen for the event).  If interested, please visit www.hadleybusinessassociation.net for a vendor form and more information. The event draws over a thousand people and they would like to showcase more local farm products (flowers, cheese, honey, jams, jellies or produce).

March 28, 2013 On Farm Meetings: Putting Your Feeding Program to Work at Welcome Stock Farm, (the Peck family), 285 West River Rd, Schuylerville 12871. All the meetings run from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. No charge, but you MUST make reservations with us. Each location has a limit of 15 participants on a first come first serve basis. Deadline to register is by noon March 27. CCE will supply plastic disposable boots, but attendees should also wear clean footwear & not barn clothes from your home farm. If you need directions, please call the office at (315) 866-7920.

     Guest Speaker: Rawson Gamage, Renaissance Nutrition. These meetings are for people doing the feeding, people bringing in the crops, and farm managers and owners. The cost of feed (both home grown & purchased) is your single largest expense. See how this farm parlays feed into profitable milk production.

     Topics to include: Forage Quality, the foundation of your feeding program (including proper fermentation & feed out management), Managing feed inventories, Minimizing shrink on forages & grains, How we deliver feed to the cows daily (dry matter changes, cow number changes, changes in actual intakes, etc., etc.), Our expectations of the cows (milk production & component production), Evaluating the economics (milk income minus feed costs).

Saturday, May 18, 2013  BEEF PRODUCERS FIELD DAY WORKSHOP, 10:00 am - 2:30 pm at Westendlock Farm, 515 West End Road, Craryville, NY. Registration for meeting is $15/person. BQA Manual is $10/book. Please make check payable to: CCE Albany County. Send registration and payment to: CCE Albany County, Attn: Gale Kohler 24 Martin Road, Voorheesville, NY 12186. Only one manual per farm is needed. For more information on this meeting, contact Tom Gallagher at 518-765-3500 or tjg3@cornell.edu .

    Topics for the meeting: Beef Quality Assurance Certification, Body Condition Scoring of Cattle, How to Choose the Right Bull, Cattle Health. These will be covered by Dr. Mike Baker, Cornell University, Tom Gallagher, CCE CAAHP Livestock Specialist, Bonnie Bargstedt from Merial and Phil Trowbridge, Trowbridge Farms.

FUNDING WORKSHOP FOR MICROLOAN AND VALUE-ADDED PRODUCER GRANT PROGRAMS

The Office of U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County invite you to a workshop on funding opportunities through the USDA Microloan and Value-Added Producer Grant programs.    The workshop will provide information about the funding programs and outline who is eligible and how to apply.  The program will be presented by Rebecca DeSorbe, David Holck and Gretchen Pinkel of the USDA and the Office of Senator Gillibrand.  

In January 2013, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a new microloan program designed to help small and family operations, beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers secure loans under $35,000. The new microloan program is aimed at bolstering the progress of producers through their start-up years by providing needed resources and helping to increase equity so that farmers may eventually graduate to commercial credit and expand their operations. The microloan program will also provide a less burdensome, more simplified application process in comparison to traditional farm loans.  

The Value-Added Agricultural Producer Grants program is designed to encourage independent producers of agricultural commodities to process their raw products into marketable goods. By creating value-added products, farmers and businesses can expand economic opportunities, create jobs and keep wealth in rural communities.

Date:               Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Time:               1:00pm

Location:         The Saratoga County 4-H Training Center

            556 Middle Line Road

            Ballston Spa, NY 12020

The event is free; RSVPs are requested for those attending.

Please RSVP to Sharon LaPier at 518-885-8995 or STL32@cornell.edu.

Please direct questions to Alyson Kelly at Alyson_Kelly@gillibrand.senate.gov.

Alternative Energy Meeting

Rensselaer County is hosting an alternative energy meeting for farmers on Friday, March 8^th at 1 p.m. at the Brunswick Community Center located at 18 Keyes Lane in Center Brunswick.  Representatives from USDA Rural Development, NYSERDA and National Grid will talk about their current energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.  In addition, representatives from several renewable energy companies will be available to discuss renewable energy system options and what to expect if you’re interested in installing a system on your farm.  A panel comprised of farmers who have installed systems will be on hand to discuss the benefits and challenges of alternative energy including solar, wind and manure anaerobic digestion.  For more information, please contact Donna Murray, Rensselaer County Economic Development and Planning in Troy at 270-2668

Truck Farm Clinics

Monday March 18, 2013 Truck Farm Clinics 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Turning Point Dairy Shop, Pat & Marty Hanehan, 211 County Rd 67,  Saratoga, NY 12866 There is no fee to this clinic however calling ahead will be appreciated in the planning.  Please call CCE-Rensselaer County  518-272-4210.

NYS Trooper Bormann and NYS Trooper Walker, NYS Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit, will again address farm truck registration, licensing, inspection and other issue associated with farm trucks. Local law enforcements are being invited at the various clinics to address local concerns and issues. Bring your questions and neighbors to the meeting.

Tuesday March 19, 2013 Truck Farm Clinics 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Herrington’s Farms Shop,  Ken & Phil Herrington,  63 Herrington Lane,  Troy, NY 12180 There is no fee to this clinic however calling ahead will be appreciated in the planning.  Please call CCE-Rensselaer County  518-272-4210.

NYS Trooper Bormann and NYS Trooper Walker, NYS Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit, will again address farm truck registration, licensing, inspection and other issue associated with farm trucks. Local law enforcements are being invited at the various clinics to address local concerns and issues. Bring your questions and neighbors to the meeting.

Tuesday March 19, 2013 Truck Farm Clinics 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Wil-Roc Farms Shop, Carl Williams, 2167 Rt 9, Kinderhook, NY 12106  There is no fee to this clinic however calling ahead will be appreciated in the planning.  Please call CCE-Rensselaer County  518-272-4210.

NYS Trooper Bormann and NYS Trooper Walker, NYS Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit, will again address farm truck registration, licensing, inspection and other issue associated with farm trucks. Local law enforcements are being invited at the various clinics to address local concerns and issues. Bring your questions and neighbors to the meeting.

Corn Rootworm Resistance to BT-Corn Reported 

Elson Shields, Department of Entomology, Cornell University

Since the introduction of BT-corn varieties, concern has been raised by entomologists about the target insect developing resistance to the incorporated toxin and causing significant plant damage to those protected plants.  With the initial introduction of BT-corn borer varieties, the concept of a non-treated refuge was also introduced.  Insects produced from an untreated refuge are not exposed to the toxin and suppress the development of resistance by interbreeding with any BT toxin survivors.  

Area wide populations of corn borer have plummeted throughout the Corn Belt and have remained low for the past 15 years.  The insect mating behavior outside the field coupled with the establishment of some refuges within areas seems to have suppressed the development of resistance to the plant incorporated BT.  In contrast, this insect is capable of developing resistance in the laboratory within a few generations.

The situation with western corn rootworm appears to be completely different. 

Demystifying Organic Certification: Get Help Navigating the Certification Process

If you've been thinking about getting your farm certified as organic but aren't sure whether it's worth it, and find all the paperwork and requirements overwhelming, this course is for you. This 6-week online course is facilitated by Laura Biasillo of Cornell Cooperative Extension Broome County and taught by representatives from NOFA-NY LLC (Northeast Organic Farming Association's certification arm), and designed to demystify the certification process. The course is appropriate for total newbies as well as experienced growers contemplating the transition to organic. It won't teach you organic production techniques, but will help you understand the National Organic Program requirements, learn who the certifiers are, evaluate whether certification is right for your operation, and walk you through the paperwork. 

Join weekly live webinars on Tues. nights from the comfort of your living room, and participate in homework and discussions in the course's online classroom between webinars. You'll learn from successful organic farmers about why they've chosen certification and what considerations might be most important for your farm. 

The course begins Tues. Feb 12 and runs for 6 weeks. It costs $200 and registration is only open until the first day of the course, or until it fills, whichever happens first. View Frequently Asked Questions about our online courses here: http://nebeginningfarmers.org/online-courses/online-course-faqs/. 

To view the syllabus and learning objectives for BF 106: Organic Certification, or to register, visit:
http://nebeginningfarmers.org/online-courses/all-courses/bf-106-organic-certification/

This course is just one of many offered by the Cornell Small Farms Program in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension. Registration is still open for BF 202: Business Planning (starts Feb 21) and BF 103: Taking Care of Business (starts March 4). Read more at http://nebeginningfarmers.org/online-courses 

With Hot Air Treatment, Bacteria Fly the Coop

By Rosalie Marion Bliss
January 28, 2013

Poultry producers can reduce bacterial cross-contamination in poultry cages by treating the cages with forced air that's been heated to 122 degrees Fahrenheit, according to a study by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists.

While being transported in coops on trucks, poultry that have bacteria such as Campylobacter can contaminate, through their feces, other poultry that are free of pathogens. Those disease-causing bacteria can then be passed on to the next group of birds during the next trip, and so forth, unless the cycle is broken.

Campylobacter is a food-borne pathogen that can be present in raw or undercooked poultry. Since the bacteria are commonly found in the digestive tracts of poultry, they're readily deposited onto coops and trucks when contaminated animals are transported to processing plants.