Cornell Cooperative Extension Specialists Chuck Bornt, Laura McDermott, and Crystal Stewart were each awarded a SARE Grant to pursue needed projects in the Capital Region.

Improving the yield and quality of sweet potatoes grown in New York: Chuck Bornt

Sweet potatoes are easily direct marketed to consumers, but the short, cool growing season in the Northeast makes them a challenge to produce. The project manager will work with a small group of growers to test varieties, mulches, and biodegradable film as ways to address production barriers and extend the growing season; these growers will also have input into the direction of future research. As a result, 50 new growers will learn about the effort and eight farms currently growing 10 acres of sweet potatoes will improve stand establishment, root uniformity and marketable yield resulting in increased gross sales of sweet potatoes an average of $4500 an acre. Thirty additional farms which had never grown sweet potatoes will add 0.5 to 1.0 acres of sweet potatoes, increasing their crop diversity. Upon completion, a best-management guide including cultural practices and a budget analysis will be made available to interested growers.

Optimizing strawberry production with a reduced tillage system: Laura McDermott

Strawberry weed control, especially in the first year, is a barrier to productivity, and this project compares zone till, no till, and a conventionally prepared transplant bed. The project manager will evaluate weed types, weed density, yield, production costs, and plant nutritional status in all three treatments, and outreach will be through grower newsletters and extension communications.

Mohawk Harvest Cooperative Market: Crystal Stewart

An existing community-owned cooperative market has been getting requests for replication materials, and the project manager will write and distribute a guide for creating similar markets in other communities. A portion of the grant funds will also be used to improve planning and overall efficiency of the market transportation system, with advice and lessons learn incorporated into the guide. Outreach will be through guide distribution and presentations at conferences and grower meetings.

By popular demand at the successful 2010 Cornell Poultry School for Small Farms, two similar Poultry Processing Workshops are planned at two different farms in New York State:

June 19, 2010, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the MacDonald Family Farm in Romulus, NY   

June 26, 2010, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Glynwood Farms in Cold Springs (in the Hudson Valley Region)

Each Field day will be conducted in both classroom and hands-on practices in a licensed poultry processing  plant, including a farm tour. Participants will learn about the proper techniques for humane slaughtering, processing, packaging and sale.  Other timely issues such as health, sanitation and safety, HACCP, rules and regulations, processing equipment, and others will also be discussed. Class size is very limited. Pre-registration is necessary. More details and registration can be found at www.cornerstone-farm.com

June 1 - July 2, 2010 at SUNY Cobleskill

SUNY Cobleskill is the only SUNY school in New York State to operate a USDA approved meat processing facility. This enables the school to process their own livestock as well as livestock from local producers. Operating under Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points.

(HACCP) protocol ensures that our program participants will learn the latest food safety and sanitation guidelines. Participants will obtain a basic understanding of the steps involved in livestock processing from slaughtering to the actual retail cut seen at the store.  This intensive hands-on training program is designed to provide the knowledge and skills required to enter employment in the meat processing industry.  Participants will be skilled in sanitation, food safety, slaughter, meat cutting and processing.

Cornell’s Beginning Farmer Education Enhancement team needs your help prioritizing the challenges and needs of new farmers after their start-up. The results of this survey will help guide efforts toward solving the highest priority begin­ning farmer problems. Both farmers and service providers have the knowledge to complete this survey and are encour­aged to do so. This survey is being distributed through the cooperation of the New York Farm Viability Institute, NY FarmLink, NOFA-NY and Cornell Small Farms Program. Find the survey online: website or contact Erica Frenay at 607-255-9911 or ejf5@cornell.edu.

The Central New York Dairy and Field Crops Team is continuing to monitor first cutting hay fields this spring to help suggest when producers should begin cutting for the highest quality forage for producing milk.  Alfalfa height has been shown to be a strong predictor of in-field NDF (Neutral Detergent Fiber) and gives a reasonable indication of forage quality without the need of forage testing.  It has been shown that alfalfa height can not only predict alfalfa NDF but also the NDF content of mixed alfalfa grass stands and pure grass stand.  Attached is a file which contains alfalfa height measurements and predicted NDF values for fields across the six counties served by the team.

Please use this information provided as encouragement to go check your own fields so that you are aware of whether or not you should be harvesting.  Due to early warm temperatures, first cutting may need to begin much earlier than normal so we encourage you to look at your own fields now.  We are seeing considerable differences in maturity depending elevation, soil drainage and which direction the slope is facing.  Fields that are in some combination of south facing, well drained and in the valley are much further along.

At this point most grass should have been cut.  Mixed fields to pure stand alfalfa fields may need to be cut at this time however others are only beginning to reach that stage. You need to check your fields!

For more information about fine tuning when to begin harvesting first cutting see our web site:

http://cnydairylc.cce.cornell.edu

The Central New York Dairy and Field Crops Team will be monitoring first cutting hay fields this spring to help suggest when producers should begin cutting for the highest quality forage for producing milk.  Alfalfa height has been shown to be a strong predictor of in-field NDF (Neutral Detergent Fiber) and gives a reasonable indication of forage quality without the need of forage testing.  It has been shown that alfalfa height can not only predict alfalfa NDF but also the NDF content of mixed alfalfa grass stands and pure grass stand.

Download the file, which contains alfalfa height measurements and predicted NDF values for fields across the six counties served by the team.  Please use this information provided as encouragement to go check your own fields so that you are aware of whether or not you should be harvesting.  Due to early warm temperatures, first cutting will need to begin much earlier than normal so we encourage you to look at your own fields now.  We are seeing considerable differences in maturity depending elevation, soil drainage and which direction the slope is facing.  Fields that are in some combination of south facing, well drained and in the valley are much further along.  To reemphasize the point: some grass fields may need to be cut at this time however others are only beginning to reach that stage. You need to check your fields!

The desired NDF for all grass fields is 50%, 50/50 mixed alfalfa and grass fields is 44%, and pure alfalfa stands is 40%.  Please note you will most likely need to start before the indicated date so that you will have time bring in all of your forage within a few percentage points of the desired NDF and to also account for fermentation and other dry matter losses that can occur when ensiling.  Typically NDF increases about 0.8 to 1.2/day for grasses expecting the lower end of that range in cooler weather and the higher end in warm. Alfalfa NDF increases about 0.4 to 0.7/day again figuring the lower end of that range with cool temperatures and the higher in warm.

For more information about fine tuning when to begin harvesting first cutting see our web site at: http://cnydairylc.cce.cornell.edu

The Gempler Farm in Jeffersonville, NY will host a Meat Fabrication Class on Saturday, May 22nd, 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension in Sullivan County.  Eric Shelley, SUNY Cobleskill Meat Lab Manager & Instructor will demonstrate beef cutting principles for producers to better communicate with their processors.  Producers will be updated on different cuts for market value and have a hands-on opportunity for meat fabrication.

Registration is requested by May 20, 2010.  The fee is $45 per person due to sponsorship from Northeast SARE and New York Farm Viability Institute, and Rubin Livestock.  Class size is limited.  For registration information, call (845) 292-6180 or e-mail Linda Schwartz at lds82@cornell.edu.

Cornell Cooperative Extension in Sullivan County provides equal program and employment opportunities.  Accommodations for people with disabilities or financial needs may be requested by calling 845-292-6180 by May 14, 2010.  Requests after that date will be met when possible.

Once again the Fulton and Montgomery County Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners are sponsoring a giant pumpkin and sunflower contest for area youth.  This year’s contest will be open to all youth ages 8 to 18 in Fulton and Montgomery Counties. The seed packets are available at the Cornell Cooperative Extension office, 55 East Main Street #210 in Johnstown for $1.00 per packet.

Pumpkin plants can be started indoors and placed outside after the danger of frost has passed. Sunflower seeds can be planted directly in the ground, and can reach a height of fifteen feet! 

Pumpkins will be weighed and sunflowers will be measured several days before the opening of Fonda Fair.  The dates and times for the weigh-in will be posted and announced in the local newspapers, on our website and are available at Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Questions may be directed to the Master Gardeners at 518-762-3909 ext. 107 or mastergardenerccefm@cornell.edu.

Merrigan Highlights First Graduating Class of Certified USDA Executive Master Gardener Program Volunteers

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan announced that more than 300 gardens have been designated as 'The People's Garden' across the country and urged employees to continue making plans to plant additional gardens. Merrigan made this announcement as she delivered the commencement address to the first graduating class of certified USDA Executive Master Gardener Program volunteers. This commencement marks the beginning of the first ever USDA Department-wide volunteer program for 'The People's Garden' initiative, which Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack established on Feb. 12, 2009.

"With each garden planted and every sustainable practice implemented, 'The People's Garden' initiative can demonstrate how easy it is to green our communities, take better care of our natural resources, and produce healthy fruits and vegetables," said Merrigan. "As USDA's first executive master gardeners, our volunteers will serve as ambassadors to advancing the mission of 'The People's Garden.' Collectively, this first group of volunteers will perform 2,760 hours of service to 'The People's Garden' at USDA headquarters or within their surrounding communities."

USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced in March more than $5 million in grants to address air quality issues, including reducing agricultural atmospheric emissions and developing new mitigation practices.

“Agricultural producers need the most effective practices and technologies to prevent or mitigate greenhouse gases or other contributors to climate change,” said Roger Beachy, USDA Chief Scientist and NIFA director.  “This research will build effective mitigation strategies and help farmers and foresters learn and adopt best management practices that reduce agricultural emissions.”

The grants are funded through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Air Quality program, which supports research, education and extension projects to enhance the effectiveness and productivity of U.S air quality research.  These projects reflect the growing need to develop research-based information on air quality issues for developing effective mitigation strategies and best management practices to protect our natural resources and environment.