New York State Fair Is Open For Business

The Great New York State Fair opened for its 2018 run at 7 a.m. Aug. 22.

For the next 13 days, people from throughout New York and elsewhere can see all that is great about New York State, from its technological innovations to the animals to agriculture to crafts and culinary specialties to entertainment to to the midway to law enforcement to, of course, FOOD.

And please, while having fun at the fair, don't forget the hard-working farmers who raise animals and crops to feed and clothe each and every one of us 365 days a year. 

Be sure to stop in an animal barn or the horticulture building or the Agriculture Museum (which is celebrating its 90th birthday) and talk to a farmer or an apple grower or a beekeeper or a maple producer or Christmas tree grower.

Have fun at the fair, but remember to celebrate agriculture.

From EMPIRE FARM & DAIRY magazine

Magenta tree at Henderberg Tree farm

Christmas trees are green.
 
Everyone knows that.
 
But what about magenta? Or blue. Or purple. Or turquoise. Or even red?
 
Two Christmas tree farms in Central New York — one near Canastota in Madison County and one between Verona and Rome in Oneida County — are selling colored Christmas trees this season. 

Farmers are offering trees in red, turquoise, pink, magenta, white, light blue and purple.
 
“It’s just something new I’m trying out this year,” said Jay Henderberg, owner/operator of Henderberg’s Tree Farm off Route 365 south of Rome. “The response we’re getting is overwhelming.”
 
The same is true at Romagnoli Christmas Tree Farm on Oneida Valley Road outside Canastota.
 
“We did a red, a white and a blue tree for a patriotic theme,” said Dewey Romagnoli. “We also have some purple and pink. I’m just experimenting with it to see how it goes.”
 
Henderberg opened his farm for people to come and tag colored trees for purchase. They were sold out that day.
 
The trees are real Christmas trees grown with care and love by the Christmas tree farmers.
 
Then they are colored with a food-grade colorant purchased from a company based in Wisconsin called Kirk, which makes the product in red, green, blue, white, orange, magenta, pink and light blue.
 
“I colored about 20 trees,” Romagnoli said. “But I saw an article about this guy in New Jersey who painted 150-200 trees and sold them all out.”
 
Faye Beckwith, past president of the Christmas Tree Farmers Association of New York, said she and her husband Jack, who run Beckwith’s Christmas Tree Farm in Hannibal, Oswego County, said they also bought some colorant and used it to make a purple tree for a Hannibal school function. 

Hannibal’s colors are purple, gold and white.
 
Both Henderberg and Romagnoli found out about the colorant at a recent meeting of the Christmas Tree Farmers Association of New York. A representative from Kirk Co. was there with the colorant and the two farmers decided to give it a whirl.
 
This is the second year the colorant has been sold for Christmas trees.
 
Here’s how it works:
 
The farmer sprays the colorant onto the trees. It has to be 40 degrees or warmer for the mixture to adhere well.
 
Once it dries, within a few hours to a day or so, it is permanent. It doesn’t wash off or come off on your hands or clothes.
 
It is not toxic, so if Spot or Puff or even your toddler decide to take a bite out of the tree, it will not hurt them.
 
It is not paint, so it contains no metals or mercury. It is environmentally safe.
 
Any species of tree can be colored.
 
The farmer has to put up a good amount of money to do the colored trees, buying not only the colorant, but also the equipment for spraying it onto the trees.
 
And because of the monetary investment, farmers are charging about $30 more for the colored trees, Henderberg said. He has colored 20 of his trees — Fraser firs, Canaan firs and white spruce.
“It’s new, so you don’t know how it’s going to be received,” Henderberg said.
 
Obviously it was well received this year, since Henderberg has sold out of his colored trees.

Get Your New York State Christmas Tree Now!

From the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets:

The day after Thanksgiving is a traditional day for folks to head out for their Christmas tree.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is encouraging all New Yorkers to buy local Christmas trees and support tree growers across the state this holiday season. Every year, the state assists hundreds of farms statewide, connecting them with new markets to support the $8 million Christmas tree industry.

A prize-winning Christmas tree at the state fair.

This year, in celebration of the holidays, three Upstate trees were selected to be displayed at the New York State Capitol in Albany and in New York City.
Tree-Cutting and Holiday Promotion
To promote New York-grown trees, state Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball joined the Christmas Tree Farmers Association of New York in Ulster County for a tree-cutting to kick-off the holiday season. 

A seven-foot balsam fir was donated by Hurd's Family Farm in Modena, Ulster County, to be displayed for the holidays in the New York State Capitol.
In addition, the tree-cutting event highlighted the Shawangunks Wine + Tree promotion, being offered at 17 participating businesses, to support both local Christmas tree farmers and New York craft beverage businesses.
Ball also visited Adair Vineyards in New Paltz as part of the Shawangunks Wine + Tree promotion, which offers customers a free one-of-a-kind wooden ornament with the purchase of either a bottle of wine or tasting and a tree or wreath at participating businesses. The Shawangunks Wine + Trees promotion is supported by funding included in the 2016-17 State Budget. 

Learn more about the promotion http://www.nywineandtrees.com/ at this link.
Connecting Upstate Agriculture to the New York City Marketplace
Through the state’s partnership with the Christmas Tree Farmers Association and GrowNYC, hundreds of farm-fresh, Upstate New York Christmas trees will again be sold at downstate Greenmarkets. Vendors are expected to sell about 1,500 trees and between 1,500 and 2,500 fresh wreaths during the next five weeks.
Both trees and wreaths are being sold at the following Greenmarkets: Union Square and Inwood in Manhattan, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Borough Hall, Williamsburg and Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn. 

Harvesting a tree at Granger's in Oswego County.

  Upstate Trees on Display
In addition, the state has partnered with the Christmas Tree Farmers Association to bring two Christmas trees from the Finger Lakes to New York City for display during the holidays. Both trees were provided by Domes Tree Farm in Bliss, Wyoming County.
A 30-foot blue spruce will shine brightly at the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Building Plaza during an annual holiday celebration from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 8. 

The event will feature live family-friendly entertainment, including music, a visit from Santa and free hot chocolate. At the Lincoln Center, a 30-foot concolor fir will be displayed and lit during the 17th Annual Winter’s Eve event from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 28.
“New York is one of the largest producers of locally-grown Christmas trees anywhere in the country and there is nothing quite like a fresh, locally-grown tree during the holidays," said Ball. "They look better, smell great and stay fresher longer."

Additionally, this year's Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was selected from a resident’s home in Oneonta. The Norway spruce stands at 94 feet tall, is 56 feet in diameter and weighs more than 18 tons. 

The 95-year-old tree is the second largest Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in New York state history. It will be on display at Rockefeller Center until Jan. 7.

With more than 300,000 New York-grown trees sold by 875 farms in Upstate New York, the state ranks fourth in the U.S. in the number of farms selling Christmas trees. The industry supports an economic impact of $8 million in New York State, according to the Christmas Tree Farmers Association.

To find the New York-grown Christmas tree vendor nearest to you, visit the Christmas Tree Farmers of New York http://www.christmastreesny.org/ website at this link.

“New York’s real tree growers are delighted to have these opportunities to bring their trees to markets, and to showcase the quality and freshness of locally grown trees," said Mary Jeanne Packer, executive director of the Christmas Tree Farmers of New York State.

New York State Specialty Crops Receive Money for Research

From state DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS
 
Projects in the state looking at apples, Christmas trees, kale, onions, mushrooms and garlic have been awarded money through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
 
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball announced the awards Nov. 1 totaling nearly $1.1 million for eight projects to strengthen New York agriculture through research, protection and promotion of the state’s specialty crops.
 
Projects are:
 
** $99,801 to test new kale varieties both in the field and at the market. The project will conduct on-farm evaluation trials, as well as consumer taste tests.  The successful varieties will create new opportunities for specialty crop producers and tasty new choices for consumers.
 
** $99,962 to better understand the cause of Stemphyium Leaf Blight (SLB) in onions. SLB, which has emerged in recent years, is reducing the yield and harvest quality of onions. The research will identify SLB resistant varieties and the best agronomic practices for integrated management of this disease.
 
** $98,429 to develop a standard test for moisture content and freshness of real fir trees. This test will help wholesalers and retailers ensure they are providing fresh cut trees to holiday shoppers. The project is led by the Christmas Tree Farmers Association of NY in partnership with the SUNY College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry in Syracuse.
 
** $95,507 to build predictive models that will allow growers to understand which of their McIntosh, Cortland, Red Delicious and Ruby Frost apples are most likely to develop superficial scald, which causes dark spots on the skin of the fruit. The models will also help growers identify which apples are likely to store well. The research will examine the use of dynamic controlled atmosphere to support long term storage of apples without chemical treatment.
 
** $77,939 to partner with the Cornell Small Farms Program for the development of training and business planning tools for log-grown shiitake mushroom farmers. The project, which has a goal of helping 36 new farmers develop and implement woodland mushroom production, will include one-on-one business mentoring from experienced growers as well as a full market assessment report for the product in five regions of the state.
 
** $75,841 to learn how to help New York garlic growers avoid costly Fusarium diseases in our typically wet and cold climate. Research will be paired with education and outreach to expand general knowledge of field-based disease identification and best-management practices; sources of disease inoculum; and cultural practices which can reduce field-based disease severity.
 
In addition, the Department of Agriculture and Markets will implement two statewide initiatives that will benefit the specialty crop industry throughout the state.
 
These projects are designed to evaluate water testing hold times in preparation for the USDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule and to increase the amount of locally-grown specialty crops served to students in New York schools through the state’s Farm-to-School program.
 
“Specialty crops are as important to the agricultural industry as they are to our health. These grants will help farmers overcome some of the critical challenges they face when growing these crops and allow for a stronger and safer food supply,” Ball said.
 
“By increasing our access to these healthy food options, we are also taking an important step to protecting the well-being of all New Yorkers,” he said.
 
Specialty crops include a variety of agricultural products, including fruits and vegetables, honey, herbs, shrubs and commercially-grown trees. 

Many of the specialty crops grown in New York rank highly in the nation in terms of production and economic value. New York ranks second in production of apples, maple syrup, cabbage and snap beans, third in grapes, and fourth in pears.
 
Together, these projects will provide innovative solutions to many of the challenges that effect the profitability of local farming operations. They will also create new opportunities for growers by enhancing the quality of several New York specialty crops and allowing consumers to enjoy them for a longer part of the season.
 
By utilizing these solutions, New York farmers will be able to better protect their crops, enhance and diversify their operations and remain competitive.
 
“The farmers on our review panels did an outstanding job selecting projects that will help New York growers bring to market a diverse range of foods that will connect with today’s consumers,” said Jim Bittner, Bittner-Singer Orchards and chair of the New York Farm Viability Institute.
 
“Whether improving the storage capability of apples, fighting diseases in garlic and onions, or increasing the availability of New York grown Shiitake mushrooms the outcomes of these projects will be a win for farmers and consumers.”
 
“Cornell’s research will continue to empower Empire State farmers to remain competitive and to provide New Yorkers with wholesome and safe foods to feed their families,” said Kathryn J. Boor, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University. 

“From products that spice up our meals to those that spruce up our holidays, CALS is committed to connecting the people of New York State with New York State produce.”

Drought Stresses Crops Throughout New York State

By JOE LEATHERSICH, MALLORY DIEFENBACH,
JIM KRENCIK and DEBRA J. GROOM
Empire Farm & Dairy
 
It’s hot.
 
It’s dry.
 
It’s not raining.
 

Drought map as of early August

That’s the forecast farmers have been dealing with since they began putting crops in the ground a few months ago. It doesn’t matter what they’re growing, the crops have been stressed due to the ongoing drought hitting a good part of New York state.
 
“Many areas of the state are in a severe drought,” said Aaron Reynolds, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Buffalo. “The precipitation has been real spotty in nature. And that is producing stress in the crops.”
 
According to a map put out by the National Weather Service, the worst of the drought is in Western New York. The map shows a severe drought area along the Southern Tier from Binghamton west, the Finger Lakes region, the Suffolk County area of Long Island and most of Western New York.
 
Patches of the Hudson Valley, Nassau County on Long Island and most of Central New York, such as Onondaga, Oswego and Jefferson counties, are in a moderate drought. The north country is deemed “abnormally dry.”
 
It doesn’t seem the weather will get any better any time soon.
 
Though rain is forecasted for short periods, it’s going to take a lot more than that to break the drought. And even then, the damage has been done to many of Western New York’s farms.
 
Crops struggling
 
Some farmers are fighting a two-front war as the drought worsens — with one problem not as obvious as the other.
 
Most obviously, the lack of water is hurting the crop harvest. Yields are way down as plants are struggling to grow. By this time of year, corn stalks should be above your head, but this year’s crop is topping out at about two feet high. And it’s not like the corn is behind schedule — it’s just done growing.
 
John Starowitz of Starowitz Farms in Byron, Genesee County, said his corn crop has already “tasselled,” meaning the corn is as good as it’s going to get, and it’s barely above your knee.
 
“When you have crops and vegetables, they all rely on water, and you’ve got to have a certain amount of water,” he said. “When you don’t have water, everything is skimpy and small.”
 
Jason Turek, who runs the third-largest vegetable farm in the state — Turek Farm near King Ferry in Cayuga County — grows 4,000 acres of vegetables that are sold throughout the Northeast and Middle Atlantic states. Of that, 2,500 acres are sweet corn.
 
He said he is harvesting only about a quarter of each field in early harvest vegetables, like corn and green beans. “It is hurting us — we’re in denial,” he said.
 
He said his corn is “hurt for sure” and by now, he should have cut 20,000 boxes of cabbage for shipment. He’s cut 1,000 boxes.
Ironically, his farm is spread out along the shore of Cayuga Lake. 

He’s lacking water but there’s a whole lake nearby.
 
But Turek said it really doesn’t make any difference. If he could draw water from the lake, he would be allowed by regulation to take only 100,000 gallons a day. He said he needs 65 million gallons to water his entire farm.
 
“It’s like fighting a forest fire with a garden hose,” he said.
 
The drought is bringing on another problem that might not be as obvious, too: pests.
 
Pests are attracted to moisture, and the only things with any semblance of it are the crops, even though they’re struggling themselves.
 
Starowitz said the bugs, deer and woodchucks are all causing damage to his crop, worse this year than past years because of the drought. The pests are “clearing out anything that’s green,” he said.
 
He hasn’t completely given up hope yet, though. He said there might be enough crop to sell to buyers, but he’s not expecting to make any money on it.
 
“Basically we’re just riding the storm out, we’re going with the punches,” Starowitz said. “There’s always hope.”
 
While some crops suffer in the drought, others are doing well. 

Onions seem to be coming through the drought OK, said Christy Hoepting, Cornell Cooperative Extension vegetable specialist.
 
“One of the benefits of it being hot and dry, and so breezy, is that we don’t have very much disease pressure,” Hoepting said. “The disease pressure is what can really be ravaging. There are a couple diseases that get going when it is cool and wet, so we don’t have to worry about any of those. The biggest pest concern is onion thrips, which do very well in the heat.”
 
However, onions — which prefer moderate temperatures — will grow quicker, and may not reach their full-size potential, especially in ground which hasn’t been irrigated. Still, Hoepting believes this season’s yields will be “pretty good.”
 
“Our (onion) quality should be excellent,” she said, explaining without the diseases to contend with, onions can produce crop of higher worth. “Quality is usually excellent in a hot, dry year at the expense of maximum bulb size.”
 
Dairy farmers feel the heat
 
Dairy farmers are having trouble handling the heat, too.
While crop farmers are dealing with the effects of the drought now as they harvest, the season will be over soon and what’s done will be done.
 
Dairy farming, however, is a 24/7, 365-day operation and can’t necessarily stop because corn and hay crops failed. But the harvests are so low that farmers are looking elsewhere for feed.
 
“We’re taking a lot of steps to purchase feed,” said Dale Stein of the multi-generational Stein Farms in Le Roy, which has about 1,000 cows on it. He’s taking these steps because his corn harvest is down 60 percent.
 
“We’re going to be so short (until next harvest),” he said.
 
Unsurprisingly, this shortage brings on a lot of financial burden. 

Stein said this shortage will cost him about $25,000 a month for 12 months until he can harvest again. Many farmers have insurance for situations just like this, as Stein does and has tapped into a little this year, but that doesn’t recoup lost revenue as much as it lightens the debt burden. 

For instance, Starowitz said if you have $100,000 in debt because of the drought, insurance might cover $90,000 of that, leaving the farm still in the red.
 
Stein said dairy farms’ problems are being compounded as well by drought; not only are they paying for feed, but small revenues are being brought in because of the low price of milk.
 
He added this has him “concerned” and “worried” that the effects of this situation might linger for another two years.
 
One glimmer of hope in all of this for some dairy farmers is that milk production is relatively stable thanks to technological advancements.
 
Cows like cooler temperatures and definitely do not like the heat. But since a lot of farms have invested in equipment that regulates the temperature in Western New York’s fickle climate, most cows are none-the-wiser.
 
“Our cows are kept cool,” Stein said.
 
Livestock impacted as well
 
The drought affects farmers in different ways, depending on their crop and what they are raising.
 
For those who raise livestock, there was no pasture available for animals to graze. While livestock typically graze about six to seven months out of the year, pasture foraging was limited because the season started so dry.
 
“A lot of livestock producers are now feeding hay, which they would normally feed during the winter,” said Nancy Glazier, small farm specialist on the Northwest Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Team for Cornell Cooperative Extension. “Their hay harvest has been lighter than normal, so that’s adding another kind of a wrinkle. 

They have to purchase some hay elsewhere.”
 
While some farmers have been buying hay from their neighbors, others have been going out of the region and out of state to get what they need. She added some farmers even put in alternative feed such as oats or another type of annual grass.
 
The drought affects the livestock as well; Glazier said the drought and high heat causes more stress.
 
“Some farms may actually keep their animals in the barns, because it is a little cooler if they don’t have trees available for them in pastures,” she said.
 
“Farmers are pretty resilient,” Glazier went on. “Every year is a different year. They just have to deal with the hand they are dealt from Mother Nature.”
 
Other commodities affected by drought
 
Most people probably wouldn’t think trees would be bothered by a lack of water. Mature trees have deep roots and can draw on underground water for their needs.
 
But the lack of rain and excessive heat still can stress trees. Christmas tree growers, maple syrup producers and apple growers all are worried about this year’s crop or future crops.
 
Mary Jeanne Packer, president of the Christmas Tree Growers of New York, said some producers have lost up to half their crop of new trees planted this spring. Each year, growers replace the trees they harvested and sold last holiday season and it’s these young trees that have trouble in a drought.
 
“Some have set up irrigation,” she said. “Most of the problem is west of Syracuse.”
 
The loss of young trees won’t affect consumers immediately, but you never know down the road. Packer said if growers lose half of their young trees this summer, they will have to plant double the amount next spring and that damages their bottom lines.
 
Jim Allen, president of the New York Apple Association, said both apple trees and grape vines are stressed this summer from lack of rain.
 
With the apples, the drought won’t kill the trees, but it will affect the size of the fruit.
 
“The apples will be much smaller. They will be good and very sweet because there will be less water in them and more sugar,” he said.
 
It won’t be good financially for the apple growers either because the drought also will reduce the number of apples on the trees, cutting their yields. He said they shouldn’t have a problem with new trees planted in the spring because most growers irrigate these.
 
Maple trees won’t die from the drought, said Helen Thomas, executive director of the New York Maple Producers Association.
 
But, “if the water table is low and continues through the winter, the trees won’t have enough water to make as much sap in the spring,” she said. This means there could be a lot less syrup and other maple goodies next year.
 
What’s causing record dryness
 
David Thomas, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Buffalo, said the recent summers that could take the silver or bronze medal in the Drought Olympics were 2012, 1995 and 1988. 

In all three cases, the past droughts followed particularly dry years, with isolated or widespread droughts across Western New York in the March 1 to July 31 period, that were eased by later summer weather.
 
“2012 was also dry from spring into the summer,” Thomas said. “It was a little wetter than this year (with rain picking up in the summer). It helped (end) the drought, but we did have a dry period from March to July.”
 
The National Weather Service monitors droughts via multiple measures, with precipitation at airports an input that Thomas said shows this as the driest summer in 75 years. It’s been a confluence of factors to get here.
 
In Western New York, multi-year droughts like the one hitting California are prevented by the shear accumulation of snow that provides an annual replenishing of the water table and soil moisture.
 
Batavia experienced a reprieve from heavy snowfall in 2016 after back-to-back winters that brought blizzards, sustained deep freezes and snow-bound misery, but that wasn’t helpful below ground.
 
An upper-level wind pattern that frequently blew from the northeast prevented the “no doubters” of Gulf of Mexico-fueled spring rains that commonly add to the precipitation scoreboard.
 
“We didn’t have a really snowy winter, and that led into a dry spring that really caused the ground to dry out quickly across the region,” Thomas said. “The bright, sunny days through the spring and drier air allowed the drought conditions.”
 
Even the timing of weather systems hasn’t helped. Cold fronts have generally appeared over Western New York during the more atmospherically stable overnight hours, whereas an afternoon conflict with the daytime heat would lift the formation of clouds and thunderstorms.
 
“Without the sun’s heat, there’s not as many showers and thunderstorms,” Thomas said.
 
More than a little rain needed
 
This far into a drought, the region needs more than a sustained rainfall. Thomas said it will take months of above-normal precipitation to replenish the water table and have lawns, fields and trees recover.
 
“It won’t be one particular event or a week-long stretch,” he said.
 
A wayward hurricane ready to unload a flash of rain in Western New York, similar to the late stages of Hurricane Frances in 2004, wouldn’t be the solution. Thomas said a tropical storm would bring an abundance of rainfall, but forecasting one to pass over the region is next to impossible at this point.
 
And a flood doesn’t “fix” the problems of a drought. It just creates problems of its own.
 
At Fenton Farms in Batavia, Paul Fenton and his wife Gail have been fortunate to catch a portion of the handful of rain events that have punctuated the worst drought in their 30 years of farming an area between the city and Thruway. But each week the benefit has been weaker.
 
“It’s just evaporating so fast, the subsoil is absorbing the showers we do get, and with the high temperatures — we have three days of 85 degrees plus this week — the evaporation is just intense,” Fenton said. 

“We’re still producing nice stuff where it’s getting water, but the work to produce the product (is unprecedented). We’re irrigating seven days a week.”

Fresh New York State Christmas Trees Being Shipped to NYC

From New York state:

Fresh Direct, a leading fresh food Internet grocer that delivers to residences and offices in the New York City metropolitan area,has added farm-fresh, New York grown Christmas trees to its lineup of products available for sale to its customers.  

Empire State Development and the state Department of Agriculture and Markets have been working to promote the use of locally grown Christmas trees across the state, and helped facilitate this new partnership to bring greater exposure to and increase the purchase of New York trees in the New York City marketplace.  

Fresh Direct is sourcing locally grown, live potted trees from Dutch Church Farm in Amsterdam. The farm is making Fraser firs available for delivery throughout New York City, and so far has made two deliveries of a large number of trees downstate.  

The ‘Berries and Bows’ trees are two-foot Fraser firs that come pre-decorated with colorful berries and festive bows. They are available online now at www.freshdirect.com

Tips for Selecting the Best Real Christmas Tree

A family picks out a tree at Granger's in Mexico.

From Cornell University:

Tips for selecting the best Christmas tree: 

 

• Don’t be afraid to handle and bend the branches and shoots. Green needles should not come off in your hands. Also, the shoots should be flexible. Avoid a tree if the needles are shed or if the shoots crack or snap with handling.
• Look for a tree with a good solid green (or blue green for some species) color. Needle yellowing or a slight brown speckled color could indicate there was a pest problem and could lead to early needle drop.
• Have fun looking over all the types of trees. New York growers are producing a wider variety of trees compared with past years. One can find New York grown firs such as Fraser, Balsam, Douglas and the bluish tinted Concolor fir. Spruces and old-fashioned pines can also be found. Each variety tree offers its own shape, color, fragrance, and branch stiffness for holding needles.
• Christmas trees should smell good. If there isn’t much fragrance when you flex the needles, it may mean that the tree was cut too long ago.
• If possible, make a fresh cut on the bottom so the tree’s vascular tissue (pipe work) is not plugged and so the tree can easily take up water. Then, if you’re not bringing it into the house right away, get the tree in a bucket of water outside.
• Once you move your tree gets inside the house, don’t locate it next to a radiator, furnace vent or other heat source. And always remember to keep water in the tree stand topped off, so it never goes below the bottom of the trunk.
• County Cooperative Extension offices often have lists of local Christmas tree growers. You can also check the Christmas Tree Farmers Association of New York website at http://www.christmastreesny.org/SearchFarm.php.

 

 

 

Christmas Tree Farmers Donate Trees to Military

This is a very important program that many Christmas tree farmers in New York state (and in Central New York) are involved in each year.

Read about it here: http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/guard-reserve/2015/11/29/new-york-national-guard-helps-send-christmas-trees-to-bases/76529824/

Merry Christmas!

Real Christmas Trees Clean the Air

Jack Beckwith trims a tree during the summer of 2014.

A great column from the Christmas Tree Farmers of New York State. This ran in the December issue of Empir Farm & Dairy magazine:

By FAYE BECKWITH
Christmas Tree Farmers Association of New York

Take a walk on (or near) a Christmas tree farm.
 
What’s the first thing you notice? Take a deep breath … Can you smell it? It smells different, doesn’t it?
 
It’s not just the fragrance of pine, spruce or fir you smell. It’s much more than that. As trees absorb pollutants and carbons from the air in the photosynthesis process, they produce oxygen — pure, unpolluted oxygen.
 
And, real Christmas trees are among the greatest producers of oxygen in our environment. So, inhale deeply.
 
Scientists tell us Christmas trees may produce higher levels of oxygen in the early years of growth, thus removing more pollutants from the air as they mature. This is good news because trees are continually being harvested and replanted as they grow to market size.
 
Many people are not aware that most Christmas trees are grown as crops, much like grapes, corn, wheat, oats, etc. They just take longer (7-plus years) to mature to harvest size.
 
Very few Christmas trees are taken from the forests, especially here in New York. Those that are cut from forests are likely to contribute to good forest management.
 
When a tree is harvested, generally two or three more are planted in its place, thus continuing and expanding the cycle of oxygen production. Evergreens that are not harvested as Christmas trees grow to become timber for future generations’ home construction.
 
Additionally, real Christmas trees are recyclable; and, however they are disposed of, they eventually return to the earth. This is in sharp contrast to the foreign-produced plastic artificial trees that may never decompose in landfills.
 
Are artificial trees pretty? Sometimes they are, making it tempting to go fake. Remember that local Christmas tree farmers pay sales tax, provide employment and otherwise contribute to the local economy.
 
These factors provide strong evidence that real Christmas trees are the environmentally best choice for families. Varieties are available that have little or no needle drop. Other types are perfect for allergy sufferers.
 
Check out a real Christmas tree farm near you.
 
Ask the farmer what species he/she grows that resolve these issues. Take a walk on, or near, a real Christmas tree farm.
 
The fresh air may compel you to choose a real tree for your family.

Faye L. Beckwith is president of the Christmas Tree Farmers Association of New York and runs Beckwith Family Christmas Tree Station with her husband Jack in Hannibal, Oswego County.

Here are places to buy or cut your own Christmas trees in Central New York: 
Central New York
Romagnoli’s Christmas Tree Farm at Oneida Valley Acres, 8498 Oneida Valley Road, Canastota, 697-9498

Toth Tree and Shrub Farm, 6833 Forbes Road, Canastota, 697-3550

Critz Farms, 3232 Rippleton Road, Cazenovia, 662-3355

Page’s Christmas Trees, 3270 Oran Gulf Road, Manlius, 682-7309

Rocking Horse Farm, 3736 Apulia Road, Jamesville, 492-1100

Mary Christmas Tree Farm, 1490 Dutch Hill Road, Tully, 696-0121

Cedarvale Maple Syrup Co., 3769 Pleasant Valley Road, Onondaga, 469-6422

Syracuse Christmas Tree Farm, 4809 Beef St., Syracuse, 673-0998

Chuck Hafner Farms, 8500 Green Lakes Road, Kirkville, 458-2231

Chengerian’s Tree Land, 84 Merritt Road, Lysander, 678-2046

Potter Tree Farm, 1229 Kingdom Road, Baldwinsville, 638-0222

Cross Lake Farms, 7681 Tater Road, Memphis, 420-8141

Luchsinger's Christmas Trees, 1155 Lucky Lane LaFayette, 696-6856


Three B Tree Nursery, 124 Clinton Road, Jordan, 263-2108

Grace Farms, 78 Gunther Road, Central Square, 668-1195

Goodman’s Christmas Tree Farms, 460 Gilbert Mills Road, Phoenix, 695-3576

Stony Hill Acres, 1685 State Route 264, Phoenix, 593-0684

Granger Tree Farm, 380 Tubbs Road, Mexico, 963-3480

Three Seasons Farm, 429 Dry Bridge Road, Mexico, 298-6332

Ontario Orchards, 7735 State Route 104, Oswego, 343-6328

Beckwith Family Christmas Tree Station, 189 Mill St., Hannibal, 564-5479

TriStar Tree Farm, 13952 Shortcut Road, Sterling, 564-5125

Berndt Christmas Tree Farm, 1512 Finches Corners Road, Martville, 564-6616



 

Buy Local Onondaga Grown Campaign Kicks Off

Onondaga County Legislature chair Ryan McMahon and Legislator David Knapp kick off the Buy Local Onondaga Grown campaign at Reeves Farm Wednesday morning.

The Onondaga County Agriculture Council kicked off the county's "Buy Local. Buy Onondaga Grown" campaign Wednesday morning at Reeves Farm in Lysander.

The campaign will help educate the public on all that Onondaga County has to offer through its agriculture industry. 

The county's more than 700 farms each year pumps about $152 million into the local economy, preserves pristine farmland for all the enjoy and provides consumers with the freshest vegetables, fruits, dairy products, meats, poultry and eggs, honey, maple, flowers and Christmas trees than they can find anywhere.

"What sets this campaign apart is that it provides a direct link between what the community will hear on local media and what they will see at retailers across Onondaga County," said county Legislator David Knapp, who also is co-chair of the Agriculture Council. 

The campaign includes billboards, radio spots, a blog on I Heart Radio stations (http://www.b1047.net/features/onondaga-grown-837/) and stickers boasting the Buy Local. Buy Onondaga Grown. on produce and products at area grocery stores. 

Since now is the middle of strawberry season, the kickoff event includes Reeves Farm strawberries served over Byrne Dairy ice cream.

To keep engaged with the Buy Local. Buy Onondaga Grown. campaign, go to Twitter at twitter.com/OnondagaGrown, Facebook at facebook.com/OnondagaGrown or to the website at wsyr.com/features/onondaga-grown-837/ 

New York Post Slams Money for Agriculture in State Budget

http://nypost.com/2015/04/03/new-ny-budget-allocates-cash-for-beer-onions-and-pit-bulls/ 
 
This story just shows the disconnect between Downstate (or more appropriately, New York City) and Upstate.

Where do the knuckleheads at the NY Post think onions, wine, beer, Christmas trees and honey come from? Are they like the little boys who were fighting in the cafeteria in their elementary school where my mom worked years ago -- one yelling at the other because Boy #1 said milk came from cows? Boy #2 said that can't be because his mom buys it at the store.

Perhaps we should propose that everyone in New York City go without onions, beer, wine, maple syrup, honey, etc. for an entire week. What would life be like? 

Sure, you might be able to get these items elsewhere, but do you really want old onions or vegetables or Christmas trees grown in another state, harvested God knows when and then shipped here???

That's what is great about New York -- we can get onions, beer, wine, honey, maple syrup, vegetables, Christmas trees, etc. grown and produced right here. In good ol' New York soil. Right down the road. By your neighbor, perhaps.

They are fresh. They were harvested a couple of hours ago. 

The money you spend on them stays here in New York -- most often it stays right here in your hometown. Some counties depend on the production of various crops as a major part of their economies, such as apples in Wayne County, onions in Oswego County or milk in Wyoming County.

And it's proper for a little money here and there from New York taxpayers to help producers make better syrup, or bigger more tasty onions, or pest-free vegetables, or perfectly shaped Christmas trees. 

C'mon New York Post. Think a little. And remember -- no onions on your burgers for a week

New York State Senate Budget Adds Money for Agriculture

The state budget that has come out of the state Senate includes an additional $20 million for agriculture.

Ritchie

State Sen. Patricia Ritchie, chair of the Senate agriculture committee, said the additional money includes full support for her “Grown in New York” plan that links consumers and local farms and preserves the future of family farming in the state.

The senate’s budget plan (S.4203) increases support for agriculture by more than $20 million above the governor’s proposal. 

Included is additional funding for programs that have proven critical to the success of farmers in Central and Northern New York, including restoration of funding cuts to the well-regarded Farm Viability Institute and the Northern New York Agriculture Development Program, as well as for research and promotion of key farm products, from apples to dairy, maple syrup to onions.

The restorations and new funding are more than five times the amount included in the Assembly’s agriculture plan (A.6003), which restored about half of the cuts in the governor's budget.

The senate’s budget also includes new funding to expand the Senate’s “Young Farmers” initiative, a 2014 program designed by Ritchie, to encourage new careers in agriculture and to address a looming crisis facing agricultur when today's aging farmers begin to retire.

Below are some programs that are funded, with governor's budget amount followed by senate amount and then total in senate budget. A final budget is due April 1.

New York Farm Viability Institute: $400,000.....$1.5 million........$1.9 million

FFA:    $192,000.......$700,000,,,,....,,,$892,000

Maple Producers Association:  0..........$200,000..............$200,000

Apple Growers Association: $206,000............$544,000..............$750,000

Northern New York Agricultural Development: 0......$600,000..........$600,000

Berry Growers:    0..............$320,000.............$320,000

Christmas Tree Farmers: 0............$100,000...........$100,000

EEE-mosquito control: 0..............$175,000..............$175,000 

Pro-Dairy: $822,000..............$378,000          $1.2 million

Core Diagnostic Laboratory: $4,425,000.......$1 million....$5,425,000

Barley and Hops research: 0............$160,000.............$160,000

Integrated Pest Management: $500,000........$550,000............$1.05 million

FarmNet: $384,000.............$691,000.............$1.075 million

Ag Budget Shows Gains, Reductions

Gov. Andrew Cuomo during his budget presentation Wednesday.

ITEMS PERTAINING TO AGRICULTURE IN GOV. ANDREW CUOMO’S PROPOSED BUDGET:

Alcoholic beverage tax exemption. Extend the wine tasting sales and use tax exemption to other alcoholic beverages. Currently, wine tastings are exempt from the sales tax. The budget extends this exemption to include beer, cider and liquor. The beer, wine and spirits industry has created nearly 1,600 jobs since mid-2011.

Diesel fuel business tax refund. Allow petroleum business tax refunds for farm use of highway diesel motor fuel. Farmers who purchase taxable highway diesel fuel will be able to request a refund for the portion used for farm use. This will relieve farmers of the need to maintain separate tanks for taxable and non-taxable diesel fuel.

Fees will be repealed in the Department of Agriculture and Markets, saving New Yorkers $40,000 annually beginning in 2015. They are:
** Commercial Feed License Fee. This $100 license fee is collected from manufacturers of commercial feed on an annual basis.
** Farm Product Dealer’s License Fee. This $20 license fee is collected annually from farm product dealers.
** Food Salvage Fee. This $100 license fee is collected from Food Salvage Dealers every two years.
** Liming Brands License Fee. This $20 license fee is collected from suppliers of liming materials every two years.
** Refrigerated Warehouse Fee. This $200 license fee is collected from refrigerated warehouses every two years.
** Rendering Plants Fee. This license fee is collected from operators of disposal plants on an annual basis. The annual license fee for disposal plants is $100, plus an inspection fee of $10 for each vehicle. The annual license fee for transportation services is $25, plus an inspection fee of $10 for each vehicle.
** Rendering Transportation Fee. This license fee is collected from rendering (i.e. animal remains) transportation facilities on an annual basis. The fee amount is $25
per service and $10 per vehicle.
** Seed Potato Inspection Fee. This regulatory fee of $34 is collected annually for the inspection of both seed potato plants and seed potato tubers for the NY Seed Improvement Project.
** Soil and Plant Inoculants Fee. This $40 license fee is collected every two years for the purpose of selling product brands which contain microorganisms for inoculation purposes.
** Farm Grower Permit Fee. This is a $40 fee charged to agriculture growers who apply for a one-year permit which allows the grower to employ more than five non-H2A migrant farm workers.
** Farm Labor Contractor Permit Fee. This is a $200 fee charged to farm labor contractors that apply for a one year permit to transport and provide non-H2A
migrant farm workers to a grower.

Broadband Internet. A $500 million New NY Broadband Fund is established to significantly expand the availability and capacity of broadband across the state. This program will build on the Connect NY Broadband Program and expand the creation of ultra-high-speed network and promote broadband adoption through a multi-pronged approach. This is important to farmers because many rural areas do not have broadband Internet capabilities.

Southern Tier and Hudson Valley Agricultural Enhancement Program. A total of $50 million from the Special Infrastructure Account will assist farmers and other related businesses in the Southern Tier ($30 million) and Hudson Valley ($20 million) with maintaining and growing their businesses. Money would be used for strategic farming initiatives, including preservation of farmland, to ensure farms in the Southern Tier and Hudson Valley remain intact and vibrant for generations to come.

Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. The college would receive an additional $19 million multi-year investment to expand and upgrade infrastructure and teaching facilities at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine to accommodate larger class sizes.

Department of Agriculture and Markets: Total funding for Ag and Markets is decreased by $12 million, primarily due to the discontinuation of one-time local assistance program funds ($6.9 million) and the completion of capital spending.

State Fair Revitalization. In addition to capital funding and other sources, the state fairgrounds in Geddes west of Syracuse will receive $50 million from the Special
Infrastructure Account to improve the experience for visitors by making enhancements at the fairgrounds and in the surrounding area.

Expand Access to New York Grown Agricultural Products. The budget include $1.1 million for the “Taste NY” program. This program is branding and expanding New York’s food and beverage industry by making the wide variety of foods and beverages grown and produced in the state readily available and recognizable to New Yorkers and the public nationwide. Taste NY products are available in more than 25 retail locations statewide, and more than 5.9 million people in 2014 attended the 55 events at which Taste NY participated.

FreshConnect farmers’ market program. The budget includes $350,000 for the FreshConnect farmers’ market program, which benefits farmers and consumers alike by awarding competitive grants to create and expand farmers’ markets in underserved communities throughout New York.

Hops. To increase the availability of locally grown hops for the state’s growing craft brew industry, the budget continues $40,000 for a program to evaluate and
test hop varieties in New York.

Commission to Study Protecting Dairy Farmer Profits. The state will create a commission to evaluate dairy prices and programs that would help maintain dairy farm profitability, including options to encourage dairy farmer participation in a Federal Margin Protection Program. The federal government recently unveiled a program to address the pricing hazards dairy farms face, and offers protection against losses due to declining milk prices. The commission, chaired by the commissioner of the Department of Agriculture & Markets (now Richard Ball), will develop recommendations intended to encourage farmers to purchase this coverage protection offered through the USDA. The commission will submit its recommendations to the governor by May 1.

Maintain Core Agriculture and Markets Local Assistance Funding. Funding for core agricultural programs that protect health and safety, provide education, and support the promotion of New York state products will continue, Cuomo said. But as in past years, he has cut funding to some programs and eliminated funding for other programs.
 
Here is a list of some of the state ag programs and how much Cuomo has put into the budget for them:
 
Northern New York Agricultural Development -- $0, down from $600,000 in the 2014-15 enacted budget
Wine and Grape Foundation -- $713,000, down from $1 million in 2014-15 enacted budget
Local fairs -- $340,000, down from $500,000
New York Apple Growers -- $206,000, down from $750,000
Maple Producers Association -- $0, down from $150,000
North Country Low Cost Vaccines -- $0, down from $25,000
Farm Viability Institute -- $400,000, down from $1.5 million
New York Christmas Tree Farmers -- $0, down from $120,000
Agricultural Child Care (migrant) -- $6.521 million, down from $7.521 million
Dairy Profit Teams -- $150,000, same as last year
Dairy Profit Teams through the Farm Viability Institute -- $0, down from $220,000
Cornell’s Pro-Dairy -- $822,000, the same as last year
Berry Growers Association -- $0, down from $320,000
Ag in the Classroom -- $80,000, same as last year.
FFA -- $192,000, down from $350,000
Tractor rollover protection -- $0, down from $150,000

Time is Running Out to Find that Perfect New York Christmas Tree

Only seven days (counting today) to get out and buy that fresh, New York-grown Christmas tree.

There are many Christmas tree farms throughout the state and buying local not only supports local farm businesses, it also assures you have the freshest tree possible. Fresh cut trees smell better and keep their needles longer.

“If purchased locally, and displayed properly with plenty of water, most real Christmas trees have excellent needle retention. Many of our customers report few or no needles on the floor after several weeks in their homes. While most people enjoy the aroma of our farm fresh trees, we also grow a fragrance-free variety that is a favorite with people with sensitive noses,” said Faye Beckwith from Beckwith Family Christmas Tree Station in Hannibal, Oswego County.

“Real Christmas trees are the best choice for both the environment and the economy. Real Christmas trees are a renewable and recyclable resource," she said. "They are grown as a crop, by local farmers who provide jobs for others. Trees are harvested and replenished annually. As they grow, real trees absorb harmful carbons and produce fresh oxygen. “

Buying a fresh and local Christmas tree is also a great bonding experience for families. 

“The experience of going to the farm to choose the perfect tree fosters family traditions and creates memories that last a lifetime," Beckwith said. "We have several four generation families who come annually to ride the tractor-drawn wagon to the fields - in search of the perfect tree.”          

To find a Christmas tree farmer near you, go to www.christmastreesny.org  

Then click on Real Trees at the top of the page and then go to Find a Tree.

Ontario Orchards -- the Farm Stand with Everything

It's fall at Ontario Orchards when pumpkins and apples are in. Photo by Lisa Hollenbeck

By Debra J. Groom

A stroll through the Ontario Orchards store in Oswego Town shows all that is great about agriculture.

The Ouellette family transformed a chicken and pig farm that started on 132 acres back in 1952 and grew it into one of the most diverse farming enterprises in Central New York. In fact, it’s a one-stop shop, a place folks can visit year round (every day but Christmas) to buy just about everything they need.

And that everything, by the way, is pretty much all local. Can you say fresh?

“Customers are amazed at the selection, the variety and the completeness of the store,” said owner Dennis Ouellette. “They can come here any day and find something they need.”

The farm today is run by Dennis, his wife June and their daughters, Kathy and Laurie. Dennis, at 67, still is at the farm or store most days tending to one thing or another.

But back in 1952, when Dennis was just 6, his parents Dennis and Estelle had the chicken and pig operation, along with the acres and acres of fruit trees in Sterling that took in the cool moist breezes from nearby Lake Ontario.

Dennis remembers as a young boy selling apples and strawberries on a roadside stand atn state Routes 104 and 104A. “This planted a seed,” he said. “How about U-pick apples for $1 a bushel. At this time it became apparent retail sales were more profitable than wholesale and processing.”

The Ouellettes set up retail operations in Fulton, Watertown, Ogdensburg and across the road from the current store on Route 104. Soon, they expanded into the Regional Market in Syracuse. Then the farm extended its sales to Long Island during the fall and Christmas seasons.

“The New York City market was more profit,” Dennis Ouellette said. “It meant prepping during the week and traveling to New York Friday after school and returning Saturday evening.”

The Ouellettes have always had a strict business plan – they want to expand to provide their produce to as many people as possible, but they also remember not to overextend or overexpand.

This was quite evident after June and Dennis married in 1965, after realizing in their senior year at Hannibal High School that they “would become more than friends,” Dennis said.

The beginning of the present-day Ontario Orchards came after the marriage, when Dennis and June decided to offer more than just apples. They got into producing other fruits, vegetables and Christmas trees.

They added a Fall Jamboree and U-pick operation. This, Dennis said, not only helped with profits, but brought people out to the farm so they could see the operation and learn a little about where their food comes from.

On 35 acres, the Ouellettes grow corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, beans, squash and pumpkins. They have 30 acres of Christmas trees. About 90 acres are apples.

After the old two-stall horse barn was converted into the present-day store in 1966, Ontario Orchards sold not only its own vegetables, fruits and trees, but also brought in product from other nearby locales.

Dennis Ouellette said he gets nursery products from local and out-of-state growers and also grows many varieties in Ontario Orchards own nursery behind the farm market.

He sells Tender Loving Compost, made from cow manure on the Fessenden Family Dairy Farm in King Ferry, Cayuga County. He gets parsnips from a farmer in Port Byron. He sells New Hope Mills pancake products from Cayuga County. Honey comes from Snow Valley Honey Farms in Hannibal.

New York maple syrup in his store comes from Croghan, in the state’s largest maple-producing county, Lewis County. All onions and potatoes come straight from the rich, black muck of Oswego County.

Ontario Orchards presses cider yearround. Photo by Lisa Hollenbeck

He sells Hinerwadel’s salt potatoes, Dinosaur BBQ sauce and Hofmann franks and coneys from Onondaga County, Croghan bologna from Lewis County, Grandma Brown’s baked beans from Mexico, Sillman Jams from Dickinson Center, Franklin County, Turkey Joints from Nora’s Candy Shop and olives from Williams’ Homegrown Garlic, both from Rome, Oneida County, Morgia’s pasta and sauce originally from Watertown, Buck’s Seasoning from Mallory in Oswego County and Italian sauces from Canale’s in Oswego.

Even his refrigerated case has local products, such as cheese from various places like Macadam from St. Lawrence County, Heluva in Sodus, Wayne County and Yancey’s Fancy in Genesee County,  Hudson Farms eggs from Elbridge, Onondaga County and milk from Hudson Dairy in Fulton.

The farm store also has a full bakery, an outgrowth of pies made in June’s home kitchen and sold at the retail sites in the early years.

“David and George (two farm workers) came to work on the farm on weekends and said ‘how bout you make some apple pies with those drops?’” Ouellette said of the apples that drop to the ground.

He said June began making the pies and others delivered them to the retail sites. The customers loved them.

“Then one day, a deer jumped out in front of us and all the pies went all through the car,” Ouellette said. That was when the full bakery in the farm stand was born.

“The expansion of the farm, farm market, cider mill, bakery and nursery was a direct result from the increases in customers,” Ouellette said.

Dennis credits many of the new ideas at Ontario Orchards to his daughters and other employees.

“Not only did the two girls, but also the very young staff had a lot of new energy and ideas,” he said. “And with this in mind, what was the horse barn in 1966 has become one of North America’s most complete family-owned farms and farm markets.”

And while many farm markets are open only in the summer and fall when the crops are harvested, Ontario Orchards is open year round. This was an unheard of idea a few years ago – but Ouellette said it works at Ontario Orchards.

“Our variety allows us to be open seven days a week,” he said. “We really don’t have a season here.”

The store is open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m .in the winter, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the spring and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in summer.

“And we press our own cider 12 months a year,” Ouellette said.

In addition to expanding the hours, Ouellette said he has always thought “outside the box” on how to improve the business and bring in more customers.

He knows he can’t make a living off the person who might drive up from Syracuse once a year to visit Ontario Orchards. He needs to draw repeat customers in throughout the year – who them that the store is more than just a place to come get apples.

“Advertising and promotions at specific times of the seasons has extended the customer base out 100 miles,” he said. “Each season is a whole new energized season and each time you have a new season, you come up with a new idea.”

What he wants to do more of in the future is product sampling. He began a couple of years ago with cheese, but is tinkering with offering other products for people to try. He might even have some cooking demos to show people how to prepare things he sells.

For example, he mentioned parsnips, a root vegetable that many people think of as a white carrot. He said people will look at them at the store, sometimes pick them up, but put them back because they aren’t sure what to do with them.

Ouelette said he also plans to improve the facilities, work on upgrading the website (tasteofcny.com) and growing the ever-popular Fall Jamboree.

“There are not many of us that are this complete,” Ouellette said. “In this day and age, everyone wants local, fresh, homegrown, completeness.”

A fourth generation, Dennis and June’s grandchildren Taylor and Nichole, now are involved in the business, so it looks as though Ontario Orchards will be serving its customers for a long time to come.

“Entrepreneurship and self employment is great, but a very difficult challenge,” Ouellette said. “Fortunately adjustments are made and met. Ontario Orchards wants to extend its many thanks for everyone’s support and ideas. The three generations – Dennis and June, Laurie and Kathy and Taylor and Nichole, look forward to being a part of your lives and the community.”