Series of 7 On-Farm Field Days Scheduled Throughout NY

From EMPIRE FARM & DAIRY MAGAZINE:

Seven varied organic on-farm field days are being presented by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY).
 
They will be held in July and hosted by farms in six New York state counties.
 
Topics include women farmers, horsepower, soil health, organic transition and edible forest gardens. Another field day will feature a farm open house.
 
These are invaluable opportunities for farmers to learn about new methods, see what farms are doing, and network with others around the state.
 
The event schedule is as follows:

Women in Agriculture: Lady Farmers of Long Island
July 6, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
 
Amanda and Katie from Amber Waves Farm in Amagansett, Suffolk County, host this event in which they share how they founded a CSA, pioneered the Amagansett Wheat Project, and continue to provide outstanding education, bread shares, and a 
Food-to-Pantry project.
 
Registration fees are $15/person or $25 for two or more people/farm.

Developing a Diversified Horse-Powered Farm
July 9, 1-4 p.m.
 
Participants will join Matt Volz from Greyrock Farm, Madison County, for a tour of his horse-powered farm, which features a raw milk dairy, and meat and vegetable production. 

Discussion topics are how to grow a farm with multiple complementary enterprises, including how to handle the management, production and business challenges on a diversified farm.
 
Registration fees are $15/person or $25 for two or more people/farm.

Long-Term High Tunnel Soil Health and Nutrient Management for Tomato Production
July 14, 6-8 p.m.
 
Host Obercreek Farm, Dutchess County, shares its success in managing tomato production in a high tunnel by maintaining and improving soil health and fertility, controlling pests and disease, and ensuring profitable yield and excellent quality.
Registration fees are $15/person or $25 for two or more people/farm.

Moving into Wholesale Markets for Small and Mid-Sized Farms
July 20, 4-6 p.m.
 
Mainstreet Farms in Cortland County brings healthy, local food to the community, utilizing education and community partners to create a strong local food system. Cornell’s Crystal Stewart will demonstrate the fundamentals for crossing over into wholesale markets, from record keeping to timing crops.

Organic Transition—Certification and Growing Practices: It’s More than Input Substitution
July 20, 4-7 p.m.
 
Fishkill Farms of Dutchess County produces eggs and grows crops that include tree fruit, berries, vegetables.
 
Josh Morgenthau will share the challenges in transitioning to organic, including changes in growing practices, creation of buffer zones, and management.
 
Caitlyn Reilly of NOFA-NY Certified Organic LLC will discuss the nuts and bolts of organic certification and be available to answer any questions. Risk management and crop/whole farm insurance programs also will be discussed.

Kingbird Open House
July 24, 1-4 p.m.
 
Kingbird Farm in Tioga County this year is celebrating 20 years of success.
 
Michael, Karma and Rosemary Glos will share their story of how they organically manage pork, chicken, eggs, culinary herbs, and produce while utilizing horses for field work.
 
The farm will be open for exploration, shopping, and enjoyment, with a guided farm tour at 2 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Creating an Edible Forest Garden
July 30, 12:45-4 p.m.
 
Dani Baker, co-owner of Cross Island Farms in Jefferson County, has developed one acre of her certified organic farm as a multi-functional edible forest garden, incorporating numerous permaculture principles and practices.
 
She will take participants for a walk-through and introduction to 300+ perennial cultivars of fruits, nuts, berries, and other edibles. 

Attendees will taste fruits, flowers, greens, and herbs in season, and go home with a potted plant to add to their own edible garden.
 
Registration fees are $20/person or $30 for two or more attendees from the same farm/family. Private farm tours are available that morning; email organic@crossislandfarms.com or call 315-482-3663.
 
Pre-registration is available online at www.nofany.org/events/field-days or by calling Jill at the NOFA-NY office (585- 271-1979, ext. 512). 

Source: NOFA-NY

Annie's Project Plans Programs Throughout New York State

From Empire Farm & Dairy magazine:

“Annie’s Project — Farm Transition Planning for Women Managing for Today and Tomorrow” has classes scheduled throughout New York state.
 
Annie’s Project is an educational program to help women learn more about running a successful farm operation.
 
Here is the schedule:
 
** 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays, March 16 through April 20, Cornell Cooperative Extension Clinton County, 6064 State Route 22, Plattsburgh; Kimberley Morrill, (315) 379-9192, kmm434@cornell.edu.
 
** 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays, March 17 through 21, Cornell Cooperative Extension St. Lawrence County, 2043 State Route 68, Canton; Kimberley Morrill, (315) 379-9192, kmm434@cornell.edu.
 
** 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays, Jan. 28 to March 3, Cornell Cooperative Extension Essex County, 3 Sisco St., PO Box 388, Westport; Anita Deming, (518) 962-4810 (x409), ald6@cornell.edu.
 
** 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays, Jan. 27, Feb. 10, 17 and 24, Farm Credit East, 25417 State Route 12, Burrville; Peggy Murray, Cornell Cooperative Extension Lewis and Jefferson counties, (315) 788-8540, (315) 376-5270, mlm40@cornell.edu.
 
** 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursdays, Feb. 18 and 25 and March 3 and 10, (snow date of March 17), Cornell Cooperative Extension Genesee County, 420 E. Main St., Batavia, and Cornell Cooperatives Extension of Ontario County, 480 N. Main St., Canandiagua; Joan Petzen, (585) 786-2251 (x122) (Wyoming office), JSP10@cornell.edu.  
 
** 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 26, Feb. 9 and 23, March 8 and 22 (snow date March 15); Cornell Cooperative Extension Cayuga County, 248 Grant Ave., Auburn, Judy Wright,  (315) 255.1183, jlw24@cornell.edu.
 
** 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 26, Feb. 9 and 23, March 8 and 22 (snow date March 15), LaFayette Missionary and Alliance Church, LaFayette; sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension Onondaga County, Melanie Palmer/Erin Hull, (315) 424-9485, mjp232@cornell.edu, elh233@cornell.edu.
 
** 6 to 9 p.m. (light meal at 5:30 p.m.), March 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30, Cornell Cooperative Extension Oneida County, 121 Second St., Oriskany; Bonnie Collins, (315) 736-3394 (x104), bsc33@cornell.edu.
 
** 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 26, Feb. 9 and 23, March 8 and 22 (snow date March 15), Dryden Fire Hall; sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension Cortland County, Janice Degni, (607) 753-5215, jgd3@cornell.edu.
 
** 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays, March 4, 11, 18, 25 and April 1, Cornell Cooperative Extension Schoharie and Otsego counties, 173 S. Grand St., Cobleskill; David Cox, (518) 234-4303 (x119), dgc23@cornell.edu.
 
** 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Jan. 26, Feb. 9 and 23, March 8 and 22 (snow date March 1), Cornell Cooperative Extension Broome County, 840 Upper Front St., Binghamton; Laura Biasillo, (607) 584-5007, lw257@cornell.edu.
 
** 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays, Feb. 5, 12, 19 and 26 (snow date Feb. 27), Cornell Cooperative Extension Ulster County, 232 Plaza Road, Kingston; Elizabeth Higgins, (845) 340-3390, emh56@cornell.edu.
 
** 6 to 9 p.m. (light meal at 5:30 p.m.) Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25 and March 3, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County, 100 Eaton St., Morrisville; Bonnie Collins, (315) 684-3001 (x104), bsc33@cornell.edu.
 
** 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 30, Feb, 6, 13, 20, 27, and March 5,  Cornell Cooperative Extension of Washington County, 215 Lower Main St., Hudson Falls; Tove Ford at (518) 765-3518 or tff24@cornell.edu.
 
The cost is $100 per person for 15 hours of instruction. Lunch and all course materials are included.
 

If your county is not listed, contact your local Cornell Cooperative Extension office. 

Annie’s Project is a nationally recognized educational program grown from its inception to serve over 12,000 farm women in 33 states.
 
Participants will learn about business, estate, retirement and succession planning from area professionals and specialists, most of whom serve agricultural clientele in their communities. Pertinent discussions accompany presentations including follow-up activities for family members to address at home.

New Network Planned for Women in Agriculture

Go to http://farmprogress.com/story-usda-plans-new-network-women-ag-8-124382 to check out the story.

NY Agri-Women Annual Meeting Set for November

Go to http://newyorkagriwomen.com/?p=1285 this website for information on the upcoming annual meeting for New York Agri-Women.

What Does a Farmer Look Like?

A great piece.

Read http://www.huffingtonpost.com/val-wagner/anatomy-of-a-farmer_b_5155732.html?utm_content=buffer0865d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin.com&utm_campaign=buffer this blog. It may be written by a person from North Dakota, but the thought is universal.

More and More Women are Heading Farms in NYS

I love this graphic I found this week on Facebook.

And statistics show that the graphic is not only fun, but true.

More and more women are operating farms today than ever before. In the 2007 Census of Agriculture, 30 percent of all farm operators in New York state were women -- a total of 1.008 million. That was up 19 percent from the 2002 Census of Agriculture.

In 2007, 14 percent of principal farm operators were women, up from 11 percent in 2002.

Locally, there also are quite a few women running farms. Here are the stats from the 2007 Census of Agriculture:

Onondaga County -- 157 of 692 farms had women as the principal operators

Cayuga County -- 123 of 936 farms had women as the principal operators

Madison County -- 132 of 744 farms had women as the principal operators

Oswego County -- 141 of 639 farms had women as the principal operators.

 

Among Women Farmers, Different Specializations Dominate Farm Numbers, Farm Sales

Here's a cool story about women http://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2013-may/among-women-farmers,-different-specializations-dominate-farm-numbers,-farm-sales.aspx#.UY7uNcrS9l9 farmers from the USDA.

Deadline Extended for Hispanic, Women Farmers to File Claims

This comes from the USDA:

The deadline has been extended until May 1 for women and Hispanic farmers and ranchers to file claims of discrimination by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"Hispanic and women farmers who believe they have faced discriminatory practices in the past from the USDA have additional time to file a claim in order to have a chance to receive a cash payment or loan forgiveness," said USDA Secretary Thomas Vilsack. "USDA urges potential claimants to contact the Claims Administrator for information and to file their claim packages on or before May 1, 2013."

The process offers a voluntary alternative to litigation for each Hispanic or female farmer and rancher who can prove that USDA denied his or her application for loan or loan servicing assistance for discriminatory reasons for certain time periods between 1981 and 2000.

As announced in February 2011, the voluntary claims process will make available at least $1.33 billion for cash awards and tax relief payments, plus up to $160 million in farm debt relief, to eligible Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers. There are no filing fees to participate in the program.

Call center representatives can be reached at 1-888-508-4429. Claimants may register for a claims package (by calling the number or visiting the website) or may download the forms from the website.

All those interested in learning more or receiving information about the claims process and claims packages are encouraged to visit the website at any time or to contact the call center telephone number Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time.

1 Week Left for Hispanic, Women Farmers to File Discrimination Claims

Only one week left for Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers to claim discrimination claims against the U.S. government.

Go to http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/newsReleases?area=newsroom&subject=landing&topic=ner&newstype=newsrel&type=detail&item=nr_20130225_rel_0035.html for more information.