Cornell Cooperative Extension

Press release:

Cornell Cooperative Extension Genesee County is pleased to present a “Save Energy Save Dollars” workshop on two dates: Thursday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. and Monday, Feb. 29 at 10 a.m. Both workshop sessions will take place at CCE Genesee County at 420 E. Main St. in Batavia.

“Save Energy Save Dollars” is a workshop that was developed by Cornell University Cooperative Extension and the New York State Energy Research Development Authority (NYSERDA).

The workshop, part of the NYSERDA Empower Project, is free and open to all members of the public. It runs approximately two hours and focuses on how both renters and homeowners can reduce energy bills via low-cost, no-cost energy conservation methods. Participants of this workshop will also learn:

·        What the biggest energy users in their home are;

·        How to improve your home's comfort (health and safety, too);

·        Find out about financial assistance (grants, loans, on-bill financing, etc.) and how to get started on your home energy upgrades.

Workshop participants will leave with their own individualized Action Plan plus three energy-saving light bulbs. Please RSVP to this event so that adequate materials can be prepared. RSVP to Brandie Schultz at 585-343-3040, ext.101 or bls238@cornell.edu by Friday, Feb. 19.

Press release:

“Annie’s Project” has been successful nationally and in New York with empowering farm women to become stronger business partners through clearer understanding of how to manage risk. “Managing for Today and Tomorrow” (MTT) will provide audiences the opportunity to become involved in the journey of transitioning their farm legacy to a new generation.

MTT will be offered in four Thursday sessions from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Genesee and Ontario County Cornell Cooperative Extension offices beginning Feb. 18^th by Cornell Cooperative Extension’s North West New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Team.

MTT will be guided by the same core values as Annie’s Project: Guided Intelligence builds on women’s natural tendency to share, teach and learn with other women; Connection creates opportunities of connection to other farm women and local practitioners; Discovery helps women make sense of topics through hands-on activities and discussion; Safe Harbor provides a comfortable and secure environment where all questions are welcome.

Participants in MTT will focus on transition planning for their farm businesses. Whether you are in the prime of your farming career, just getting started or thinking about later phases of life, transition planning is likely to be important to you. Because family and business are often closely tied together in agriculture, transition planning must address issues of business sustainability and family relationships. MTT addresses succession, business, estate and retirement planning in the context of a farm business.  For some, transition planning may involve successors who are not part of the family.

Topics covered will include goal setting, clarifying values personal vision, resolving conflict, financial documents and vocabulary, asset transfer methods, and retirement options among many others.

Farm women must register to participate in Managing for Today and Tomorrow.  The cost is $100 per person and includes 15 hours of instruction, an extensive collection of instructional materials and a light lunch at each session.

To register for either location, contact Zach Amey at zta3@cornell.edu or 585-786-2251, ext. 123. For questions about what the classes will cover reach out to Joan Petzen, jsp10@cornell.edu, 585-786-2251, ext. 122 or Marie Anselm, ms882@cornell.edu or 585-394-3977, ext. 402. Register today and save the dates, Feb. 18 and 25, and March 3 and 10. Reserve March 17 for a snow date.

This program is sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension, and supported in part by the Northeast Extension Risk Management Education Center, the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) award number 2012-49200-20031, CoBANK, Farm Credit East, New York FarmNet, NYS Agricultural Mediation Center, NYS Workforce Development Institute, and New York Agri-Women, Inc.

Press release:

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County is pleased to announce that MeatSuite.com, an online directory of livestock farms selling in bulk, has arrived in our county!

MeatSuite.com connects consumers interested in buying local meat with local farms selling meat in bulk, thus promoting farm viability and food affordability.

Cornell Cooperative Extension's research has found that selling meat directly to consumers by the whole, half, or quarter animal is more profitable for the farmer and more affordable for consumers. When purchased in bulk, local meat prices are competitive with meat sold in grocery stores.

Farms interested in joining can visit www.MeatSuite.com or contact their local Cornell Cooperative Extension office for more information.

Creating a MeatSuite farm profile is one way to reach new potential customers and expand your farm’s online presence. MeatSuite offers you an opportunity to explain to consumers why your farm is unique. While we cannot guarantee that MeatSuite will generate sales for you, we encourage you to take a few minutes to join. It’s easy, fast, and free. The more farms that join, the more consumers will see MeatSuite as a great shopping resource.

On Thursday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m. there will be a Meat Suite Producer Informational Meeting held at the CCE Ontario County office -- contact: Marie Anselm, 585-394-3977, ext. 402. Nancy Glazier, NWNY Team Small Farms/Livestock Specialist, will provide an overview of MeatSuite, how to develop your farm’s pro-file, and meat cutout.

This meeting will be also broadcast live at two locations; Wyoming County CCE -- contact Sarah Carlson 585-786-2251, ext. 112; and Niagara County CCE -- contact Amanda Henning 716-433-8839, ext. 231 for more information.

MeatSuite.com went live in 2012 and originally served nine counties. The current expansion, made possible through a grant from the New York Farm Viability Institute, reaches 16 new counties, including Genesee County.

For more information contact Jan Beglinger at 585-343-3040 ext. 132 or at jmb374@cornell.edu. 

Press release:

To help support our local agriculture industry and to provide producers with expert information, Genesee County Cornell Cooperative Extension offers its annual “Agriculture Enrollment.”

Farms enrolled in 2016 will receive direct access to the NWNY Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Team and Cornell Vegetable Program specialists who work hard in our region to address the concerns of our producers.

The Cornell Vegetable Program (CVP) specialists work together with Cornell University faculty and extension educators statewide to address the issues that impact the industry. The CVP provides educational programs and information to growers, processors and agri-business professionals, arming them with the knowledge to profitably produce and market safe and healthful vegetable crops. This in turn contributes to the viability of farms and the economic well-being of New York State. Specifically, the CVP focuses on food safety, variety evaluation, market development, pest management and cultural practices.

The NWNY Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Team specialists work together with Cornell University faculty and extension educators statewide to provide service to farms large and small, whether dairy, livestock, hay, corn, wheat or soybean focused. The team is part of the Cornell College of Agriculture & Life Sciences Pro-Dairy program outreach. Specialists cover the areas of dairy production, field crop production, farm business management, small farm management and livestock production. For dairy farms, a bilingual dairy specialist provides producers with employee training and human resource facilitation in Spanish.

Both teams serve Genesee County by providing educational programs with classroom and hands-on training, farmer discussion groups, newsletters with timely production information, telephone/email consultations, direct mailings of special events, as well as farm visits and research opportunities. Enrollees are eligible for reduced registration fees for educational meetings.

Cost of enrollment is $65 per team. Cornell Pest Management Guidelines (hardcopy and online) are available for an additional cost. To receive an enrollment form please contact Jan Berlinger at 585-343-3040, ext. 132, or at jmb374@cornell.edu.

The Genesee County 4-H Youth Development Program is offering a Harvest Pie Workshop for all area youth ages 5 to 19.

The workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 17th, at 6:30 p.m. and will take place at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Office, 420 E. Main St., Batavia. Come and learn how to bake holiday pies just in time for Thanksgiving! Youth do not need to be 4-H members to attend, and parents are welcome. Cost: $10 per youth.

Register by Nov. 13th by calling Brandie at the 4-H Office at 585-343-3040, ext. 101. Complete event information is also available on the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County website at http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/events

Press release:

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County will host its annual meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 20. The meeting is open to the public and will begin at 5 p.m. at Terry Hills Restaurant, 5122 Clinton Street Road, Batavia.

We will be honoring Master Gardener Volunteer David Russell with the “Friend of Extension” Award and appropriate tropical attire is optional.

Anyone planning to attend can RSVP by Oct. 13 to Samantha Stryker at sls428@cornell.edu or (585) 343-3040, ext. 123.

Press release from Cornell Cooperative Extension in Batavia:

Fayetteville, NY – The Farmers Market Federation of NY, in partnership with SUNY Cobleskill and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County, is pleased to announce the first ever Farmers Market Managers Professional Certification Course to kickoff Nov. 10th to 12th on the SUNY Cobleskill Campus: FMM PRO.

This program will create New York State’s first Market Manager Certification designation and will be recognized through the SUNY system.

The FMM PRO course curriculum will include all aspects of maintaining and growing a successful farmers market given in 22 workshops covering three main topics:
1.    Nuts and Bolts of Managing Markets

2.    Reaching Out to the Market Community

3.    Building Market Systems

Program participants who complete the full curriculum will be receive certificates signed by the three partnering agencies and will have earned the title of Certified Market Manager. As a SUNY FMM PRO Certified Market Manager, graduates of the program will:
·         Be fully knowledgeable in today’s best practices for managing farmers markets;

·         Learn tactics to expand and optimize their farmers market;

·         Be equipped to build successful relationships with farmers and shoppers;

·         Be able to use their certification to leverage funding and support for their market.

The cost of the SUNY Farmers Market Managers Professional Certification will be an affordable $200 for 12 months of access to the online curriculum.  Participants will need to complete all 22 sessions within this time frame, including submitting a quiz and assignment from each section for review in order to receive certification. In addition, they will need to earn two continuing-education credits bi-annually by attending special sessions at the Federation’s annual Farmers Market Managers Conference and/or specified manager training webinars in order to keep their Certification active.

Nov. 10th to 12th a conference to be held at SUNY Cobleskill, will be used to launch the development of the course. This will replace the Farmers Market Federation’s Annual Conference that normally takes place in late winter, with the regular conference schedule resuming in early 2017. The schedule will include an intense three days of workshops, tours of the SUNY Cobleskill Ag Facilities, and an opportunity to network with market managers from around the state.

The workshops will be recorded and used to form the full online curriculum for the FMM PRO Certification Program and will be placed on Moodle.com, an online learning platform, under the sponsorship of Cornell University. SUNY Cobleskill students will have the unique opportunity to become New York State’s next generation of farmers market managers. As space is available, the three-day conference will be free to enrolled students who use their student meal.

Attendees of the Nov. 10th to 12th conference will have a jump start on their official Farmers Market Manager Certification as they will not need to view the sessions they participated in at the conference on Moodle. In addition, for each day they participated fully in the conference, each participant will receive a $25 voucher toward the cost of the online FMM Pro Certification Course.

Interested parties can register for the conference here: http://www.nyfarmersmarket.com/fmmpropay/ by paying online or mailing in the registration form with a check made out to the Farmers Market Federation of NY. FMM Pro Certification registration will be made available at a later date.

All mail-in conference registrations must be received by Nov. 4th after which registrations can only be made on the website above and will be subject to a $10 per day walk-in fee.

For more information on the content of the sessions, agenda, hotel information and directions, visit: http://www.nyfarmersmarket.com/fmmpro or contact deggert@nyfarmersmarket.com.

FMM PRO is funded by a grant from Governor Cuomo’s Fresh Connect Program, as part of the Governor’s initiative to build bridges between Upstate NY and Downstate NY, as well as build connections between consumers and NYS agriculture.

Brandie L. Schultz
Administrative Assistant
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County
420 E. Main St.
Batavia NY 14020
Phone: (585) 343-3040, ext. 101
Fax: (585) 343-1275
http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/

 Beginning September 10, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County will begin training a new class of Master Gardeners through our “Principles of Gardening” program.  Classes will be held at the CCE office at 420 East Main Street, Batavia on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 9 pm through November 19.  (There will also be a full day session on Saturday, November 8.)  Pre-registration by August 25 is required as the class size is limited.

Participants will enjoy learning about a variety of horticulture topics including: botany, plant pathology, entomology, soils & fertilizers, lawn care, vegetable gardening, weed identification, woody ornamentals, fruit, perennials and annuals.  Each class will focus on a different topic throughout the training.

Anyone interested in learning more about gardening may attend the course.  The fee for training is $225 per person.

This training is the first requirement to becoming a Genesee County Master Gardener.  Genesee county residents who complete the course are then eligible to apply to the Genesee County Master Gardener program.  (Other county residents should contact their local Master Gardener program.)  A Master Gardener volunteer should have a willingness to give back to the community and help put into practice what they learned at training.  Enthusiasm for sharing their skills and knowledge is a must.

For an application or to register contact Brandie Schultz at 585-343-3040, ext. 101 or stop by the Extension office at 420 East Main Street in Batavia.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County will be offering “Principles of Gardening” training on Wednesday evenings, starting Sept. 10 and running through Nov. 19, from 6 to 9 pm. Classes will be held at the CCE office at 420 E. Main St., Batavia.

Participants will enjoy training in horticulture topics, including botany, plant pathology, entomology, soils & fertilizers, lawn care, vegetable gardening, weed identification, woody ornamentals, fruit, perennials and annuals. Each class will focus on a different topic throughout training.

Pre-registration and payment by Aug. 25 is required. Class size will be limited. No walk-ins will be allowed. The fee for training is $225 per person.

This training is also the first requirement to becoming a Genesee County Master Gardener.

Graduates of the program (Genesee county residents) are then eligible to apply to the Genesee County Master Gardener program. (Other county residents should contact their local Master Gardener program.) A Master Gardener volunteer should have a willingness to give back to the community and help put into practice what they learned at training. Enthusiasm for sharing their skills and knowledge is a must.

For an application or to register contact Brandie Schultz at 585-343-3040, ext. 101, or stop by the Extension office located at 420 E. Main St. in Batavia.

Genesee County Master Gardeners will be offering their popular Coffee and Dessert Series this spring.  Participants enjoy a variety of gardening topics taught by Master Gardeners along with coffee, tea and dessert.

April 9 – “Herbs & Edibles”.  Growing a kitchen garden with herbs and other plant edibles is a great way of combining two of our favorite pastimes, gardening and eating!  After a long winter and checking the food prices on the grocery shelves, there is so much reward in starting your own garden of herbs and plant edibles.  With little space and $$, you can start this spring project with the kids, family and friends!  Call to register.  Space still available.

April 16 – “Square Foot & Container Gardening”.  Would you like to grow nutritious, great tasting vegetables but always come up with the same excuses?  Too much work – too many weeds – takes too much space – bad soil…  Square Foot Gardening solves all these problems in a simple, easy and logical manner.  Let us show you how it is done.  Still not sure?  Try growing your veggies in a container.  We will share with you the basics of container gardening.  Registration deadline is April 11.

April 23 – “Groundcovers - the Rodney Dangerfield of the Plant World”. -  Ground covers are more than the plants of last resort for difficult to grow areas.  Find out when and where to use these versatile plants to both benefit and enhance your gardens and landscapes.  Registration deadline is April 18.

April 30 – “Nobody Eats Nightshade, Everyone Eats Potatoes”.   Even within the same plant family, parts of one plant can be eaten while another plant should be avoided.  Learn to know the difference to keep your pets and family safe.  Registration deadline is April 25.

All programs are from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Genesee County Cornell Cooperative Extension at 420 East Main Street, Batavia.  Cost is $10 per person per class.  Pre-registration is required as class size is limited.  Contact Brandie at 585-343-3040, ext. 101 or stop by our office at 420 East Main Street in Batavia to register.  For more information visit our website at: www.genesee.shutterfly.com.