Thursday, May 31, 2012

Watershed Wake-up Call: Dirt, CCE Spring Housing Tour, Walton Regional Livestock Show

TONIGHT MAY 31: IMPACT Film Series presents tonight at 76 Main!, Stamford with Dirt! the Movie. Learn about worms, microbes, soil and food, from the ground up. The Roxbury Arts Group (RAG) and the Council host the 9-week IMPACT Film Series every Thursday at 7 p.m. Movie admission is free; donations benefit future RAG programming and the Council's Conservation Easement Stewardship Fund. FMI: Maggie Cullen, RAG (607) 326-7908

Upcoming IMPACT Film series movies include
JUNE 7: The Greenhorns
JUNE 14: Reclaiming Our Water
JUNE 21: Good Wood
JUNE 28: Truck Farm
FOUR RESERVOIRS OPEN THROUGH COLUMBUS DAY WEEKEND: The Cannonsville, Pepacton, Schoharie, and Neversink Reservoirs are open to the public to canoes, kayaks, row boats and small sailboats for THE recreational outdoor experience. Bring your non-mechanized vessels out to enjoy this newly accessible water resource. A free DEP Access Permit is required and available online. The public can launch their boats at specified sites after having them steam cleaned at approved vendors. There they will receive boat tags allowing short-term one-week access or season-long entry through Columbus Day. Information is available online such as reservoir maps, locations of steam cleaning vendors, boat launch sites and rental locations, DEP regulations regarding boat size and usage, and a link to the required DEP Access Permit application form.
Inside the Barn at Domesticities


JUNE 1:  Without Walls EcoPracticum Potluck Social with Catskills CRAFT at Camp Shomria, 52 Lake Marie Road, Liberty 12754, Sullivan County from 6-9:30 p.m.  As part of their first unit, "Growing Enough Food: The Role of Organic, Local Produce in the Global Food System," they have invited Catskills CRAFT to a potluck where students will talk with local farmers.Without Walls' Eco Practicum is an environmental sustainability and action program for undergraduate students and recent grads. The program participants get hands-on experience farming, caring for livestock and creating a healthy community.  Transportation is available; email info@catskillscraft.org for details.

JUNE 3, 10, 17, 24: The New Approach to Organic Gardening at The Cutting Garden, Youngsville from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Cost is $125; $100 for NOFA NY members. This four-session course takes a step-by-step approach to creating and maintaining a permanent, low-maintenance system of production for food, flowers and trees based on the natural system of the forest.  This will be a hands-on course with emphasis on individual attention. FMI: 845-483-3333 or email cuttinggarden@hotmail.com.
JUNE 7: Easement Program Committee Meeting at 44 West Street, Downstairs Conference Room, Walton. Public agenda available online; no July meeting. FMI: Suzie Seymour (607) 865-7790, ext. 100

JUNE 8:  Adding Income Streams to a Small Dairy at Del-Rose Farm. 9635 County Highway 18, Bloomville (Delaware County). FMI: Mariane Kiraly at CCE-Delaware, (607) 865 6531.

Photo: delhi.edu
JUNE 9: CCE’s 31st Annual Spring Housing Tour features four Delaware County innovators in alternative energy sources. 
8:30 a.m. TOUR REGISTRATION – Manhattan Country School Farm – 3536 New Kingston Mountain Road, Roxbury
9 a.m. Manhattan Country School Farm Solar Array/Hydro – With a generous incentive from NYSERDA, in 2009 the Manhattan Country School Farm installed 14 large solar arrays, each consisting of ten solar panels, and representing 24,000 watts of electricity. Inverters make the electricity useful in running the farmhouse and barn and a net metering system makes sure that the Farm is reimbursed for its excess production, offsetting the cost of electricity used at night. The solar panels are part of the Farm’s curriculum on renewable energy, and were a major factor in the Farm’s being honored by the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development with its Alf Evers Sustainability Award in 2011.
11 a.m. Delaware County Electric Cooperative, Greg Starheim will talk about about deploying Technology to save energy. DCEC has been an innovative local utility in the use of technology to maximize electric service reliability to its membership while also providing programs to keep rates as low as possible. Find out how to consume less energy and how to use “tools” to reduce energy costs and your carbon footprint.  
11:45 a.m. LUNCH – Bring a Bag Lunch – SUNY Delhi – 2 Main Street, Delhi
12:30 pm – Check out the SUNY Delhi Solar Photovoltaic and Wind Systems with James Ellis, SUNY Delhi Instructor. With funding from NYSERDA and assistance from Catskill Solar, the college constructed a 22.5 kW pole mount PV system next to the Applied Technologies Electrical building on the SUNY Delhi campus. The general public, teachers and students can access current data from the system from a kiosk located in the main lobby of the Applied Technologies Electrical building including power generation, electrical savings, environmental impact and weather data. Students enrolled in the PV elective learn how to construct and maintain the system on campus and recently installed a small wind turbine on campus.
1:30 pm – Photovoltaic, Solar Sheet, Solar Tracker and Solar Hot Water Systems at the Delhi homes of James and Simone Tucker and Dick and Becky Wasserstrom. Five different examples of harnessing the sun’s energy in one location! 

Cost is $5 CCE members, $10 non members, $15 day of the tour. FMI: (607) 865-6531 or email vsd22@cornell.edu.

JUNE 11: Catskills CRAFT: Farm Design by Topography at Burnett Farms, 1901 Bramley Mountain Road, Bovina 13740, Delaware County from 5-7 p.m. On-farm Training with farmer Steve Burnett. Free and open to new and beginner farmers; bring a dish to pass. Burnett Farms is nestled into a high Catskills saddle comprised of pasture, tillage fields, forest and ponds. Working within this diverse landscape, designing the farm and its processes has been both rewarding and challenging. Steve will share the approaches he has taken to designing his farm, his "predictable failures and lucky successes." A potluck supper will follow. FMI: Catskills CRAFT
Brynne Backus, Meat Goat Champion

JUNE 15-17: Walton Regional Livestock Show at the Delaware County Fairgrounds. Look for the article in the June 2012 issue of the Catskill Mountain Region Guide.

JUNE 20: Strawberry Festival at Old Stone Fort, 145 Fort Road, Schoharie FMI: (518) 295-7187

JUNE 22: Last day to register for just 10 spots in a 3-day grass-based livestock and processing workshop. Sponsored by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY) and PASA (Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture), the course is designed for livestock farmers and/or food professionals interested in raising and processing livestock into beef, pork and lamb. Hosted by Hardler Farm near Honesdale, Pennsylvania with overnight accommodations at The Inn at Willow Pond. Course begins July 16. FMI: Catskill Delaware Permaculture or call Maria Grimaldi (845) 482-4164.
 
Tune in to Watershed Wake-up Call Tune next Thursday at 7:15 a.m., on WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM. The show will move to Fridays at 7:15 a.m. starting June 8. 

Tell us if you visited the reservoirs and share your photos on our Facebook Page. For the latest events, check out the Watershed Agricultural Council and Pure Catskills or visit one of our blogs, You & Your Watershed and Pure Catskills Local.
 
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Thursday, May 24, 2012

Watershed Wake-Up Call: Messages From Water, The Reservoirs are Open!, Farmers' Markets, Foodway Corridor Survey

TONIGHT MAY 24: IMPACT Film Series presents tonight at 76 Main!, Stamford with the screening of Messages From Water. Dr. Masaru Emoto takes a photographic look at water crystals to determine the mysterious effects that music and words have on water's molecular structure. Under normal conditions, distilled water can only produce simple hexagonal crystals, but not once it has"listened" to Mozart. The Roxbury Arts Group (RAG) and the Council host the 9-week IMPACT Film Series at Stamford's 76 Main! every Thursday at 7 p.m. Movie admission is free; donations benefit future RAG programming and the Council's Conservation Easement Stewardship Fund. FMI: Maggie Cullen, RAG (607) 326-7908

Upcoming IMPACT Film series movies include
MAY 31:  Dirt! the Movie
JUNE 7: The Greenhorns
JUNE 14: Reclaiming Our Water
JUNE 21: Good Wood
JUNE 28: Truck Farm
Remember, all water is connected, it is a finite cycle. Check out this hydrologic cycle poster from the Council's teacher resource page, You & Your Watershed.
 
Photo:Dan Nelken
NOW THROUGH JUNE 22:  "AgriCulture" art exhibit at Catskill Center, Route 28, Arkville. Free and open to the public, the Erpf Gallery features the work of Flavia Bacarella, Temma Bell, Ulla Kjarval, and Dan Nelken. Paintings, photographs and woodcuts capture the strong influence of agriculture on Catskill communities and culture. Erpf Gallery is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. FMI: Katie Palm, CCCD (845) 586-2611

MAY 26-28: Sheep Shearing & Open House at The Sheep's Nest, 45 Main Street, Hobart. Look for the English cottage on the west side of State Highway 10. Home accessories, wine cellar, handmade and vintage items, breads, cheese, jams and wood products available. FMI: (607) 214-0050


The Pepacton Reservoir 
open for boaters as of May 25.
Photo: JoshDickPhoto.com
THREE RESERVOIRS OPEN MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND: The Pepacton, Schoharie, and Neversink Reservoirs are open to the public to canoes, kayaks, row boats and small sailboats for recreational outdoor experiences. The successful Cannonsville pilot program to expand recreational use to other non-mechanized vessels prompted the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to open three more reservoirs to boaters this year. With support from the Catskill Watershed Corporation, tourism promotion officials and municipal leaders, this exciting new recreational resource is now available to boaters with DEP Access Permits (available online). The public can launch their boats at specified sites after having them steam cleaned at approved vendors. There they will receive boat tags allowing short term (up to one week) or season-long access (through Columbus Day). Access lots of information online like reservoir maps, a list of steam cleaning vendors, boat launch sites and rental locations, DEP regulations regarding boat size and usage, and a link to the required DEP Access Permit application form.

JUNE 7: Easement Program Committee Meeting at 44 West Street, Downstairs Conference Room, Walton. Public agenda available online; no July meeting. FMI: Suzie Seymour (607) 865-7790, ext. 100

JUNE 8:  Adding Income Streams to a Small Dairy at Del-Rose Farm. 9635 County Highway 18, Bloomville (Delaware County). Find out how the Hanselman's have gradually added enterprises that diversify the farm into various income streams that add to farm income and farm viability. To register, contact Mariane Kiraly at CCE-Delaware, (607) 865 6531.

JUNE 11: Catskills CRAFT: Farm Design by Topography at Burnett Farms, 1901 Bramley Mountain Road, Bovina 13740, Delaware County. On-farm Training with farmer Steve Burnett. Free and open to new and beginner farmers; bring a dish to pass. FMI:  Catskills CRAFT
JUNE 15-17: Walton Regional Livestock Show at the Delaware County Fairgrounds. Look for the article in the June 2012 issue of the Catskill Mountain Region Guide.

JUNE 20: Strawberry Festival at Old Stone Fort, 145 Fort Road, Schoharie FMI: (518) 295-7187

Holiday Pop-Up Market in Stamford
21 Railroad Street
Thursday, May 24 4:30-6 p.m.
Products from Pure Catskills members Blue Sky Farm & Winery and Tundra Brewery of Gilboa, Buck Hill Farm and Cowbella Horton Hill Farm of Jefferson; Harpersfield Cheese; La Basse Cour Farm and Shaver Hill Farm of Harpersfield
Andes Farmers' Market at the Andes Hotel, 72 Main Street
Saturday 10am–2pm, May 19–October 8

Franklin Farmers' Market at Institute Street at Chapel Hall
Sunday 10 am–2 pm, May 27–October8
Hobart Farmers' Market at Town Hall at 101 Maple Avenue
Fridays 4-7 p.m. June 1 through September 7

Pakatakan Farmers' Market at the Round Barn, 46696 State Route 30, Halcottsville
Saturday 9am–2pm, May 19–October 6

OF INTEREST: The Lower Hudson-Long Island Resource Conservation & Development Council (RC&D) is proposing a Foodway Corridor Barge Project via the Hudson River, connecting food and wood products via local ports from river dock to City wharf. If you're a NY food or wood products producer interested in getting your products to one of the biggest consumer markets in the world,lend your voice to the discussion by filling out this survey. The LH-LI RC&D and NYSERDA are funding the feasibility project. Sustainable Ports and New West Technologies, consultants on the project, are developing the barge transport logistics and conducting a mode comparison analysis between trucks and barge. Karp Resources, a NYC-based food and agriculture consulting company, is conducting the portion of the research to develop the survey and gather information about New York State farm production and agricultural product transportation. The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete.

Tune in to Watershed Wake-up Call Tune next Thursday at 7:15 a.m., on WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM. The show will move to Fridays at 7:15 a.m. starting June 8. 

In the meantime, follow us on Facebook for the latest on the Watershed Agricultural Council and Pure Catskills or visit our blogs, You & Your Watershed and Pure Catskills Local.
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Thursday, May 17, 2012

Watershed Wake-Up Call: Tapped, AgriCulture Exhibit, DelCo Business Expo

TONIGHT MAY 17: IMPACT Film Series continues tonight at 76 Main!, Stamford with the screening of "Tapped" a 76-minute documentary that addresses the bottled water industry, the environmental issues surrounding continued water bottle product, and the social impacts of this modern-day convenience. Free and open to the public, this screening is sponsored by the Roxbury Arts Group and the Council with funding from NYC DEP, O’Connor Foundation. NYS Council on the Arts, Robinson Broadhurst Foundation and private individuals. Donations are accepted and will benefit the Roxbury Arts Group and the Council's Conservation Easement Stewardship Fund. FMI: Maggie Cullen, RAG (607) 326-7908

The idea to make Tapped all began with the discovery of the plastic stew, twice the size of Texas located between San Francisco and Hawaii. At the time, there was two times as much plastic as there was plankton in this area of the ocean. By the time the film's producers did the interview with Captain Charles Moore who discovered the Garbage Patch, there was 46 times more plastic than plankton. At Kamillo Beach in Hawaii, much of the Garbage Patch washes ashore, where miles of sand equals miles of plastic. "The message here is we can't take back what we've already put out there. Much of the plastic has broken down in to particles so small that fish mistake them for food," notes director/producer Stephanie Soechtig . According to the "Tapped" website, what can you do to keep plastic out of the ocean?
  • Be more aware of the way things are packaged.
  • Say no to plastic bags.
  • Don't buy Styrofoam cups.
  • Order less take out (or bring your own containers when you do).
  • Stop drinking bottled water.
  • Reduce, reuse and recycle.
Upcoming IMPACT Film series movies include
MAY 31:  Dirt! the Movie

Remember, all water is connected, it is a finite cycle. Check out this hydrologic cycle poster from the Council's teacher resource page, You & Your Watershed.
 
Photo: Ulla Kjarval
MAY 19:  "AgriCulture" artist's reception at Catskill Center, Route 28, Arkville from 2 to 4 p.m. Free and open to the public, the new art exhibit at the Erpf Gallery features the work of Flavia Bacarella, Temma Bell, Ulla Kjarval, and Dan Nelken. Paintings, photographs and woodcuts capture the strong influence of agriculture on Catskill communities and culture. Reception fare sponsored by the Council and prepared by Pure Catskills member Stone & Thistle Farm, East Meredith. Erpf Gallery is open Monday through Friday 9a.m. to 5 p.n. FMI: Katie Palm, CCCD (845) 586-2611

MAY 19:  Delaware County Business Expo at the Delaware County Fairgrounds, Walton. Find out who's who in the Catskills first hand. Over 50 exhibitors from business professionals, construction companies, alternative energy, landscapers, service businesses and more;  call the Delaware County Chamber at 607-746-2281. Sponsored by Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development
Food sampling from Pure Catskills members Shaver Hill Farm and Maple Shade Farm. FMI: Marybeth Silano, DCCC (607) 746-2281

MAY 20:   The New Approach to Organic Gardening with Pure Catskills member The Cutting Garden, Youngsville from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Cost is $125.00 or $100.00 for NOFA NY Members; reduced rate may apply to single workshop session. A four-session course centered on a step-by-step approach to creating and maintaining a permanent, low-maintenance system of production for food, flowers and trees based on the natural system of the forest. This will be a hands-on course with emphasis on individual attention. For more information or to register, call (845) 483-3333 or cuttinggarden@hotmail.com.

JUNE 8:  Adding Income Streams to a Small Dairy at DelRose Farm. 9635 County Highway 18, Bloomville (Delaware County). Ernest and Barbara Hanselman will share their experience milking 75 Registered Holsteins and Brown Swiss in the fertile valley of the Delaware River. In the dairy business for over 30 years, the Hanselman's have gradually added enterprises that diversify the farm into various income streams that add to farm income and farm viability. To register, contact Mariane Kiraly at CCE-Delaware, (607) 865 6531.

JUNE 4: Easement Program Committee Meeting at 44 West Street, Downstairs Conference Room, Walton. The public agenda is usually available online one week prior to meeting. FMI: Suzie Seymour (607) 865-7790, ext. 100

May 21: Andes Farmers' Market at the Andes Hotel, 72 Main Street
Saturday 10am–2pm, May 19–October 8

Franklin Farmers' Market at Institute Street at Chapel Hall
Sunday 10 am–2 pm, May 20–October 9

Pakatakan Farmers' Market at the Round Barn, 46696 State Route 30, Halcottsville
Saturday 9am–2pm, May 19–October 6

Photo: CatskillCenter.org
OF INTEREST:
CatNAP: The Catskill Naturalist Apprentice Program (Cat NAP) certificate program is for local residents interested in learning about the Catskill Mountains’ natural resources including tree identification, native wildflowers, invasive plants and insects, ash inventories, general trail maintenance, riparian buffers, and more. Participants will have 2 years to complete 45 hours of training. No background knowledge required. After completion of the certificate, trained naturalists are encouraged to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to understanding, promoting and conserving the natural world (biodiversity) of the Catskill Mountain region. A $150 fee is required for enrollment in the two-year program. Contact the Catskill Center at (845)586-2611 or email Katie Palm. This program will be offered in partnership with several Catskill region organizations including: Cornell Cooperative Extension of Greene County, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County, iMap Invasives, Green County Soil and Water Conservation District, and others.


Tune in every week, Thursday at 7:15 a.m., on WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM. In the meantime, follow us on Facebook for the latest on the Watershed Agricultural Council and Pure Catskills or visit our blogs, You & Your Watershed and Pure Catskills Local.
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Thursday, May 10, 2012

Watershed Wake-up Call: Local Events, Online Drawing Course, Organic Farming Careers

FIND US ON MAY 12 AT THE:  Brooklyn Food Conference at Brooklyn Technical High School, 29 Fort Greene Place, Brooklyn 11217 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. $8 for lunch; $5 for children 10 and under pre-register. Workshops, speakers and film screenings fill the day. Sponsored by various neighborhood and regional supporters. FMI: check out BFC's blog or click on the YouTube video at left.

GRANT:  Funding Available for Organic Farming Conservation Practices through the $50 million EQUIP Organic Initiative. This grant provides financial and technical assistance to growers who implement innovative conservation practices.Period 3 submission deadline is Friday, June 1. To apply, visit your USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) local center or call Quentin Gahan at the USDA NRCS Walton office (607) 865-7090.

TABLING OPPORTUNITIES:
MAY 19:  Delaware County Business Expo at Delaware County Fairgrounds, Walton from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This event is free and sponsored by Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development. To be part of the free food sampling area dedicated to Pure Catskills members, contact the Council's Communications Director Tara Collins if interested in this area (607) 865-7090, ext. 226. For Business Expo information, contact Marybeth Silano at the Chamber (607) 746-2281.

JUNE 9:  Wild West Wine Fest at the Delaware County Fairgrounds, Walton. Cancelled by Upstate Wine Country (570) 836-5253.

JUNE 30:  Roxbury Sidewalk Festival is offering free tabling space in the Agriculture Education tent in exchange for 10-minute instructional, hands-on learning sessions for children. Otherwise, $25 per table space. Contact Jenn Schumann for details (607) 326-4754.

EVENTS:
IMPACT FIlm Series at 76 Main! Stamford
MAY 10:  IMPACT Film Series: What's On Your Plate? at 76 Main!, Stamford every Thursday at 7 p.m. Freewill donation; sponsored by the Roxbury Arts Group and the Council. FMI: Maggie Cullen, RAG (607) 326-7908  Upcoming movies include Tapped on May 17, Messages From Water on May 24, and Dirt! the Movie on May 31. Raffle prizes awarded each night with pre-registration through Watershed Post ad. 

JUNE 8:  Adding Income Streams to a Small Dairy at DelRose Farm. 9635 County Highway 18, Bloomville (Delaware County). Ernest and Barbara Hanselman will share their experience milking 75 Registered Holsteins and Brown Swiss in the fertile valley of the Delaware River. In the dairy business for over 30 years, the Hanselman's have gradually added enterprises that diversify the farm into various income streams that add to farm income and farm viability. To register, contact Mariane Kiraly at CCE-Delaware, (607) 865 6531.

OF INTEREST:
DECEMBER 8-12: 5th National Conference on Grazing Lands in Orlando, FL. The conference, entitled “To Heighten Awareness of the Economic and Environmental Benefits of Grazing Lands,” targets producers, academics, consumers, government agency officials, conservationists, environmentalists, urban-based resource interests, grazing land managers, landowners, and others interested in effective natural resources management.  Call for papers:  The conference sponsors are accepting abstracts for both oral and poster papers until May 1st in the following categories:  issues concerning the agricultural-urban interface; successful “cutting edge” management technologies for grazing practices; public policy implications of grazing; and optimization of grazing land health for environmental and social benefits. (Thanks to The GLCI Grazette for the heads up here.)


PICK OF THE DAY: Cornell Garden-Based Learning will again offer our suite of three botanical illustration courses on-line this June.  This web-based instruction is highly supportive and individually directed, right from the comfort of your home. Botanical Illustration (BT) 1: Basic Drawing Techniques is aimed at the beginner who is getting started with drawing, or returning to it after many years. BT 2: Working with Watercolor is for the beginning watercolor painter, and BT3: Advanced Technique is ideal for the student who is ready to commit to going further with proficiency, technique, media, and portfolio development.  Courses last for just 6 1/2 weeks, and are $500 per course; our course fee will increase in 2013.  You can receive a certificate of participation from Cornell University’s Office of Continuing Education for each course. To enroll, visit Cornell University's Department of Horticulture distance learning website.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES: Several positions are open at NOFA-NY based in Rochester, NY. 
1) Education Director spearheads NOFA-NY's Education Programs, Please see our website for more information and help spread the word!:
2) Membership Coordinator will help NOFA_NY grow its organizational membership from 1700 in 2012 to 5,000 members by 2015. The position requires a self-starter who has database management, some accounting background, and customer service experience. The Membership Coordinator is responsible for administering NOFA-NY's membership program, augmenting development efforts, and otherwise supporting NOFA-NY operations. The person must be passionate about organic farming and gardening and able to excite people about NOFA-NY and encourage them to join the organization. 
3) Regional Representatives needed for the Capital Region and WNY Region. Visit the NOFA-NY website for more information.

TAKE ACTION: 
Just Label It Call for Signatures: If you are concerned about how the food we eat and feed our families is produced, and the presence of genetically engineered foods (GMOs), this petition for proper labeling will interest you. More than forty countries, including Russia and China, already require labels on genetically engineered foods. And a recent poll found that nearly all Democrats (93%), Independents (90%), and Republicans (89%) support labeling of GMOs. At a time when partisan rancor dominates the public conversation, there are few topics that can muster such overwhelming support. Interested in adding your name to this petition?

Tune in every week, Thursday at 7:15 a.m., on WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM. In the meantime, follow us on Facebook for the latest on the Watershed Agricultural Council and Pure Catskills or visit our blogs, You & Your Watershed and Pure Catskills Local.

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Thursday, April 26, 2012

Watershed Wake-up Call: PC Guide, Beefers Workshop, IMPACT

KUDOS: Thanks to CADI at SUNY-Delhi and the Frisbee family at Riverdale Farm in Delhi for hosting our All-staff Day yesterday.

Also want to thank everyone who attended the Regional Economic Viability Changemakers' Luncheon held last week at The Peekamoose Restaurant.

REMINDERS: Many of today's topics can be found in the Watershed Agricultural Council's April 2012 eNews "Water & Land; it's easy to stay in the loop on upcoming events, programs and grants, simply sign up online here.

Just four days left to Get in the Guide. Pure Catskills memberships received before April 30, 2012 will be included in the 2012-2013 print guide.
2) Create or update your farm or business listing.
3) Mail your $35 membership payment today or call/email Stephanie Wyant of Luminary Publishing at (845) 514-0063. Display advertisements are available for an additional fee. The 2012 advertising rates can be found here.

Questions about membership? Contact Challey Comer at (607) 865-7090. What do you get when you become a member -- besides the online and print lists? Marketplace materials, scholarship and grant opportunities, conference discounts, point of purchase items, and inclusion within the new Pure Catskills Business-to-Business Directory.

EVENTS:
APRIL 28, MAY 20: Acorn Hill Farmstead Cheesemaking Workshop for the home cheesemaker or goat owner. Learn the basic principles of cheesemaking and geared the beginning home cheesemaker or owners of the family milk goat. Get hands-on experience making simple cheeses, take home recipes and cheesemaking supply resources, and discuss any aspects of cheesemaking that interest to you. Workshop runs 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Cost is $125 per person with $50 deposit to hold a space. Email acornhillfarm@yahoo.com for registration information.

APRIL 28: Sullivan County Farm Network Presents "Ways to Generate Green Revenue From Your Land" which is part of their Fire House Forum on Rural Economic Development. From 1 to 4 p.m. at the Jeffersonville Firehouse. Free admission and light refreshments while you listen to experts talk about: Solar/Wind Turbines, Food Production, Opportunities in Rural Economic Development. Learn what it takes to: Raise Beef, Chickens & Alpaca, Make Cheese, Honey & Maple Syrup, Grow Vegetables in High Tunnels, Start a Community Supported Ag Project (CSA), Produce Grass Pellets, Grow Christmas Trees, Lease Land to Produce Electricity, Offer Farm Stays (AgriTourism). For more information, contact Cindy Gieger, District 5 Legislator, at 845-482-5729 or email sullivanfarmnetwork@gmail.com.


MAY 3: Easement Program Committee Meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. at the 44 West Street office, Walton. Public agenda is available here.Form ore information, call Suzie Seymour (607) 865-7790, ext. 100.

MAY 3: Starting May 3, the Roxbury Arts Group (RAG) and the Council have teamed up for the 9-week IMPACT Film Series at Stamford's 76 Main! Enter online for our weekly raffle of Pure Catskills schwag bag. Upcoming movies in May include:

Thursday, May 3: Vanishing of the Bees
Thursday, May 10: What's On Your Plate?
Thursday, May 17: Tapped
Thursday, May 24: Dirt! The Movie
Thursday, May 31: Messages From Water

Every Thursday at 7 p.m., we're showing a documentary on water, agriculture or forestry. Feature film, "Vanishing of the Bees" kicks off the series along with a raffle for a Pure Catskills goodie bag. Enter to win online; if your name is called at the screening, you win! No purchase necessary, but you must be present to win. Movie admission is free; donations will be accepted and benefit future RAG programming and the Council's Easement Stewardship Fund.

MAY 4:  Trained Logger Certification - Forest Ecology and Silviculture at 4H Camp Shankitunk, Delhi. Cost is $15. This is a required course for Trained Logger Certification. Training covers wildlife habitat, harvest planning, soil and water quality protection and other topics. To register, contact CCE Greene County (518) 622-9820.

MAY 4, 5, 12: Ready to transition from dairy to beef? Wondering if joining the growing numbers of beef cattle farmers is right for you? Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County (CCE) and the Council are offering a three-part Beginner Beef Production Workshop on May 4, 5 and 12. On May 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the introductory lecture will feature speakers Cornell Beef Cattle Extension Specialist Dr. Michael Baker. Session #1 will be held at the CCE Resource Center, 34570 Route 10, Hamden. Workshops #2 and #3 will feature on-farm tours to be announced at the first session. Cost is $20 per session, or pay $50 for all three sessions.  Bring your own bag lunch; coffee, tea and juice will be provided. For more information or to register, call Janet Aldrich, CCEDC (607) 865-7161. Tell a friend and register by April 27.

MAY 12:  2012 Rip Van Winkle Wine and Cheese Festival at Catskill Point in Catskill.

THE FIRST LINK:  Catskills FarmLink connected a farmer and landowner in its first land link earlier this month. The Migliorelli Farm will be utilizing the Mount Tremper farmstand, formerly known as Alice & Roger's on Route 28, and they're hiring!

If you have land to rent or sell, or you're a farmer looking for regional farmland to work, check out the land listings at Catskills FarmLink.

Come find out more about Catskills FarmLink on Saturday, April 28 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Bloomville Fire Department screening of "Gasland."

PURE CATSKILLS MEMBERS: Fiber artist Tabitha Gilmore-Barnes is teaching a beading-weaving bracelet workshop from 9:30-3:30 p.m. at the Delaware County Historical Association this Saturday. Call DCHA (607) 746-3849. Bring a bag lunch.
WHAT'S DEP UP TO NOW?: Check out their weekly in-house employee newsletter online. Lengthy article on the opening of the reservoirs and fishing.

OF INTEREST:
Newsletter: April Small Farms Update (Cornell)
Newsletter: Watershed News: April 2012 (US EPA)
Newsletter: Watershed Currents (Catskill Watershed Corp.)
Newsletter: Esopus Creek Newsletter (Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program)
Report: Troubled Waters: Farm Pollution Threatens Drinking Water (Environmental Working Group)
Adult Summer Camp: Without Walls EcoPracticum
Summer Schedule: Green Chimneys at Clearpool Education Center

Tune in every week, Thursday at 7:15 a.m., on WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM. In the meantime, follow us on Facebook for the latest on the Watershed Agricultural Council and Pure Catskills or visit our blogs, You & Your Watershed and Pure Catskills Local.

 
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Thursday, April 19, 2012

Watershed Wake-up Call: PC Guide, Farm Jobs, Catskills CRAFT,

REMINDERS: Get the latest watershed news with our monthly email, Water & Land. Sign up for our enewsletter here. Delivered to your inbox on the first Friday of every month, we'll share with you the latest events, program highlights, grants, links of interest and videos.

Get in the Guide! Just 10 days left to new and renewing Pure Catskills members through April 30.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES: Lots of farm intern and positions available at Catskills Farmlink.
WELCOME: To the Watershed Agricultural Council, GIS Coordinator John Jackson to the Walton office.

UPDATE:
CATSKILLS FARMLINK:  Made its first link on the Alice & Rogers Farmstand and 3-acres on Route 28 in Shandaken.

The Council escorted 20 international visitors from 14 countries with the U.S. Department of State's International Visitors Leadership Program last week. The Program brings experts recommended by country embassies to visit the U.S. on a variety of topics. This particular group was focused on water resources, water quality, watershed protection and Payment for EcoServices.  The U.S. State Department has a sister program, CNFA,  which sends experts from the U.S. to developing countries to assist in one-ton-one technical assistance.  Small Farms Coordinator Dan Flaherty has been to Moldova twice in the last 18 months through CNFA. Read more about Dan's experience under Success Stories.

CATSKILLS CRAFT:  Catskills Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT) provides the opportunities for beginning farmers to connect and learn from existing farmers who offer up their time, talents and experience to help prepare the next generation of agricultural entrepreneurs. CRAFT provides farmer-to-farmer learning and access to the social network and culture of local farmers.

2012 Work & LEARN  Parties  Catskills CRAFT
If you are planning a Work & Learn party on your farm, please email all the details to info@catskillscraft.org. In April Sean Zigmund and Cheyenne Miller of Roots n' Roost Farm in Livingston Manor hosted a Work & Learn. Farmers-to-be built a CHoop House (cheap hoop house) using mostly recycled materials.

2012 Social Gatherings CATSKILLS CRAFT
Without Walls EcoPracticum Potluck Social
Friday, June 1 at 6:00-9:30 p.m.
Location:  Camp Shomria, 52 Lake Marie Road, Liberty, NY


Without Walls' Eco Practicum is an environmental sustainability and action program for undergraduate students and recent grads. The program participants get hands-on experience farming, caring for livestock and creating a healthy community. As part of their first unit, "Growing Enough Food:  The Role of Organic, Local Produce in the Global Food System," they have invited Catskills CRAFT to a potluck where their students can engage with local farmers. Transportation available - please email info@catskillscraft.org if interested.
June 11: Catskills CRAFT to Visit Burnett Farms in Bovina
5:00-7:00 p.m.
Burnett Farms On-Farm Training
Location: 1901 Bramley Mountain, Bovina, NY 13740

Steve Burnett
Burnett Farms is nestled into a high Catskill saddle comprised of pasture, tillage fields, forest and ponds. Working within this diverse landscape, designing the farm and its processes has been both rewarding and challenging. Steve will offer valuable training on the approaches he has taken to designing his farm, his “predictable failures and lucky successes.” A potluck supper will follow. Visit www.catskillscraft.org for more information on Catskills CRAFT and other scheduled events.
July 16: Catskills CRAFT to Visit Stony Creek Farmstead
5:00-7:00 p.m. 
Stony Creek Farmstead On-Farm Training
1738 Freer Hollow Road, Walton, NY
Kate and Dan Marsiglio run a small family farm located just off the Franklin-Walton Road. Stony Creek raises pastured turkeys, broilers, pigs, eggs and a wide variety of organic vegetables. The farm also hosts workshops and school group tours in addition to offering overnight farmstays. Stony Creek Farm's training will focus on raising mixed livestock. A potluck supper will follow.
August 6: Catskills CRAFT to Visit Sherman Hill Farmstead in Franklin
5:00-7:00 p.m.
Sherman Hill Farmstead
Location: 9626 County Highway 21, Franklin, NY 13775
Linda Smith and Morgan George are the mother-daughter team behind Sherman Hill Farmstead in Franklin. On the tour, they will provide training on marketing your farm products. A family owned, sustainable farm producing goats milk cheeses since 1993. In the fall of 2010, they added cows milk cheeses, both fresh and aged, including several raw milk varieties. A potluck supper will follow the training.

THIS WEEK ON YOUTUBE:  Thanks to Assistant Conservation Planner Dan Vredenburgh for this video on the "future of dairy." 

EVENTS:


APRIL 19: SUNY-Delhi is screening Living Downstream from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. in the Okun Theater at Farrell Hall. WAC Engineering Specialist Don Hebbard will join the panel the discussion on clean water. FMI: Christina Viafore (607) 746-4759

APRIL 19: Trained Logger Certification at the Agroforestry Resource Center, 6055 Route 23, Acra, NY. Cost is $15 for this continuing education class for TLC loggers. Workshop will focus on basic GPS use and field application for loggers. To register, contact CCE Greene County (518) 622-9820

APRIL 21: Margaretville Garden Fest on Main Street from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Collectively known as SHOPMARGARETVILLE with funding through the M-ARK Project, this event is all about gardens, locally grown food, agriculture and growing. Booth space is $25 for a 10x10. Contact Marc Levenshus at Foothills Shoe (845) 586-4032.
 
APRIL 21: NYS Farmstead & Artisan Cheese Makers Guild Workshop One:  Cheesemaking for beginners/novices at Brovetto’s Dairy and Cheese House in Jefferson, NY. Participants learn how to make three types of cow and or goat cheese with expert cheese makers during the full-day session.  Class limited to 20 persons. $100 person. Discount for Pure Catskills and or Cheese Makers Guild members.  For registration, contact Linda Smith at (607) 829-8852.

APRIL 28 Cheese Workshop Two: Cheese making for advanced/seasoned cheese makers. again at Brovetto's for making more complex cheese.

Workshop Three:  Spend the Day with A Master Cheese maker or Yogurt Maker (requires attendance at Workshop One or Two). Pick your date. Private session $200 per person.

Workshop Four:  Panel discussion of expert cheese makers, yogurt makers, dairy buyers from retail stores, distribution companies, ag & markets inspectors. True tales from a professional cheese and or yogurt maker. The ins and outs of building a cheese house or creamery, legal requirements, labels, marketing and distribution. Optional: Bring a cheese sample or two for an expert evaluation.  Date to be announced.

New York State Farmstead & Artisan Cheese Makers Guild was organized in November 2003 to foster a strong and vibrant farmstead artisan cheese-making sector in the state and to support its growth.

APRIL 21: From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Earth Day Celebration at Clearpool Education Center, Carmel. Free event Sponsored by Clearpool, Green Chimneys and the Council. Brendan Murphy, WAC Watershed Forester will present on silviculture and forest stewardship. FMI: East of Hudson Program (914) 962-6355.

National Park Week (Fee-free park access) 

APRIL 28: Pure Catskills member Tabitha Gilmore-Barnes is teaching a beading-weaving bracelet workshop from 9:30-3:30 p.m. at the Delaware County Historical Association. To pre-register by April 13, contact DCHA (607) 746-3849. Bring a bag lunch.

APRIL 26: QDMA Land Certification Program - Inspector Training*
Cayuga Nature Center, Ithaca, NY
Cost: $50/QDMA member, $80/non-QDMA member
Registration is now open for Land Certification Program (LCP) Inspector Training offered by the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA). LCP Inspectors are the qualified natural resource professionals who will help implement QDMA's new program by visiting, evaluating and providing guidance on hunting lands throughout North America. To learn more about the entire LCP including the standards and performance measures, the three levels of land designation and how to contact a LCP inspector. For more information on the Land Certification Program or to register, call (800) 209-3337 or visit the QDMA website. * This training has been approved for 3.5 CFE hours from the Society of American Foresters. 

APRIL 28 & MAY 20: Acorn Hill Farmstead Cheesemaking Workshop for the home cheesemaker or goat owner.Learn the basic principles of cheesemaking while making several cheeses in our cheese production room. Geared to the beginning home cheesemaker or owners of the family milk goat, you will gain hands-on experience making simple cheeses, take home recipes and cheesemaking supply resources, and have the opportunity to discuss any aspects of cheesemaking that are of interest to you. Workshop runs 11am - 4:30pm. Cost is $125 per person with $50 deposit to hold a space. Includes sampling of Acorn Hill Farmstead cheeses. Please bring bag lunch. Email acornhillfarm@yahoo.com for registration information.


APRIL 28: Sullivan County Farm Network Presents "Ways to Generate Green Revenue From Your Land" which is part of their Fire House Forum on Rural Economic Development. From 1 to 4 p.m.
at the Jeffersonville Firehouse. Free admission and light refreshments while you listen to experts talk about: Solar/Wind Turbines, Food Production, Opportunities in Rural Economic Development
Learn what it takes to: Raise Beef, Chickens & Alpaca, Make Cheese, Honey & Maple Syrup, Grow Vegetables in High Tunnels, Start a Community Supported Ag Project (CSA), Produce Grass Pellets, Grow Christmas Trees, Lease Land to Produce Electricity, Offer Farm Stays (AgriTourism)
For more information, email sullivanfarmnetwork@gmail.com or call Cindy Gieger, District 5 Legislator, at 845-482-5729.
 
SAVE YOUR THURSDAYS: IMPACT Environmental Film Series at 76 Main! in Stamford every Thursday at 7 p.m. Price of admission is freewill donation.

Thursday, May 3: Vanishing of the Bees
Thursday, May 10: What's On Your Plate?
Thursday, May 17: Tapped
Thursday, May 24: Dirt! The Movie
Thursday, May 31: Messages From Water
Thursday, June 7: The Greenhorns
Thursday, June 14: Reclaiming Our Water
Thursday, June 21: Good Wood
Thursday, June 28: Truck Farm

MAY 3: From 6 to 9 p.m., Easement Program Committee Meeting moves to its night time summer meeting at 44 West Street, Downstairs Conference Room, Walton. Review Public Agenda here. FMI: Suzie Seymour (607) 865-7790, ext. 100

MAY 4: From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Beef Production for Beginners being held at CCE Resource Center, Hamden. Cost is $20 per session; $50 for three sessions (Flyer). Sponsored by CCE-Delaware County and the Council. FMI or to register: Janet Aldrich, CCEDC (607) 865-7161. Two farm Visits are scheduled for May 5 and 12.

MAY 4:  Trained Logger Certification - Forest Ecology and Silviculture at 4H Camp Shankitunk, Delhi, NY
Cost is $15. This is a required course for Trained Logger Certification. Training covers wildlife habitat, harvest planning, soil and water quality protection and other topics. To register, contact CCE Greene County (518) 622-982.


MAY 9: Take Root! Training for Garden Educators is being offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at CCE Sullivan County, 64 Ferndale-Loomis Road, Liberty. Cost is $50 and includes lunch. Hosted by the Master Gardener's Program, the training is for county educators and youth workers. Session 1- Plant a Seed, Inspire Interest is an introduction to garden based learning. An in depth overview of Cornell Garden-Based Learning (CGBL) will be reviewed. Groups new to garden- based learning or groups struggling to get participants involved in their efforts and program structure will particularly benefit from this session.
Session 2 -Tend the Garden and Session 3- Building Capacity/Train-the Trainer will be offered at a later date. For more information, call CCE-Sullivan at 845-292-5220 or check out their website.


PURE CATSKILLS MEMBERS: Pure Catskills member Ken Jaffe of Slope Farms wrote an article for Rodale Press "The Farmer is Mightier than the Physician."

WHAT'S DEP UP TO NOW?: Just listed five properties on Catskills FarmLink.


OF INTEREST:









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