Watershed Wake-Up Call Links 12/22/11

Watch our SEASON'S GREETINGS from the staff at the Watershed Agricultural Council!

On today's show, we powered through jobs, grants and educational activities, some of which will make great stocking stuffers or gift ideas for the person on your list who has EVERYTHING!

JOB POSTING:  Geographical Information System (GIS) Coordinator at the Watershed Agricultural Council's West Street office

GIVE THE GIFT OF...

...FARMER EDUCATION: Catskill Regional Dairy, Livestock & Grazing Conference at SUNY-Delhi on January 12th. Registration brochure now available on our home page under watershed headlines or call Kim Holden 607-865-7090 cost is $25 and includes local foods lunch with pre-registration by January 6.
...INSPIRATION: NOFA-NY Winter Conference in Saratoga Springs on January 20-22.
 

Pepacton Natural Foods

Basket Magic

...BIG BEEF: NY Cattle Feeder’s Conference and Winter Beef Conference in Syracuse on January 20-21. Registration deadline is January 8. For more information, contact Brenda Bippert, NY Beef Producer’s Association, (716) 902-4305.

....PRODUCT BUYERS: Farm to Market Conference in Liberty on March 4th.

...GREAT GREEN GRASS:  Winter Grass-Fed Green-Up Conference in Latham on January 27- 28.

...GIVING TO OTHERS: Make an online donation to the Farmer Flood Relief Fund through December 31; or send your check to WAC, 44 West St. Walton, NY 13856 and note "FFR" on your check.

...TIDY GOOD FOOD: Downsville's Pepacton Natural Foods makes local foods baskets in your price range

ALTHOUGH, WE AGREE, SOMETIMES IT IS BETTER TO RECEIVE... (GRANT MONEY & DEADLINES).

...Second round of the Farmer Flood Relief applications accepted through January 15.

...FACT’s Healthy and Humane Farm Funds deadline April 1; or contact  Lisa Isenhart, Humane Farming Program Manager at (773) 525-4952

...USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Sign-up Period for Conservation Stewardship Program through January 13. Contact the local NRCS office at 44 West Street, Walton or call (607) 865-7090.
...USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service EQIP offerings in On-Farm Energy, Organic Certification, Seasonal High Tunnels and Air Quality conservation initiatives open through various dates. Contact the local NRCS office at 44 West Street, Walton or call (607) 865-7090.

...Apply for funding for your local organic school garden from the Whole Kids Foundation grant program for up to $2,000 -- deadline December 31
...New York State Flood Recovery Grant Program 
...Catskill Watershed Corp. sets aside $5 million for flooded businesses
...Whole Kids Foundation $2000 grant for school & community gardens

CATSKILLS FARMLINK:  4 properties in Ulster County, 14 properties available in Delaware County and one in Schoharie County

FEATURED MEMBERS OF THE WEEK:

Catskill Wood Net: Mountain Sun Workshop of Jewett in Greene County with a showroom on 202 Deming Road Hunter, by appointment only (interior decorating craftsmanship at left)

Pure Catskills: Dancing Star Studio of Art and Craft in Margaretville
(845) 586-1632

WIOX Watershed Wake-up Call 12/8/11

Rick Lutz, TLC Logger
in the Watershed

grab a cup of coffee and tune in to WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM at 7:15 tomorrow morning for the Watershed Wake-up Call with Tara Collins. Here are the links to some of the things Tara and Witz End show host Phyllis Horowitz will be talking about:

Upcoming Events & Save the Date:

1. Watershed Agricultural Council's Forestry Program forest professional workshops and trainings for 2012.

2. Catskill Regional Dairy, Livestock & Grazing Conference at SUNY-Delhi on January 12, 2012  FMI: Kim Holden, CCE-Delaware, (607) 865-7090




2. NOFA-NY Winter Conference in Saratoga Springs, on January 20-22, 2012. 3. NY Cattle Feeder’s Conference and Winter Beef Conference  at the Embassy Suites Hotel in East Syracuse, on January 20-21, 2012. Registration deadline is January 8.  FMI: Brenda Bippert, NY Beef Producer’s Association, (716) 902-4305

3. Farm to Market Connection at the CVI Building in Liberty on March 4, 2012

4.  Winter Grass-Fed Green-Up Conference in Latham, January 27- 28, 2012

Grant:
1.  FACT’s Healthy and Humane Farm Funds, $500 to $1,500, Deadline: April 1, 2012 FMI:  Lisa Isenhart, Humane Farming Program Manager, (773) 525-4952

2.  Annie’s Homegrown Scholarships for College Students Deadline: December 15, 2011

$100,000 in scholarship funds to students studying sustainable and organic agriculture. Undergraduate and Graduate students studying at an accredited US college or university are eligible to apply.

Gifts of Good Food Holiday Buy Local ideas
1.  Find them every day on the Council's Facebook Page.
2.  List of farms with CSA share to purchase
3.  Wightman Lumber mini woodlot, 200-500 board feet of assorted local woods for the craftsman on your holiday list

Catskills Farmlink
1.  14 properties available for lease in Delaware County
2.  Resources > Climate & Soil Considerations
3.  In the Catskills FarmLink Newsroom, the second press release listed is about Cornell survey of beginner farmers

Sculptural Furniture chest



Featured Buy Local Members of the Week:

Catskill WoodNet: Sculptural Furniture, County Highway 1, Andes, Rich Johnson 845-676-3633 everything from bowls and staircase banisters, to chairs, bed set, armoir, dressers, cabinetry,

Pure Catskills: Windham Vineyard and Winery, County Route 10, Windham (518) 734-5214 

Local retail shops that carry Windham Vineyards wines: Grand Gorge Wines on Route 23 and Margaretville Wine & Liquor on Main Street

Education:

1.  Annie’s Project Course for Women Farmers, January 12 – February 16, 2012. Thursdays from 10:00 - 2:00 pm. Sessions will be held at 4 Cooperative Extension offices: Amy Chamberlain at CCE-Otsego (607) 547-2536 or David Cox at CCE-Schoharie (518) 234-4303. Participants from surrounding counties are welcome.

2.  Winter Online Courses for Beginning Farmers Open for Registration

Community Event Plugs:

1.  Heart of the Catskills Humane Society: Gifts from the Heart is open Saturdays and Sundays in Andes

2.  Fats in the Cats Bicycle Club Christmas Ride, Saturday, December 10, meets at 5 p.m. in the MAC Fitness parking lot in the Kingston Plaza.

WIOX Watershed Wake-Up Call Links 12/1/2011



Photo compliments of quasiefoto via Creative Commons

 We talked about a lot on this morning's radio show and if you walk away with anything from our conversation,  BUY LOCAL THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!!!! Be it Christmas trees, locally crafted gifts, baked goods, or gift baskets filled with fresh local products, your choice to spend your hard-earned dollars with a neighbor farmer, regional wood craftsman or local business goes along way to strengthening our local economy and communities. Pay cash whenever possible and support those businesses re-opened after the flood. They need your support now more than ever. Remember, by investing in each other, we're investing in ourselves.

QUICK LIST OF BUY LOCAL HOLIDAY GIFTS:
-- pine wreaths from Maple Shade Farm, Delhi;
-- handcrafted table runner and napkins by Tabitha Gilmore-Barnes at the Catskill Mountain Artisans Guild, Margaretville;
-- goodie baskets created by you at Good Cheap Food, Delhi;
-- gift certificate to dinner at the Peekamoose, Big Indian;
Check the Watershed Agricultural Council's Facebook Page for Buy Local gift ideas every day through December 24th.

SAVE THE DATE EVENTS:
1) Catskill Regional Dairy, Livestock & Grazing Conference: January 12, 2012 @ SUNY-Delhi
2) New York Organic Farming Winter Conference: The Cooperative Economy: January 20-22, 2012, Saratoga Hilton & City Center, Saratoga Springs, NY. Scholarships are available for middle or high school students interested in a career in farming or agriculture. Fill out the survey or email Michelle Podolec.
3) Farm to Market Conference: March 4, 2012 Liberty

MOTIVATE YOURSELF, REJUVENATE YOUR PASSION:
1) Food Safety at Direct Marketing Venues webinar,December 8, 11am to Noon or December 16, from10am to 11am. To register, email Diane Eggert.
2) Food Safety Education and Planning for Agritourism Providers webinar, December 14, Noon to 1pm. To access the webinar, please follow this link five minutes before the webinar begins. Contact Lisa Chase for more information.
3) Annie’s Project Six-Week Course for Women Farmers, January 12 – February 16, Thursdays, 10 am to noon, CCE offices. For more information, call Amy Chamberlain at CCE Otsego County, (607) 547-2536, or David Cox at CCE Schoharie County, (518) 234-4303.
4) Winter Online Courses for Beginning Farmers, armchair attendance at various timed on multitude of topics.
5) The Catskill Region Leadership Institute, December 9, 8:30am to 4 pm, Arkville. For more information, contact Katie Palm at 845-586-2611.

FREE MONEY FOR STUDENTS
Annie’s Homegrown Scholarships for College Students – Due December 15, 2011: Annie's Homegrown is offering $100,000 in scholarship funds to students studying sustainable and organic agriculture. Undergraduate and Graduate students studying at an accredited US college or university are eligible to apply.