You & Your Watershed

Watershed Wake-Up Call LInks

2012-02-02T08:19:00.005-05:00


Gwen Deysenroth

THIS WEEK ON THE WAKE-UP CALL:
Welcome two new Directors to the Watershed Agricultural Council: Gwen Deysenroth of ByeBrook Farm Bloomville and Wayland "Bud" Gladstone of SW Farm Andes.

Big thanks to Jim, Bill and Diane Eklund at Eklund Processing in Stamford for hosting a terrific meat-processing plant tour.

Get in the Guide! Enrollment open for new and renewing Pure Catskills members through April 30 (lots of perks)

EVENTS:

Bud Gladstone

FEBRUARY 2: Easement Program Committee Meeting: Today, 1p.m. Walton office; also check out the Program's 2011 Annual Report outlining their successes last year.

FEBRUARY 4: “Anthropogenic stream alteration: Effects on brown trout habitat, behavior and physiology," a research presentation from 1:45 to 3 p.m. in the Student Lounge, Vanderlyn Hall, Ulster County Community College, Stone Ridge.Sponsored by Ashokan Stream Management Program

FEBRUARY 11: Basics of Maple Syrup Production at Agroforestry Center Acra from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost is $10. Contact CCE Greene County (518) 622-9820.

FEBRUARY 22 & 24: Group-housed Dairy Calf Symposium in Richfield Springs and Oneonta.

MARCH 8 & APRIL 13: Bio-Nutrient Rich Crop Production Workshop with Soils Guru David Kittredge of Real Food Campaign

GRANTS:
1) Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) for agricultural producers and rural small businesses: $25.4 million available for grants and guaranteed loan programs that support renewable energy systems, efficiency measures, feasibility studies and energy audits.

2) Business Flood Recovery Grant Program from Empire State Development: awards up to $20,000 to farms, small businesses, nonprofits and multi-dwelling housing owners from a $21-million pool. (518) 292-5340 or email floodrecovery@esd.ny.gov; application deadline is March 16.

3) The 2012 I Love NY Agriculture Art & Writing Contest for grades Pre-K through 6 is accepting entries through Friday, April 13th, 2012.

4) USDA FSA ECP Emergency Conservation Program due March 1: 607-865-4005 USDA’s Farm Service Agency in New York will allocate nearly $4-million throughout 25 counties, including all eight watershed counties,to help farmers rehabilitate land damaged by recent flooding. Funding will allow farmers toremove debris from farmland, repair the severe damage to land, restore fences,and repair conservation systems damaged by last year’s flooding. The ECP Signup for this funding is now through March 1, 2012 for anyone who has not already signed an application withtheir local FSA office. If you have alreadyreported damage to the local FSA office since the storm you should stillcontact the office to ensure that your application is complete prior to theMarch 1, 2012 signup deadline. USDA offers additional programs to help farmers andranchers recover from damages caused by natural disasters. These programs include the Emergency Loan Program,Federal Crop Insurance and the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program. More information on ECP and other disaster assistanceprograms is available at local FSA service centers.

5) USDA New York Conservation Program applications due February 17 for:

SPOTLIGHT ON PURE CATSKILLS MEMBER:

Eminence Road Farm Winery operated by Jennifer Clark, Andrew Scott and Lester Hankins. Eight wine vintages, created in a converted cow barn, is naturally fermented and bottled by hand unrefined and unfiltered.

Address

3734 Eminence Road, Long Eddy, NY 12760 · Get Directions

Phone

1 845.887.6280

Website

http://www.EminenceRoad.com

Visit the farm on Saturdays or at the Farmers' Markets in Liberty (Fridays); Barryville (Saturdays); Callicoon and Roscoe (Sundays).

OF INTEREST: GRLIC and Andes Sprouts Society sponsoring a call for design submissions for the Roxbury Central School Community Garden human-powered irrigation project; due March 15

Tune in every week, Thursday at 7:15 a.m., on WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM. Follow us on Facebook for the latest on the Watershed Agricultural Council and Pure Catskills.

Watershed Wake-up Call

2012-01-26T08:11:00.001-05:00

Watershed Wake-up Call on WIOX Radio 91.3FM

Here's a look at what's happening at the Watershed Agricultural Council and around the New York City Watershed.

EVENTS:
JANUARY 26: Farmer's Tax School, Hamden, 1-3 p.m.

JANUARY 27: Eklund Processing Tour, Stamford, 10 a.m. - noonFEBRUARY 2: Easement Program Committee Meeting February 2, 1p.m. at Walton offices, 44 West Street.

NOW THROUGH APRIL 30: It's time to "Get in the Guide!" Enroll for Pure Catskills Buy Local campaign now through April 30; download the membership application here.

2011 6th Grade Winner: Claire Woolschlager
Beaver River Central School ~ Lewis County

3) FEBRUARY 4: “Anthropogenic stream alteration: Effects on brown trout habitat, behavior and physiology," a presentation from 1:45 to 3 p.m. in the Student Lounge, Vanderlyn Hall, Ulster County Community College, Stone Ridge.

4) FEBRUARY 11: Basics of Maple Syrup Production at Agroforestry Center Acra from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost is $10. Whether you are a New Producer, a Beginner Producer, or a Small Commercial Producer, this maple syrup workshop will provide you with valuable production information on methods, materials, management, and much more. Sponsored by the Watershed Agricultural Council's Forestry Program, contact CCE Greene County (518) 622-9820 to register.

5) FEBRUARY 22 & 24: Group-housed Dairy Calf Symposium in Richfield Springs and Oneonta.

GRANTS:
1) Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) for agricultural producers and rural small businesses is making $25.4 million available for grants and guaranteed loan programs that support renewable energy systems, efficiency measures, feasibility studies and energy audits.

2) Business Flood Recovery Grant Program from Empire State Development provides assistance to eligible small businesses, nonprofits, farms or owners of multiple dwellings that sustained direct physical flood-related damage as a result of Hurricane Irene or Tropical Storm Lee. Grants up to $20,000 will be awarded out of a pot of $21 million.FMI: (518) 292-5340 or email floodrecovery@esd.ny.gov; application deadline is March 16.

2011 winner Pre-K: Drew Bush
Gordon Elementary, Tompkin County

3) The 2012 I Love NY Agriculture Art & Writing Contest for grades Pre-K through 6 is accepting entries through Friday, April 13th, 2012. The I NY Agriculture Contest is an opportunity to explore agriculture and the food system while meeting the New York State Learning Standards. Students can discover more about where food comes from and why it is important for all of us everyday. For more information, entry forms, grade level guidelines, contest rules and awards, please visit: http://nyaged.org/aitc/programs/contest.htm. Winning entries will be exhibited at the "Moo Country" Exhibit in the Dairy Cattle Barn at the Great New York State Fair.

SPOTLIGHT ON PURE CATSKILLS MEMBER: Catskill Rose & Dining: 5355 Route 212, Mount Tremper 845-688-7100 with dining Thursday through Sunday from 5 p.m. Hearty winter dining specials start at just $10. Check out their "Love February" special: all month long, two-night accommodation, chilled champagne and chocolate truffles in your room, includes tax $259*. Help them celebrate their 25th Anniversary by "liking" their Facebook Page for a chance to win dinner for six.

Tundra Brewery, locally crafted beer with maple syrup

Tune in every week, Thursday at 7:15 a.m., on WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM. Follow us on Facebook for the latest on the Council and Pure Catskills.

6 Degrees of Separation

2012-01-24T13:04:00.000-05:00

http://www.thekevinbacongame.com/

In the 1990's, we used to play this parlor game based on the six degrees of separation. In this updated version, you had to link a Hollywood "somebody" to actor Kevin Bacon in six steps or less. If you could link yourself, even better. Hence, the game, 6 Degrees to Kevin Bacon made the rounds of suburban living rooms, dorm rooms and one too many car rides. The game became a cultural phenomenon and, in 2007, Bacon started a charitable organization named SixDegrees.org.

The 90's also brought forth a pilot program to address agricultural issues that affected water quality for millions of metropolitan residents. That program blossomed, took the name Watershed Agricultural Council, and began a legacy of linkages to watershed residents and collaborating agencies, landowners and city dwellers, working landscapes and clean water.

As we approach our 20th year, we invite you to share your stories, perspectives and relationships with the Council and its programs below. Your success is our success. We thank you for sticking with us through the years, helping us change as the times demanded, and perfecting many land conservation practices now internationally recognized on the planet. We too have transformed ourselves into a charitable organization that works with the private sector to further a public health benefit...and a whole lot more.

We can't make a six-degree connection to Kevin Bacon (unless he's a phantom program participant or we connect with him through this blog). But what we can do, is make a direct connection to you. Whether you are a farmer, Pure Catskills producer, WoodNet member, forest landowner or Eco-Steward, share with us how our relationship has impacted your life over the past 20 years. We'll be amazed at how those degrees of separation bring us closer with time.

Watershed Wake-Up Call Links 12/22/11

2011-12-21T15:38:00.002-05:00

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

2011-12-07T15:19:00.001-05:00

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

2011-12-01T15:05:00.001-05:00

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.

Celebrate Geography Awareness Week With WAC Maps

2011-11-15T13:22:00.001-05:00

We love maps here at the Watershed Agricultural Council. In fact, we share quite a few on our website. In honor of Geography Awareness Week, we're highlighting three maps and their significance.

Last updated in January 2011, this map of Catskill/Delaware Watershed properties shows land held in some sort of conservation context. These could be conservation easements with the Council or DEP (orange or light green, respectively), DEP fee holdings (dark green), or State-owned lands (muted green). The map's significance is the swaths of farmland protected for future generations (areas in light orange) and the contiguous woodland areas that benefit water quality.

Two things you don't see on the map are: 1) the creation of mini-agricultural economies in communities. In areas where farmland is protected, we're seeing a higher incidence of active farms, and in turn, the support services related to agriculture. These businesses are shoring up local economies, literally from the ground up.

2) Similarly, areas with a high concentration of forests protecting water quality, are also supporting species diversity, wildlife habitat and migration corridors. When public access is available, these areas attract visitors; in essence, water-quality protecting forests establish regional tourism, recreation and "green space." Hence, we like to refer to the NYC Watershed as a foodshed and viewshed, too.

Not sure where the NYC Watershed is? Check out this watershed locator map from NYC DEP. Hard to believe that Catskills water located 3 hours from NYC flows naturally by gravity, delivery 1.1 billion gallons of clean drinking water to 9-million people every day. Those 20th-century engineers had a vision for supplying a growing metropolitan center, even 100+ years ago. The Delaware Aqueduct is one of the longest underground tunnels in the world, transporting water from the furthest Cannonsville Reservoir. The Catskill Aqueduct is a feat as well, incorporating the Esopus River as a conveyor along the water's transportation route. What you don't see are the individual private landowners who voluntarily participate in best mamagenemt practice program that benefit water and land for the Greater Public Good.

This last map shows the small and large farm participation in our Agricultural Program in the Catskill, Delaware and Croton Watersheds. Note the high farm concentration in the western most part of the Delaware Watershed. This area contains more farm-friendly land, better soils and prolific grasslands. The area in the eastern Catskill Watershed has steeper slopes and rockier soils which are not as conducive to farming. Also, the State-owned Forever-Wild Catskill Forest Preserve covers the majority of this region. In the Croton Watershed, small farms checker a more suburbanized region must closer to the City.

Look at all three maps together and you can better understand how farm and forest lands can double up, protecting clean water and bolstering viable communities and economies.

Thanks to Teaching the Hudson Valley for encouraging us to break out our maps for Geography Awareness Week -- this one didn't slip by us this year!

Watershed Wake-up Call Links

2011-11-10T08:29:00.001-05:00

Today on Watershed Wake-up Call on WIOX 91.3FM, we talked about upcoming events, small farms and the flooded farmer holiday grant. Here are the links:

Catskill Regional Dairy, Livestock & Grazing Conference
January 12, 8:30a-3:30p at SUNY-Delhi
For more information (FMI), contact Kim Holden
(607) 865-7090

Meat Goat Farming for Beginners Workshop #4: Marketing & Processing
November 18, 10a-4p at CCE-Hamden
FMI: CCE-Hamden, Janet Aldrich (607) 865-6531

Catskills CRAFT Farm Tour & Potluck
November 14, 5-7p at Apple Pond Farm, Callicoon

FarmCredit/United Way $500 Flooded Farmer Grant (Details) (Application)

Catskills FarmLink: properties for lease, dynamics of small farms,
Evaluating Your Farm's Infrastructure

Trained Logger Certification Adult CPR/First Aid
December 2 at Agroforestry Center, Acra
FMI: CCE-Greene, Marilyn Wyman (518) 622-9820

Easement Program Guidelines Review
Public comments due Tuesday, November 15
FMI: Watershed Agricultural Council, Suzie Seymour (607) 865-7790, ext. 100

MOA Signatory Working Group
Friday, November 18, 1p-3p at WAC-Walton Office
FMI: WAC, Susie Seymour (607) 865-7090 ext. 100

Community Service Announcements:
Fundraisers for Heart of the Catskills Humane Society
SUNY-Delhi Dog Wash
December 3, 9a-3p
Back entrance of Farnsworth Hall, SUNY-Delhi
FMI: Chris Moyer, president of NYSAVT

Holiday for the Heart
December 3, 11a-3p
Delaware County Historical Association, Delhi

Tune in every week at 7:15 a.m. to find out what's up in the watershed on the Watershed Wake-up Call on Witz' End, streaming live online at http://www.wioxradio.org/.

You Eat Local? Prove It!

2011-09-19T15:26:00.002-04:00

So…you’ve chatted up with your friends about how Buy Local savvy you are. You connect with your local farmer while stuffing this week’s CSA into a plastic-water-bottle-recycled bag. Last week, you bought the season's first (and most delicious) New York apples at the corner farmstand. Yesterday, you finally cooked, in bulk, those four fatty zucchinis bursting out of the refrigerator’s bottom drawer. Made with love, you transformed those zukes with the help of organic side-kicks into delectable mini-breads that your friends can't turn down. You’ve shared your buy local experience in all these ways, with said friends: in your conversations, your actions and your eating. You’ve got the Buy Local Bug…bad… and aren’t afraid to share it.

You are a Locavore.

All the more reason for you to officially take the NY Locavore Challenge sponsored by NOFA-NY (Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York). We at the Watershed Agricultural Council encourage you to put your local food where your mouth is...literally AND figuratively…by taking take the online pledge. The Challenge runs the lines of "I hereby promise to eat local and support a vibrant food system in the following ways..." Yes, it's a do-it-yourself endeavor and you don't have to commit beyond your comfort zone.

Register online and sign up for what you're willing to take on: cook, forage, garden, take action, write a congressional rep. Add your name to The Challenge, officially and publicly, to further the Buy Local/Eat Local movement. You can then proudly turn to your friends, proclaim your "locavoreness" and challenge them to take the Challenge with you. But you have to do it now as the NY Locavore Challenge runs through September 30.

What are we doing at the Watershed Agricultural Council to proclaim our locavoreness? We work with farmers five days a week. We co-hosted a showing of What's On Your Plate? just last week. And we co-sponsored a Farmer Flood Relief fundraiser to benefit Catskills farmers in need: $10,000 and counting in just two weeks!

As for me personally, I registered for the Challenge last week, baked the zuke breads, wrote this blog and am heading home to figure out how to make collard greens. Foraging? Not yet for this locavore, but maybe in 2012. What do you plan to do as part of the 2012 NY Locavore Challenge?

Office Closures, Meeting Cancellations

2011-09-08T08:35:00.001-04:00

We just can't get a break here. First the flooding in the east region, now flooding of the West Branch.

Due to unprecedented flooding in the area, the Watershed Agricultural Council offices in Hamden and Walton are closed today (September 8). Committee meetings scheduled for today (Thursday, September 8) and tomorrow (Friday, September 9) are cancelled.

The bonus? At least we have internet access. Look for new postings later today on the collaborative financial and technical assistance efforts underway between the federal, state and local governments and the various watershed agencies and partners like the Council, Soil & Water Conservation Districts, Cornell Cooperative Extension and USDA Farm Service Agency and Natural Resource Conservation Service.

Got a question? Post it here and we'll get you the answer.

Need Help? Fill out the disaster assessment form and call our office (607) 865-7090 or email Larry Hulle, Agricultural Program Manager.

Ten technical teams are heading out to flood-affected farms in the watershed region to assess the situation and create action plans for flood mitigation and repairs.Unforutately, road closures and flooding are hampering our work, but hang tight...we are on our way!

For more information on disaster assistance, check the Council website.

Make a difference -- Give to the Catskills Farmer Flood Relief Fund.

Lots of Water and Few Words

2011-09-01T08:52:00.001-04:00

Attributing an adjective (or two) to Hurricane Irene's devastation of the NYC watershed region would be, in a word...trite. How can I possibly sum up the impact (or what needs to be done in the months to come) in one word?
The story of a Margaretville man made me really think about what our neighbors are going through. This gentleman's home, once nestled within the hay flats behind Freshtown, is now condemned, its fate lies within a bucket loader.

His fate, however, is more nebulous: he's safe, as is his dog and wife. And he was able, with the help of friends, to dig out a few clothes from the mud. He's a 4X, you see, and finding clothes at the local shelter would be, well, in a word...awkward.

At the Watershed Agricultural Council, we want to take the awkwardness out of the rebuilding process. No detail of your loss is too trite; this is, after all, your life and what's important to you. Let us help you put it back together. If you are a participant in one of our programs (Agriculture, Forestry, Easement, East of Hudson, Farm to Market), please complete this multi-agency damage assessment form, then call one of our regional offices (Agriculture/Farm to Market 607-865-7090, Forestry/Easement 607-865-7790, East of Hudson 914-962-6355). The 3-pager (with lots of space to write) will help you itemize property damage and help us prioritize and direct support to your needs. We work with the USDA Farm Service Agency and Natural Resource Conservation Service, Cornell Cooperative Extension, County Soil & Water Conservation Districts (and their Stream Teams). Since we're committed to water quality -- and boy this was a water event -- we have the tools, resources and technical know-how to help you get back on your feet.

For those of you unsure where to turn, take a look at the Watershed Post, a blog that has instantly connected our communitites throughout this tragedy. We've also collected resources that may be of interest to our farm and food business members of Pure Catskills.

In the meantime, if you're looking to help, most communities are meeting at their fire houses or community centers to assign work details and salvage operations. If you want to give money or supplies, United Way of Delaware/Otsego Counties is coordinating such efforts. One of our partners, Frost Valley YMCA, desperately needs monetary donations for relief efforts on campus.

Water is both destructive and life-giving. In Margaretville, the paradox of no drinking water while surrounded by river flow is mind-twisting. We live in the NYC watershed, home of clean drinking water for nine million New Yorkers. Water is our livelihood. In the days ahead, let's find new words to describe our future: hope, triumph, community, thankfulness, and yes, water.

Working Our Way Into the Senator's Heart

2011-08-23T15:15:00.006-04:00

Thanks to Farm to Market Manager Challey Comer for capturing our local dairy farmers talking politics on their terms -- over ice cream!

Pictured are Council board member and Agricultural Program Committee Chair Sally Fairbairn, her son and dairy farmer Jake Fairbairn of Lazy Crazy Acres (LCA) and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillbrand. The three met up over LCA's homemade ice cream (a co-inspired recipe by Jake and wife Karen). All were on hand at the Delaware County Fair on August 18 to partake in a roundtable discussion centered on New York State agriculture. The first New York Senator to sit on the Senate Ag Committee in over 40 years, Gillibrand is listening to farmers throughout New York, bringing their ideas and concerns to light in national food policy. She's also a champion of bringing farm fresh products to schools, decreasing childhood obesity and addressing the economic crisis of the State's agricultural community. We look forward to working with her more in 2011-12 in crafting a strong 2012 Farm Bill.

UDL Part 2: Ground Up

2011-06-06T05:58:00.002-04:00

The Urban Design Lab at Columbia University has done it again. They've taken a complex issue, compiled compelling first-hand farmer stories, detailed maps and objective analysis to shed light on the obvious mandate to get behind working landscapes. The science behind "Agriculture as an economic driver" is finally here.

Ground Up: Cultivating Sustainable Agriculture in the Catskill Region

It's no surprise that five of six farmers interviewed are Pure Catskills members in Sullivan County. The 48-page report -- a collaboration of many organizations, agencies and institutions of which the Council is honored to be among -- talks about the Big Picture, local concerns, hurdles facing regional agriculture and the What If... It's worth sitting down with a fresh cup of raw milk and reading through it.

If you can't spare the hour to read it, skip to page 46. The report outlines 10 points that politicians, consumers and farmers can take to move sustainable agriculture forward in the Catskills. You can do your part, by furthering as many of these recommendations as are applicable:

FOR POLITICIANS
* Create incentives to buy local at county and statewide scales, strengthening relationships between local food production and food consumers.
* Target incentives toward entrepreneurs interested in starting a farm or expanding a current business.
* Enact policies to reduce risk and liability for farmers who participate in agritourism.

FOR CONSUMERS
* Purchase fresh groceries from local farmers, through a CSA, or at a farmers market. Know the benefits of eating seasonally and sustainably.
* Understand the principles of organically grown food and the importance of balanced nutrition.
* Encourage children and others to learn about how and where food is grown. Take trips to local farms and ask your supermarket to identify locally grown food.

FOR FARMERS
* Sign up for distribution assistance programs, such as Greenmarkets and the Just Food Program.
* Start an apprenticeship program at your farm to teach aspiring farmers and receive extra help.
* Allocate 100% of your land to new farming strategies and techniques. Test organic approaches.
* Reach out to your end market and get to know consumers personally, to better understand their needs.

Urban Design Lab: Regionalize Food System

2011-06-01T05:35:00.000-04:00

The Urban Design Lab at Columbia University has a way of putting complex systems into understandable diagram form and then proposing solutions.

In this presentation, UDL (with the help of MIT) began looking at childhood obesity and how heathcare issues are tied to our food systems. They then found much larger problems existed, and that the key to fixing the healthcare issue was to overhaul the food system.

Take a few minutes to view Regionalizing the Food System for Public Health and Sustainability, a 27 slide presentation with comments at the right. The visuals are compelling in an eerily comforting way. As large as the healthcare and regionalized food problems are (and the hurdles to conquering them many), the UDL made apparent this concept: Regional food systems build stronger local economies from the bottom up.

Think about it. Would you rather attempt to solve world hunger or tackle the issue locally first. It's far easier to feed our neighbors well and address the problems of infrastructure, food distribution hubs, and new access models here at home than it is to wrap our heads and motivation to solve the problems nationwide. We can make a difference by starting with food and fiber right here in the Catskills.

2nd Annual Environmental Film Series

2011-05-16T06:03:00.004-04:00

The Watershed Agricultural Council is again hosting the Schoharie Watershed Month Environmental Film Series at the Doctorow Center for the Arts in celebration of everything, green and blue. These FREE movies are perfect for families looking for talking platforms to share with their kids. (Catch a sneak preview of What's on Your Plate? at left. More previews can be found on the dedicated events page.) Each movie screening will be followed by a panel discussion. Seating is limited to 120, so come early and enjoy the local farm foods sampling and informational tables in the lobby. The films were funded in part by the Council and New York City Department of Environmental Protection. We expanded our film screenings this year, thanks to a grant from the Stream Management Implementation Program of Greene County Soil & Water Conservation District.

This year, we're screening four films over three days. On Friday, May 20 at 4 p.m. it's What's on Your Plate? (76 minutes) followed by a 15-minute intermission and discussion and then the screening of Reclaiming Our Water (60 minutes) at 5:30 p.m.

On Saturday, May 21 at 1 p.m., Vanishing of the Bees (90 minutes) is followed by a 20-minute intermission and discussion at 2:30 p.m. and The Greenhorns (50 minutes) at 2:50 p.m. organic farmer Kenji Ban will be on hand to talk about farming across the street at the Catskill Mountain Foundation.

On Sunday May 22 at 1 p.m., we'll repeat What's on Your Plate?, followed by a 15-minute intermission and discussion, and Reclaiming Our Water at 2:30 p.m.

You can find he Doctorow Center for the Arts at 7971 Main Street in downtown Hunter, between the Post Office and Library. Schoharie Watershed Month is sponsored by Greene County Soil & Water Conservation District and features workshops, stream clean-ups, seminars and the film series as ways of promoting watershed awareness and a connection to and appreciation of the local environment.

Film Details:
Reclaiming Our Water is a documentary film that tells the story of Northern Virginia's Occoquan Reservoir, its surrounding landscape, and the challenges of meeting a growing demand for drinking water for over one million people. The Occoquan has the distinction of being the largest reservoir system in the United States which provides a safe drinking water supply through the use of reclaimed wastewater. Not surprisingly, the Occoquan's technical solutions have attracted worldwide attention, but technical solutions are only part of the story.

What's on Your Plate? is a witty and provocative documentary produced and directed by award-winning Catherine Gund about kids and food politics. Filmed over the course of one year, the film follows two eleven-year-old multi-racial New York City kids as they explore their place in the food chain.

Vanishing of the Bees features honeybees, which have been mysteriously disappearing across the planet, literally vanishing from their hives. Known as Colony Collapse Disorder, this phenomenon has brought beekeepers to crisis in an industry responsible for producing apples, broccoli, watermelon, onions, cherries and a hundred other fruits and vegetables. Vanishing of the Bees follows commercial beekeepers David Hackenberg and Dave Mendes as they strive to keep their bees healthy and fulfill pollination contracts across the U.S. The film explores the struggles they face as the two friends plead their case on Capital Hill and travel across the Pacific Ocean in the quest to protect their honeybees.

The Greenhorns, a documentary film completed after almost three years in production, explores the lives of America's young farming community - its spirit, practices, and needs. Filmmaker Severine von Tscharner Fleming captures the stories and voices of these young farmers, building the case for those considering a career in agriculture.

For more information, drop me an email (Tara Collins, Watershed Agricultural Council Communications Director) or give a call , 607-865-7017 ext. 226. If you miss the showings that weekend, don't fret. We'll be showing these films again at select summer events like:
-- Taste of the Catskills, Delhi on July 2-3
-- Batavia Kill Streamside Celebration, Ashland on August 7
-- SUNY-Sullivan, Loch Sheldrake on September 22

Free Movies This Weekend

2011-05-16T05:34:00.001-04:00

We're inviting you to four free movies this weekend as part of Schoharie Watershed Month. It's all about “Good Food. Clean Water.”

The Watershed Agricultural Council (Council) is hosting the 2nd Annual Environmental Film Series and showings of What's On Your Plate?, Vanishing of the Bees, The Greenhorns and Reclaiming Our Water. The four documentary films highlight watershed-foodshed-viewshed topics. We're showing the movies on May 20, 21 and 22 at the Doctorow Center for the Arts, 7971 Main Street in Hunter (see below for detailed schedule).

Share your views during the pre-screening audience discussions during intermission each day. On Saturday, featured speakers include local beekeeper Heidi Ruelmann about raising bees and Colony Collapse Disorder and Kenji Ban, Natural Agriculture Farmer with the Catskill Mountain Foundation. Come early (seating is limited to 133) and enjoy the farm goods sampling table promoting local farmers and value-added products. Share your thoughts with the roving videographer. Take the Buy Local pledge and choose to spend your food dollars with a local farmer; we'll reward you with Pure Catskills goodies when you return your validated postcard.

Here's the Film Series Schedule (visit our webpage dedicated to movie previews for more information):

Friday, May 20
4 pm: What’s on Your Plate? (76 min)
5:15 pm: 15-minute intermission & discussion
5:30 pm: Reclaiming Our Water (60 min)

Saturday, May 21
12:45 pm: Discussion with local beekeeper Heidi Ruelmann about raising bees and Colony Collapse Disorder
1 pm: Vanishing of the Bees (90 min)
2:30 pm: 20-minute intermission & discussion with Kenji Ban, Natural Agriculture Farmer with the Catskill Mountain Foundation
2:50 pm: The Greenhorns (50 min)

Sunday May 22
1 pm: What’s on Your Plate? (76 min)
2:15 pm: 15-minute intermission & discussion
2:30 pm: Reclaiming Our Water (60 min)

Where: Doctorow Center for the Arts, 7971 Main Street, Hunter (between the Post Office and the Library)

Thanks to the NYC Department of Environmental Protection who matched the monies from a Stream Management Implementation Grant, and the Catskill Mountain Foundation for giving a good deal on the three-day theater rental. Join us this weekend for the 2nd Annual Environmental Film Series...popcorn is optional.

Herb Planter, Garden Kit or Slave Day?

2011-05-06T05:23:00.004-04:00

In my college days, I gave my mother "Slave Days" for Mother's Day. The Slave Day allowed Mom to ask me to do anything, generally in her garden, guilt-free for her and grudge-free for me (regardless of what I had lined up on my weekend schedule). I was her Slave for a Day, plain and simple. She pointed her dirt-free, garden-glove finger; my mud-bound hands dutifully followed. This Mother's Day practice lasted a long time, until I started making money. The Slave Day was soon undermined by potted porch planters and flowering summer baskets.

I'm glad to see Hilltop Hanover Farms has blended the best of both worlds: Slave Days and outdoor planting. This weekend, they're offering a Mother's Day Herb Planter and Vegetable Garden Kit. You can pick-up one or the other on Saturday May 7 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The hand-tiled terracotta planters are filled with wonderful aromatic herbs that will produce throughout the summer and fall. The herb planters were made by volunteers from Another Step, a group of developmentally disabled adults who help on the farm. Each planter is $45 and must be reserved in advance. To pre-order call (914) 962-2368 ext. 2 or pay in advance online.

If you've got a mom with a Green Thumb, opt for the Vegetable Garden Kit. It includes the Gardening How-To Information Sessions on Saturday, May 21 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (and again from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. for the late-morning riser.) The Vegetable Garden Kit gives Mom a jump start on the growing season with a garden already laid out in a box! The kit includes garden diagram and planting instructions for an 8' x 10' space, over 30 hardy regional plants and seeds chosen by Hilltop's resident farmer and a how-to information session with an experienced grower. If Mom's nervous about going it alone, she can simply follow the farm's garden blog and website and receive e-mails with a weekly gardening to-do list and recipes. The veggie selection includes six each of beets, chard, basil, cucumbers and four each peppers and tomatoes. As for seeds, there's plenty to plant with sunflowers, radishes, zucchini, beans, lettuce, and carrots. Each kit is $75 and must be pre-ordered; call (914) 962-2368 x.2 or pay in advance online.

Hilltop Hanover Farm & Educational Center, is opening its farmstand on May 28; there's lots more listed on the HHF calendar. As I look on my personal calendar, I can see a Slave Day for my mom this year. It might not be such a bad practice to resurrect. The addition of perennials year after year make weeding that much easier each spring and I might even sneak in a few Sungold Tomatoes to get my dad into a new fruit/veggie. This Mother's Day, be sure to spend time with your mothers, and those fathers who've rallied to be mothers. Savor the joys of planting, nurturing and propagating together.

Share with us below (or on the Watershed Agricultural Council's Facebook Page) whether you're opting for the Herb Planter, the Garden Kit or the Slave Day!

Wascally Wabbits on WIOX

2011-05-04T05:00:00.003-04:00

On Watershed Wednesday at one on WIOX 91.3FM, Denise Warren of Stone & Thistle Farm joins me for Farm Chatter, our monthly one-hour talk show about local food, farmy functions and animals du jour, like this week's cute and cuddly, "wascally wabbit."

Rabbit, long the underestimated "other" white meat, is making a comeback in foodie circles appearing in stews, ravioli, on the grill, marsala'd and braised. For the French, rabbit is a staple meat. Join us for talk about Elmer Fudd's favorite buddy -- rabbits -- from raising to butchering to making a meal your family won't forget. Denise posted recipes on her blog, Farm & Fable Musings. You can ask us questions below or post them to our Facebook Page.

Have you tried rabbit in your lifetime? Share your story below. I have actually eaten rabbit (even after having own two as pets); I'll share my story today at 1 p.m. See you then.

Summer Foodie Event Kick-off: Taste of the Catskills

2011-05-02T05:03:00.001-04:00

The summer foodie event cycle is upon us and many worthy events are looking for vendors to add to their days' festivities. Event coordinators are also searching for sponsors, those regional fairy godmothers who help stage and finance behind-the-scene needs. At the Watershed Agricultural Council, we sponsor a lot of events, probably 50 a year; but we get invited to participate with more than we can humanly attend and afford. That's why I'm inviting you to help out. Step up and be the foodie sponsoring an event of your choice, where you have an affinity for the food (or kids or cauliflower). Bring your wares to sell or simply give a few hours helping a local coordinator bring the event message forward.

Taste of the Catskills is all about affordable family fun, good food and promoting area farming. The event -- slated for July 2 and 3 and again on October 8 and 9 -- brings together regional music, food, beer, wine and family funtime, a Taste of the Catskills, if you will, at Maple Shade Farm, Delhi. Maple Shade is a family-run farm, owned by Jay and Abby Wilson where they raise their three kids, pigs, turkeys and assorted smaller livestock. They know farming, kids' education and having fun. Jonah Shaw, owner of Quarter Moon Cafe in Delhi, is coordinating the Taste of the Catskills. He's a family guy too, who really knows fresh food; you should taste his full pork turned on a spit, which you can try at Taste of the Catskills.

All of this will be great, but it can be even better with your help.

So, vendors: think farm products, food-products made locally, artisan creations, crafts. Sponsors? Think programming, music, workshops, and activities...Port-a-potty sponsorship anyone? Sponsors at $1,000 or more can insert a flyer about your business inside the Welcome Packet which will be given to every car parked in the pasture. There are countless ways to volunteer, from set-up, security, parking to clean-up.

What are we doing at the Council? We'll be hosting movie screenings as part of our Summer Environmental Film Series which kicks off May 20-22 as part of Schoharie Watershed Month. On July 3rd, hang out in the hay mow and catch "What 's on Your Plate?, Vanishing of the Bees, The Greenhorns and Reclaiming Our Water. There may be one or two film surprises but you'll have to show up at Taste of the Catskills to find out.

What would we do with ourselves if we didn't have some place cool, to kick back at, to take those weekend guests to on a balmy July afternoon? Discover the new way of engaging in something fun that supports our local economy and family farms...sponsor, sell, or volunteer this year at Taste of the Catskills!

Super Hip (and Healthy) Summer Camp for Kids

2011-04-29T05:32:00.002-04:00

At the Council, we believe in educating children to be stewards of the land. Each year, we educate dozens of teachers through the Watershed Forestry Institute for Teachers (taking applications through May 2). Our Bus Tour Program also brings hundreds of children to the watershed and model forests to see for themselves where their water comes from. Nothing replaces a hands-on experience!

In keeping with our mission and its own, Hilltop Hanover Farm & Environmental Center is offering HealthBarn USA this summer, a hands-on healthy-lifestyle educational encounter for children and their families! The Farm is hosting four, one-week sessions of HealthBarn USA. Designed for kids ages 5-12, the Summer Camp runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Campers are active all day long, rotating between growing, harvesting and cooking with their own hand-grown organic fruits and vegetables, learning about nutrition and environmental science through games and enjoying activities in creative arts and crafts, nature hikes and scavenger hunts, yoga and sports. Each week, campers participate in a final “mystery” event to celebrate their achievement.

Summer Camp is designed to instill values like being:
-- a protector of the environment,
-- a leader in agricultural preservation, and
-- a champion for living a healthy lifestyle.

And it's about fun too! Children attending the HealthBarn USA Summer Camp at Hilltop Hanover can look forward to:
• Planting and harvesting organic produce and herbs
• Cooking healthy recipes and playing nutrition educational games
• Exploring environmental science through adventures and events
• Sports activities, yoga and hiking
• Creating arts, crafts and nature activities
• Interacting with a professional staff geared to children (6 hours, 5 days)
• Eating a nutritious breakfast, lunch and snack everyday
• Receiving all supplies and natural, organic food included!

HealthBarn USA Summer Camp will come to Hilltop Hanover, Yorktown Heights on:
Series A: August 1-5
Series B: August 8-12
Series C: August 15-19
Series D: August 22-26

Tuition is scaled to accommodate families sending several children. Health Barn offers a first-year introductory rate of $500 for members, $550 for non-members per week if you register by May 31. A 15% discount is applied to the first sibling, 10% off for each additional sibling. An additional 15% off will be offered for those attending multiple sessions.

To enroll, call 201-891-2066 or visit the HealthBarn USA-Hilltop Hanover website.

Schoharie Watershed Week

2011-04-27T05:04:00.002-04:00

On Watershed Wednesday this week, the masterminds behind Schoharie Watershed Month join me in the studio to talk up the 2011 activities and events scheduled throughout May in the Schoharie Watershed basin. Robyn Worcester, Michelle Yost and Mikana Maeda from Greene County Soil & Water Conservation District will cover the bases with me: from rain barrel construction workshops to the 2nd Annual Environmental Film Series. We'll detail what's on the slate for you to partake in, most times for FREE, in celebration of everything water.

You can post your questions on our Facebook Page or below in the Comments section. Tell us -- do you plan on attending one of the events below? Either way, be sure to join us at 1 p.m. on WIOX.

Here's a quick look at some events we'll be featuring:

April 28 - May 1 FREE
Ash Tree Street Inventory Project with the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development
Training 4/28 at 6 p.m. at Schoharie Watershed Program office, Tannersville
Tannersville inventory 4/30 from 10 a.m.- to 1 p.m.
Hunter inventory 5/1 from 1 to 4 p.m.
For more information (FMI), contact the Catskill Center's Lizz D’Auria, 845-586-2611 ext. 111

Friday, May 6 at 2 p.m. FREE
Catskill Watershed Corporation Septic Workshop for Homeowners at Hunter Town Hall
FMI: CWC 877-WAT-SHED (877-928-7433)

Saturday, May 14 starting at noon FREE
Mountain Top Historical Society Spring Fling, Haines Falls
FMI: Mountain Top Historical Society 518-589-6657

Saturday, May 14 from 10 a.m. to noon FEE: $10
Holistic Pond Management Cornell Cooperative Extension Water Quality at Home Workshop held at a private landowner's property in Windham
Pre-registration required by May 12
FMI: Greene County Cornell Cooperative Extension 518-622-9820

Saturday, May 14 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. FEE: $10
Eco-Landscaping Cornell Cooperative Extension Water Quality at Home Workshop held at a private landowner's property in Hunter
Pre-registration is required by May 12
FMI: Greene County Cornell Cooperative Extension 518-622-9820

Weekend of May 20-22 FREE
Watershed Agricultural Council 2nd Annual Environmental Film Series
Doctorow Center in Hunter
Friday, May 204 pm: What’s on Your Plate? (76 min)
5:15 pm: 15-minute intermission & discussion
5:30 pm: Reclaiming Our Water (60 minutes)
Saturday, May 211 pm: Vanishing of the Bees (90 minutes)
2:30 pm: 20-minute intermission & discussion
2:50 pm: The Greenhorns (50 minutes)
Sunday May 221 pm: What’s on Your Plate?
2:15 pm: 15-minute intermission & discussion
2:30 pm: Reclaiming Our Water

Saturday, May 21 at 6 a.m. FREE
Mountain Top Arboretum Guided Bird Walk, Tannersville
FMI: Mountain Top Arboretum 518-589-3903

Saturday, May 21 from 9:30 am - 12:30 pm FEE: $10
Rain Barrel Building Cornell Cooperative Extension Water Quality at Home Workshop
Sugar Maples Center for Creative Arts, Maplecrest
Pre-registration is required by May 19
FMI: Greene County Cornell Cooperative Extension 518-622-9820

Saturday, May 21 at 12:30 pm FREE
Sugar Maples Stormwater Tour and Kiosk Unveiling
FMI: Robyn Worcester, GCSWCD Education & Outreach Coordinator, 518-622-3620

Wednesday, May 25 at 2 p.m. FREE
Gilboa Dam Information Session, Community Room at the Windham Waste Water Treatment Plant (anticipated location)
FMI: Robyn Worcester, GCSWCD Education & Outreach Coordinator, 518-622-3620

Friday, May 27 at 1 p.m. FREE
Sawkill Creek Clean-Up meets at Schoharie Watershed Program office, Tannersville
FMI: Robyn Worcester, GCSWCD Education & Outreach Coordinator, 518-622-3620

Saturday, May 28 FREE
Tannersville Duck Race
FMI: Robyn Worcester, GCSWCD Education & Outreach Coordinator, 518-622-3620

May 28 & 29 FREE
Memorial Day Weekend Celebration on Main Street in Windham
FMI: Robyn Worcester, GCSWCD Education & Outreach Coordinator, 518-622-3620

Fascinating Fishers & Surprising Saw-Whet Owls April 28

2011-04-25T05:37:00.009-04:00

Join us this Thursday for a free panel discussion, Fascinating Fishers and Surprising Saw-Whet Owls: Little Known Catskill Wildlife, at the Seelig Theater on the SUNY-Sullivan campus. The seminar is number two in a three-part lecture series entitled "2020 Vision for the Catskills." The Catskill Institute for the Environment hosts the evening, which starts at 4:30 p.m. NYC Department of Environmental Protection sponsors the talk with help from member organizations like the Watershed Agricultural Council, Catskill Watershed Corp., and regional colleges such as SUNY-Sullivan. Three panelists will share their expertise:
-- Valerie Freer, former SUNY-Sullivan Science Chair, represents Sullivan County Audubon Society
-- Scott LaPoint, from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology at the New York State Museum (pictured at left), and
-- Moderator Kathy Scullion from the college's Division of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.

The two-hour seminar will focus the Catskill region's least known creatures of the night, the fisher and saw-whet owl. Find out how these mysterious critters are impacted by the Catskills' climate, nature and urban sprawl.

The Seelig Theatre is located at 112 College Road, Loch Sheldrake. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Kathy Scullion at (845) 434-5750 ext. 4447. This edition of the multi-campus lecture series, 2020 Vision for the Catskills, is sponsored by the Catskill Institute for the Environment and NYCDEP and hosted by SUNY-Sullivan.

The Catskill Institute for the Environment (CIE) recognizes the intense interest focused on environmental issues in the Catskills. The Catskill region has a high visibility as a watershed for the largest unfiltered water supply in the world. However, this is an inhabited landscape. Within the Catskills, there is a unique living experiment involving citizens, state and local governments working together to enhance the environmental quality of the region, the economic well-being and quality of life of its residents. CIE's goal is to stimulate environmental awareness and cooperation among regional colleges, institutions and individuals. Members also include regional biological field stations, environmental organizations and governmental agencies. The CIE works to develop partnerships and infrastructure necessary for innovative environmental education and research.

Pure Catskills Product Development and Marketing Grant due May 20

2011-04-18T05:09:00.002-04:00

Each year, the Watershed Agricultural Council funnels $50,000 through the Pure Catskills Sustainable Agriculture & Education Grant Program to help stimulate the local economy in agriculture. The grant helps applicants host food-based events, purchase new farm equipment, and explore value-added infrastructure, recipes and marketing -- all in the name of connecting more people with local food. Read how Gideon Frisbee put his grant to work to filter his maple syrup into a finer, clearer and more marketable product. PHOTO: The sap house at the Frisbee Farm. Photo courtesy of Jeremy Pickens. Members of the Pure Catskills buy local campaign can apply for the 2011 round of product development and marketing grants now through May 20. Applications will be accepted in two categories: Product Development & Marketing, and Education. For full details, view the application materials. Questions regarding the application process will be accepted via email to Farm to Market Manager Challey Comer until May 10th. All questions and answers will then be posted online. No phone calls please; all packets must be mailed in and postdated by May 20. In 2010, 15 grant recipients implemented diverse projects including livestock processing, farm-to-school initiatives and agritourism events. Pure Catskills members include farms, retailers, farmer’s markets, restaurants and food-related organizations that support the local food system throughout Delaware, Greene, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan and Ulster Counties. The Pure Catskills buy local campagn is one of the Council's most highly visible and recognizable programs to date; just look for the Cauliflower Lady...

We're All Ears...

2011-04-15T05:34:00.004-04:00

It's been awhile, but now we're ready, and we're all ears. The Watershed Agricultural Council is updating its organizational strategic plan for 2011 and we want to hear from you about how we're doing and where you think we should be headed. The last strategic plan we did was in 2004 and expired in 2007. We've enlisted the help of the New York Council of Nonprofits who will tabulate the survey responses and help us create a future vision for the Council. You could say we're taking a break, checking our internal map and making sure we're on the right path. And we're asking you for directions. This anonymous 12-question survey asks for basic information like which of our programs you've heard of and which you've actually participated in. Your input will help us map out our goals for the next five years. Your comments will influence how we approach programming, marketing, fundraising and community leadership in the years ahead. We want to know what you're thinking, about us, to better serve you, our participants and our partners. By all means, be candid in the comments section and share your thoughts.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WACStrategicPlanning

If you want to be entered into a drawing for some cool Pure Catskills giveaways like maple syrup, cutting boards and the like, you'll have to forego your anonymity and complete Question #12 with your contact information. Feel free to pass the survey link along to a friend or post it to your Facebook Wall. Whether you're a watershed farmer, Brooklyn water user, logger or teacher, we want to hear from you...like I said, we're all ears.

The 21st-Century Futon

2011-04-13T05:42:00.003-04:00

If you went to college in the 80's, you probably remember the staple furniture item, the futon. As a sofa, the futon provided TV-viewing comfort and by night, with a bit of wrangling, it doubled as an overnight flop spot. For the most part, it was easy to move from apartment to apartment. As of 2011, the futon has officially come of age. The lumpy mattress is gone and the questionable frame bodies actually support weight -- of several human beings, at the same time. Be it in the kids' play room, a studio living room or around the pool, today's upscale futons are finding a place in modern homes. The latest products from Nikita Furnishings are fashioned from Catskill-region wood, made in Otsego County, shipped worldwide, and are literally made in our backyard. Today on Watershed Wednesday, co-host Josh Van Brakle joins me for an hour of Futon Talk with Catskill WoodNet members Joanne and Nikita Gregoriev of Nikita Indoor/Outdoor Furniture. The Gregoriev's manufacture two lines of futons (Freedom and Scandia series) in size varieties (chaise lounges to queen-size beds) that will make a your head spin. In the Richmond Springs factory, "Smart Frames" are crafted from Catskill woods like ash, white oak, and cherry and are assembled easily with just three bolts. The patented "flip-bar"and self-converting geometry, together with the wheels for easy maneuvering about the room, make these futons functional and fancy. The mattress, in two firmnesses, come in a wide array of fabrics and colors for indoor or out. Can you tell I visited the Nikita's Oneonta store (which is closing on April 30)? I found myself wondering where I could put one in my home. Yes, the Nikita futon is comfortable, and easy to transition from sofa-to-bed-to-sofa again. A bit nostalgic, I thought of today's student on-the-go: the Nikita ensemble fits, frame and mattress, in the backseat of a Prius...just ask Joanne. Join us at 1 p.m. on www.wioxradio.org to find out how they patented this unique twist on a centuries-old design. Have a futon story to share? Post it here or on our Facebook Page.

"Farms, Folks, and Funding" conference April 13

2011-04-08T05:45:00.006-04:00

Today is the last day to register for "Farms, Folks, and Funding: Cultivating Leadership Through Research and Practice." The February 2nd conference, rescheduled for April 13 at Inn on the Lake in Canadaigua, features East of Hudson Program engineer Andy Cheung presenting on the solar-powered pump and watering system installed at a Westchester farm in 2010.

This one-day conference focused on agricultural Best Management Practices and water quality will take a comprehensive look at energy, food systems, planning, funding access, TMDLs, and research through workshops and research sessions on how technology and changing behavior aids local agricultural processes. For more information, contact Khris Dodson at 315-443-8818. Conference cost is $40 for professionals or $20 for students.

Here's a look at the agenda:

8:30-9am: Continental Breakfast and Registration 9:10-9:40: Featured Speaker: Jean Bonhotal, Cornell Waste Management Institute

9:45-10:45: Perspectives from Creative Local Food Advocates: Best Practices for Supporting Local Producers · Robert King; Grow Monroe, Monroe Community College · Martin Butts, Small Potatoes Sales and Marketing · Gordon Walts, American Farmstead Artisan Cheese and Specialty Foods

10:45-11:00 BREAK 11-12: Protecting Farmland, Restoring Watersheds · Geof Milz, AICP, Cayuga County Department of Planning & Economic Development: Goin' Down to the Crossroads-Farmland Protection in New York State · Jen Smith, SUNY ESF: Geosynthetic Rolled Erosion Control Products · Charlie Greene P.E., EDR Companies: Watershed Restoration 12-12:45: LUNCH 12:45-1:30: Chesapeake Bay TMDLs and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative · Aaron Ristow, Tompkins County SWCD, Upper Susquehanna Coalition · Ron Entringer, NYS DEC

1:30-2:10: Funding · Creg Ivison, Farm Service Agency: Farm Service Agency Programs

· David Morier, USDA District Conservationist in Canandaigua, Farm Bill Programs

2:10-3:10: Human and Habitat Assessment · Judy Wright, American Farmland Trust: Strengthening Agriculture's role in Protecting Water Quality in the Owasco Lake Watershed: Preliminary Findings · Lydia Brinkley, SUNY ESF: Agricultural Land Use Effects on Water Quality in the Skaneateles Lake Watershed: A Habitat Assessment using Benthic Macroinvertebrates · Mike Dimpfl, SUNY ESF: The Skaneateles Lake Watershed Composting Toilet Project: Ten Years of Alternative Toilet Technology in Practice

3:10-3:50 Tools · Paul Richards, SUNY Brockport: The Oak Orchard soil water assessment tool: A decision support system for watershed management · Bianca Moebius-Clune, Cornell University:Adaptive Nitrogen Management Using Adapt-N - Incorporating the Weather Component

3:50-4:30: Agriculture and Energy

· Ram Shrivastava, P.E., LEED® AP, Larsen Engineers: Opportunities for Making Dairy Farms Energy Independent · Andy Cheung P.E., Watershed Agricultural Council: Design of a Solar Operated Pump and Watering System

4:30 Closing

Do You Fondue?

2011-04-06T05:19:00.008-04:00

Today's big question on Watershed Wednesday at 1 p.m. is...Do You Fondue? Denise Warren of Stone & Thistle Farm co-hosts Farm Chatter with Tara Collins of the Watershed Agricultural Council. So really, do you, fondue? Cheese...Puh-Leez!

To round out the conversation on everything dunkable and dipable, stinky and moldy, creamy and dreamy, the two invited Pure Catskills Linda Smith of Sherman Hill Farm in Franklin, to settle any disputes. Linda does, after all, hold the keys to her own Cheese Cave.

So if you secretly pine for fondue, love cheese in al its glory, or simply want to incorporate more local cheesey goodness into your local purchases, listen to Watershed Wednesday on WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM at 1 p.m. Got a question about cheese? Post it below or visit the Watershed Agricultural Council's Facebook Page.

What's your favorite local cheese?

10 Stories of Interest for You

2011-04-04T05:58:00.014-04:00

While sloshing through the inbox this week, these 10 stories rose to the top:

With Farm Numbers Decreasing Statewide, Area Farmers Continue to Struggle (WKTV-Utica)

Gillibrand Named Ag Subcommittee Chair (The Post Star)

Equine Herpes Virus Confirmed at Cornell Hospital (NYS Dept. Ag & Markets)

Free Classes Explain Septic Basics for Homeowners on April 15th (Catskill Watershed Corp.)

Spring is Stream Cleanup Time! (Catskill Watershed Corp.)

Woodstock Community Ash Tree Street Inventory on April 9th (Catskill Center)

The Chobani Phenomenon (Upstate Life)

The Dollars and Cents of Bats and Farming (New York Times)

Farmers Hit with High Cost of Feed (Watertown Daily Times)

Worm Compost Shown to Reduce Disease, Increase Yield (BeginningFarmers.org)

State Budget: Ag Programs Preserved, Aided (The Daily News)

Ag & Wood as Economic Drivers

2011-03-30T05:25:00.001-04:00

Today's guests on Watershed Wednesday will talk about how food and wood can serve as the economic saviours to our regional woes. At 1 pm, Nicole Day from the Center for Agricultural Entrepreneurship & Development shares details about the April 6th forum "3rd Rural Issues: Agriculture IS Economic Development." Spearheaded by the Central New York Agricultural Council, the all-day workshop features insights from Department of Ag & Markets Commissioner Darrel Aubertine, Pure Catskills member Ken Jaffe of Slope Farms and regional planner Nan Stolzenburg of Community Planning & Environmental Associates,

among others.

At 1:15 p, Wood Products Utilization & Marketing Specialist Josh VanBrakle joins me with Catskill WoodNet member Egon Cording of EC Woodworking. Josh recently visited Egon's Delhi shop and saw first hand how Egon is transforming destined-for-the-dump wood products into re-created home furnishings. With minimal marketing, Egon's business has flourished; find out how he's doing it on today's show.

Tune in to the live online stream of Watershed Wednesday, 1pm on WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM.

Got a bright idea for improving out local economies by promoting and supporting food- and wood-based businesses? Share your ideas below.

No Farms No Food Rally & Lobby Day 3/30/11

2011-03-23T04:41:00.003-04:00

This week on Watershed Wednesday, two guests join me to fill the hour. At 1 pm, New York State Director David Haight at American Farmland Trust will call in with details on the upcoming No Farms, No Food Rally in Albany next Wednesday, March 30. Why are farmers, food advocates, local officials, environmentalists and other New Yorkers descending up the State Capitol to meet with legislators about the critical importance of farms and food to New York?

At 1:15 p, Caroline Foote of Maple Hill Farms of Cobleskill will call in to talk about Maple tree-sweet and the NYS Maple weekend underway. Caroline blogs, makes syrup with co-owner Victor Putnam, and has a whole lot of fun working with Mother Nature's chemistry to produce maple products. New York ranks second in the nation for maple syrup production behind Vermont. Find out more about the process, the product and life on Maple Hill Farms by tuning in to Watershed Wednesday, 1pm on WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM.

What's your favorite maple product? Post your questions for David and Caroline below.

Nat Geo Looks Under New York

2011-03-18T04:24:00.005-04:00

We talk a lot about what we do with watershed landowners on their farms and in their forests to keep drinking water clean for nine million New Yorkers. But what happens to all that water -- 1.1+-billion gallons a day -- when it leaves the reservoirs of the Croton, Catskill and Delaware watersheds? I mean, really, it's a marvelous trek (and a topic for another post) but once it gets there, to the City, what gives?

Check out National Geographic's feature on New York City's Underground. A pictorial tour guides you through buried infrastructure where water is just one of many daily necessities found deep beneath the City That Never Sleeps.

Can you put in order the infrastructure layers at depth (from shallow to deep)? (Water, sewer, subway, electricity, bedrock, gas, steam, cable)

Photo courtesy of JoshDickPhoto.com. Check out the water view before it goes deep underground...August 18, 2010 post for an aerial tour of the Catskill-Delaware watershed and Josh's blog for the Croton fly-over.

A Year in Review: Watershed Agricultural Program BMPs

2011-03-16T04:49:00.002-04:00

Fourteen agricultural best management practices (BMPs) are highlighted in the 20-page, 2010 Watershed Agricultural Program Report and 2011 Workload. The Watershed Agricultural Council spent over $3.5-million last year, with funding from New York City Department of Environmental Protection, USDA Agricultural Watershed Enhancement Program, the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program and Nutrient Credit Management Program. Leaf through the 2010 Watershed Agricultural Program Report by clicking on the icon below.

Thanks to staff at the Watershed Agricultural Council, Cornell Cooperative Extension, National Resource Conservation Service and Soil & Water Conservation District for providing content, statistics, and before-after photos that tell last year's story of watershed landowners doing the next right, on-farm BMP on behalf of clean drinking water (and nine million water consumers). These projects demonstrate how the Watershed Agricultural Program turns water pollution issues to water quality solutions. We hope others looking to pursue similar projects in their watersheds can take from these examples. If you have questions, call Program Manager Larry Hulle at (607) 865-7090.

Join us next week for Watershed Wednesday and our featured guests, David Haight of American Farmland Trust and Caroline Foote of Maple Hill Farms, Cobleskill.

Longer than an American Marriage

2011-03-14T04:49:00.004-04:00

Did you know the average horse lives between 25 and 30 years? When you introduce a horse into your farm's livestock mix, you're engaging in a long-term relationship and long-haul investment, one that will probably last longer than the average American marriage (which incidentally lasts between 8 and 11 years).

The trick is to keep your animal safe, healthy and happy into its senior years. The Council's Rotational Grazing, Paddock Management and Composting Farm Waste brochures provide information that can help make horse life a bit more enjoyable for you both. The Rutgers Equine Science Center (ESC) also offers downloadable educational tools for horse owners like Winter Feeding for Horses.

This year, the ESC is going interactive with a Spring Webinar Series, “Care and Management of the Older Horse.” Dr. Carey Williams, Extension Equine Specialist and Associate Director of the ESC, assembled two equine industry experts in their field to offer professional insight and perspectives. Both webinars begin at 7:00 pm EST and conclude at 8:00 pm.

This week, Dr. Michael Fugaro, Associate Professor at Centenary College and owner of Mountain Pointe Veterinary Services, presents “Orthopedic Problems in the Old Horse” on March 15th.

Next week, Dr. Karyn Malinowski, Director of the Rutgers Equine Science Center, presents “Overview of Older Horse Physiology” on March 22nd.

For complete webinar information and the link to view, go to the Equine Science Center website, or contact Bakir Lawson at 732-932-9514, or Dr. Carey Williams at 732-932-5529.

Share your horse owner tip or story below.

Photo: DrewHarty.com

Wightman Specialty Products on WIOX 3/9/11

2011-03-09T05:05:00.001-05:00

Natalie Wightman of Wightman Specialty Products joins me and co-host Josh VanBrakle, the Council's Wood Products Utilization and Marketing Specialist, on Watershed Wednesday today at 1 p.m. We'll talk about the challenges of maintaining a competitive, family-run business for 65 years, sourcing local woods and keeping pace with the international wood-products market.

Most of the raw materials that Wightman uses come from within a 60-mile radius of their mill in Portlandville, New York. A Catskill WoodNet member, Wightman uses these Catskill-regional woods to create flooring, moulding, siding, stair treads, wainscot, paneling. In the business since 1945, Wightman excels at customer service, helping its customers manage wood from "tree to table." For an off-the-trail wood business, Wightman manages keeps its customers up to date through its weekly blog.

Post your questions for Natalie and Josh here or on the Watershed Agricultural Council's FaceBook page. Listen in to live streaming audio too.

Next Round of AWEP

2011-03-07T04:37:00.005-05:00

If you're a watershed farmer looking to harness the agricultural waste issues on your property, it's time for you to apply for the latest grant opportunity through the Watershed Agricultural Program. The USDA NRCS and Watershed Agricultural Council will direct $254,000 towards farm improvements in Delaware, Sullivan, Schoharie, Greene and Ulster Counties through the 2011 AWEP, Agricultural Watershed Enhancement Program.

Farmers are eligible for funding that will subsidize farm improvements, infrastructure and land conservation methods, known as Best Management Practices or BMPs, that benefit water quality. Livestock farmers within the project area must sign up for the program by April 1, 2011.

Wondering what AWEP covers? In 2010, the Council and NRCS put $120,000 of AWEP funding to work on several farms via nutrient management plans. In 2011, depending on farmer needs, AWEP may cover costs associated with livestock waste storage facilities, drainage and heavy-use area pads (HUAPs for short, pictured above), too. Depending on who applies and how NRCS rankings shake out, your farm can receive assistance to address animal waste pollution issues this year...but you have to apply by April 1.

Livestock farmers within the watershed can find more information, or submit an application, by calling NRCS Resource Conservationist Suzanne Baker at (607) 865-7090, ext. 270. Visit the AWEP page of the NRCS web page for more information.

AWEP was established by the 2008 Farm Bill and funding comes from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). The NRCS administers the program for USDA. AWEP promotes ground and surface water conservation and improves water quality by helping farmers implement agricultural water enhancement activities. NRCS works with the Council and our partnering agencies to address water quality issues in the NYC watershed in order to protect clean drinking water for nine million New Yorkers.

These Stories and More...

2011-03-04T04:04:00.005-05:00

This month's eNews from the Watershed Agricultural Council features stories on:

the free seminar on Catskill invasive species, "Threats to Our Forest: Defoliatiors and More" at SUNY-Delhi on March 17 with WAC Wood Products Specialist Josh VanBrakle and J. Rebecca Hargrave, Natural Resources Educator with CCE Chenango County.

Last call for Farm to Market Connection registrations -- we're almost sold out! Order online today.

A video on what nonpoint source pollution in the watershed actually means.

And lots "Of Interest" items including the new DEP Strategic Plan and a composting guide from Cornell Waste Management Institute.

Get this eNewsletter FREE in your email inbox the first week of every month. Simply sign up today and we'll share our resources with you!

Photo: EmeraldAshBorer.info

Got Your Goat on Watershed Wednesday 3/2/2011

2011-03-02T05:06:00.002-05:00

Denise Warren of Stone & Thistle Farm co-hosts Farm Chatter on Watershed Wednesday with Tara Collins of the Watershed Agricultural Council. This week's topic? Goats...

Bearded, horned, hooved, and miraculously mischievous, goats (and their meat and dairy products) are carving out more than a niche for themselves in farmstands, groceries and consumer refrigerators. Goats are small ruminants that many beginner farmers add to a farm business model for various reasons. Goats are small (by comparison to cattle), easy to handle (still up for debate) and have a lot to offer a farm struggling to solidify its bottom line. Goats are quick to put on weight, eat grass, produce offspring regularly, and provide a variety of products. But there are some tricks to raising these wonderful creatures. Denise will explain how to prepare and cook them. Pure Catskills member Linda Smith of Sherman Hill Farm (Franklin) joins the show to talk about various types of goat cheese and how it's made.

Want to learn more? Or just curious how we're going to fill an hour on goats? Listen to Watershed Wednesday on WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM at 1 p.m. and post your questions to the Watershed Agricultural Council's Facebook Page or in the comment section below.

Have a funny goat story of your own? Do tell!

TLCLogger Class 3/4/11

2011-03-01T04:54:00.001-05:00

The Watershed Agricultural Council's Forestry Program, in conjunction with CCE-Greene County, is offering Trained Logger Certification - Adult First Aid and CPR course on Friday, March 4 at the Soil & Water Conservation District Office Building - 2nd Floor, 44 West Street, Walton. Cost is $25.

Other upcoming classes include:

April 8 Hardwood Log Bucking: Tips and Techniques

April 5 Trained Logger Certification - Game of Logging: Level 1

May 6 Forest Ecology, Silviculture & BMPs

July 15 Hands-On BMP Installation Workshop

To register, contact CCE Greene County (518) 622-9820.

Threats to Our Forest: Free Seminar 3/17/11

2011-02-28T05:10:00.002-05:00

Specialists from the Watershed Agricultural Council (WAC) and Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) will talk about the native and invasive species that are attacking the Catskill forest. The program, “Threats to Our Forest: Defoliators and Worse,” will held Thursday, March 17 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Okun Theater, Farrell Student and Community Center, SUNY Delhi. The seminar is free and open to the public.

Speakers at the March 17 program will be Joshua VanBrakle, Wood Products Specialist at WAC, and J. Rebecca Hargrave, Natural Resources Educator with CCE Chenango County. Moderating the discussion will be Jack Tessier, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology, SUNY Delhi. Together, they will discuss life cycles, detection and means of combating defoliators such as gypsy moth and forest tent caterpillars, as well as destructive pests like the Emerald Ash Borer (also known as EAB, pictured above), which has the potential to decimate the ash tree population in the Catskills.

VanBrakle oversees WAC’s Catskill WoodNet initiative, supports woody biomass research and projects in the region, reviews forest management plans and develops initiatives to support the economic viability of forestry in the NYC Watershed region. He holds a B.A. in Environmental Economics and Policy from Lebanon Valley College, and an M.S. in Forest Resource Management from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Hargrave provides technical assistance on horticulture, agroforestry and invasive species management to youth and adult audiences. She earned BS and MS degrees in Forest Science from Penn State and the University of Minnesota. She is currently working on the Emerald Ash Borer Early Detection and Rapid Response Program in conjunction with Mark Whitmore, Forest Entomologist at Cornell University

“Threats to Our Forest: Defoliators and Worse,” is sponsored by the Catskill Institute for the Environment with support from the NYC Department of Environmental Protection. It is part of an ongoing series of lectures and panel discussions titled “20/20 Vision for the Catskills.” The series is intended to cast a spotlight on issues facing the region today that will impact Catskill people, waters and lands in 2020. The CIE, established in 1998, is a consortium of representatives of colleges, institutions and individuals that coordinates symposia and special programming to promote environmental awareness, education and scientific cooperation in the Catskill region. Upcoming 20/20 Vision programs will focus on aquatic invasives threatening our waterways, bioaccumulation of mercury in flora and fauna, and trends in wildlife populations, including comebacks of some previously threatened species.

For more information, contact Dr. Morton (Sam) Adams, chairman,(607) 746-4483.

Photo: New York State Invasive Species

Regsiter Onlne for the Farm to Market Conference

2011-02-25T05:00:00.001-05:00

Producers, processors and purchasers of local food are invited to the Farm to Market Connection on March 27th from 9 am to 5 pm at the CVI Building at One Cablevision Center in Liberty. Organized by the Pure Catskills Buy Local Campaign, the event will serve as both an educational and networking opportunity for key players in local food across our region. The day will include panel discussions featuring farmers and business people from across New York State, workshops related to direct-sales marketing of farm products, a lunch of local food and an afternoon tradeshow for farmers and buyers.Building upon the success of the 2010 Farm to Market Connection, with over 150 in attendance, each of the day’s workshops will feature local farmers, regional buyers and agricultural advocates. Planned workshops will address increasing sales success at farmers’ markets, production of local grain and flour, connecting with community groups through buying clubs, whole carcass marketing of local meat and recent policy developments related to regional food infrastructure.
Full conference details are available at purecatskills.com. The fee to register is $25 before March 22nd. Early registration is strongly encouraged as the event regularly sells out. For more information or to register, visit purecatskills.com or contact Challey Comer at ccomer@nycwatershed.org or (607) 865-7090.

Additional support for this event has been provided by the Norcross Foundation, the Gerry Foundation and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. Pure Catskills is an economic initiative of the Watershed Agricultural Council. The purpose of WAC is to protect both the rural, land-based economy of the watershed region and the drinking water quality of over nine million people. Working with farmers, agribusinesses, forest landowners, forest industry professionals and others, WAC seeks to enhance both business profitability and environmental stewardship. It also champions the use of conservation easements as an option to keep land within a working landscape context. The Council works through partnerships with other nonprofits organizations, government agencies and community stakeholders to achieve its purpose.

Today on Watershed Wednesday: Karen Rauter

2011-02-23T12:13:00.002-05:00

Karen Rauter, Stream Management Coordinator for the Rondout and Neversink basins, is the featured guest on Watershed Wednesday with Tara Collins of the Watershed Agricultural Council TODAY (February 23) at 1 p.m. Karen will share information about the Catskill Streams Buffer Initiative and outline the events and programs available to watershed landowners. Listen to WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM (or streaming audio).

The Flock Starter Challenge

2011-02-18T04:38:00.006-05:00

Love farm fresh eggs? Ready to dabble in a flock of your own? Chickens are an easy way to begin connecting with the land and raising your own food. It may also allow you to "take a crack" at starting a small farm in the watershed.

Pure Catskills member Phil Metzger of Cooper’s Ark Farm in Schoharie is coordinating a mass chicken buying effort and will have 17-week-old brown egg layers (also known as pullets) available the end of April. Call him between 6a and 7p to order yours now (518) 295-7662 or you can email him at ebcn@midtel.net. Price depends on quantity and delivery, but you can work that out with Phil. Get a couple neighbors together and have a coop-warming party at your house to distribute the new arrivals.

Pastured hens lay eggs that contain:

5 times more vitamin D
2/3 more vitamin A
2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
3 times more vitamin E
7 times more beta carotene

These stats came from Mother Earth News research; thanks to the CheeseSlave blog for the tip on where to find it and the explanation on cage-free vs. pastured chickens. Are you ready to take the Flock Starter Challenge?

NRCS State Conservationist Astor Boozer and Public Relations Specialist Ivy Allen on Watershed Wednesday 2/16/11

2011-02-16T04:18:00.006-05:00

Over the last month, I've posted quite a few NRCS offerings -- on-farm energy audits, oil spill prevention and organic farming assistance, conservation stewardship programs -- just to name a few. So I figured it was time for NRCS State Conservationist Astor Boozer to join me for Watershed Wednesday to talk about the USDA National Resource Conservation Service and its many New York Programs. Public Relations Specialist Ivy Allen and Assistant State Conservationist Dianna Power join us to fill in the details. NRCS is one of the Watershed Agricultural Council's key partners in protecting water quality in the New York City Watershed on both sides of the Hudson.

If you have question about NRCS or a comment on your experience with one of their programs, post it below or visit our FaceBook Page. Watershed Wednesday is sponsored by the Watershed Agricultural Council with funding from New York City Environmental Protection, U.S. Forest Service and the U.S.D.A. Listen to the WIOX 91.3FM radio program streaming live on the web or look for the recorded show online next week.

Water Man & NYC DEP Commissioner Share Strategy

2011-02-14T04:42:00.002-05:00

New York City Department of Environmental Protection recently released its 2011-2014 Strategic Plan in which DEP Commissioner Cas Holloway stands up for clean water (pictured on page 24 with Water Man at the Delaware County Fair last August).

The Strategic Plan also reveals more about the City's future vision for water delivery, infrastructure, sustainability and customer service. The plan also specifically mentions the Watershed Agricultural Council and the NYC DEP's long-term commitment to the watershed region (see pages 20-28). At 75 pages, it's an easy read with 100 key points for action. It also gives you a good idea of what the DEP has on its plate for the next five years. Give it a quick look through and let us know what you think in the Comments section below.

Drink All You Want, For Free

2011-02-11T05:02:00.000-05:00

The hard work that regional farm and forest landowners do at the headwaters is startling evident in New York City...when someone opens the water faucet. Through the Watershed Agricultural Council's programs in forestry, agriculture and conservation easements, we're doing our part to keep water clean, and drinkable, for nine million New Yorkers. And with the help of New York City Environmental Protection, this tasty finite resource regularly tests high on the water quality scale. Each day, our water flows downstream, fulfilling our city neighbors' needs to a tune of 1+billion gallons of water a day. They don't call it "The Champagne of the Catskills" for nothing...yes, our water tastes really good.

Tap It is a national organization that educates people about clean drinking water and encourages them to kick the bottled water habit. Plastic water bottles produced for the U.S. use 1.5 million barrels of oil a year—enough to power 250,000 homes or 100,000 cars all year. And it takes more than 3 liters of water to produce each bottled liter of water.

Tap It's initiatives have also included advocating that cities bring back "The Water Fountain," and provide residents with free drinking water access and a place to refill the now fashionable re-usable canteen. NYC DEP has stepped up with its Water-On-The-Go program. Next time you're in New York City, you can refill that water bottle easily by locating a drinking fountain through the Tap It Google Map. They're even offering a free TapItWater app for your phone (download it here).

We're so proud of the water we protect through our farmland protection and land conservation programs, we want you to enjoy...Drink all you want, for free, at a water fountain near you and tell us where you used a NYC water fountain...

It's in the Soup on Watershed Wednesday

2011-02-09T05:06:00.004-05:00

Denise Warren of Stone & Thistle Farm co-hosts Farm Chatter on Watershed Wednesday with Tara Collins of the Watershed Agricultural Council today at 1 p.m. on WIOX. According to Denise, "It's in the Soup"...what is? Everything. No ingredient, locally grown or patiently stored, is safe from her stockpot.

You can find today's recipe for Nan's Tomato Rice Soup on Denise's blog, Farm & Fable Musings.

Listen to WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM (or streaming audio) to learn how to use more local foods by experimenting with vegetables, meats and spices within the context of this liquid-based medium. Be it broth or cream, drinkable or dipable, soup's on the show's menu today.

What's your favorite soup? Share your recipe below or post the link for all to enjoy! You can ask questions easily on the Watershed Agricultural Council's Facebook Page or in the comment section below.

Photo credit: bigfoto.com

Name NY's Top 5 Veggies Produced in 2010

2011-02-07T05:32:00.001-05:00

According to King Whetstone, director of the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, New York field office, the value of all New York vegetable production in 2010 totaled $409 million.

That's a lot of veggies.

According to the article in the Herkimer Telegram, New York ranks fifth nationwide in area harvested and sixth in value of principal fresh market vegetables ($361 million in fresh veggies alone last year). This is good news for NYC watershed farmers, because Agriculture has prominent place in our state economy. And it isn't going anywhere. But we still have lots to do, like train new farmers and connect them with affordable land and move those products to market.

So where did our beloved Empire State rank among other agricultural producers in 2010?

1. Pumpkins: New York lead the nation last year in pumpkin production. Valued at $35.1 million, NY farmers harvested 6,800 acres for a production of 1.46 million hundredweight. Value of production in 2010 increased 61 percent from 2009, said Whetstone.

2. Cabbage: New York’s fresh market cabbage production, estimated at 4.34 million hundredweight in 2010, caught us the #2 spot in the nation for the main ingredient in cole slaw and sauerkraut. Who knew?

3. Snap beans: New York ranked third nationwide on value of its 2010 market snap bean crop, at $39.2 million. While harvested acres remained at 6,700 acres, yield increased from 40 hundredweight per acre to 70 hundredweight per acre.

4. Corn: Fresh market sweet corn acreage was up in 2010. Farmers harvested 22,800 acres, a six percent increase from last year. Yields increased from 100 hundredweight per acre in 2009 to 120 hundredweight per acre in 2010. Total value was at $71.1 million, up 22 percent from last year.

5. Onions: New York onion production, down from 2009, still tipped the scales at an estimated 3.32 million hundredweight. While down in value 20 percent, NY onions brought in a respectable $54.2 million...for onions!

The really good news is that watershed farmers don't have to limit themselves to just pumpkins, cabbage, snap beans, sweet corn, and onions. Regionally, and historically, farmers have done well with cauliflower, garlic, potatoes and grass...yes grass, for pasture-based dairy and meat products. Innovative growers are using hoop houses to extend the growing seasons for strawberries, blueberries and mixed greens. If you want to be a New York farmer, you just gotta get started. At the Watershed Agricultural Council, we're here to help.

Credit: Free photos from acobox.com

Grants for Watershed Organic Producers due March 4

2011-02-04T04:15:00.003-05:00

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service announced that $775,000 in funding is available to help New York organic producers and transitioning producers implement soil and water conservation practices on their agricultural operations. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis, with the funding cutoff date set for March 4, 2011.

What does this mean for participants in the Watershed Agricultural Council's agricultural programs? Eligible producers include those certified through USDA’s National Organic Program, those transitioning to certified organic production, and those who meet organic standards but are exempt from certification because their gross annual organic sales are less than $5,000. Under Organic Initiative contract, producers are paid a practice payment rate for each implemented practice. Beginning, limited resource, and socially disadvantaged producers are paid at a higher practice payment rate. The program provides up to $20,000 a year per person or legal entity, with a maximum total of $80,000 over six years.
“Under the Organic Initiative and over the past three years, New York producers have used funding to plant cover crops, establish grazing systems, and implement nutrient management systems consistent with organic certification standards,” said Astor Boozer, State Conservationist. “Last year, NRCS New York funded more than $1 million through the Organic Initiative to help producers implement conservation practices.”

The 2008 Farm Bill provided for assistance specifically for organic farm operations and those transitioning to organic production. Organic Initiative funding is provided through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), a voluntary conservation program administered by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality.

Producers interested in applying must submit applications through their local USDA Service Center.

Credit: Free photos from acobox.com

Answer the Phone!

2011-02-02T05:07:00.001-05:00

According to a recent article in the January 25 issue of The Post-Standard by Debra J. Groom, "Farmers will soon receive Cash Rents and Leases Survey for 2011."

The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will be mailing and calling New York farmers to answer questions in the 2011 Cash Rents and Leases Survey. USDA relies on average cash rental rates at the county level to develop and administer programs that benefit New York’s farmers and rural communities.

Why should you bother answering the phone and being truthful about your land rents and leases? Along with ensuring New York gets is fair share of USDA program monies, your information will help the NASS and farmers, ,ranchers and landowners negotiate 2012 rental agreements and making other business decisions. The service will publish the average cash rental rates at the national, state and county levels for non-irrigated cropland, irrigated cropland and pastureland on September 9. NASS publishes only aggregate-level data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified.

What does this mean for farmers in the Council's Watershed Agricultural Program? If you're a watershed farmers and you're negotiating a land lease with a second homeowner, the DEP or your retired neighbor farmer, you'll have a reference point for what the going rate is. You can use that rate as leverage and is an objective number, one that isn't over-inflated by one party or the other.

The NASS will mail the survey to 4,176 producers in New York. If 3% responsed (the average response rate for direct mail), that's input from 125 people. By picking up the phone, the NASS hopes to reach many more people and improve the survey's statistical validity. For more information about the Cash Rents and Leases Survey, call the NASS New York Field Office at (800)821-1276.

So when the phone rings next week, answer it already!

Credit: Free images from acobox.com

Westchester Farm Looking for Interns

2011-01-31T04:43:00.001-05:00

It seems a bit early to be hiring farm hands for the 2011 growing season. But even amid subzero temperatures, one of our partners, Hilltop Hanover Farm and Environmental Center, is reaching out early to capture area talent for its planting, growing and farming needs. Check out Hilltop's call for enthusiastic, dedicated and hard-working individuals to nurture their 5-acre crop plot in Yorktown Heights. (Hilltop Hanover recently lost key personnel due to County budget cuts, so the Farm is turning to interns to get the job done.)

Hilltop Hanover "seeks a 2011 farm crew and a crew leader to help grow healthy produce using sustainable farming practices...Farm crew members work in all aspects of a vegetable farming operation—from starting seeds to planting, cultivating, harvesting, and marketing vegetables for our farm stand operation, U-Pick gardens, and new 100-member CSA. Four full-season (April to October) positions are available in 2011. Farm experience is not required for the crew, but applicants must be dependable, enthusiastic to learn about farming, food, and eco-agriculture; willing to perform heavy physical labor in various weather conditions; comfortable communicating with students and visitors; and over 18 years old. One crew leader position is available starting in March. Crew leader applicants must have 1-3 seasons of farming experience. The positions do not include housing, but are paid (rate DOE, starts at $10/hr), 40-45 hours a week, with weekend hours required. Applicants should submit a cover letter and a resume to Maryellen Sheehan."

If you live in the Croton Watershed and aren't afraid to get your hands dirty, this is the perfect opportunity to get started in farming. If you miss out on the internship, you can still volunteer to work with Hilltop Hanover. And tell Lu Munz, the farm director, that Tara at the Watershed Agricultural Council sent ya!

How did you learn about gardening? farming? growing food? as an intern? trial-by-fire? Share your experience in getting started with farming here...

Growing Better Grass to Put on Weight

2011-01-28T05:00:00.004-05:00

If you're new to grass-based livestock, take a look at this educational tool "Prescribed Grazing Management" from the Watershed Agricultural Council. There's more to growing great grass (and putting weight on a market-bound animal) than meets the eye. Also, placing cows (or sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, or other herbivore) on pasture is a low-impact way of transitioning your property into a working landscape.

Plus, you'll always know where your meat comes from, a real food safety advantage!

If you're an Agricultural Program participant and you have questions about configuring paddocks, installing water systems or diversifying your forage mix , contact your WAC Whole Farm Planner.

If you're new to the watershed and want to learn more, contact the Council's Agricultural Program at (607) 865-7090, ext. 206 or find information about the Watershed Agricultural Council and all its programs online.

Are you a grazier? Tell us how you're managing your pastures and livestock in the Comments section below.

Cowbella's Shannon Mason on Watershed Wednesday1/26/11

2011-01-26T05:00:00.004-05:00

Shannon Mason of Cowbella butter and yogurt is my guest today on Watershed Wednesday at 1 p.m. on WIOX 91.3FM. Shannon is sixth-generation farm stock and raises her dairy line's raw materials -- milk from 30 Jersey cows eating grass at her family's farm in Jefferson, Delaware County.

We'll be talking about her farm, product launch and her experiences as a Pure Catskills member, a beginning farm entrepreneur and female farmer.

You can ask Shannon questions below or visit the Watershed Agricultural Council Facebook Page and post your comments there.

What's your favorite butter or yogurt flavor?

Farms, Folks, and Funding: Cultivating Leadership Through Research and Practice 2/1/11

2011-01-24T05:01:00.008-05:00

On Wednesday, February 2, heavy hitters in the water quality world specializing in agricultural Best Management Practices are gathering for “Farms, Folks, and Funding: Cultivating Leadership Through Research and Practice”, sponsored by Syracuse University's Environmental Finance Center. Andy Cheung, engineer for our East of Hudson Program office in Yorktown Heights, is presenting Design of a Solar Operated Pump and Watering System. He'll feature work recently completed at Hemlock Hill Farm in Cortlandt Manor in the Croton Watershed.

This one-day conference, to be held at Inn on the Lake in Canadaigua, covers local agricultural best management practices, especially concerning water quality as it pertains to agriculture and municipal systems. Ranging from everyday human actions to long-term infrastructure issues, workshops and research sessions will be address how changing behavior and technology aids local agricultural processes.

For more information, contact Khris Dodson at 315-443-8818. Conference cost is $40.

Here's a quick rundown of the program agenda:
8:30-9am: Continental Breakfast and Registration
9am-9:10: Introductions
9:10-9:40: Featured Speaker: Organic Valley Farmer
9:45-10:45: Perspectives from Creative Local Food Advocates: Best Practices for Supporting Local Producers
Robert King; Grow Monroe, Monroe Community College
David Katleski, Empire Brewing Company, Syracuse NY
Martin Butts, Small Potatoes Sales and Marketing
Gordon Walts, American Farmstead Artisan Cheese and Specialty Foods
10:45-11:00 BREAK
11-12: Protecting Farmland, Restoring Watersheds
Geof Milz, AICP, Cayuga County Department of Planning & Economic Development: Goin' Down to the Crossroads-Farmland Protection in New York State
Jen Smith, SUNY ESF: Geosynthetic Rolled Erosion Control Products
Charlie Greene P.E., EDR Companies: Watershed Restoration
12-12:45: LUNCH
12:45-1:30: Chesapeake Bay TMDLs and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
Aaron Ristow, Tompkins County SWCD, Upper Susquehanna Coalition
Ron Entringer, NYS DEC
1:30-2:10: Funding
Creg Ivison, Farm Service Agency: Farm Service Agency Programs
Lee Loomis, NYSERDA Representative, Center for Environmental Information: NYSERDA's Agricultural Energy Efficiency Programs
2:10-2:50
Judy Wright, American Farmland Trust: Strengthening Agriculture's role in protecting Water Quality in the Owasco Lake Watershed: Preliminary Findings
Lydia Brinkley, SUNY ESF: Agricultural Land Use Effects on Water Quality in the Skaneateles Lake Watershed: A Habitat Assessment using Benthic Macroinvertebrates
Mike Dimpfl, SUNY ESF: The Skaneateles Lake Watershed Composting Toilet Project: Ten Years of Alternative Toilet Technology in Practice
2:50-3:00 BREAK
3:00-3:40 Tools
Paul Richards, SUNY Brockport: The Oak Orchard soil water assessment tool: A decision support system for watershed management
Bianca Moebius-Clune, Cornell University:Adaptive Nitrogen Management Using Adapt-N - Incorporating the Weather Component
3:40-4:20
Ram Shrivastava, P.E., LEED® AP, Larsen Engineers: Opportunities for Making Dairy Farms Energy Independent
Andy Cheung P.E., Watershed Agricultural Council: Design of a Solar Operated Pump and Watering System
4:20-4:30 Closing

In the photo above, a watering set-up (yellow structure) is strategically located between two horse paddocks at a participating farm in Delaware County. The Watershed Agricultural Council installs watering facilities as a way to provide water to livestock while restricting their access directly to water courses. A solar-operated pump eliminates the need for running electricity out from the barn. Solar could also be used to provide a heating element to keep water from freezing during winter months.

Apply Now for the Farmhearts Fellowship

2011-01-21T18:06:00.002-05:00

Are you a beginner farmer with great communications skills? Put your enthusiasm to work through the Farmhearts Fellowship being offered through the Watershed Agricultural Council. Interested?
You can read more about the Farmhearts Fellowship position description here and the press release details just released an hour ago. If you know the perfect person for this position, share this easily with that passionate person. It's all about connecting newbies to the working landscape. The part-time position works around the growing season, so you don't have to quit your day job in farming to work with us. Feel free to forward this on or "Like" it through your Facebook profile.

What do you love about farming? Share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Don't forget...if you like what you're reading here, be sure to subscribe to this blog.

So You Wanna Raise Beef Cattle?

2011-01-21T05:00:00.004-05:00

In the New York City Watershed, we're seeing more aging dairy farmers transitioning to beef herds. At the Watershed Agricultural Council, we hope this provides our farmers with a decent living wage, a foot still in farming (without the daily demand of dairy farm chores), and the pride of promoting a working landscape. Because angus (and their bovine counterparts) are relatively easy to raise compared to dairy cows, beginner farmers are placing a few beefers on pasture just to get their feet wet, and mudboots mired in manure.

If you're just starting out raising beef, seriously considering it or willing to share your experience, the 2011 Winter Green-Up Conference provides a terrific mid-winter haven for meat producers networking with like-minded souls. The two-day conference will be held January 28-29 at the Century House in Latham, NY.
According to Beef Cattle Extension Specialist Mike Baker at Cornell University, "The next few years will be marked by strong trends for livestock producers. Ever-increasing costs of production, and intensified scrutiny and regulation of food safety and agricultural practices are some trends that will challenge us. A growing demand for local foods and increased experience with low-input livestock systems are opportunities that will help us. Regardless of the livestock that you raise, the size of your operation, or the way that you market your products, the 2011 Winter Green-Up Conference will be a sound investment to help you stay ahead of the challenges and re-energize your passion as a grazier."

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear expert presentations on topics like

current research and marketing programs through Cornell;
strategies for out-wintering cattle;
soil and pasture restoration and enhancement through grazing;
increased land utilization through the ecologically-friendly practice of silvopasturing; and
keynote speaker Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm in Virginia!

Space is limited, so if you're big on beef, register now...for more information on the event, visit http://www.ccealbany.com/ .

After the conference, regional beef producers can connect through the Council's Beef Producer Group that meets several times throughout the year. For more information, contact Farm to Market Manager Challey Comer.

Greene County SWCD, Schoharie Watershed Summit and SMIP grant on Watershed Wednesday 1/19/11

2011-01-19T05:47:00.004-05:00

This week on Watershed Wednesday, Michelle Yost of Greene County Soil & Water Conservation District will talk about the SWCD and two upcoming offerings: the Schohaire Watershed Summit on January 22 and the Stream Management Implementation Program grant due February 1 (and again on August 1).

This year's Schoharie Watershed Summit is entitled "In the Wake of the Flood." Presentations and workshops address municipal and residential actions that can mitigate future flood damage. I'll be giving the workshop, "Our Forests, Our Friends," and talk about the basics of forest management planning offered through the Watershed Agricultural Council. Registration for the Summit is technically closed, but if you call Michelle today she may be able to squeeze you in (518) 589-6871 or email Michelle Yost.

Have a question or comment? Post it below of visit our FaceBook Page. You can also find more events sponsored by the Watershed Agricultural Council online.

Listen to the radio show live at 91.3 FM (Roxbury area) or streaming on the web. Watershed Wednesday is sponsored by the Watershed Agricultural Council with funding from New York City Environmental Protection. U.S. Forest Service and the U.S.D.A.

Conservation Stewardship Program Deadline Extended to January 21

2011-01-17T07:05:00.002-05:00

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced the ranking period cut-off date for producer applications in NRCS' Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) has been extended an additional two weeks until January 21, 2011.

CSP is offered in all 50 states through continuous sign-ups with announced cut-off dates for ranking periods. The program provides many conservation benefits including improvement of water and soil quality, wildlife habitat enhancement and adoption of conservation activities that address the effects of climate change.

All producers are encouraged to apply for CSP. The program, authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill, offers payments to producers who maintain a high level of conservation on their land and who agree to adopt higher levels of stewardship. Eligible lands in New York include cropland, pastureland, and nonindustrial private forestland.

A CSP self-screening checklist is available to help producers determine if CSP is suitable for their operation. The checklist highlights basic information about CSP eligibility requirements, contract obligations and potential payments.

Applications can be submitted at your local USDA Service Center; for New York City Watershed farmers, the Delaware County NRCS office is located at 44 West Street, Walton or call (607) 865-7090.

NRCS Funding for On-Farm Oil Spill Prevention Due January 28

2011-01-14T07:05:00.003-05:00

The USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in New York is piloting a Conservation Activity Plan (CAP) to assist farmers in meeting revised regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intended to prevent fuel and oil spills on their operations. The program will have two funding periods with applications deadlines on January 28 and June 3, 2011. Applications can be submitted at your local USDA Service Center; in Delaware County , that office is located at 44 West Street, Walton (607) 865-7090.

The program will assist farmers who own above-ground storage tank facilities storing 1,320 gallons (or more) of fuel. This does not include milk or milk-product storage containers. The EPA mandates that agricultural operations with concentrated fuel depots have a Spill Prevention Containment and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan and an Agricultural Secondary Containment Facility. NRCS assistance will help develop or update existing spill prevention plans that avoid and mitigate on-farm oil spillage.

Two opportunities for assistance exist. For facilities with more than 10,000 gallons of fuel, oil and lubricants, NRCS will provide up to $1,875 for the development of the SPCC plan. The plan will be developed by a provider that has registered with NRCS as a Technical Service Provider and possesses the technical knowledge, skills and abilities to complete all facets of the plan. For operations that do not have an Agricultural Secondary Containment Facility, NRCS will assist with the installation of the practice up to $10,000.

Agricultural program participants with the Watershed Agricultural Council should also talk with their whole farm planner for more information.

Watershed Wednesday Snowed Out 1/12/11

2011-01-12T04:30:00.007-05:00

Due to snowy weather and icy roads, I won't be venturing over two ridge lines to the WIOX studio in Roxbury to host Watershed Wednesday today. Join me next week with my guest, Michelle Yost from Greene County Soil & Water Conservation District. If you need a Watershed Wednesday fix, check out this show from November 10, 2010 with Ginny Scheer, Farm Director at Manhattan Country School who t alked about the school, sustainability and their experience with the Watershed Agricultural Program. You can also find the November 17th recording with Penny Heritage and Dave Tetor of New York State Agricultural Society by visiting our home page and clicking on the radio tower icon.

You can also drop in for live streaming audio at http://www.wioxradio.org/. See you next week...

Annual Farmers Luncheon Features On-Farm Energy Sp...

2011-01-10T07:00:00.007-05:00

I saw this information recently on the BuyLocal NY list serv and then reposted at the Meredith Farmland blog. Dick Riseling and Sonja Hedlund from Apple Pond Farm & Energy Center are Pure Catskills members and speak from the heart on this topic of on-farm energy. Dick is no wallflower when it comes to soliciting grant money for on-farm energy projects. He helped several Sullivan County dairy farms apply for NYSERDA and USDA REAP grants to the tune of $800,000+ just a couple years back. He is willing to share that knowledge and help others get through the application paperwork and project vision.

The couple will be speaking at the Hobart Rotary Club's Annual Farmers' Luncheon on Saturday, January 15 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Hobart Community Hall. You need to register by Monday, January 10 by contacting John Adams at (607) 538-9983.

Read the You & Your Watershed blog post for January 7 for information on NRCS's on-farm energy audit assistance.

Read this article in the Syracuse Post-Standard, "Farmers Can Plug Into Energy Savings With NYSERDA Grant Program" by Glenn Coin. It gives a quick & dirty description of where this money comes from, how much is up for grabs ($5M) and what it'll pay for (energy audits, improvements).

Aubertine Nominated to Cuomo's Top Agricultural Post

2011-01-08T18:06:00.011-05:00

Several articles below tell the story of Governor Cuomo's recent nomination of former dairyman, NYS Senator (48th District) and NYS Assemblyman (118th District) Darrel Aubertine (at left) for the State's top ag position, Commissioner of the Department of Ag-Markets. When confirmed, Aubertine will replace current Commissioner Patrick Hooker.

The Watertown Daily Times: Aubertine 'Elated' at Nomination

CNYcentral.com (CBS5):
Cuomo Appoints Aubertine State Agriculture Commissioner

The Syracuse Post-Standard: Aubertine Lands State Ag-Markets Job

Capitol Confidential: Aubertine Nominated for Ag Commissioner

The Daily News: Dairy Farmer Named State Ag Commish

Photo and links compliments of "Morning Ag Clips" from Atticus Communications.

What does this mean for the Watershed Agricultural Council and you? First, we can thank Mr. Hooker for a supportive, productive relationship over the past years and being a true friends to farmers. Now, we look forward to building a similar and stronger relationship with Mr. Aubertine to champion the interests, economic development and environmental sustainability of agriculture in New York State and especially here in the New York City Watershed.

NRCS Offers Funding for On-Farm Energy Audits

2011-01-07T06:46:00.002-05:00

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)-New York is participating in a Federal energy initiative designed to help farmers improve energy efficiency on their operations. The energy initiative provides funding for individual on-farm energy audits, intended to save both money and energy when fully implemented. To apply for this fiscal year's funding, applications must be submitted by January 28.

"On average agriculture energy management plans can identify energy savings between 10-35%," said Craig Metz, President of EnSave. EnSave is a leading energy efficiency company in the U.S. and a registered technical service provider with NRCS. The energy audits will be individually tailored to ensure coverage of each farm's primary energy uses such as milk cooling, irrigation pumping, heating and cooling of livestock production facilities, lighting, manure transfer, grain drying, and similar on-farm activities.

Implementation will occur in stages beginning with the short-term immediate goal of providing the on-farm energy audits, through the development of an energy management plan. The plan is used to identify ways operations can improve energy efficiency. Funding is available for two separate energy Conservation Activity Plans (CAP). One plan can be developed for the farm headquarters area and another plan is available for the landscape or field areas of an agriculture operation.

The 2008 Farm Bill provides authority to use the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for payment of conservation activities involving the development of these energy management plans. All plans must be developed by a Technical Service Provider (TSP).

Applications can be submitted at your local USDA Service Center; in Delaware County, NRCS shares the same building with the Watershed Agricultural Council at 44 West Street, Walton; call (607) 865-4005 for more information.

New Year's Food Resolutions, Comfort Food & Bread Pudding

2011-01-05T07:41:00.000-05:00

Today on Watershed Wednesday, Denise Warren of Stone & Thistle Farm joins me for Farm Chatter from 1-2 p.m. We're talking about local food and New Year's Food Resolutions (share yours on our Facebook Page). Start thinking "more local meats, less refined sugars, cooking at home, being present for the meal and conversation"...

We'll also touch on the winter wonders of cooking with pantry staples and root cellar stowaways. Denise will share her favorite comfort food recipe for bread pudding (also posted on her blog, Farm and Fable Musings). I hope she brings a sample!

Listen in live at WIOX 91.3FM or streaming on the web at http://www.wioxradio.org/. This weekly program is brought to you by the Watershed Agricultural Council with funding from New York City Environmental Protection, U.S. Forest Service and the U.S.D.A.

Also, there's still time to register for the 8th Annual Catskill Regional Dairy, Livestock and Grazing Conference on January 13 at SUNY-Delhi, NOFA-NY's Diggin' Diversity winter conference, and the Schoharie Watershed Summit on January 22.

Foto Friday 12/31/10: New York City Watershed Program Relationship Map

2010-12-31T07:00:00.005-05:00

I found this organizational relationship map at Blog The Watershed. Albeit an old post, the interactive map outlines who is involved with the New York City Watershed. Click on a "sphere" and you'll discover the many players within the watershed management family. Not everyone is included, but it gives a basic, pictorial representation of Who's Who in the Watershed. The Watershed Agricultural Council can be found under "Regional Actors." Thanks to "Danny" for the road map to clean water through farmland protection.

Watershed Wednesday 12/29/10: Two January Conferences

2010-12-29T05:14:00.002-05:00

Today, two guests join us on Watershed Wednesday. At 1 p.m., Paul Ceroseletti of Cornell Cooperative Extension-Delaware County will tell us about the Catskill Regional Dairy, Livestock and Grazing Conference scheduled for Thursday, January 14th at SUNY-Delhi. You can download the conference registration brochure here.

At 1:15 p.m. Lea Kone, Assistant Director at Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York also known as NOFA, will share all the details on their January conference, Diggin' Diversity to be held the 20th to 23rd in Saratoga Springs.

Ask us a question below or post it to our FaceBook Page. You can listen in LIVE at http://www.wioxradio.org/. Simply select a "player icon" and you'll be connected.

Watershed Wednesday airs at 1 p.m. on WIOX Community Radio 91.3 FM. This weekly program is brought to you by the Watershed Agricultural Council with funding from New York City Environmental Protection, U.S. Forest Service and U.S.D.A.

Guest Blog: The Inadvertent Bear by Jack McShane

2010-12-27T10:00:00.003-05:00

Jack McShane is the 2010 Karl Connell Award recipient. In our Winter 2010 Watershed Farm & Forest, Jack mentions this story; we share here an excerpt from his account of "The Inadvertent Bear" as seen in the Andes Gazette 2005.

As you read this, the 2005 big game (deer and bear) hunting season will have culminated. Some small game seasons continue through February. Many folks have no interest, others are relieved and there are those few of us, myself included, that have participated, enjoyed and were successful, resulting in stories to share with compatriots and others who are interested. At times, discussing episodes in the wild with mixed company, I am asked “Why do you kill?”

My simple answer is, “I kill so that I might hunt.” This may sound self serving and it is. I am in the forest almost every day. During those hours, I am an observer, a caretaker watching over the functioning ecosystem called Nature. I do my tweaking here and there, making adjustments that I deem positive through my subjective view. But when hunting, I am now participating in the ongoing saga of Nature. There is a dynamic of flora and fauna: life, birth, nurture, growth, feeding, breeding and eventually for all, death. Death is a cog in the wheel of ecosystem function. The reality? There is prey and predator, and we are the top predator...I know that much of what I eat, I observed alive, hunted, and killed, and that it lived its life free, and I am comfortable with this...

My son, Kris is an ardent bow hunter and fisherman. He was introduced to the outdoors even before he could walk. He now works for the State Dept. of Environmental Conservation in New Paltz, Hudson River Estuary Program - Fisheries. He is now walking in his father's shoes, both literally and figuratively.

“Dad, I need your help," he called one afternoon. "I was scouting some land recently acquired by the State to see if it had potential for deer hunting. Carrying my bow and searching the ground for deer sign, I saw a tremendous amount of bear scat. (Bear are the second major predator of fawns after the coyote.) Suddenly, I saw a bear and thought, 'Yes, bear season is open here and it would be something to get a bear with my bow.' (Bear meat is very tasty and a bear rug can be impressive in certain circles.) I crawled behind a stone wall, got to within 20-25 yards and took a shot. I connected but maybe a little high and a little far back, but with what appeared to be good penetration. The bear took off. I marked the spot and waited about a half an hour before I began to search. There was almost no blood trail. (The wound of an arrow hit bear often plugs up with fat and bleeding can be all internal.) I searched pretty far in the direction the bear went and found nothing and so returned to the sight of the hit to maybe find a blood drop or two to better determine the flight path. While doing this, I heard a noise coming from the direction that the bear had taken. Suddenly, there was a bear coming at me and when it saw me, it took off in another direction. I marked the spot where I last saw it but still found no blood. Darkness now made further searching futile.”

My response was, “ I will be down first thing in the morning and I will help you find the bear.” The next morning came, I met up with Kris who had recruited two other friends, one from DEC carrying a shotgun, another with no weapon. Kris and I had our bows. We gathered at the location of the shot and decided that we would fan out and search in the direction of where the bear that had come at him ran. After a couple of hours of fruitless search, we returned to the original spot and searched in the direction that the bear went after being hit. We figured that maybe the last bear he saw was actually a second bear.

We crossed a broad wetland and I decided to follow up a steep gorge that I thought might be where a wounded bear would go. We all had walkie-talkies and were able to converse. My trek took me through rock ledge terrain with a few caves that might serve as a sepulcher for a dead bear. Checking them on my hands and knees with flashlight, I hoped each time that it was not a refuge for a wounded live bear. No such luck (or unluck). As I wandered out further, I came to a high spot where I could see out through a very large, open expanse of woods -- still no bear in sight. I called Kris letting him know that I was now going to return but take the high ridge line on the right so that I could check new terrain. They also had seen no sign of the bear.

As I reached the ridge top on my return, I spotted a bear just below me at about the distance of 20 yards lying amongst small white pine trees forming kind of a thicket with a nice bedding of pine needles, a comfortable retreat for a wounded bear. The large head was up and alert and occasionally down at rest. The bear was lying, what hunters call three quartering away. Each time the head came up, I surely was well within his peripheral vision. I balanced carefully and tried to remain stock still while I figured out what to do. Small branches covered the spot for a shot necessitating three small steps forward each taken when the head was down. Arriving at the perfect vantage point, I could no longer see the head to determine if he had spotted me. No matter, the moment of truth was now or never. Although experiencing a building nervousness, I was able to take a deep breath, draw my bow, steady the sight pin and release smoothly. The arrow flew true resulting in a perfect shot. A loud grunt and the bear crashed off. Slightly shaken, I called Kris and let him know I had gotten what had appeared to be a perfect quick kill arrow into his bear. He replied by correcting me that it was now “our” bear.

As I marked the spot, I continued to worked my way down with another arrow ready just in case, when I heard a death roar. I called again to Kris, “The bear is down and not very far. I’m going in that direction.” Again nervousness was ascending, I moved slowly with arrow knocked and ready. Not too far away, I saw a large black mound in the distance. Not sure it was him, I retrieved my binoculars and focused in. Bear, no movement, head down. I called Kris; “I see the bear and I believe it is dead."

"Where the heck are you?" he responded. “I don’t know but I’ll get back to you after I check the bear.” I cautiously approached the mount, arrow knocked, (not that it would have been any good had the bear charged). I knew deep down it was dead, but I still made that tentative touch of the eye, no blink. “OK. I got your bear, let’s see if you can find me,” I called on the walkie-talkie. We each made a number of sharp blasts on whistles which we carry, but could not hear each other. With a little direction on the walkie-talkies, we finally found each other and met up. We retraced my steps following my markings back to the bear and playing on my age, I announced, “I'll field dress it and you young guys can drag it out.”

When we examined the bear, we found no wound on the right side, the side Kris said he hit him. When rolled over, we found a fresh arrow wound on the left side high on the front leg. Now Kris was confused. Had he, in the excitement of stalking and getting a shot at his first bear, confused the position of the bear when he shot? As I worked on the field dressing, Kris removed the arrowhead from the shoulder. As it turned out, it was not the type that he used. So, a different bear, hit by a different archer, which meant the bear Kris hit was still out there. I reminded Kris that he had the responsibility to continue the search for the bear that he had hit. He assured me that his plan was to continue the next morning with his girlfriend, also an avid bow hunter.

I received a call from him the following evening. They had done a far ranging search which resulted in an interesting find. They first found the rear leg of a bear with only skin and bone remaining. Tracking further following remnants of black hair, they came upon a front leg also with all meat eaten leaving just skin and bone. This was the last of what they found. Were coyotes responsible? A logical first thought, but later, (as a result of some forensic work on the legs, scenario analysis and discussion by wildlife biologists at the DEC office), it was decided that Kris’s bear was taken by another bear. Only a very large bear would have the strength to remove the carcass in its entirety. Large male bears (boars) have been know to kill and eat their own progeny. Cannibalism is not uncommon in nature.

This story, revolting as it may be to some, is a real story about death, dying, prey, predation, opportunism, bad luck and good luck, and of course, hunting. Being able to participate in Nature is a gift that some of us take advantage of and leaves us humble and with a great respect for life as it is.

Jack McShane, Andes, NY

Foto Friday: 12/24/10

2010-12-24T06:47:00.002-05:00

I like to keep it simple -- that goes for "adorning" nature in holiday spirit. I walked out the front door this morning, to snap off the Catskills' early light edging out winter's darkness. As we pass the longest day of the year, take time to appreciate the 'light' shining in your life today, both inside and out.

As we journey to the upside of Summer, enjoy what the Catskills offer today, in the front yard, in your slippers. May the light of the holiday season carry you through to Spring's crocus ~ Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Watershed Wednesday 12/22/10: Diane Galusha (CWC) and Dr. Ken Jaffe (Green Grass Report)

2010-12-22T07:00:00.001-05:00

This week, two guests join us on Watershed Wednesday. Tune in at 1 p.m. and Diane Galusha, Communications Director at Catskill Watershed Corp., will share with you details about Round 14 of the CWC Educational Grant Program available now through February 1, 2011.

At 1:15 p.m., we continue the conversation with Dr. Ken Jaffe, one of the contributors to "Green Grass, Green Jobs," a special report compiled by Cornell University's Small Farms Program. The report addresses putting underutilized pasture back into production. New York State currently has over 3 million acres of land ready for agricultural use. Moving grass-based livestock to these meadows would ultimately put New Yorkers back to work, improve our local economy and fortify our regional food system.

Ask us a question, comment below, or post your thoughts on the Watershed Agricultural Council our FaceBook wall! You can now listen to the show live; simply select a "player" icon from the top right corner of Streammonster and you'll be connected.

Watershed Wednesday at 1 p.m. on WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM is brought to you by the Watershed Agricultural Council with funding from New York City Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Forest Service and U.S.D.A.

Foto Friday: Rubbing Elbows with USDA

2010-12-17T07:00:00.002-05:00

At the Young Farmers' Conference held at Stone Barns on December 2-3, WAC's Agricultural Program Coordinator Carrie Davis (left) met USDA Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan, the Number Two to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsak. Merrigan is a strong supporter of organic farming and has a progressive approach to securing our national food system and bolstering an aging farming population.
Pictured with Davis and Merrigan are (from left to right): Carrie Davis, Kathleen Merrrigan, New York State's USDA NRCS Public Affairs Specialist Ivy Allen, NRCS State Conservationist Astor Boozer and Joe Heller, USDA NRCS RCD Coordinator.

Heller and Davis serve together on the at Lower Hudson-Long Island Resource Conservation and Development Council which facilitates sustainable growth that is both environmentally sound and socially equitable through promotion of a partnership between rural and urban conservation initiatives for the Council Area. The LHLIRCD serves the five boroughs, and the counties of Dutchess, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, Ulster and Westchester. Davis represents the farming interests of Croton Watershed farmer-landowners and can be reached through the Watershed Agricultural Council's East of Hudson Program at (914) 962-6355.

Moldova & Dan Flaherty, Small Farms Coordinator: Watershed Wednesday 12/15/10

2010-12-15T07:00:00.002-05:00

Dan Flaherty, Small Farms Coordinator at the Watershed Agricultural Council, joins us this week at 1 p.m. on December 15th. Dan will explain how the Small Farms Program works and what watershed farmers gain from being program participants.

He'll also share with us how he's taken this knowledge overseas to Moldova just last month. Through the Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs, Dan worked one-on-one with a sheep farmer there, translator in tow. Dan observed the farm's practices and then made recommendations to improve the gentleman's farm set-up. Located in the former Soviet Republic, Moldova is snuggled between the Ukraine and Romania (click here for map).

Check out Dan's photos which he compiled for a presentation he gave yesterday at the Watershed Agricultural Council.

Ask us a question, comment below, or post your thoughts on the Watershed Agricultural Council our FaceBook wall! You can now listen to the show live; simply select a "player" icon from the top right corner of Streammonster and you'll be connected.

Watershed Wednesday at 1 p.m. on WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM is brought to you by the Watershed Agricultural Council with funding from New York City Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Forest Service and U.S.D.A.

This Week in the New York City Watershed: 12/13/10

2010-12-13T07:00:00.009-05:00

This week in the New York City Watershed:

Today, 12/13, 8:30 am to 4 pm: Conference & Dialogue on Water Resources & the Regional Economy, SUNY-New Paltz (The Watershed Agricultural Council is one of many event sponsors.)

12/19, 12 to 4 pm: Saugerties Farmers' Market Christmas Market, 207 Market Street, Saugerties

12/19 11 am to 4 pm: New Amsterdam Market Pure Catskills wool vendors, Peck Slip, New York City

12/22, 9 am to 2 pm: Cooperstown Farmers' Markets, 101 Main Street and Pioneer Alley, Cooperstown

Round 14 Educational Grants due 2/1/2011: Catskill Watershed Corp. (CWC) is accepting proposals for education projects and programs that help increase awareness of the human and natural history of the New York City Watershed West of the Hudson River, the importance of water quality, and the history and contemporary operation of the New York City Water
Supply System. This program, offered in partnership with the NYC Department of Environmental Protection, targets pre-K through 12th graders, and teachers from parts of Delaware, Greene, Schoharie, Sullivan and Ulster Counties or from in the five boroughs of New York City. Teachers from the same school are encouraged to work together and submit joint applications where feasible. Grant awards range from $750 to $10,000. For more information, call Diane Galusha at (845) 586-1600.

Foto Friday 12/10/10: Catskill Regional Dairy, Livestock, & Grazing Conference January 13, 2011

2010-12-10T06:28:00.010-05:00

Register now, through January 3rd , for the Catskill Regional Dairy, Livestock and Grazing Conference. Sponsored by the Watershed Agricultural Council and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County, the Catskill Regional Dairy, Livestock and Grazing Conference will be held on Thursday, January 13 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at SUNY-Delhi’s Sanford Hall. Choose from three educational tracks covering dairy, beef and grazing systems. Speakers include experts from Cornell University, NYS AG & markets, SUNY-Cobleskill, USDA NRCS, Chenango County SWCD, Watershed Agricultural Council and CCE of Delaware County. Cost is $25 and includes a local foods luncheon with guest speaker Jim Mullen, author of “It Takes Village Idiot.” For more information, call 607-865-6531; click here for a conference registration form.

A pre-conference forum about on-farm energy solutions stats at 10 a.m. At last year's conference, Paul Cerosaletti of CCE (at left) talks about the advantages of grass pellets as a source of alternative energy and heating.

Watershed Wednesday: Michael Kudish Natural History Preserve

2010-12-08T06:27:00.001-05:00

This week on Watershed Wednesday, my guests are Dr. Michael Kudish, founder of the Michael Kudish Natural History Preserve (MKNHP) and board members Erwin Karl and David Turan. Find out what the Catskills forest ecosystem has to offer, why land conservation is so important to its survival, and how the 100-acre Preserve hopes to achieve that by bringing people back into the woods and connecting with nature.

Ask us a question, comment below, or post your thoughts on the Watershed Agricultural Council our FaceBook wall! You can now listen to the show live at http://www.wioxradio.org/. Simply select a "player" icon and you'll be connected.

Watershed Wednesday at 1 p.m. on WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM is brought to you by the Watershed Agricultural Council with funding from New York City Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Forest Service and U.S.D.A.

Three Reports Point to New York City Watershed for Answers

2010-12-06T07:00:00.001-05:00

People in high policy places are finally connecting the dots between farming, food and environmental policies. They're realizing the interconnectedness of working landscapes and food, its trickle down affect on job creation (from field, through distribution, to manufacturing) and its ultimate affect on our local economy and State budget. There's no getting around our need to restart New York's agricultural engine; and that goes for forest products too (think maple syrup, ginseng, mushrooms and yes, grazing). New York ranks #2 in the nation for apples and cabbage; 3rd for corn silage, milk; 4th for sweet corn, and 6th in onions.. There's much room for improvement in meat, poultry, hay, and grain.

Several reports came out this week from policymakers looking to tout their take on what New York State, and the City, need to do regarding agriculture. If people want to eat, then the natural progression is to put them to work. Check out these reports:

Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo's "FarmNY: Growth Through Innovation"
City Councilwoman Christine Quinn "Food Works: A Vision to Improve NYC's Food System"
New York State Council on Food Policy "History, Vision and Actions: New York State Food Policy Recommendations"

The reports mention the mandatory role of upstate farms and communities and the value of the New York City watershed in this larger future picture. For a change, the State and City are looking upstream for farmers, residents and businesses to champion the cause of feeding our own regionally and jumpstarting a sagging State economy.

Are you up to the task? Share your ideas here on how farming and forestry can solve the regional and state problems with jobs, food security and environmental pollutions.

Foto Friday 12/3/10: Joel Salatin in Sullivan, Pure Catskills Members in Turin

2010-12-03T07:00:00.004-05:00

Pure Catskills helped sponsor the Delaware Highlands Conservancy workshop with featured speaker Joel Salatin, pictured center here with event organizers on November 6, 2010.

Also, Slow Food Upper Delaware River Valley organized a community event to celebrate the return of the Pure Catskills Terra Madre delegates. On November 21, the group shared their stories, photos and newly acquired insight with twenty people over a Sullivan County potluck...what better place to share the Slow Food experience than over fresh, local food! The Pure Catskills delegation -- selected for the third time by Slow Food International to attend the bi-annual meeting in Turin, Italy -- was sponsored by the Watershed Agricultural Council and and its Pure Catskills buy local campaign funded by the New York City Environmental Protection. The all-woman contingent (featured in this blogspot) was selected from recommendations from past Terra Madre attendees. These photos, provided by Apple Pond Farm's Sonja Hedlund, capture Slow Food delegates from Asia, Middle East and Africa, selling their wares outside workshops.

This last photo shows children learning about the concepts of "Slow Food"...the anti-thesis of "Fast Food."

Watershed Wednesday: Farm Chatter with Denise & Tom Warren, "The Other White Meat"

2010-12-01T07:00:00.006-05:00

Join me and co-host Denise Warren from Stone & Thistle Farm for Watershed Wednesday's Farm Chatter. The first Wednesday of each month, Denise and I talk about local food, clean eating, farming and what you can do to strengthen our local food system. This week's topic is "The Other Holiday White Meat" -- pork -- from piglet to platter. Weather pending, our special guest is Tom Warren who will walk us through the finer elements of raising pigs naturally. We'll also highlight Pure Catskills members selling meat and other local products in the New York City Watershed region. Support your local farmer this holiday season with gift baskets and not-so-common gift giving (half a side o'beef, please?) And no Farm Chatter is complete without one of Denise's special recipes; find the Minced Meat recipe on Denise's farm & Fable Musings blog.

And yes, I can contribute to the conversation about raising pigs; Neville, above, was a happy camper at our farm, and superb bacon specimen.

Ask us a question, comment below, or post your thoughts on our FaceBook wall for the Watershed Agricultural Council!

You can now listent to the show live at www.wioxradio.org. Simply select a "player" icon and you'll be connected. Watershed Wednesday at 1 p.m. on WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM is brought to you by the Watershed Agricultural Council with funding from New York City Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Forest Service and U.S.D.A.

Holiday Gift Ideas & Green Gift Monday: 11/29/10

2010-11-29T07:00:00.000-05:00

The big question this week is "Will Green Gift Monday Snare Cyber Monday Shoppers?" The Nature Conservancy is putting an environmental focus on the busiest online shopping day, TODAY. At the Watershed Agricultural Council, we partner with many Catskills Green organizations worthy of your support. Consider giving a gift membership or shopping locally at a holiday market this week:

Available online: Friends of Hilltop Hanover Farm membership or 2011 CSA share

Catskill Center membership

Farm Catskills membership

Protect farmland with a donation to the WAC Easement Stewardship Fund

American Farmland Trust Seasons Sweetings Organic Gift Box

For those of you who prefer to make a gift selection in person, here are this week's Holiday Markets featuring local Pure Catskills products:

12/1-3: Maple Shade Farm Holiday Wreath Making, 2066 County Highway 18, Delhi

12/4, 10 am to 1 pm: Harvest and Holiday Forest Farmers Market, Agroforestry Resource Center, 6055 Route 23, Acra

12/4-5, 11 am to 4 pm: Duke Pottery Handmade for the Holidays, 855 County Rd. 93, Roscoe

12/4-5, 11 am to 4 pm: Bethel Woods Center for the Arts and The Holiday Market at Bethel Woods, 2oo Hurd Road, Bethel

12/5, 10 am to 2 pm: Sullivan County Farmers' Market Association Callicoon Holiday Market
Delaware Youth Center, Callicoon

12/5, 11 am to 4 pm: New Amsterdam Market, Pure Catskills wood products vendors, Peck Slip, New York City

"Water: Adapting to the New Normal" by Sandra Postel

2010-11-26T07:00:00.001-05:00

The University of California Press recently released The Post Carbon Reader: Managing the 21st Century's Sustainability Crises. I took a read through "Water: Adapting to the New Normal" by Sandra Postel and was pleased to find the New York City Watershed ecoservices approach to watershed protection (page 7) and the USDA CRP (Conservation Reserve Program on page 12) mentioned as exemplary best management practices for water quality.

It may not seem like we're in a water crisis; in New York, we often have too much water rather than not enough. But globally, Postel makes the case that we're collectively overtapping our water sources, generating an insurmountable water debt by squandering this limited resource under an outdated mode of thinking.

According to Postel, "Of all the water we withdraw worldwide from rivers, lakes, and aquifers, 70 percent is used in agriculture, 20 percent in industries and 10 percent in cities and towns...The average U.S. resident uses, directly and indirectly, about 2,480 cubic meters* of water per year -- about 1,800 gallons per day--twice the global average..." At that rate, it's apparent that water -- connected to everything we do, eat, live and breath -- could one day become a priceless commodity. Or is it a basic human right?

Postel poses that the answer to global water scarcity is a bottom-up-meets-top-down approach. Individuals reduce their water footprint through conservation measures. Governments address pricing and policies that clearly establish and reflect the true value of water. Private sectors in agriculture, industry and manufacturing rethink water use in creating products for mass consumption.

At the Watershed Agricultural Council, we're working with farm and forest landowners to protect water quality through Payment for EcoServices models and programs in agriculture, forestry and conservation easements. We use tools like the USDA's CRP to incentivize landowners participation; the City of New York backs our efforts by funding those programs and best management practices. Together, we're doing our part to keep drinking water clean and safe, but we all need to step up our efforts to protect water quantity.

On page 13, Postel offers "Ideas to Transition to a More Secure Water Future" in order to adapt to the new normal. I encourage you to read the chapter, then calculate your water footprint and let me know how you fare. More importantly, what are you willing to do to make a difference? Share your ideas in the Comments Section below.

P.S. My water footprint? 2105! To reduce my water consumption, I'll commit to eating less meat, drinking coffee produced in water-rich regions, and turning the water off when I brush my teeth. How about you?

*One cubic meter of water is equivalent to 264 gallons.

P.P.S. I hope to have Sandra on a Watershed Wednesday radio show in 2011.

Watershed Wednesday 11/24/10: Lissa Harris, Watershed Post

2010-11-24T05:00:00.008-05:00

Lissa Harris, editor of the Watershed Post -- a daily blog covering news and commentary of the New York City watershed and Catskills region -- is our featured guest on Watershed Wednesday this week.
Born and raised in the Catskills, Lissa is back and based out of Andes. She'll tell us how she manages to cover so much ground in the five-county Catskill area with just herself and co-founder Julia Reischel. She'll share her top 10 story picks of 2010 and her approach to covering local news via social media blogging. And we'll compare notes with our top 10 list, and her coverage of more controversial topics like gas drilling, wood boilers, the Coalition of Watershed Towns and the DEP Land Acquisition Program.

Do you have a question for Lissa? Post it to the Watershed Agricultural Council FaceBook Page and we'll work it into the program.

Watershed Wednesday airs at 1 p.m. on November 24th to Community Radio WIOX 91.3FM in Roxbury. If you miss the show, look for the audio file posted to our website later in the month.

Turkey and the Art of Conversation

2010-11-23T06:36:00.002-05:00

On the Watershed Wednesday radio show earlier this month, Denise Warren of Stone & Thistle Farm quizzed me on basic turkey factoids. I went 3 for 10, which isn't too bad considering in the course of our conversation about raising pastured turkeys (and the benefits of eating fresh local poultry), these tidbits were a matter of conversation.

To avoid the inevitable awkwardness of the family dinner table, lob a couple of these multiple-choice facts across the table as you pass the mash potatoes. Has your family has lost the art of conservation? These questions may finally get the kids to break lose from "texting" and join in.

So, here's to open dialogue, comments that make you think, and food that makes you go ""Hmmmm"...or in the case of Denise's Pumpkin Walnut Butter, "Yummmm"! From all of us here at the Watershed Agricultural Council, Happy Thanksgiving!

TURKEY FACTS

When was the first thanksgiving celebration? 1492, 1567 1621 1772
Where was the first turkey domesticated? US, Mexico and Central America, Canada, Israel
What sound does a female turkey make? Gobble, cluck, peep or chirp
How many commercial breeds of turkeys are there in the US? 21, 2, 20, 7
Which US state is the largest produces of turkeys? Arkansas, Minnesota, Kansas or Ohio
A male turkey is called: a tom, a larry, a clark or a dick.
A female turkey is called: a chick, babe, hen or dandy
A baby turkey is called: a peeper, chick, pipsqueak or poult
A group of turkeys is called: a flock, herd, gaggle or dule
What is the name of the skin atop a turkey’s beak? Hood, dapper, snood or cap
What is the name of the skin that hangs from a turkeys neck? Wattle, snark, garble, swag
The average life span of a domesticated turkey (not killed at Thanksgiving) is: 10, 5, 3 or 2 years
Approximately what percentage of American homes eat turkey on Thanksgiving? 90%, 79% or 49%
What percentage of American homes eat turkey on Christmas? 35% 50% 67% 80%
How many feathers on average does a mature turkey have? 3,500, 5,000, 2,100 or 1,650
Which country consumes the most turkey per capita? United States, Israel, United Kingdom, Spain

DID YOU KNOW?

Turkeys can die easily of heart attacks. When the Air force was performing test runs and breaking the sound barrier, fields of turkeys dropped dead.
A wild turkey’s field vision is about 270 degrees so it seems they have eyes in the backs of their heads.
Before the 20th century, pork ribs were the most common food consumed at Thanksgiving because most pigs were harvested in November.
A spooked turkey can run up to 20 miles and hour. They can burst into flight approaching speeds of 50-55 miles per hour in a matter of seconds.
Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird – not the bald eagle.

ANSWERS:

1621
Mexico & Central America
cluck
2, (Broad breasted whites and broad breasted bronze)
Minnesota
a tom
a hen
a poult
a dule
snood
wattle
10 years
90%
50%
3,500 feathers
Israel

This Week in the New York City Watershed: 11/22/10

2010-11-22T13:16:00.009-05:00

The Thanksgiving holiday ushers forth the flurry of holiday shopping. While summer farmer market produce is not at a premium, you will find great gift ideas that support our local farm and fiber businesses at these local holiday markets featuring Pure Catskills' member products:

11/26-28, 11 am to 5 pm: Turquoise Barn & the Carriage House, 8052 County Route 18, Bloomville

11/27, 10 am to 2 pm: Pakatakan Farmers' Market Round Barn, Route 30, Halcottsville

11/27-28, 11 am to 4 pm: Duke Pottery Handmade for the Holidays, 855 County Rd. 93, Roscoe (photo above)

11/27-28, 10 am to 4 pm: Crafted, Historic Cottekill Reform Church, 167 Cottekill Rd, Cottekill, NY (between Rosendale and Stone Ridge)

The Pure Catskills blog lists holiday markets in the New York City Watershed region running through December 22.

On behalf of our staff and board of directors,

Happy Thanksgiving from the Watershed Agricultural Council

Foto Friday 11/19/10: Easement Stewardship Fund

2010-11-19T18:00:00.002-05:00

At the annual forestry dinner held on November 5th at SUNY-Delhi, Benefits & Data Processing Administrator Edna Boroden took home the coveted raffle prize...a Hsqvarna chainsaw donated by Dave Cammer and Tom Buel. The silent auction featured donations from area Catskills wood crafters including cutting boards from Stamford, NY-based Catskills Craftsman, 10 skeins of wool yarn from Snow Hill Farm, 100 square feet of curly maple tongue-groove from Cannonsville Lumber, and wood baskets by Dry Brook Customs. The event raised $5,195 towards the Council's Conservation Easement Stewardship Fund.

The Fund's current assets (roughly $600,000) will be transferred to a formal endowment fund vehicle this year. The endowment will oversee the easement property portfolio in the future, should the time arise. The Council estimates the need to set aside approximately $88,000 per easement property in the Stewardship Fund to effectively manage that holding in perpetuity. Fundraisers such as the Forestry Dinner Silent Auction provide a venue to supplement the Council's $15-million endowment goal.

Through the Easement Program, the Council holds 21,086 acres (closed and in contract) with 118 landowners, representing a total investment of approximately $21.4 million.

Watershed Wednesday 11/17/10: New York State Agricultural Society

2010-11-17T07:48:00.001-05:00

Today on Watershed Wednesday, my guests are Penny Heritage and Dave Tetor from the New York State Agricultural Society (NYSAS). Formed in 1832, NYSAS is one of the state's oldest agricultural advocates. The organization works to improve New York agriculture through education, leadership development and recognition programs. Along with acknowledging centennial farms, those who excel in on-farm safety, ag business of the year and excellence in journalism, the Society remains a steadfast voice for New York State farmers, researchers and educators.

On January 6th, the Society holds its 179th annual meeting and agricultural forum, "Eat Local/Feed the World-Food Production for the Future." The Watershed Agricultural Council is a business member and supporter of the annual event.

Have questions for Penny and Dave? Post your comments and questions below of visit the Watershed Agricultural Council's Facebook Page.

This Week in the New York City Watershed 11/15/10

2010-11-15T07:00:00.012-05:00

Today (11/15/10) is the deadline for the Watershed Agricultural Council's Biomass Pre-feasibility Study Grant. Regional businesses, municipalities, non-profits and other institutions looking for heat alternatives for buildings in the 6,000 to 25,000 square-foot range should submit the two-page application. Target facilities include maintenance garages, warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and offices within the following watershed counties: Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Putnam, Schoharie, Sullivan, Ulster, or Westchester. Grant applications should be submitted by 5 p.m. today at the Watershed Agricultural Council Main Office, 33195 State Highway 10, Walton. Fax is (607) 865-4932. For more information, contact Josh VanBrakle, Wood Products Marketing & Utilization Specialist, at (60) 865-77790, ext. 112.

Call today (11/15/10) for the two-day stream-based seminar, "Catskill Environmental Monitoring & Research Conference" on Wednesday & Thursday, November 17 & 18: Slated for Belleayre Mountain Ski Center, Highmount, the NYC DEP, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County, NYS DEC, USGS, Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies and the Catskill Institute for the Environment are hosting an informal research forum. Josh VanBrakle, Wood Products Marketing & Utilization Specialist will be speaking on Wednesday at 9 a.m. on Best "Management Practice Implementation on Family Forests in the NYC Watershed." Discover the current research efforts focused on the Catskills as it relates to:

climate change,
biodiversity,
forest health,
water quality and streams,
monitoring and research gaps,
discussion and collaborative efforts that address present and future environmental issues within the Catskills region.

The forum is intended mainly for regional researchers and resource managers, but the public is invited to attend. Cost is $15 for single day or $25 for both days (to help cover cost of lunch and breaks). Questions? Call/email Colleen Griffith at (845) 688-3047.

Friday, November 19-21: East of Hudson Program forester Brendan Murphy will be tabling at the Conference on the Environment, Thayer Hotel, West Point. The Council is sponsoring the event hosted by NYS Association of Environmental Management Councils, NYS Association of Conservation Commissions, and Hudson Hills and Highlands Environmental Leaders Learning Alliance (ELLA). This year’s theme is “Regional Approaches to Conservation” in New York. Cost varies, depending on how many days you attend, meals, and lodging. For more information, call Lisa Fine at (914) 243-9761.

Sunday, November 21: Farm to Market Manager Challey Comer and several Pure Catskills members will be selling Catskills fiber products at the outdoor New Amsterdam Market at 100 Peck Slip and Fulton Street Fish Market from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wool blankets, sheepskin throws and hand-knitted shawls are among the many holiday gift ideas ready to go. When you buy from a local farmer, you're helping support our regional economy in the process.

For more upcoming events, visit our website.

Foto Friday: The Habitat Enhancer

2010-11-12T07:30:00.003-05:00

At the annual Watershed Forestry Program dinner and silent auction, Andes resident Jack McShane (center) accepted the Karl Connell Award from the Watershed Agricultural Council. Tom Pavlesich, the Council’s Forestry Program Manager (at left) and Craig Cashman, the Council’s Executive Director (right), presented McShane with a plaque at the November 5th event held at SUNY-Delhi. “This award is in honor of Karl Connell, a Catskill Mountain leader in conservation who helped mediate the citizen interests upstream with the New York City interests to protect its water supply,” noted Cashman. “The Karl Connell Award recognizes individuals for their wisdom, guidance, and leadership in promoting forest stewardship and protecting water quality. Jack calls himself a ‘habitat enhancer’, and as the seventh Award recipient, we recognize his contribution as a true friend of the Catskills forests.”

Watershed Wednesday 11/10/10: Farming Energy Ginny Scheer, Manhattan Country School

2010-11-10T07:32:00.002-05:00

This week on Watershed Wednesday on WIOX, Ginny Scheer, Farm Director of the Manhattan Country School, joins me at 1 p.m. to talk sustainability: energy, food, natural resources and our future generations.

As one of the Watershed Agricultural Council's Agricultural Program participants, the Manhattan Country School is an area forerunner in energy sustainability, long-term stewardship of the land and its natural resources. For over 40 years, the School has been connecting City students with sustainability through its curriculum at the Country (Roxbury to be exact). Along with tending to a vegetable garden, beef cattle and a flock of sheep, the school raises two milk cows making them New York State's smallest licenced raw milk facility. We'll also discuss how the farm has worked with the Council's Agricultural Program to protect water quality in the New York City watershed.

Check out this YouTube video of the Manhattan Country School's ribbon-cutting ceremony in September 2009.

I'm curious...How are you improving your energy efficiency here in the New York City Watershed region? What measures are you taking to become more sustainable? Post your comments and questions to the Watershed Agricultural Council's Facebook Page.

New Report Spotlights Potential of NY Grasslands

2010-11-08T07:12:00.005-05:00

According to Violet Stone of Cornell's Small Farm Program, the Cornell Small Farms Work Team on Grasslands Utilization has finally released “Green Grass, Green Jobs: Increasing Livestock Production on Underutilized Grasslands in NYS”. Two years in the making, the report is a statewide study by a team of extension educators, farmers, agency staff, and faculty; the report focuses on recommended actions in research, education, extension, and policy to realize the potential of our grasslands as a farming resource that will spur rural economic development, grow the regional food supply, and enhance environmental outcomes for all citizens of NYS.

Over 3 million acres of NYS grasslands are currently fallow or under-utilized, grasslands that could easily be transitioned into agricultural production. This transition presents an opportunity for the State and New York farmers. Encouraging economic development on these lands:

Lead to job creation,
Enhance regional and local food security, and
Contribute to sustainable agriculture enterprises.

Several barriers exist to the increase utilization of grasslands for livestock production. Farmers’ limited access to these under-utilized grasslands and capital to develop agricultural enterprises top the list. The report addresses

Why increased livestock utilization of NY’s grasslands makes sense;
Livestock production and marketing opportunities;
Barriers to increased livestock utilization of NYS grasslands; and
Recommendations and inventory of grasslands management resources of NYS landowners & farmers.

As we turn back to agriculture as our regional economic driver, you can't help but notice the abundance of grasslands within the New York City watershed. Putting farmland back into productive use is a simple solution to many of New York State's issues including the budget deficit, lackluster job creation and a safe, local food supply. Not only does pasture-based livestock put grassland back to work, maintaining open space and land provide the natural filter for clean drinking water.

“Green Grass, Green Jobs: Increasing Livestock Production on Underutilized Grasslands in NYS” is available free, as a download from the Cornell Small Farms website at www.smallfarms.cornell.edu. Free hard copies are also available and may be requested by contacting Violet Stone at (607) 255-9227 or vws7@cornell.edu. The Work team was coordinated and report overseen by Dan Welch of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County. Pure Catskills member Ken Jaffe of Slope Farms in Meredith was Work Team contributor.

Foto Friday: Planting Trees in Westchester County

2010-11-05T09:00:00.000-04:00

Last week, behind the barns and greenhouses at Hilltop Hanover Farm in Yorktown Heights, volunteers planted a riparian buffer -- a treeline aimed at defending a streambank from erosion and drinking water from stormwater run-off and pollution. The project was a collaboration between the Watershed Agricultural Council, Hilltop Hanover Farm, and Trees for Tribs, a natural-vegetation-planting initiative of the NYS DEC Hudson River Estuary Program.

According to Lucille Munz, farm director at Hilltop Hanover Farm & Environmental Center, the project furthers the earth-friendly work conducted at the Westchester County facility. "We're engaging in practices that will enhance this County property, benefit the community and continue supporting our ecosystem long-term," noted Munz. "Planting trees is quite an undertaking, but in the long run, it will pay off by providing shade, improving water conditions, and establishing a safe, wildlife habitat that all add up to a healthy streamside environment."

WAC Forester Brendan Murphy noted that many studies support trees and forests as the best land use for water quality. "This single effort will make an impact on our drinking water supply. While the Croton Watershed supplies between 10% and 30% of New York City's demand for clean water, it's still a critical asset to maintain. With our plantings today, we're pro-actively addressing environmental concerns on behalf of future generations. Trees do the job best, of filtering water naturally while reducing sedimentation from erosion and water pollution from stormwater run-off."

The riparian site, adjacent to a crop field, is now part of Hilltop Hanover's outdoor educational classroom, providing landowners and workshop attendees with a practical, hands-on example of how land improvements, like basic tree plantings, can improve property values, decrease flood potential and enhance wildlife populations.
Landowners in the Croton Watershed with questions about riparian buffers and forest management plans should contact Brendan Murphy, WAC's East of Hudson Program Forester.

Have you planted a riparian buffer on your land in the Croton or Catskill/Delaware Watershed? Share your photos or story with us in the Comments Section below.

Forest Landowners' Workshop in Croton Watershed 11/12/10

2010-11-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

On November 12th, the Watershed Agricultural Council is hosting a forestry workshop, The Future of Your Woods and Wildlife: A Workshop for Landowners in the Eastern Hudson Highlands, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Clearpool Education Center, Carmel. Sponsored by Clearpool, the Watershed Agricultural Council, Cornell Cooperative Extension's Biodiversity Program Work Team and Hudson River Estuary Program, the workshop is open to regional woodland landowners and costs $15 per person. Educational materials, morning refreshments and lunch are included.

Workshop topics include:

why the future of your forest depends on regeneration and what you can do about it;
surprising ways deer affect the forest and other wildlife;
invasive plants and insects that may affect your woodlands now and in the future;
a woods walk;
how woods support the ecosystem health of the Hudson Highlands.

For more information,

call Brendan Murphy, East of Hudson Program Forester, at (914) 962-6355,
register online or
contact Kristi Sullivan at Cornell's Department of Natural Resources with your questions.

Watershed Wednesday 11/3/10: Talking Turkey with Denise Warren, Stone & Thistle Farm

2010-11-03T07:33:00.007-04:00

Pure Catskills member Denise Warren from Stone & Thistle Farm and I are making it a regular thing...starting today on WIOX. After all, we are two birds of a feather.

Denise will join me the first Wednesday of each month to talk about local food, clean eating, farming and what you can do to strengthen our local food system.

And we ain't just Talking Turkey either. Although this week we are...talking turkey, that is...from egg to plate. My new co-host knows a thing or two about turkeys: how to raise'em, how to cook'em, what to serve with'em, and all the local products you can incorporate into your Thanksgiving Day recipes. She's a fabulous cook.

And me, well, I really just know how to eat'em.

Join us for Watershed Wednesday at 1 p.m. on WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM. Ask us a question by commenting below or by listing your question on our FaceBook wall for the Watershed Agricultural Council! Just look for the two turkeys...

P.S. Find the recipes for Pumpkin Stuffing, Pumpkin Walnut Butter and Sausage Stuffing with Fennel and Roasted Squash on Farm & Fable Musings blog. We'll talk about those and more through the hour.

This Week in the New York City Watershed: 11/1/10

2010-11-01T07:00:00.003-04:00

DUE TODAY Monday, November 1st:
Biomass Feasibility Grant
Watershed Bus Tour Grant

For watershed foresters and loggers, Trained Logger Certification - Adult First Aid and CPR will be offered on Friday, November 5th at the Agroforestry Resource Center, 6055 Route 23, Acra, NY. Cost is $25. To register, contact CCE-Greene County at (518) 622-9820.

You may have time to register for "You Are What You Eat" with Joel Salatin from Polyface Farm (VA) fame (but it's close to sold out). He'll be talking about farmers, consumers and the in-betweeners at the CVI Building in Liberty on Saturday, November 6th, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cost is $25 includes a luscious, local-foods lunch. Sponsored by Pure Catskills, Delaware Highlands Conservancy and others, this is a must-not-miss event.

Foto Friday: Horses on the Hill

2010-10-29T07:00:00.004-04:00

The morning mist off Mother's Nature's back reminded me of the steamy spiral above the go-go cup of espresso I'd left at home. Had I turned around to fetch it, I would have missed this sunrise wonder on my way to work.

Coming down County Route 14, I groggily admired the hillside; Mother Nature, the incredible workhorse she is, was subtly plowing her way through the creation of yet another beautiful day in the Catskills.

Mother Nature, that tireless mare, what a work...what...horse? Is there a horse on that hill? No, that'd be too freaky a coincidence. No, wait, (eyes focus) there's two horses. No, THREE HORSES! Mother Nature had manifested before my very eyes. In real time. And I wasn't over-caffeinated!

So I stopped.

And took this picture.

As I drive through the hustle-bustle of daily life, I have to take time to take in the surrounding beauty of the New York City watershed: the farms, landscapes, wildlife, streams. To actively appreciate Mother Nature, to recognize and be in the moment of something so fleeting...what a wake-up call that morning. I will probably never see that farm, those horses and that hill in the same way again. The old adage applies, "Stop and smell the coffee."

Or in this case, stop and photograph the horses.

EXTENDED Watershed Wednesday: 10/27/10 Common Ground, Assemblyman Cliff Crouch

2010-10-27T10:40:00.011-04:00

Watershed Wednesday will air from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. today, a two-hour special featuring

Jessica Olenych, coordinator for Common Ground Educational Consulting, will talk about watershed education and a grant funding available for watershed bus tours to the New York City Watershed;
New York State Assemblymember Cliff Crouch, who represents the 107th District and sits on the Agricultural Committee, will talk about agriculture and forestry topics; and,
New York State Senate candidate Dave Sager for the 42nd District (STILL TENTATIVE as of 11 a.m.).

If you have questions for me, Jessica or your candidates for public office, post them to our Watershed Agricultural Council FaceBook Page!

This Week in the New York City Watershed 10/25/10

2010-10-25T08:44:00.000-04:00

I could have done without last week's mid-October reminder that winter is on it's way. A dusting of snow smattered most ridge tops (including mine) which prompted me to take a moment...to put away summer porch furniture, take a deep, crisp Fall breath and mentally prepare for six months of firewood.

The season change impacts few activities in the watershed. If anything, the weather steels us against hunkering down as you will find more reasons to leave your house than to snuggle by the fire throughout the winter.

Take, for example, the "Made Here: Local Producer Meet n' Greet" scheduled for Wednesday, October 27. Presented by Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce at CCE-Sullivan offices in Liberty, the evening event (7-8:30p) brings together all who "farm it, stock it, serve it or want to do so in the future." Kings in the Kitchen will demonstrate live a deliciously easy recipe made up of a choice of locally raised ingredients. EnviroEnergy will speak about hay pelletizing an alternative to transform fallow land into sustainable pellets for fuel. For more info, call the Chamber at (845) 791-4200.

The two-part workshop "Managing for Success" is a "must do" on Thursday, October 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for anyone who's thought about starting or improving a farm business. Sponsored by the Watershed Agricultural Council and hosted by CCE-DC in Hamden, the course is designed to help farmers determine priorities, understand decision-making mechanics, and plan for the future.

For loggers and foresters, Game of Logging: Level 1 comes to Middleburg on Friday, October 29. This all-day workshop focuses on chainsaw safety and open-faced felling techniques. To register, contact CCE Greene County (518) 622-9820.

And if you're looking for a weekend thing, try the 14th Annual Fall Quilting Weekend at Frost Valley YMCA in Denning. Like I said, you can always find something to do in the watershed region, even if it's simply sit still!

And as an update, the Council's Biomass Feasibility Grant deadline has been extended to November 15th. Here is an interview I did with Josh VanBrakle, Wood Products Utilization and Marketing Specialist at the Watershed Agricultural Council. He shares details about the biomass grant and how you can obtain an application. See you in the watershed!

Foto Friday: Hidden Roots of the Local Food Movement

2010-10-22T07:00:00.002-04:00

I found this interesting slideshow from Yes! magazine that I thought you'd enjoy. "Hidden Roots of the Local Food Movement" documents World War II posters that promote victory gardens, backyard gardens and agricultural sustainability. While we might manage to survive through a harvest season with just backyard vegetables, it's the meat and eggs from neighboring farms that would turn a bleak potato-driven winter into one of sumptuous variety.

The New York City Watershed doubles as the City's Foodshed, with the potential to deliver a viable local food system for residents and neighboring communities, both upstream and down. This quick look back at what we can do individually (vs. what we can do together) proves our food future is best managed collaboratively.

Can you survive a winter on what you grow? Let me know in the comment section below. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License and can be found at the Yes! Magazine website.

Roots of the Local Food Movement Photo essay: The locavore movement may seem like a fad to some, but these wartime posters show that equating local food and security has deep roots in U.S. history. posted Sep 15, 2010

"A Victory Garden is like a share in an airplane factory. It helps win the war and pays dividends too." – Claude R. Wickard, Secretary of Agriculture

The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that 20 million Americans rose to the call for patriotism and planted a victory garden during World War II.

Canning, home gardening, and vegetarianism have once again become political actions. Just as Eleanor Roosevelt encouraged victory gardens by planting one at the White House, the Obamas have helped to restart the home gardening trend by planting the first White House vegetable garden since the Roosevelts'.

Of course, the locavore movement emphasizes local food security for different reasons than wartime propaganda campaigns did: a changing climate, an end to cheap oil, and a difficult economy, rather than the need to feed and maintain armies.

Still, the parallels are striking: Americans are eating locally not just to develop the resiliency and self-sufficiency of their communities, but to do their part in a larger struggle—this time, the global climate crisis.

To view the photo essay, click here.

http://www.yesmagazine.org/planet/hidden-roots-of-the-local-food-movement

Poster images courtesy of the Collection of National Agricultural Library and an exhibit created by Cory Bernat and Good-Potato.com. Visit the website for more information. Interested?
Pioneers of the New Normal
My 10-Mile Diet in a Global Food System
8 Ways to Join the Local Food Movement
YES! Magazine encourages you to make free use of this article by taking these easy steps.
@media print @media screen (2010, September 10). Roots of the Local Food Movement. Retrieved October 18, 2010, from YES! Magazine Web site: http://www.yesmagazine.org/planet/roots-of-the-local-food-movement-1.

Watershed Wednesday 10/20/10

2010-10-20T07:00:00.009-04:00

This week, I'm moderating a speaker's panel on public/private partnerships at Local Government Day in Hunter. Featured presenters include:

Kelly Coughlin, Rosehaven Inn, Hunter: she and her husband, Sean Byrne have been renovating distressed properties over the last 27 years, including two Bed & Breakfast Inns: the Fairlawn Inn (Hunter), Rosehaven (Haines Falls) and Curran's Restaurant & Suites (Tannersville).
Bill Eklund, Eklund Farms, Stamford: a 4th-generation dairyman, Eklund has expanded his agricultural enterprise to include an organic dairy farm, a machinery-truck parts
business, a gravel-topsoil mine, and a mobile meat-processing operation.
Cheryl Lins, Delaware Phoenix Distillery, Walton: In 2009 out of a passion for this distinct spirit, Lins navigated the maze of bureaucracy surrounding alcohol production.

As for the Watershed Wednesday radio show, Albert Tedesca will stand in for me with classical music at 1 p.m. on WIOX 91.3FM. Here's a quick look at the guests I have lined up in the coming weeks:
10/27: Jessica Olenych, Common Ground, Arkville
11/3: Denise Warren, Stone & Thistle Farm, East Meredith
11/10: Ginny Scheer, Executive Director of the Manhattan Country School.

If you have a question for one of my guests, or an idea or topic for a future show, email your suggestion to taracollins@nycwatershed.org and put "H2O Radio Show"in the subject line. Be sure to include your phone number; who knows, you could be a call-in guest on Watershed Wednesday on WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM.

Pure Catskills Educational Scholarship Grants Due Tomorrow 10/20/10

2010-10-19T07:00:00.000-04:00

If you're a Pure Catskills member, and you love to learn new things, let the Watershed Agricultural Council help you take the next learning step. Pure Catskills members can apply for a scholarship (up to $350) to use towards educational training or experiences that support the development of your farm and food business. Eligible educational events will:

include workshops, conferences or field days,
have an associated cost of $100 or more.

Examples of past scholarship awards include:

a training to obtain a New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets 20C license for the production of a value-added product in a certified or commercial kitchen,

visiting a farm outside of the region to attend a workshop on an innovative grazing system to improve the quality of your grass-fed meat.

traveling to a national conference on food systems development to learn about improving local food connections with institutional buyers such as schools and hospitals.

Each applicant must provide specific details related to the educational opportunity and the product or production method to be developed as a result of the awarded funding. A total of $3,250 in funding is available. Scholarship funding will be provided on a competitive basis. Funding must be used within one year of award. Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to obtain application materials by visiting the Scholarships and Grants section of http://www.purecatskills.com/.

Applications must be POSTMARKED October 20, 2010. No hand-deliveries, faxes or emails. Scholarships will be awarded November 10.

This Week in the New York City Watershed 10/18/10

2010-10-18T12:30:00.001-04:00

A couple quick items and then this week's calendar:

1) If you aren't receiving our monthly WAC eNews, you can access the electronic version here and sign up through the subscription link at the bottom.

2) Take a look at our recent WAC print newsletter, where we featured international watershed tours, community gardens and DEP land access. At right, Melissa Pauls explains to a visiting group from Cambodia-Laos the relationship between WAC and the Frost Valley Model Forest.)

3) We want to officially invite you to "follow" our two blogs, You & Your Watershed and Pure Catskills (the recent post at features a visit to Heather Ridge Farm). Both social networking sites help us keep you informed, in real time, about what's going on in the watershed, at the Council, and with local food.

4) As Harvest Season winds down, so do the outdoor weekend events promoting our local bounty. With the first hard frost under our belts, we hope to see you out and about while the weather's still crisp:

Wednesday, October 20: Local Government Day, Hunter; Farm Renewable Energy Field Day, Schoharie; Woodstock Farm Festival; Deadline for Pure Catskills Educational Scholarship

Thursday, October 21: Business Planning Workshop for Loggers, Acra

Friday, October 22: Business Planning Workshop for Loggers, Delhi; Farmers' Markets in Liberty, Hobart

Saturday, October 23: Jack-o-Lantern Jamboree at Maple Shade Farm, Delhi; Confined Space Hazard Awareness Training for Farmers & EMS Personnel, Walton; Farmers' Markets in Kingston, Saugerties & Oneonta; Goat cheese taste testing at Sherman Hill Farmstead, Franklin; Pumpkin Day at Hilltop Hanover Farm, Yorktown Heights

Sunday, October 24: Farmers' Markets in Rosendale & Callicoon; Weed Walk, Backyard Beekeeping workshop & U-Pick at Hilltop Hanover Farm, Yorktown Heights

For more ideas on what to do in the New York City watershed, check out the Pure Catskills webcalendar, the Watershed Agricultural Council's event page, County Chambers of Commerce or Tourism websites (Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Putnam, Schoharie, Sullivan, Ulster, Westchester) or the town of your choice (such as the Schoharie Valley). See you in the Watershed!