L.E.A.F. Workshops - Final Week

JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK (February 14, 2017) -- Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County’s Agriculture Program will offer 4 workshops next week as part of their 2016-2017 L.E.A.F. (Learn. Empower. Achieve. Farm.) Workshop Series at the Frank Bratt Ag Center. “Resources and Access to Capital for Beginning Farmers” will be held on Tuesday, February 21st from 6pm to 8pm. On Thursday, February 23rd from 6pm to 8pm, a workshop on “Small Scale Hops Production” will be presented. Then, on Saturday, February 25th from 10am – 12pm, a workshop entitled “Running a Successful CSA” will be held. Then, wrapping up the series, on Tuesday, February 28th from 6pm to 8pm, a workshop on “Raising Poultry for Egg Production” will be held.

On Tuesday, February 21st from 6pm to 8pm a workshop entitled “Resource and Access to Capital for Beginning Farmers” will be held. Finding funding for your farm business can often times be the most difficult task for starting a farm business. Join Amanda Ritchey, Farm Loan Manager with the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), and USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) staff to learn more about the various resources available through USDA and their associated federal agencies including FSA, Rural Development, and NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service). Learn about low-cost loans, insurance programs, disaster payments, and more!

“Small Scale Hops Production” will be the workshop focus on Thursday, February 23rd from 6pm to 8pm. This workshop will provide an overview of hops production from site selection, choosing varieties, plant nutrition, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies for hops, to harvesting, processing and marketing. Participants will hear not only how things should be done but also some real life experiences of how to determine if you actually need to add a task to the chore list (as well as what happens if you should and you don’t). The workshop is designed to be an informal look at getting into growing hops with a combination of lecture, discussion and Q&A. The instructor will be Tim Weigle, Senior Extension Associate with the NYS IPM Program who has been growing hops for 6 years at the Cornell Lake Erie Research and Extension Laboratory in Portland, NY.

An encore presentation of “Running a Successful CSA” will be held on Saturday, February 25th from 10am to 12pm. CSA's, or Community Supported Agriculture, are a unique way to connect consumers to farmers. Learn about starting, organizing, managing, and marketing a CSA as well as deciding what type of a CSA will work best for your farm business. Adrienne Ploss, owner of Hickory Hurst farm, a fourth-generation family farm that produces USDA Certified organic cut flowers, herbs, and produce, will be this workshop’s instructor and will incorporate her own experiences with running her farm’s CSA. She has more than 25 years of experience as a horticulturist, as well as a Master’s Degree from Purdue University and a Bachelor’s Degree from Cornell University.

Finally, an encore presentation of “Raising Poultry for Egg Production” will be held on Tuesday, February 28th from 6pm to 8pm. Backyard Chickens are a popular way to get started with homesteading and farming! In this workshop participants will have the opportunity to learn about raising egg-layers from baby chick to productive adult including information on housing and supplies, nutrition, breed selection, chick care, pest control, and marketing. There will also be a discussion on regulations and labelling requirements for sales of farm-fresh eggs. The instructor will be Katelyn Walley-Stoll, Farm Business Management Educator and “Chicken Lady” with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County, who has had many years of experience raising poultry for egg production.

The L.E.A.F. Workshop Series is open to the general public, including homesteaders, beginning farmers, established farmers looking to diversify and grow, agriculture enthusiasts, and everyone in between! The 2016-2017 Workshop Series features 23 workshops to be held in October and November of 2016 and February of 2017. This season’s L.E.A.F. Program is made possible through the generous support of the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation.

Each workshop will be 2 hours long and led by an experienced instructor. The cost to attend is only $5/family/workshop and light refreshments will be offered. The L.E.A.F. workshops are designed to be interactive, so participants are encouraged to bring their questions and ideas to this collaborative environment! All of the workshops will be held at the Frank W. Bratt Agricultural Center located at 3542 Turner Road in Jamestown, NY.

Pre-registration is required prior to the workshop to allow for adequate time to prepare printed resources and materials. Interested participants can register online by visiting www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua/leaf1617, by emailing kaw249@cornell.edu, or by calling 716-664-9502.

The L.E.A.F. Program is one of many programs offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County (CCE-Chautauqua) in line with the County’s 20/20 Comprehensive Plan. CCE-Chautauqua is a community based educational organization, affiliated with Cornell University, Chautauqua County Government, the NYS SUNY system, and the federal government through the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For more information, call 716-664-9502 or visit our website at www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua. Cornell University Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.

Last updated February 14, 2017