L.E.A.F. Workshops to Cover Raising Beef Cattle & Home Composting

CCE-Chautauqua Announces Upcoming L.E.A.F. (Learn. Empower. Achieve. Farm.) Workshops

-by Katelyn Walley-Stoll, Farm Business Management Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County

JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK (October 26th, 2016) -- Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County’s Agriculture Program will offer 2 workshops next week as part of their 2016-2017 L.E.A.F. (Learn. Empower. Achieve. Farm.) Workshop Series. On Tuesday, November 1st from 6pm to 8pm at the Frank Bratt Agricultural Center there will be a workshop entitled “Backyard Beef”. Then, on Saturday, November 5th, there will be a workshop on “Small Scale Composting Methods for the Home” from 10am – 12pm, also at the Ag center.

The “Backyard Beef” workshop to be held Tuesday, November 1st from 6pm to 8pm will be led by two Chautauqua County Beef Producers, Ted Card and Dave Schauman, who have years of experience raising high quality beef cattle. The instructors will cover the basics of small scale beef production including animal sourcing and selection, health and nutrition, housing and fencing, and marketing. This workshop is designed for beginners interested in raising a few head of cattle for both home consumption and sale - Bring your questions as this will be a very interactive workshop.

A workshop entitled “Small Scale Composting Methods for the Home” will be held Saturday, November 5th from 10am – 12pm. This workshop will provide an introductory overview of small-scale composting and composting methods that encourage home and garden waste-stream management and soil enrichment. A variety of simple to complex composting methods and goals will be discussed. Steve Rees, CCE-Chautauqua County Master Gardener Volunteer, will be leading this workshop. He is a retired Professor of Theatrical Production having taught 28 years at SUNY Fredonia. He is particularly interested in shrubs, compost and supporting his wife's avid perennial flower cultivation.

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 will feature 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 October 26, 2016