LEAF Workshops Focus on Homesteading

JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK (January 4, 2019) -- Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County’s Agriculture Program is excited to announce the next three workshops in its very popular LEAF (Learn. Empower. Achieve. Farm.) Educational programming. On Saturday, January 12th, from 1pm to 3pm, we will be offering “Yummy Yeast Breads”. “Sourdough and Salt Rising Breads” will be covered on Saturday, January 26th from 1pm to 3pm and “Old Fashioned Soap Making” on Saturday, February 9th from 1pm to 3pm. All workshops will be held at the Frank Bratt Agricultural Center in Jamestown, 3542 Turner Road. To register, contact Katelyn Walley-Stoll at 716-664-9502 ext. 202, kaw249@cornell.edu, or visit www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua/leaf2019.

On Saturday, January 12th, 2019 from 1pm to 3pm, “Yummy Yeast Breads” will be offered for $15/person. Designed for those that love the taste of homemade bread, learn how easy it is to make various types of basic breads. Participants will learn basic breadmaking techniques by making a batch of English Muffin Bread. Also, they will receive recipes and instructions for making other types of yeast breads. Information will also be given on rules and regulations for selling baked goods at farmers' markets. Everyone will go home with a loaf of fresh, warm bread (a portion of the $15 registration fee covers the cost of these materials).

“Sourdough and Salt Rising Breads” will be covered on Saturday, January 26th, 2019 from 1pm to 3pm for $15/person. Following up from the Yummy Yeast Breads Workshop, our instructor will lead a session on some of the more advanced breads, including Sourdough and Salt Rising. Participants will learn more about breadmaking techniques and will receive recipes and instructions, along with opportunities for hands-on demonstrations and tastings. Information will also be given on rules and regulations for selling baked goods at farmers' markets.

Then, on Saturday, February 9th, 2019 from 1pm to 3pm, “Old Fashioned Soap Making” will be offered for $15/person. Do you have used cooking oil or extra lard from butchering a hog and don't know what to do with it? Learn how to make homemade soap using lye and animal and/or vegetable fats. Participants will learn the history and science behind soap making, equipment and supplies needed, and how various fats and oils affect the finished product. Everyone will participate in making a batch of soap and will get to take home a bar of homemade soap (a portion of the $15 registration fee covers the cost of these materials).

The instructor for these workshops will be Linda Dewey, a 5th generation farmer and owner/operator of Silver Falls Farm, Perrysburg, NY, which has been continuously owned and operated by the Dewey family since 1817, who has had many years of experience carrying on the family soap making tradition.

Light refreshments will be offered. The LEAF workshops are designed to be interactive, so participants are encouraged to bring their questions and ideas to this collaborative environment! This workshop will be held at the Frank W. Bratt Agricultural Center located at 3542 Turner Road in Jamestown, NY.

Pre-registration is requested 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/leaf2019, by emailing kaw249@cornell.edu, or by calling 716-664-9502 ext. 202.

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 January 4, 2019