L.E.A.F. Workshops Are Back and In Full Swing

JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK (March 31, 2023) -- Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County’s Agriculture Program will offer 4 workshops over the next two weeks as part of their 2023 Spring L.E.A.F. (Learn. Empower. Achieve. Farm.) Workshop Series. 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 2023 Spring LEAF series is providing 22 workshops to be held in March, April, and May.

“Business Planning for Beginning Farmers” will be the topic on Monday April 10th, to be held from 6:00-8:00pm at the JCC (Jamestown Campus) Carnahan Center, Room 123. Business plans for farms are often viewed as yet another chore to do, and usually result in dusty binders taking up space on the office shelf. This discussion-based workshop will walk you through the mental exercise of planning your future agricultural adventures. Participants will leave with a better understanding of the use of a business plan, the essential components, and a “to-do” list of things to think about to inform future planning efforts. Additional opportunities for one-on-one follow up will also be offered. FSA Borrower credits may be made available for your attendance. This workshop will be taught by Katelyn Walley-Stoll, Team Leader and Farm Business Management Specialist from the Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops Program with Cornell Cooperative Extension. She is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in Animal Science and Ag Business Management and owns and operates a diversified livestock farm. The fee for this workshop is $5 per person.

“Part 1 of 4 Wool Series: Preparing Raw Wool for Use” will be held on Thursday, April 13th from 6:00-8:00pm at the JCC (Jamestown Campus) Carnahan Center. Do you have sheep? Are you interested in fiber sourced from sheep, llamas, alpacas? Want to learn how to prepare raw wool for spinning, felting, or any other of the wide range of uses for wool? This is the beginning of a great wool series! This is the first workshop of four being led by Victoria Boehmer. In this workshop we will learn how to take raw wool and clean it and create roving which is what is used for most wool creations. Victoria Boehmer is a passionate fiber artist, teacher, and designer based in Pennsylvania. She is the owner of Tybout House, a local yarn store and fiber arts hub in Warren, PA. In addition to the yarn store, she and her family run Dragonwood Ranch, a small farm with Shetland Sheep. Victoria loves teaching, including all steps in the fiber production process: from sheep to finished product! At Tybout House, she and other enthusiasts practice a variety of fiber arts, and they are always eager to share their passion with others. Bring questions and be prepared to work with some raw fiber! We will have some wool provided but if you happen to have some laying around don’t be afraid to bring it with you! The fee for this workshop is $5 per person.

“Sewing 101” will be held on Wednesday April 19th from 6:00pm-8:00pm at the JCC (Jamestown Campus) Carnahan Center. Are you adult that wants to learn some sewing basics while creating a beautiful handmade apron? Join Nancy Johnson, 4-H Leader/Teacher, in making a 30 minute apron that will teach you how to read a simple pattern, cut out fabric, pin, sew straight lines, gather fabric, add trim, and much more. This is a great project for many levels and all are welcome! The fee for this workshop is $5 per person and does require you to bring a few supplies.

“Biosecurity On The Farm” will be held on Saturday, April 22nd, from 10:00am-12:00pm at Bit-O-Breeze Farm in Jamestown, NY. Bit-O Breeze farm is a local pork producer that is committed to providing quality meat to consumers. Bio security on a farm is often overlooked but is a highly important step for your farms safety and wellbeing. This applies to farms that have animals, veggies, and/or field crops. Some pests are so small that they can hitchhike on your boots or clothing without you even knowing they are there! Come learn and see some biosecurity initiatives that Bit-O-Breeze farm is following to ensure the safety and health of their pig operation! Please dress to be outside and in a pig barn facility. Please be sure to wear clean clothes that have not been in contact with other animals, especially pigs. Boot sanitation will be provided.

Each workshop will be 2 hours long and led by an experienced instructor. The LEAF workshops are designed to be interactive, so participants are encouraged to bring their questions and ideas to this collaborative environment!

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 https://chautauqua.cce.cornell.edu/agriculture/leaf-2023 or by emailing cks83@cornell.edu, or by calling 716-664-9502 Ext 202.

The Agriculture Program is one of many programs offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County (CCE-Chautauqua). CCE-Chautauqua is a subordinate governmental agency with an educational mission that operates under a form of organization and administration approved by Cornell University as agent for the State of New York. It is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The association is part of the national cooperative extension system, an educational partnership between County, State, and Federal governments. As New York’s land grant university Cornell administers the system in this state. Each Cornell Cooperative Extension association is an independent employer that is governed by an elected Board of Directors with general oversight from Cornell. All associations work to meet the needs of the counties in which they are located as well as state and national goals. 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 March 31, 2023