Executive Director Marcie Craig, Board President Wes Gillingham, and NOFA-NY staff discussed proposed changes to our bylaws and how they will affect membership, the board of directors, and the organization as a whole.
Participants joined us at Birdsfoot Farm, a diversified CSA and retail farming operation. Farm tours with NOFA-NY member and mentor, Ryan Lertora, discussed all aspects of the operation, including the organic methods behind their no-till food and flower production. The focus of the tour was on the rotational grazing practices employed within the no-till system and the particular methods being utilized to build productive soils using livestock and other “Soil FoodWeb” practices.
Sponsored by Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP).
Co-hosted with Mid-Hudson CRAFT, participants learned about organic orchard production and what it is like to maintain a split operation. Food and refreshments were at 4:00 pm followed by a tour from 5:00 – 7:00 pm.
Sponsored by Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP).
Participants joined Jaclyn Rutigliano, founder and creative director at Hometown Flower Co., at Treiber Farms to discuss basic floral design skills and the integration of flower production with floristry outlets. With the growing local movement to diversify farm offerings by integrating flower production, this workshop focused on providing insights and techniques to elevate farmstand/farmers’ market bouquets. Jaclyn discussed working with florists as an additional farm outlet, selling and marketing organic flowers, maintaining relationships with florists, and opportunities for growers to participate in freelance design work locally.
Sponsored by Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP).
Participants joined us at Treadlight Farm which specializes in growing certified organic ornamental plants and cut flowers and do an exceptional job of sourcing and producing organic seed and planting stock to learn about season extension with moveable high tunnels.
Sponsored by Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP).
This event at Oechsner Farms focused on diversifying with small grains for whole-farm resiliency and soil health. It was part of New York Soil Health’s 2024 Soil Health and Climate Resilience Field Days, offering valuable insights and hands-on demonstrations to enhance soil health.
Topics included reducing tillage and maximizing diversity in organic grain rotations, building farm resiliency with value-added operations and cooperative businesses, a tour of Oechsner Farms grain cleaning facility and Farmer Ground flour mill, and Soil Health Trailer demonstrations and benchmarking.
Hands-on learning opportunities and expert insights were at the forefront, ensuring participants have the tools to enact positive change on their farms and communities. Attendees networked with peers, exchanged ideas, and explored innovative solutions to pressing agricultural challenges.
Participants joined us to tour the farm, visit the local and organic vendors, check out a hop harvest, and hear from a variety of organic farmers and advocates. Live music with Lil Bones began at 3:00 pm. Delicious drinks from Obercreek Brewing Company and snacks from the Food Bandits food truck were enjoyed by all!
If you are interested in learning more about our Farm Fest ’24 event series, visit us here.
Sporeforming bacteria are ubiquitous in the dairy farm environment. They can survive pasteurization and cause spoilage in dairy products and can also affect laboratory pasteurization counts (LPC), a common parameter used for quality premiums on organic dairy farms.
This webinar discussed farm management practices, including udder hair removal, that impact the levels and types of spores found in bulk tank milk, and practical strategies that can be used to decrease the level of spores in organic bulk tank milk.
Participants joined East End Food and NOFA-NY for a tour of Sweet Woodland Farm, a diversified elderberry and medicinal herb farm on the North Fork.
Attendees learned about harvest and processing practices for elderberry plants during peak harvest season. Additional topics included discussion on shelf stable value-added production and a tour of the farm’s drying shed to understand the basics of drying herbs and flowers.
Sponsored by Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP).
An estimated 500 people came to tour the farm, visit the vendor marketplace, enjoy u-pick flowers, and hear from a variety of organic farmers and advocates. Walking farm tours took place at 1:00 and 2:00 pm and ran for about 25 minutes each. Live music with Evan Diem, Alison & Zoë, and Honey for the Bees began at 3:00 pm. Delicious drinks, farm-to-table food, and pasture-raised bbq from Finger Lakes Cider House were enjoyed by all!
If you are interested in learning more about our Farm Fest ’24 event series, visit us here.
An instructional webinar detailing what Cost Share is and how to access funds to offset certification fees. After the presentation, there was time for Q&A.
Sponsored by Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP).
West Haven Farm is a 10+ acre fruit and vegetable farm run by Carlos Aguilera and Lorena Mendoza. This bilingual event, held in conjunction with Cornell Small Farms Program, highlighted no-till techniques, season extension and organic orcharding. NRCS was there to answer questions about funding opportunities.
Túneles altos, labranza cero y producción de frutas orgánicas
West Haven Farm es una granja de frutas y verduras de más de 10 acres dirigida por Carlos Aguilera y Lorena Mendoza. Este evento bilingüe, celebrado en conjunto con el Programa de Pequeñas Granjas de Cornell, destacará las técnicas de labranza cero, la extensión de la temporada y la huerta orgánica. NRCS estará allí para responder preguntas sobre oportunidades de financiación.
Sponsored by Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP).
An estimated 80 local farmers and advocates joined us at Farrm Wine to tour the organic vineyards, visit the vendors, and hear from a variety or organic farmers and advocates including The Cornucopia Institute, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, and East End Food Institute. Live music with Frank & I was enjoyed by all and the Green Street Food Truck was there all day! Thank you to all who attended.
If you are interested in learning more about our Farm Fest ’24 event series, visit us here.
Donn Hewes and Maryrose Livingston operate Northland Sheep Farm using rotational grazing that includes cows and horses. They are a mixed power farm utilizing draft horse power and tractors. Participants learned about rotational grazing, fencing options, sheep breeding, and their decision to move from cheese making to meat production. NRCS was on-hand to discuss funding opportunities available for grazing infrastructure. They also visited Becky Frye, who shares the land, to learn about growing culinary and medicinal herbs.
Sponsored by Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP).
Participants joined NOFA-NY for a tour of Pierpont Blossom Farm, a highly-diversified retail and wholesale flower production farm on the East End. Owner Keith Pierpont provided a tour of his acres of annual and woody perennial production, including information on utilizing organic methods on a large scale. The session concluded with a Q&A on dahlia production, the signature crop of the farm.
Sponsored by Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP).
All seven NOFA state chapters collaborated to host their first-ever Virtual Symposium! NOFA-NY’s featured speaker was Tianna Kennedy, co-director of Catskills Agrarian Alliance.
Participants gained invaluable knowledge on accessing SNAP benefits, leveraging Double Up Food Bucks NY, participating in CSA programs, and engaging with local Farm Share opportunities.
First, Mike Parker from GrownBy and Amy Crone from MarketLink discussed the practicalities of signing up with SNAP and explore various avenues for farmers to tap into this essential resource.
Next, Jake Kowal from Field & Fork Network discussed how Double Up Food Bucks NY is expanding and rolling out their program in the coming year to better serve farmers and consumers alike.
Michelle Hughes followed with details on how farms can offer discounted CSA shares to SNAP customers through Glynwood’s CSA is SNAP program. Learn how this program enhances access to fresh, locally sourced produce while supporting Hudson Valley farms.
Finally, Teddy Tomao shared details on NOFA-NY’s Farm Share Program and how NOFA-NY is working to connect farmers with communities.
Sponsored by Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP).