NE Organic Farming Conference Friday, December 14, 2018 12:00 pm - 12:00 pm NOFA-NY is again holding their annual Winter Conference in Saratoga Springs. Be sure to register by December 14th to save your spot! Here is a little information of what’s in store during the Conference:NOFA-NY's 2019 Winter Conference will take place January 18-20 in Saratoga Springs, NY and is themed "Climate of Change." We are excited to announce Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm as our Keynote and to host the Northeast Organic Seed Conference, with Ken Greene and Rowen White opening the conference on Friday evening! Registration is open - visit our conference page to see the workshop schedule and learn more.For more information, visit the webpage:https://www.nofany.org/To register by December 14th, visit:https://nofany.secure.nonprofitsoapbox.com/winterconference2019 Ariel Kirk, adk39@cornell.edu, 607-664-2574 ========================================= Southern Tier Maple School Saturday, December 15, 2018 9:30 am - 12:00 pm Tyrone Fire Hall (Route 226 Tyrone, New York 14887) Cornell Cooperative Extension’s State Maple Specialist, Steve Childs, will lead this annual refresher to help maple producers of all levels improve the productivity, efficiency and profitability of their operations. This workshop will also qualify for certification for the new “NYS Grown and Certified Maple”. Light refreshments provided. $5 donation at the door. For general information on maple syrup production, please visit:www.cornellmaple.com For additional questions, contact Brett Chedzoy of Schuyler CCE at 607-535-7161, or by email at: bjc226@cornell.edu ========================================= Free workshop offers Long Term Care Planning Monday, December 17, 2018 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm CCE-Steuben (Steuben County Office Building Annex 20 E.Morris St Bath, New York 14810) It is an aging society, so there are some important facts everyone should know to begin planning for long term care for your loved ones. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County offers a free workshop, Long Term Care Planning, to help sort through the options.The workshop will be led by Patrick J. Roth, Elder Law Attorney, CPA from Corning. He will explain what Medicare covers, veteran options, Medicaid eligibility for a nursing home, long term care insurances, and planning options for you and your family. The session will include:Discover the four parts of Medicare and what is covered by each part.Learn about financial benefits that you may be eligible for if you (or your spouse) are a veteran.Discover the Medicaid eligibility rules surrounding long term care.Learn how to plan for your future long term care costs.The workshop is free, but registration is required. Please call Cornell Cooperative Extension at 607-664-2300 to find out when this class will be presented Nancy Reigelsperger, nmr23@cornell.edu, (607) 664-2573 ========================================= 4-H Robotics Group Meets Monday, December 17, 2018 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm Howard Community Center (7481 Hopkins Road Avoca, New York 14809) Ages 8-18 welcome! Where: Howard Community Building, Basement When: The December schedule is December 3 and 17 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Contact Marlaina Bennett: marlaina.bennett@gmail.com or 607-661-6383 or Kim Randall at ksb3@cornell.edu or at 607-664-2571 with any questions. The Steuben County 4-H Program is currently using EV3s and tablets that were purchased through various grants. Steuben County had 2 teams participate in the 2018 New York State Fair Robotics Challenge on August 26. In Part 1 youth were challenged to use their robots to accomplish challenge tasks to help a community respond to a natural disaster recovery. To be successful youth needed to work as a team, use problem-solving skills (there is no one right way to solve the tasks) and have fun. This challenge gave participants the opportunity to work with others to build and program a robot and demonstrate what they have learned in a friendly competitive event. Teams participated in a group interview with the judges. During this part of the challenge, teams shared their knowledge of understanding natural disaster concepts and effectiveness of natural disaster recovery solutions. Participants were asked to reflect on their mechanical and program designs and the team’s strategies. They were also evaluated on their presentation skills. The NYS 4-H Robotics Challenge gives youth the opportunity to work with others to build and program a robot and demonstrate what they have learned in a friendly competitive event. For more information about the 2018 NYS Fair Robotics Challenge visit https://nys4-h.org/contests-challenges Kim Randall, ksb3@cornell.edu, 607-664-2571 ========================================= Save Energy Workshop Tuesday, December 18, 2018 9:00 am - 11:00 am St Thomas Episcopal Church (122 Liberty Street Bath, New York 14810) Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County will be conducting free energy workshops titled “Save Energy, Save Dollars”. Fall is the perfect time to take steps to make your home more energy efficient. Learn how to reduce energy bills with low-cost, no-cost actions.Pre-registration is required as workshop size is limited. For more information or to register for the workshop call 607-664-2300.  Nancy Reigelsperger, nmr23@cornell.edu, (607) 664-2573 ========================================= Wreath Class Wednesday, December 19, 2018 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Civil Defense Center (7220 State Route 54 Bath, NY 14810) Come join CCE Steuben at the Civil Defense building on Wednesday, December 19th from 6:00pm – 8:00pm and create your very own wreath for the holidays. We will have everything needed to build your festive wreath to take home for the holiday season. Stephanie Mehlenbacher will be our guest for the evening and lead the class in this seasonal holiday craft! Please register by Monday, 12/17. Call our main office at 607-664-2300 or email Ariel Kirk at adk39@cornell.edu . Cost for the workshop is $20.00. Ariel Kirk, adk39@cornell.edu, 607-664-2574 ========================================= 4-H Dog Obedience classes Thursday, December 20, 2018 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Snell Farm (7320 Snell Hill Road Bath, New York 14810) Dog Obedience at Hillside Children’s Center is cancelled for tonight 11/15/18 and rescheduled for 11/29Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County’s 4-H Program is offering dog obedience classes for youth:Howard Classes: Howard Community Building , Hopkins Road, in the basement weekly on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. Bath Classes: Thursdays: December 6 and December 20 at Hillside Children’s Center, 7320 Snell Hill Road, Bath at 6 p.m. Follow class updates on the Steuben County Canines FB page For more information on dates and locations please visit our website or contact Kim 607-664-2571 Kim Randall, ksb3@cornell.edu, 607-664-2571 ========================================= We have moved! Monday, December 31, 2018 8:30 am - 4:30 pm CCE-Steuben (Steuben County Office Building Annex 20 E.Morris St Bath, New York 14810) The Cornell Cooperative Extension office in Steuben County has moved their office from the Steuben County Office Building in Bath across the street to the new Steuben County Office Building Annex. Please come visit us in our new home at 20 East Morris St., Bath, New York 14810. Our mailing address remains at 3. East Pulteney Square, Bath, NY 14810.  Larkin Podsiedlik, llp36@cornell.edu, 607-664-2301 ========================================= 4-H Robotics Group Meets Monday, January 7, 2019 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm Howard Community Center (7481 Hopkins Road Avoca, New York 14809) Ages 8-18 welcome! Where: Howard Community Building, Basement When: The December schedule is December 3 and 17 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Contact Marlaina Bennett: marlaina.bennett@gmail.com or 607-661-6383 or Kim Randall at ksb3@cornell.edu or at 607-664-2571 with any questions. The Steuben County 4-H Program is currently using EV3s and tablets that were purchased through various grants. Steuben County had 2 teams participate in the 2018 New York State Fair Robotics Challenge on August 26. In Part 1 youth were challenged to use their robots to accomplish challenge tasks to help a community respond to a natural disaster recovery. To be successful youth needed to work as a team, use problem-solving skills (there is no one right way to solve the tasks) and have fun. This challenge gave participants the opportunity to work with others to build and program a robot and demonstrate what they have learned in a friendly competitive event. Teams participated in a group interview with the judges. During this part of the challenge, teams shared their knowledge of understanding natural disaster concepts and effectiveness of natural disaster recovery solutions. Participants were asked to reflect on their mechanical and program designs and the team’s strategies. They were also evaluated on their presentation skills. The NYS 4-H Robotics Challenge gives youth the opportunity to work with others to build and program a robot and demonstrate what they have learned in a friendly competitive event. For more information about the 2018 NYS Fair Robotics Challenge visit https://nys4-h.org/contests-challenges Kim Randall, ksb3@cornell.edu, 607-664-2571 ========================================= Clutter Monday, January 14, 2019 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Southeast Steuben County Library (300 Nasser Civic Center Plaza Corning, New York 14830) Do you feel like you are drowning in clutter? Overwhelmed by the sheer volume of stuff? Having trouble finding the item you need? Clear the Clutter and Simplify Your Life and Finances may be the workshop that helps you address these questions. Nancy Reigelsperger, CCE-Steuben Financial Educator, will help you discover the strategies for taking a positive approach to controlling the clutter you might have. She will touch on ways to eliminate paper accumulation and provide alternate ways to keep sentimental items. The workshop is free, but registration is required. Please call Cornell Cooperative Extension at (607) 664-2300 to reserve a space. Nancy Reigelsperger, nmr23@cornell.edu, (607) 664-2573 ========================================= Spotted Lanternfly: Updates and Outlook Tuesday, January 15, 2019 9:00 am - 11:00 am CCE-Schuyler (323 Owego Street #5 Montour Falls, New York 14865) Spotted Lanternfly is an invasive pest from Asia that primarily feeds on tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) but can also feed on a wide variety of plants such as grapevine, hops, maple, walnut, fruit trees and others. This insect could impact New York's forests as well as the agricultural and tourism industries. Please join us over coffee to hear the last news and updates from Mark C. Whitmore, Forest Entomologist from Cornell University Department of Natural Resources. This session is free and open to the public. Held at the Human Services Complex, Room 120, Montour Falls NY, 14865. Please contact Roger Ort 607.535.7161 or email rlo28@cornell.edu with questions. Registration for this event can be found: http://cceschuyler.org/eventsSpeaker Bio: Mark Whitmore is a Forest Entomologist in the Department of Natural Resources at Cornell University. Mark has been at Cornell since 1989 and currently works with professional land managers, state and federal agencies, local government officials, and concerned citizens to help them understand the issues and strategies for minimizing the impact of non-native invasive insects such as the Emerald Ash Borer and Hemlock Woolly Adelgid. Mark is currently the Director of the New York State Hemlock Initiative and the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Biocontrol Research Lab at Cornell. Ariel Kirk, adk39@cornell.edu, 607-664-2574 ========================================= The Estate Administration Survival Guide - The Probate Process Wednesday, January 16, 2019 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Southeast Steuben County Library (300 Nasser Civic Center Plaza Corning, New York 14830) The loss of a loved one is always difficult. If you are named as the Executor of the decedent’s estate, your legal duties compound the difficulty and could leave you feeling lost. If you want to know what needs to be done after the death of a loved one, join us in a free informational workshop called The Estate Administration Survival Guide: The Probate Process.Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County again partners with Patrick Roth, Elder Law Attorney, CPA from Corning, to lead this workshop. He will help you:Learn about various types of estate administration and when each is used.Discover the steps that occur in every estate administration.Learn the three “T’s” of estate administration (Taxes, Time and Tolls).Discover what you can do now to make the process easier for your loved ones after you pass away.The workshop is free, but registration is required. Please call Cornell Cooperative Extension at 607-664-2300. Nancy Reigelsperger, nmr23@cornell.edu, (607) 664-2573 ========================================= Mental Health First Aid for Farmers Thursday, January 17, 2019 8:30 am - 5:00 pm CCE-Wyoming (36 Center Street Warsaw, New York 14569) NY FarmNet is partnering with the Cornell Cooperative Extension Northwest NY Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops Team to bring Mental Health First Aid to the area on January 17 from 8:30 am to 5 pm in the Wyoming County Agriculture & Business Center in room LC1. Cost is $25. Register online here or by contacting Lisa Aures at Cornell Cooperative Extension, lma96@cornell.edu or 585-786-2251 ext. 123. This is a chance for field representatives, farm neighbors, and agency people to learn how to start a conversation with someone who seems to really be reaching out or needing some help with their emotions or mental health.Mental Health First Aid is a public education program that introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental illnesses, builds understanding of their impact, and overviews common supports. This 8-hour course uses role-playing and simulations to demonstrate how to offer initial help in a mental health crisis and connect persons to the appropriate professional, peer, social, and self-help care. The program also teaches the common risk factors and warning signs of specific types of illnesses, like anxiety, depression, substance use, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and schizophrenia. Learn more about Mental Health First Aid here: www.mentalhealthfirstaid.orgMore dates and locations: https://www.nyfarmnet.org/events/2019/1/17/mental... Ariel Kirk, adk39@cornell.edu, 607-664-2574 ========================================= NE Organic Farming Conference Friday, January 18, 2019 7:00 am - 5:00 pm NOFA-NY is again holding their annual Winter Conference in Saratoga Springs. Be sure to register by December 14th to save your spot! Here is a little information of what’s in store during the Conference:NOFA-NY's 2019 Winter Conference will take place January 18-20 in Saratoga Springs, NY and is themed "Climate of Change." We are excited to announce Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm as our Keynote and to host the Northeast Organic Seed Conference, with Ken Greene and Rowen White opening the conference on Friday evening! Registration is open - visit our conference page to see the workshop schedule and learn more.For more information, visit the webpage:https://www.nofany.org/To register by December 14th, visit:https://nofany.secure.nonprofitsoapbox.com/winterconference2019 Ariel Kirk, adk39@cornell.edu, 607-664-2574 ========================================= NE Organic Farming Conference Saturday, January 19, 2019 7:00 am - 5:00 pm NOFA-NY is again holding their annual Winter Conference in Saratoga Springs. Be sure to register by December 14th to save your spot! Here is a little information of what’s in store during the Conference:NOFA-NY's 2019 Winter Conference will take place January 18-20 in Saratoga Springs, NY and is themed "Climate of Change." We are excited to announce Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm as our Keynote and to host the Northeast Organic Seed Conference, with Ken Greene and Rowen White opening the conference on Friday evening! Registration is open - visit our conference page to see the workshop schedule and learn more.For more information, visit the webpage:https://www.nofany.org/To register by December 14th, visit:https://nofany.secure.nonprofitsoapbox.com/winterconference2019 Ariel Kirk, adk39@cornell.edu, 607-664-2574 ========================================= NE Organic Farming Conference Sunday, January 20, 2019 7:00 am - 1:00 pm NOFA-NY is again holding their annual Winter Conference in Saratoga Springs. Be sure to register by December 14th to save your spot! Here is a little information of what’s in store during the Conference:NOFA-NY's 2019 Winter Conference will take place January 18-20 in Saratoga Springs, NY and is themed "Climate of Change." We are excited to announce Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm as our Keynote and to host the Northeast Organic Seed Conference, with Ken Greene and Rowen White opening the conference on Friday evening! Registration is open - visit our conference page to see the workshop schedule and learn more.For more information, visit the webpage:https://www.nofany.org/To register by December 14th, visit:https://nofany.secure.nonprofitsoapbox.com/winterconference2019 Ariel Kirk, adk39@cornell.edu, 607-664-2574 ========================================= 4-H Robotics Group Meets Monday, January 21, 2019 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm Howard Community Center (7481 Hopkins Road Avoca, New York 14809) Ages 8-18 welcome! Where: Howard Community Building, Basement When: The December schedule is December 3 and 17 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Contact Marlaina Bennett: marlaina.bennett@gmail.com or 607-661-6383 or Kim Randall at ksb3@cornell.edu or at 607-664-2571 with any questions. The Steuben County 4-H Program is currently using EV3s and tablets that were purchased through various grants. Steuben County had 2 teams participate in the 2018 New York State Fair Robotics Challenge on August 26. In Part 1 youth were challenged to use their robots to accomplish challenge tasks to help a community respond to a natural disaster recovery. To be successful youth needed to work as a team, use problem-solving skills (there is no one right way to solve the tasks) and have fun. This challenge gave participants the opportunity to work with others to build and program a robot and demonstrate what they have learned in a friendly competitive event. Teams participated in a group interview with the judges. During this part of the challenge, teams shared their knowledge of understanding natural disaster concepts and effectiveness of natural disaster recovery solutions. Participants were asked to reflect on their mechanical and program designs and the team’s strategies. They were also evaluated on their presentation skills. The NYS 4-H Robotics Challenge gives youth the opportunity to work with others to build and program a robot and demonstrate what they have learned in a friendly competitive event. For more information about the 2018 NYS Fair Robotics Challenge visit https://nys4-h.org/contests-challenges Kim Randall, ksb3@cornell.edu, 607-664-2571 ========================================= Pro Dairy E-Alert Thursday, January 31, 2019 12:00 pm - 12:00 pm Following up on DEC’s 12-5-18 emergency alert, for farms that may be concerned about maintaining adequate storage capacity in the coming months, with nighttime temperatures around 20°F or below, the soil surface should be firming up enough to support field traffic for manure applications if they are necessary. Based on past experience and in consultation with your planner, try to identify lower risk fields. Considerations such as distance from streams or watercourses, good ground cover or vegetated buffers are important. As the DEC alert notes, inject or incorporate when practical. PRO-DAIRY reached out to Larry Geohring, Cornell hydrologist, who developed a short document about plugging tile drains.  The Winter and Wet Weather Manure Application Guidelines also provide information for field selection when manure must be applied in marginal conditions: “On farms where some application is planned during winter months, work with your AEM Certified Planner to identify a significant acreage of lower risk fields for those applications (e.g., no history of runoff or groundwater issues, limited surface connection to streams/ditches, mild slopes, no concentrated flows, no karst or shallow soil features, high crop residue or surface roughness, etc.). Also with your Certified Planner, identify a smaller set of fields to save for emergency application fields or pile areas where manure can be taken in case of unexpected extreme conditions. Fields should have no history of runoff problems, be less than 5% slopes; as far as practical from any stream, ditch, well, or karst feature – preferably at least 300 feet; be accessible for equipment; have minimal runoff from upslope areas; and not be prone to frequent or occasional flooding (see NRCS 590 Standard for temporary manure pile siting). Beneficial application management to further reduce runoff risk: Injection or incorporation, reducing application rates, introducing or increasing setback distance, applying to lower risk fields, applying to fields with ground cover such as hayfields, applying manure over a period of several days as opposed to all in one day, etc.” Ariel Kirk, adk39@cornell.edu, 607-664-2574 =========================================