October Updates from the Homestead

New York Asters in the Garden

Some of the 2010 squash and pumpkin harvest

Swiss chard and purple kohlrabi

Potatoes in the bin and shelving unit.

The harvest months really seem to fly by; especially when combined with the beginning of the school year (which conspires to keep me from making posts).  There has been a lot going on in the County and I hope to get caught up with sharing that news in the next few weeks.  I thought I'd start by reflecting a little on what has been happening around the homestead.  We had a pretty good garden year.  Tomatoes did well - especially after last year's blight took most of them. We harvested lots of potatoes and squash.  Despite a couple of pretty mean frosts/freezes, thanks to our frost cloth we still have some swiss chard, kohlrabi, celery, cabbage, kale, and leeks out in the garden.  We did not do a fall planting of carrots and greens like usual (we just ran out of time and energy). We did manage to get new potato bins built for the root cellar. These are designed to provide lots of airflow and easy for us to monitor and pick out any that might be going bad throughout the winter.

Our solar thermal system being installed.

We've also been enjoying our new solar thermal system that we had installed this summer.  It should provide 80-90% of our hot water needs (100% in the summer months a little less on those dark, damp days of fall, winter, spring).

The farmers market season closes this month, with tonight being the last Homer Market.  There has been discussion about a virtual local winter market - more on that as it develops.  Also as you look for places to get winter veggies and NYS apples, please check out the Farmshed blog and the FREE app for iPhone (works on iTouch and iPad, too) which will map for you local farmers markets, CSA's, U-Pick Farms, local food stores and restaurants serving local foods.  Neil Brody Miller of New Woodstock has developed this resource specifically for Central New York (with potential plans to go national later).

Sunday on the Farm!!!!

If you are looking for a great family activity to do this Sunday (August 22),  please check out "Sunday on the Farm", a driving tour of Cortland County farms.  The tour is from 1 to 5.  Here is a link to their FaceBook event page.

Below is a list of farms and markets that are open to the tour and their address so you can locate them:

Lone Birch Stables and Little York Farms (CNY Beef): 5668 Route 11, Homer, NY 13077
New Hope View Farm: 5937 Route 11, Homer, NY 13077
Cobblestone Valley Farm: 2023 Preble Road, Preble, NY 13141
Currie Valley Dairy: 7369 Route 11, Tully, NY 13159
Gladtime Farm Market: 7612 Route 281, Tully, NY  13159
Reakes Country Goods: 4016 Route 13, Truxton, NY  13158

Cobblestone Valley Farm is where I purchased the organic strawberries in this entry and where we get most of our beef, pork and poultry. Gladtime Farm Market offers a lot of locally grown goods, including some they grow themselves.

Take some time to meet the people and see the farms that grow our local food!!!!

Strawberries!

If you love strawberries, I'm sure you've been picking and eating them for a few weeks now.  We are getting to the end of our season, but Cobblestone Valley Farm is still open and still picking.  Their late variety is going strong and they've got some beautiful organic berries.  These photos show those that I picked on Friday being prepped for dehydrating.  I picked about 32 quarts this year, that was plenty to make jam for us and to give away, dehydrated some, and sliced and froze some.  Of course we ate quite a few, too (and drank a few in fresh made daiquiris).  We also have our own small patch that we gathered enough from to make strawberry shortcake and snack on.  Why spend time picking organic strawberries from local sources?  Well, for one I find they taste much better.  But take a look at this article to see how strawberries are listed among the "dirty dozen" of fruits and vegetables that have the most pesticide residue if conventionally grown.

Cortland County Farmers Market Tour: Virgil Market

I've been going on "tour" visiting the different farmers markets in Cortland County. This entry focuses on the Virgil Market which is located in the "heart" of Virgil in front of the Vigil School at the "Four Corners" (Rts 215 and 392 intersection). Chris Applegate has done a wonderful job coordinating the market and is also a vendor.  I was quite impressed with the variety of offerings at this market. On the day we visited, they had flowers, homemade soaps and cleaning products, crafts, fresh rustic bread, lettuce, chard, spinach, arugula, kale, beets, carrots, rhubarb, potted herbs, strawberries, peas, new potatoes and onions (yes grown this year!), baked goods, and eggs. They had a nice area with tables and chairs and offered coffee so folks can sit down and chat with their neighbors. It was a wonderful friendly atmosphere.  We purchased some soap to give as gifts (in cute shapes) and some of the best rustic bread we've ever had (vermont cheddar, 7-grain, and italian), and some new potatoes.  Everything looked wonderful.  If you live in the Virgil/Dryden area, I encourage you to check out this Saturday morning market.  If you are on Facebook - check out the Virgil Farmers Market page

Local Produce Season begins in Cortland County

It is Memorial Day weekend. We've had some pretty hot weather already, and the garden (and the weeds) have been growing quite well. Despite that Dave from Dave's Veggies in Homer warned that the last frost could happen June 15th (the last new moon before the Summer Solstice), we've gone ahead and put in tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, carrots, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, onions, shallots, scallions, parsley, basil, dill, tarragon, rosemary, potatoes, zucchini, and cucumbers. Soon we'll put out the winter squash, plant some beans and corn. And just about as soon as we put out the veggies from our little hobby greenhouse, the voles and rabbits are doing their part - already eating some of the tiny potato plants who have poked out their heads, and cleaning off the cabbage leaves for us. We've been harvesting, lettuce, beets, carrots, swiss chard, and spinach (trying before the rodents get them). Here's to hopin' that the new addition to our family (a rescue pup named Calvin who is a Fiest Mix) will help keep our garden more rodent free.

Last weekend we received our first share from the Rising Moon, Setting Sun CSA in East Freetown. We received some delicious lettuce, herbs, and scallions. One may wonder why with our own garden do we belong to a CSA. Well we joined for a number of reasons: 1) If the rabbits get our lettuce - hopefully they won't get theirs; 2) They plant in succession much better than we do - so we get things through out the season; 3) Since we try to eat local as much as possible, it helps to have some extra food coming in; 4) We are learning growing techniques from them that improve our own gardening; and 5) I don't know how long our backs will hold out for us to do our own gardening - so we want to make sure they are around to grow us food!

We are looking forward to next weekend as the farmers markets are open. It is a great place to catch up with folks, and chat with local farmers about how things are growing and learn techniques. Also in addition to food, other local products are available, too. Some great natural cleaning products, soaps, creams, and more make it a great one stop shopping trip for us. In addition to Saturday mornings, the East End Farmers Market (Cortland's local only market) will also be on Wednesday evenings at the Homer Green.

Speaking of Homer - the new Homer Community Garden project is taking shape. Check out the Homer Community Gardens Blog to keep up with their progress.

A Week of Sustainability Activities!

This week the Cortland Community will be involved in several sustainability activities. Here is the schedule. All Activities are FREE and OPEN to the public!

Sunday April 18th at 3:00
Public Forum: Gas Drilling Impacts on Drinking Water Dusty Horwitt, Senior Counsel for the Environmental Working Group and author of “Drilling Around the Law”
3:00 to 4:00pm at the Beard Building (9 Main Street)
Organized by Gas Drilling Awareness for Cortland County (GDACC)

April 4th through 28th
Earth Stewards Coalition: Artists Respond to Gas Drilling in the Marcellus Shale
SUNY Cortland Memorial Library
More than forty artists from across the country are featured at an exhibit that encourages viewers to explore their thoughts and feelings about the potential for high volume hydrofracture drilling for natural gas being permitted in New York State.

Tuesday April 20th at 7:00
Showing of “Food Inc.” the Academy Award nominated documentary film
This film will be followed by a local foods panel discussion. Panelists include: Chris Applegate (Virgil Farmers Market), Lisa Lickona (East End Farmers Market), Kathie Arnold (Organic Dairy Farmer and Chair of the Cortland County Local Agricultural Promotions Subcommittee), Elaine Norris (Homer Community Gardens and Master Gardner), Sean Duffy (Rising Moon, Setting Sun CSA), and Jeremy Sherman (Organic Dairy and Produce Farmer).
7:00 pm in Brown Auditorium in Old Main on the SUNY Cortland Campus

Wednesday April 21st
Sustainability Conference All Day on the SUNY Cortland Campus
All Concurrent Sessions will be held in Bowers Hall Rooms 146, 155, and 161

First Concurrent Session (9:00 - 10:00 am)

1. A Culture of Sustainability in an Academic Department
Lynn Anderson, Professor and Chair, RPLS Department
Eddie Hill, Assistant Professor, RPLS Department
Amy Shellman, Assistant Professor, RPLS Department
Sharon Todd, Associate Professor, RPLS Department

2. Green Parenting: Baby Steps Toward a Green Planet
Aaron Zipp, Instructor and International Coordinator, Sport Management Department
Sarah Zipp, Instructor, Sport ManagementDepartment


Second Concurrent Session (10:30 - 11:30 am)

1. Energy Conservation Measures for the Campus
Nasrin Parvizi, Associate Vice President for Facilities Management
Jeffrey Lallas, Director of Facilities Planning, Design and Construction
Timothy Slack, Director of Physical Plant
Lisa Kahle, Director of Academic Computing and Classroom Media Services

2. A Consumer Society’s Effects on the Environment
Alyssa Neely, student in Social Philosophy
Krystle Caggiano, student in Social Philosophy

3. Cortland Community Sustainability Efforts
Members of Cortland community groups working on sustainability projects in the town and county

FREE Sustainable Lunch (12:00 - 1:00 pm)
Talk by Bill McNamara, Director of ASC Dining Services
Jacobus Lounge (Brockway Hall) (Note: Lunch is limited to the first 80 attendees.)

Third Concurrent Session (1:30 - 2:30 pm)

1. Formula For A Successful Bike Share Program
Lindsey Brown, Graduate Assistant for the Community Bike Project
Lynn Anderson, Professor and Chair in the RPLS Department
Eddie Hill, Assistant Professor in the RPLS Department

2. Can a World of More than Seven Billion Persons Sustain the Eating of Meat?
Scott Anderson, Associate Professor and Chair, Geography and GIS Department
Andrew Fitz-Gibbon, Associate Professor, Philosophy Department
Lisi Krall, Professor, Economics Department

3. Student Actions for Sustainability
C-SAVE (Cortland Students Advocating for a Valuable Environment)
Green Reps Program
NYPIRG (New York Public Research Interest Group)

Fourth Concurrent Session (3:00 - 4:00 pm)

1. Renewable energy for homes, businesses, and schools
Melissa Kemp, Halco Renewable Energy
Duncan Cooper, Renovus Energy

2. Urban Forestry and Tree Campus USA
Steven Broyles, Professor, Biological Sciences Department

3. The Environmental Impacts of Tobacco
Katelyn Upcraft, Public Health Educator with the Onondaga County Health Department


Keynote Address (7:00 - 8:30 pm)
Dr. Arjun Makhijani, President of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research
“Carbon Free - Nuclear Free: A Roadmap for U.S. Energy Policy”
Sperry Hall 105 on the SUNY Cortland Campus


Thursday April 22nd (40th Anniversary of Earth Day)
Sandwich Seminar (12:00 - 1:00 pm)
“The Cortland County Relocalization and Resilience Initiative: Building Community Sustainability”
Beth Klein, Professor of Science Education and Chair of the Community Forum Sustainability Track, and
Brice Smith, Associate Professor and Chair of Physics and Co-Chair of the Community Forum Sustainability Track
Jacobus Lounge (Brockway Hall on the SUNY Cortland Campus)

Saturday April 24th 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Cortland Blooms
Cortland County Gymnasium (46 Greenbush Street)
Interactive family festival featuring exhibits on topics such as wildlife, recycling, composting, backyard gardening, alternative energy, and health and safety. Sponsored by Leadership Cortland, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cortland County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Local Agricultural Promotion Committee.

The Only Way to Have a Cow and Eat Food, Not Too Much, Mostly Plants

Two authors I respect a great deal are Bill McKibben and Michael Pollan. Both have advocated for what I consider a reasonable response to issues of climate change, animal abuse, and other associated problems with our diet.

McKibben has recently authored an article in Orion Magazine, “The Only Way to Have a Cow”, which discusses the issues of factory farms, animal rights and carbon emissions. McKibben’s stand is that although he rarely eats meat himself, looking at the carbon emissions, and process of carefully raising grass-fed animals he has little problem with individuals eating it “as a condiment, a flavor, an ingredient, not an entrée". It isn’t a stance, he points out, that either McDonald’s (with their use of cheap CAFO meat) or Paul McCartney (a well-known vegetarian) would like.

Michael Pollan’s saying “Eat Food, Not Too Much, Mostly Plants” is also representative of a similar position as McKibben. In this New York Times Magazine article, he also discusses issues of “nutritionism”, bad nutrition science, and of course the issues of processed foods.

For my family, we have reduced the amount of meat we eat. We mostly only purchase locally grown, grass-fed meats (from farms listed on the side). As I mentioned in an earlier post , having a mixture of dairy, eggs and meat in small portions (2.2 oz. per day) may be more sustainable if one is eating mostly local foods in Central New York than eating vegetarian or vegan diets.

Snow is melting! Spring is on the way! Let's talk gardening!

As our snow begins to melt, and the days get noticeably longer, thoughts turn to gardening again. Well actually for most gardeners, we've been thinking about this year's garden since we started planting last year's! My leek seeds that I planted last weekend are mostly up; warmed through the window in my dining room by the couple of days of sun we received this week. I'm still waiting for the shallot seeds that I also planted to appear. In the next few weeks, more seeds will get planted - lettuce and kale for sure.

My seeds are all here. This year we mostly ordered from FEDCO. For our seed potatoes and onions we ordered from Johnny's and Seeds of Change. We also ordered a selection of cherry trees and some Sansa apples from Cummins Nursery. And we have an Asian pear and 4 varieties of currants coming from Stark Brothers.

Earlier today, I had the pleasure of attending a Homer Community Gardens "Garden Chat" where several of us gathered together in the home of Elaine Norris to share good food, gardening resources, and garden knowledge. The eclectic discussions included an update on the Homer Community Gardens project, some school gardening projects, folks sharing where they get their local foods, discussing ways people keep pests away from their gardens, ideas for materials to use for raised beds, offering to share worms for vermiculture, and lots of other great topics.

Please check out their blog (Homer Community Gardens) to see when they are having events and for local gardening tips.

New Cortland County Sustainability Track

It has been a while since I've made time to post here, but lots of "green" things have been happening in our community. One of these is the the addition of a Sustainability Track to the Cortland Counts process which is an "Assessment of the Health and Well Being in Cortland County".

The Cortland Counts process includes setting community priorities in 4 areas (or tracks): Economic, Health, Youth, and Housing. In January, the Community Assessment Team (CAT) hosted a Community Forum that shared the results of “2009 Cortland Counts” which checks progress on the community priorities. At that Forum, a presentation on sustainability, particularly as it relates to a resilient and healthy community was presented by Brice Smith and a new fifth track on sustainability was established.

For more info on the Cortland Counts process please see this website: http://www.sevenvalleyshealth.org/projects/cc.htm

Brice Smith, chair of the Physics Department at SUNY Cortland and I are co-chairing the track and we will be hosting a series of meetings that will help establish sustainability related priorities for Cortland County that will be assessed yearly for progress. This includes (but is not limited to) local sustainable food production, sustainable community energy, reducing community energy consumption, improving economic opportunities with the development of local sustainable products (products providing environmental, social and economic benefits while protecting public health, welfare, and environment).

The first meeting was on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 where we had great conversations about different issues surrounding sustainability and began brainstorming on ideas for actions, goals and objectives. Our next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 25th at 10:00 AM in Room 203 in the Beard Building (Main Street SUNY Cortland) which is located directly across from the Community Restaurant. Following this meeting - we'll meet regularly the FIRST Tuesday of each month at 6:30 pm in Room 203 in the Beard Building (Main Street SUNY Cortland).

Hope to see you there!