The Garden Grows, the Weeds Grow Faster!

unfortunate garden streams

peas and onions, oh my!

Wow, it seems like in the blink of an eye we went from winter to weeds that are 3 feet tall!  Overall it has been a bit damp this spring with the garden being pretty swampy.  We did manage to get our potatoes in - during a stretch of a few days of sunny dry weather and they are beginning to show themselves. Other things went in the raised beds.  These includes copious amounts of onions and shallots.  I broke a companion planting rule and planted my peas with my onions.  I am tired of critters always eating the peas down - so thought perhaps the onions might help deter and figured it was worth the risk. So far the peas look like they don't mind being with the onions.  In fact, it is time to give them something to climb on.

broccoli, cabbage and spinach

We also put in some cabbage, broccoli, spinach, kohlrabi, beets, carrots, turnips rather early using our hoops and agribon.  Now that it has warmed up they are really taking off.  So far we elected to not  put in too many fragile things - only a few tomatoes so far.  And this year we are trying out Karl's new "modular" tomato cage design made from PVC pipe and tacked in the ground with a little rebar (Did I mention we get what seems like gale force wind around here?) He's also designed some for pole beans, too.  Which I'll show in a later post.

Karl's PVC tomato cages

The rest of the tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, squash and herbs are still in the greenhouse waiting both for our last frost date to pass (June 1 for us) and also for the garden to dry up a bit.  The good part about the damp weather is that most of the fruit trees have beautiful blooms and all the perennials are looking terrific (and all the weeds are, too).  Hopefully we won't get a late frost (like we have the last couple of years) and these blossoms will give us some fruit this year!

veggies in the greenhouse

 pink crabapple blooming

Sustainability Week Events

Next week on the SUNY Cortland Campus is Sustainability Week.  Below is a list of events.  All events are free and open to the public.  Sessions address issues such as sustainable food, local foods, renewable energy, climate change, etc.  Hope to see you there!

Saturday April 16th from 8:30 to 11:00am:  

Sixth Annual Community Cleanup Day
Meet at the Chamber Parking lot at 37 Church St.
Organized by the Cortland Downtown Partnership, the City of Cortland, the Cortland Chamber of Commerce, the SUNY Cortland Institute for Civic Engagement, and SUNY Cortland AmeriCorps

“Fresh from the Farm” Little York Farms at 5668 U.S. Route 11, Homer, NY. from 9:00am to 2:00pm
A NEW opportunity to buy locally grown and processed foods including: local pasture-raised beef, free range eggs, honey, herb plants, real maple syrup, semi-soft cheese, homemade beef soup, and baked goods.   
Organized by Healthy Now Cortland County (For more information call 607-591-9727)


Sunday April 17th From  9:30 to 1:30pm 

A Trip to the Seneca Meadows Landfill
Meet at the loading dock behind Bowers Hall
Organized by the SUNY Cortland Environmental Science Club


Monday April 18th  

SUNY Cortland Sustainability Week Keynote Address 7:30 - 9:00 pm Sperry Hall 205
“Pedaling Climate Change: A bike trip from Delaware to Oregon, talking about climate change”
Dr. David Goodrich, former Director of Climate Observations at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and former director of the Global Climate Observing System Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland


Tuesday April 19th  Sustainability Week Sessions at SUNY Cortland Campus

1:40-2:40 pm in Bowers 155: The Environmental Impact of Tobacco: Working toward a Tobacco-Free Campus
The SUNY Cortland Tobacco Advisory Committee

3:00-4:00 pm in Bowers 155: A Not-So Temperate Environment and How it Affects Forests (and People, too)
Neil Pederson, Doherty Associate Research Scientist, Tree-Ring Laboratory, LDEO & Columbia University

4:00 to 6:00 pm Hoxie Gorge: An Outdoor Classroom for Sustainability: A tour of the 169-acre Hoxie Gorge Nature Preserve guided by two faculty from the Biology and Geology departments. Following an overview of ongoing research, the discussion will focus on carbon sequestration; biomimicry, and nutrient cycling.
(Note: You must sign up in advance by contacting the Center for Environmental and Outdoor Education at 607-753-5488 or emailing outdooredinfo@cortand.edu.)

7:00pm in Sperry Hall 205:  Annual Connie Wilkins Bird Lecture
“The Surprising Behavior of Crows”
John Marzluff, Professor of Wildlife - Habitat Relationships and Avian Social Ecology & Demography at the University of Washington in Seattle
Organized by the Lime Hollow Center for Environment and Culture and the SUNY Cortland Biology Club


Wednesday April 20th Sustainability Week Sessions at SUNY Cortland Campus

1:40-2:40 pm in Bowers 155
Doubt mongering in environmental issues A presentation by the ENS 486: Environmental Science Seminar class

3:00-4:00 pm in Bowers 155
Local Foods Movement: Learn about the local foods movement in our area and how you can get involved!
Beth Klein, SUNY Cortland; Christine Applegate, Co-Chair Cortland County Local Agricultural Promotions Committee ; Heather Birdsall, Cortland County Cornell Cooperative Extension; and more.

7:00-9:00 
Screening of “The Greenhorns” a documentary film exploring how young people are making a difference in America’s sustainable food movement. 
A discussion led by young, local farmers and beginning farmer mentors will follow the film.
Sperry Hall 105


Thursday April 21st Sustainability Week Sessions at SUNY Cortland Campus

12:00 – 1:00 pm Earth Week Sandwich Seminar 
“Sustainable Heating at SUNY Cortland Using Biomass and Geothermal Energy”
Matthew Rankin, Senior in Biological Science
Jacobus Lounge (Brockway Hall) 

1:40-2:40 pm in Bowers 155
Student Actions for Sustainability A presentation by the Environmental Science Club (C-SAVE), the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), and the SUNY Cortland Recreation Association (SCRA)

3:00-4:00 pm in Bowers 155
The Technical and Economic Success of Renewable Energy in Central New York
Melissa Kemp, Director of Halco Renewable Energy

7:30 - 9:00 pm:  Energy and Sustainability
“The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident: Lessons for U.S. Energy Policy in the Era of Extreme Energy” Sperry Hall 105
Brice Smith, Associate Professor and Chair of Physics and author of Insurmountable Risks: The Dangers of Using Nuclear Power to Combat Global Climate Change


Friday April 22nd
Student/Staff Events in Honor of the 41st Anniversary of Earth Day
Build Your Own Wind Turbine Physics & Engineering Club 11:30 am - 1:30 pm Under the Sustainability Week tent between Bowers and Sperry Halls
The Facts About Fracking New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPRIG) 12:00 - 3:00 pm Under the Sustainability Week tent between Bowers and Sperry Halls
Earth Café 2050 Environmental Science Club (C-SAVE) 12:00 - 3:00 pm Under the Sustainability Week tent between Bowers and Sperry Halls
Local Foods Resources and Composting Made Easy Cortland Faculty, Staff, and Community Members 11:30 - 3:00 pm Under the Sustainability Week tent between Bowers and Sperry Halls
3rd Annual Outdoor Gear Sale and Fender Blender: Bike Your Own Smoothie SUNY Cortland Recreation Association 12:00 - 5:00 pm Community Bike Shop Building next to the Lusk Field House

4:30 – 7:00 pm   Earth Day Open House
Center for Gender and Intercultural Studies (CGIS), Environmental Justice Committee and the Gas Drilling Awareness for Cortland County community group (GDACC)
Beard Building 9 Main Street Cortland, NY 13045
The Open House will include a screening of the film "My Name is Allegheny County." The film chronicles the way in which residents actively organized resistance to siting a low level radioactive waste dump in Allegheny County. Jim Weiss and Paul Yaman, two residents active in the resistance in Cortland County, will speak after the film.
The program will also highlight the need for greater activism to promote the use of clean, safe, and affordable energy.

Gardening has Started!!!!

broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts and cabbage seedlings

shallot and leek seedlings

Time for starting gardening has come!   Although we are mostly doing it indoors at this point.  We now have shallots, leeks, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, peppers, kale, brussels sprouts, eggplant and some cherry tomatoes started in containers on a shelf in an east facing window.  More seeds will be started soon.  Chives are coming up in the herb bed now that the snow has mostly melted away.  This slow warming trend is nice (even if it is slow I think we are all tired of winter!).  I just hope it means that we'll continue our gradual warm-up and won't have any mid and late spring cold snaps like the last couple of years.  It would be nice to have some apples, plums and pears blossoms NOT get frozen this year!

SPRING THINGS

Has it really been since October that I made time to add to this blog?  Where does time go?  Anyway - here is news that might be of interest to readers:

First,  make sure that you plan to attend a great workshop for gardeners to be held April 9th from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Port Watson Mini-Conference Center (131 Port Watson Street, Cortland)!  For only $5 you can attend workshops on food preservation (by Chris Applegate!), vegetable growing, native and alien plants, and summer perennials.  The keynote speaker is Elaine Norris speaking on "Growing Your Own Food"  Please  call the Seven Valleys Health Coalition at (607) 756-4198 to register ASAP or go to their website where you can download the registration form http://www.sevenvalleyshealth.org/

Second, there will be some sustainability related events announcements soon from both the SUNY Cortland Sustainability Week Planning Committee and the Sustainability Track.  Multiple movie and speaker events are being planned.  So please stay tuned for more info.

Third, Fresh From The Farm! Saturdays, April 9 - May 14, 9 am - 2 pm, Little York Farms, LLC, 5668 US Route 11, Homer (3 miles north of Homer Village). A NEW opportunity to buy locally grown food!

• Local pasture-raised beef - CNY Beef
• Herb plants - Frosty Morning Farm
• Baked goods - Chris Applegate
• Free range eggs - Barbara Clark
• Semi-soft cheese - Kelley McGarr
• Homemade beef soups - Kory’s Place
• Sweet baked goods - Fleurette Clough
• Real maple syrup - Delavan Farms
• Honey - various vendors
• Adding more vendors weekly!

If you have compostable food waste to dispose of, we will take it! Compostable bags available for sale. Cash, personal check or EBT accepted. Bring the kids and visit the animals at Lone Birch Stables and enjoy some refreshments. Another initiative by Healthy Now Cortland County. For more information call 607-591-9727.

Spring is on the way - someday:)

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!!!!