What's Fresh Now: July in the Catskills

Today on WIOX Community Radio 91.3FM, we checked in with What's Fresh From the Catskills. Visit this webpage for the local u-picks in your county.  Look for strawberries, spinach, zucchini, eggs, and goat meat at area farmers' markets and farmstands. For ideas how to prepare/combine What's Fresh, check out our Recipes Page.

 

Lucky Dog Local Food Hub: To find out more about how this transportation and delivery system works and benefits our regional economy, attend the community meeting Regional Food Hubs: Bridging the Farm to Institution Gaps hosted by Food and Health Network of South Central New York on Thursday, July 25 from 2-4 p.m. at Lucky Dog Organic Farm, 35796 New York 10, Hamden. Following a farm tour, the group will discuss the role of food hubs in the farm to institution wholesale chain. Please RSVP by Tuesday, July 23 to Erin Summerlee (607) 692-7669.

 

PURE CATSKILLS-WATERSHED POST FARMERS' MARKET OF THE WEEK: Rosendale Farmers’ Market every Sunday, rain or shine, from 9 a .m. to 2 p.m. through October 27. Located in Rosendale Community Center parking lot, 1055 Route 32, the market features conventional and organic products, free coffee/tea, and live music. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the children’s area offers hands-on activities teach kids about healthy foods, farming and the environment. To serve all community members well with nutritious, affordable food, the Rosendale Farmers’ Market proudly accepts SNAP EBT payments.

 

EVENTS:

 

Pasture Fly Control Grazing meeting TODAY Friday July 12 at the Paul Santobuono Farm, Franklin, at 1 p.m. NYS Pesticide Applicator credits will be given.

Intensive Small Grain Production Field Day on Friday July 19 at 1 p.m. This free pasture walk address winter triticale and nutrient management at Byebrook Farm, Bloomville.

Catskills CRAFT Meeting on August 12, from 5-7 p.m. at Majestic Farm, 134 Majestic Road, Mountain Dale 12763. This free farm tour is open to those interested in farming, beginner to expert. Majestic Farm grows pasture raised pork, lamb, and poultry using sustainable practices and will give a farm tour and discuss “Farrow-to-Finishing” pig breeding. A potluck supper will follow and transportation is available. Contact Eleanor Blakeslee-Drain, Farmhearts Fellow.

SAVE THE DATE: Delaware County Fair August 12 - 17 at the Delaware County Fairgrounds. Pre-purchase your weekly tickets for $18 at the JC Penney Catalogue Store, main Street, Walton or online.

OF INTEREST: Greater Binghamton Regional Farmers' Market to be built this summer at Otsiningo Park and open in 2014. Answer this survey if you want to provide input on products, hours of operation, etc.

OTHER GROUNDSWELL WORKSHOPS sponsored by Food and Health Network of South Central New York:

• Workshop July 15: Selling Your Farm Products to Local Businesses and Institutions
• Conference July 16 & 17: CaRDI Community Development Institute
• Meeting July 17: NYS Council on Food Policy Annual Summer Meeting
• Webinar July 18: Healthy Food Retail in Rural Communities
• Workshop July 22: From Recipe To Market
• Workshop August 3: NYS Nut Growers Association Summer Meeting - Hazelnuts
• August 7: Farm Credit East Seminar on Healthcare Reform
• August 11: Healthy Food For All Harvest Dinner at Rememberance Farm

GRANT: Northeast SARE Research and Education Grant

Preproposal Deadline: July 29, 2013

The Research and Education program funds outcome-based projects offering research, education, and demonstration projects that benefit farmers and explore new sustainable farm practices. Projects should be directed toward research results that will translate quickly into farmer benefit, and farmers, extension staff, and other stakeholders should be involved in planning project content. Visit the website to learn more about the preproposal process and to apply.

 

GRANT: Regional Economic Development Council - Consolidated Funding Application (CFA)

Deadline, August 12, 2013, 4:00PMIn addition to funding through the Regional Economic Development Councils, several funding opportunities are available to apply for through the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA). For an overview of the resources available, check here. For a detailed list of all resources and directions on how to apply, view the CFA resource manual and the CFA application guide.

GRANT: Aetna Foundation Regional Grants Program

Deadline, September 15, 2013

The 2013 focus is on the following categories: Healthy Food Choices grants support programs that provide nutrition education and help increase the availability of affordable fresh fruits and vegetables in underserved communities. Healthy Activity grants support programs that provide opportunities for physical activity in underserved communities. Applications that focus on healthy food choices and physical activity through a racial and ethnic health equity lens will receive priority consideration. Visit the Foundation's websiteto submit an online application.  

 

Tune in every other Friday for the Watershed Wake-Up Call on

WIOX Community Radio 91.3 FM.

22 Farmy Things in 14 Days

Many of us are taking this week off. Some are living large and taking next week out of work, too. Here's a cool 22 Farmy Things (and some not so) to keep busy this week when gardening, B-B-Q-ing, and snoozing in the hammock become mundane. 

Day 1 (Tuesday, July 2): Mentor + Mentee Art Exhibit from 4 p.m to 6 p.m. at the Walt Meade Gallery, Roxbury.

Sidney Farmers' Market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Video Entertainment parking lot. 

Day 2 (Wednesday, July 3): Learn the Basics: Canning at Home from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Gerald J. Skoda Extension Education Center, Liberty. Food preservation at home CAN be easy and fun with a little instruction! All class materials are covered with a registration fee of only $25. Calling (845)292-6180.

Day 3 (Thursday, July 4): Holiday Pop-Up Market from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hanford Mills Museum, East Meredith. Sponsored by the Greater Stamford Area Chamber of Commerce, this market "pops up" again on July 7, indoors at Antique Car Show at Stanford's Cyr Center from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Day 4 (Friday, July 5): Come Travel the Milky Way from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Find out how butter, gelato, cheese and yogurt are made. Catskills Family Creameries open their barn doors with farm tours, cost is free.

Day 5 (Saturday, July 6):   Annual BBQ, Art, and Music Splash! at Root 'N Roost Farm. $25 per person gets you all of the above! Kids 5 to 10 are just $10, under 5 free! RSVP to attend.

Pakatakan Farmers' Market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Round Barn, Halcottsville. Find bedding plants, shrubs, trees, fresh produce, baked goods, homemade crafts, jewelry, furniture, meat, eggs, fish, maple products, honey, wool and leather items. Rain or shine. Free. No dogs.

Day 6 (Sunday, July 7): Foxtail Community Farm Workshop Series from
12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Workshops introduce practical homesteading skills involving growing, preparing and preserving food. Participants will leave with a practical skill and a share of the goods produced. $10 for CSA members; $20 for non-members.

Franklin Farmers' Market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Located in front of Chapel Hall and across from the Franklin Central School on Institute Street, this open-air market offers meats, vegetables, fruits, eggs, cheese, maple and honey products, breads, baked goods, plants, coffee and special events.

Day 7 (Monday, July 8): Catskills CRAFT Meeting at Heather Ridge Farm, Preston Hollow from 5 p.m to 7 p.m. Free with a potluck supper to follow. Owner Carol Clemente will discuss diversifying a farm business and participating in cooperative ventures to further the farm's mission and goals. 

Songwriting Workshop with Story Laurie from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the West Kortright Centre, East Meredith. Do you love to sing your heart out? Have you ever wondered what it's like to write an actual song? Designed for ages 6-9, 5-week session costs $90/$75 WKC members.

Rock n' Pop Theater Camp from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at 76 Main Street, Stamford. Campers ages 8-13 build their creative, acting, singing, and music skills as they take part in a musical and a concert performed before an appreciative audience on Friday, July 12.

Day 8 (Tuesday, July 9): Young People's Theater Arts Workshops: Shakespeare with Olivia Briggs at the West Kortright Centre, East Meredith. For ages 13–19, these multi-night workshops through August 2. Cost is $400/$350 WKC Member with scholarships available.

Day 9 (Wednesday, July 10): Sheep Goat Producer Group tour of Southwind Farms, Gilbertsville from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Transportation available. 

Delhi Farmers' Market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Delhi Courthouse Square. Sponsored by the Greater Delhi Area Chamber of Commerce, this market features fresh locally grown vegetables, fruits, various meats, cheeses, eggs, maple syrup, cut flowers, hanging baskets, fresh bread, wine, baked goods, annual and perennial plants and potted herbs.

Day 10 (Thursday, July 11): Farming with Kids at Apple Pond Farm from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Children do some farm chores (activities vary): milking goats, feeding chickens, gathering eggs, grooming horses, etc. Adults: $5; children (age 4 and older) $4. Minimum of 5 people. No reservations needed.

Day 11 (Friday, July 12): Hobart Community Farmers' Market from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Town Hall Green, Maple Avenue. Local and regional vegetables, fruits, cheeses, honey, maple syrup, eggs, meats, baked goods, crafts.

WAC-CCE Catskills Grazing Group meets to discuss Invasive Pest Management of flies at a Franklin farm TBD. Pesticide credit available. Contact Kim Holden (607) 865-7090, ext. 241 for more.

Day 12 (Saturday, July 13): Oneonta Farmers' Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Main Street Plaza.Open-air farmers' market offering local foods, including fruits and vegetables, grass-fed meats, poultry, eggs, cheeses, maple products, honey, chutneys and sauces, preserves, baked goods, and unique handmade crafts and jewelry. Live music, free tastings and special events. 

Day 13 (Sunday, July 14): Sullivan County Farmers' Markets Association at Callicoon Creek Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Day 14 (Monday, July 15): Writers' Evening at 7 p.m. at 76 Main Street,  Stamford. Local writers present new works in progress to an audience of supportive fellow writers and community members. Free.

Monticello Farmers' Market take place every other Monday at the Government Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Part-timers can stock up on their way home while full timers can fill the frig after weekend guests with fruits, vegetables, baked goods, coffee and eggs.

You have something to share? Leave it in the comment section below. Need more? Check out the events calendars at Pure Catskills and the Watershed Agricultural Council or look in the 2013-14 Pure Catskills Guide to Farm Fresh Products.

Fresh From the Catskills: 5 Things to Look for This Week June 14

It's Here! The Pure Catskills Guide to Catskills Products arrives today. We're featuring images of members from a variety of value-added products, like wool fibers, fudge and caramel and sides of beef. Eight local producers, growers and artisans are featured within this 64-page directory of everything Fresh From the the Catskills. Featured regional businesses include Slickepott, Fieldstone Farm, Elderberry Herbs and Tabitha Gilmore Barnes Studio. Find your copy at hundreds of locations or contact Kristan for your mailed copy (607) 865-7090.

FARMERS' MARKETS: Curious where to pick up this week's farm fresh products? Pure Catskills teams up with the Watershed Post each week to highlight one of the area's hot markets. This week, check out Lexington Farms' Market on Route 42. Open monthly on the first Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. and the third Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon, you'll find a variety of Greene and Schoharie County Fresh from the Catskills products. Find out which local farmers and vendors will be on hand here. You can also visit the Pure Catskills running list of regional farmers' markets here.

WALTON REGIONAL LIVESTOCK SHOW: This free event is the season opener for youth showmanship. Swine, beef, goats and sheep (and their handlers) take the center ring this weekend, June 14 to 16, at the Delaware County Fairgrounds, Walton.

FOLLOW THE MILKY WAY: Catskills Family Creameries is opening their barn  doors on July 5 for a peak into what it takes to make butter, milk, gelato and cheese. Free and open to the public, bring the family, meet the animals, see the magic of transforming dairy into something else even yummier!

GET INSIDE A LENDER'S BRAIN: The Watershed Agricultural Council is offering two Financing Your Business workshops to improve your chances of qualifying painlessly for financing:

• July 10 from 4:30 to 8 p.m. at Sullivan County Soil and Water Conservation District office, 64 Ferndale-Loomis Road, Liberty REGISTER ONLINE HERE FOR LIBERTY 
• July 11 from 4:30 to 8 p.m. at  Brooks' House of B-B-Q, 5560 NYS Highway 7, Oneonta REGISTER ONLINE HERE FOR ONEONTA. 

To register by phone, call Marilyn Wyman, CCE-Columbia/Greene Counties at (518) 622-9820. Each evening workshop costs $20 and includes dinner. For five good reasons to attend the workshop, read "The 5 C's of Obtaining Credit" on the Pure Catskills blog.

Tune in to WIOX-FM 91.3FM every other Friday at 7:15 a.m. for Watershed Wake-up Call to find out what's Fresh From the Catskills.

The 5 C's to Obtaining Credit

Guest blogger Josh VanBrakle is the Wood Products Utilization and Marketing Specialist at the Watershed Agricultural Council. Here, he shares with you five reasons why you need to get inside a lender's brain and the workshop solution. 

For small businesses, getting financing is a pain. There’s no escaping it, especially when you’re in a rural industry like farming or logging. Lenders see small businesses as risky, and farming and logging as riskier still. Add to that the general reluctance of banks to make loans following the Great Recession, and it’s a wonder anybody gets money to do anything.

But you’re an entrepreneur. You’re not going to let a bunch of bankers keep you from fulfilling your dreams. You’re going to get the money you need to start or expand your business. The only question is how.

Successful bids for financing start long before you enter a bank. As you prepare your loan application, put yourself in the lender’s shoes. Suppose they came to you looking for the same amount of money you’re requesting. What would you require from them? What interest rate would you charge? Would you lend them money at all? Why or why not?

When lenders ask these questions, they answer them using five categories – the “Five C’s” of credit. If you want financing, be prepared to address them all:

1.  Character – an examination of your managerial ability and credit score.
2.  Capital – lenders want to see a net worth - what you own minus what you owe - greater than 50% of total assets. Growth in net worth over time is also a plus.
3.  Capacity – historical gross and net income as well as future projections. This is where a business plan comes in handy; it makes the case that your projections are realistic.
4.  Collateral – an identified source of repayment if your income projections don’t work out.
5.  Conditions – if there are weaknesses in any of the first 4 C’s, lenders may impose conditions such as requiring a co-signer or additional collateral, among others.

More than any “C’s,” the most important thing to remember when seeking financing is that you’re building a relationship. At the least, you’ll be making payments, and ideally, you’ll be coming back for additional help as your business grows.

A great way to begin building that relationship is to meet lenders and learn what they want to see in applicants. The Watershed Agricultural Council is providing just such an opportunity in July – a pair of workshops called “Financing Your Business.” These workshops will feature regional lenders and provide forum time when you can ask questions and get feedback from other business owners.

The same workshop will be held twice, on consecutive days at different locations:

July 10 from 4:30 to 8 p.m. at Sullivan County Soil and Water Conservation District office, 64 Ferndale-Loomis Road, Liberty 12754  REGISTER ONLINE HERE FOR LIBERTY

July 11 from 4:30 to 8 p.m. at  Brooks' House of B-B-Q, 5560 NYS Highway 7, Oneonta 13820  REGISTER ONLINE HERE FOR ONEONTA 

Use the links above or call Marilyn Wyman at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties at 518-622-9820. Each evening workshop costs $20 and includes dinner.

Top 10 Reasons to Be a Pure Catskills Member

With just days to go to "Get in the Guide," we took a page from late night television to inspire you to renew your membership to Pure Catskills. The deadline to sign up is fast approaching -- April 20.  So, riffing on Dave Letterman's take, here are the Top 10 reasons why you should be a Pure Catskills member:

10) The New Member Goody Bag: Or call it the Insider's Schwag Bag, the Pure Catskills Welcome Kit includes promotional materials highlighting the advantages of buying local. Point of purchase materials include a Pure Catskills member sign, bumper stickers, oak tags for pricing and hang tags. (Kits to be distributed in May and June.)

9) Cheerleader Pom-Poms: Not quite, but upon request, we will send you an Event Promotion Kit to highlight Pure Catskills to your event. We'll send you rack cards, a Pure Catskills banner, giveaway items, and other "stuff" to liven the festivities.

8) A Reason to Boast: Don't be bashful with shameless self-promotion -- a 50-word description about your business -- over 250 others are proud to be in the Guide to Catskills Products, too!

7) Bragging Rights x2: Expand that shameless self-promotion with more details online within the PureCatskills.com searchable web directory.

6) We Are the World, um, the Catskills: When you use the Pure Catskills logo to enhance your marketing efforts (like the Member web badge at left), you'll get the recognition you deserve through brand unity!

5) Your Personal Cheering Section: Our staff is out there rah-rah-sis-boom-bah-ing your products and businesses, and providing promotional support through events, print media, advertising, social media and other targeted campaigns, like Fresh From the Catskills.

4) Online Shopping Portal: Need an online shopping cart? Use ours! Sell your products through the web-based shopping portal, Pure Catskills Marketplace, and move your retail products to consumer markets easily online.

3) One Voice: Pure Catskills members with similar businesses are featured within the printed Guide in specialty sections for Beef, Botanicals, CSAs, Farm Accommodations, Farm & Food Organizations, Restaurants & Lodging, Farm & Food Radio Programs, and Activities & Tourism.

2) The Choir: Spin-offs sing in other forms like the Pure Catskills Holiday Gift Guide, county-specific Farmers' Markets rack cards, and articles in the Catskill Mountain Region Guide.

1) Your Marketing Hub: Use the PureCatskills.com website to promote your business, sure, but you can also use our events calendar to get the word out on your business's events, workshops and activities. We'll even give you a plug on the Pure Catskills Facebook Page. We're here to help you move your marketing efforts in the right direction. Need help? Just ask.

    Need more reasons to be a Pure Catskills member?  Register online by April 20 or contact Tia Blaber at ColorPage (the Guide publisher) at (845) 331-7581 x10.

    One more reason...Tell your own story: Each year we include images of our landscapes, farms and other businesses on the pages of the Guide. We know you've been out there taking some great shots! Whether in the field, barn or cafe, atop a tractor or at market, your photo could be part of the 2013-14 Guide. Send your high-resolution, original photo to Pure Catskills. If selected for publication, the photographer and location will be credited.

Sharing the Love Through CSA

Pete Kavakos Jr. drives CSA shares

In the April 2013 Catskill Mountain Region Guide (page 8), 15 Pure Catskill members offering CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, are featured in "This Ain't Your Grandma's CSA."

We also updated the Pure Catskills CSA rack card for 2013. Below are regional members offering their neighbors the investment opportunity in local farming and a unique community connection with their farms. Payment structures, product offerings, pick up times all differ. Find the one that suits your palate and dive in. Most CSAs begin "sharing the love" in May.

Kavakos checking greens under cover

Berry Brook Farm at Stony Creek Farm
Burnett Farms
Channery Hill Farm
Gorzynski Ornery Farm
Heather Ridge Farm
Hilltop Hanover Farm
Mountain Del Farm
Neversink Farm
Root n' Roost Farm
Rusty Plough Farm / Rondout Valley Organics
Stoneledge Farm

Straight Out of the Ground
Susquehanna Valley CSA Project/Blue Sky Farm
Thanksgiving Farm
Willow Wisp Organic Farm

Pollinator-ready Cosmos at RPF

If you aren't listed but want to be, contact Tara Collins. Pure Catskills will further promote the article, rack card and member farms in an upcoming  press release, as well as on BuyPureCatskills.com.

Circle back each month for a featured article in our monthly column, Fresh From the Catskills. Thanks to Nadia Maczaj at Rusty Plough Farm and Deb Kavakos at Stoneledge Farm for sharing their photos.

Have a comment about your favorite CSA? Did we miss one? Share your comments and CSA resources below.

A chicken's work is never done at R\PF

Guest Post: A Look at the 2013 Farm to Market Connection - State of the Foodshed Address

Guest blogger Sally Fairbairn is a retired dairy farmer, board member of the Watershed Agricultural Council and chairwoman of the Council's Watershed Agricultural Program. Here, she shares her perspective on the keynote "State of the Foodshed Address" at the 4th Annual Farm to Market Connection held on March 24, 2013 in Liberty. A video of this keynote address will be available in the coming weeks.

Keynote speakers Jennifer Grossman and Rebecca Morgan tag-teamed to bring a message of facts and figures mixed with optimism and urgency in this year’s State of the Foodshed Address at the 4th Annual Farm to Market Connection. Before 120 or so conference attendees, Jennifer explained that our present broken food system is a result of Federal farm policy that encouraged monocultures of commodity production. That system has provided cheap food for decades but with unintended consequences that are only now beginning to be recognized. Recent drought nationwide has shown how vulnerable we are to climate change. Type II diabetes, once found almost exclusively among the middle-aged adults, is now more and more common among elementary school children.  We are losing farmers and farmland at a pace that endanger our food supply. Overall, our food system is due for a major overhaul.

So why the optimism? One reason -- the recognition that something must change -- is gaining traction.  Rebecca reported on several examples - who is farming, where the farming is happening, what foods are being produced, how the food is grown and distributed, all facets of food production are showing change. Diversification and innovation are the buzz words to restore a healthy food system for producers and consumers.

Jennifer Grossman and Rebecca Morgan

The opportunity for farmers is probably unparalleled: in New York City, there is an estimated $1 billion worth of unmet demand for locally grown food. That is ONE BILLION DOLLARS – not a misprint. For the Catskill region that is one heck of a market in our backyard, and we are determined to figure out how to gain our share of it.

The development of farmers’ markets and community supported agriculture has served to help farmers find markets for locally grown food, but now we need to get past those smaller opportunities to get into NYC markets. One next step on the way to those markets is the Food Hub – where farmers collectively aggregate products to fulfill larger orders and/or deliver more efficiently.

Jennifer noted that just 4% of the produce that goes through the Hunts Point distribution facility comes from New York State farms despite the fact that we are among the Top 5 states in production of several commodities including cabbage, pears, wine, milk, yogurt, sour cream, maple products and apples. OK, not all those products would go through Hunts Point, but finding innovative ways to access that City market outlet could help some of our larger farms. And did you know the second largest food purchaser in the country is the New York City school system? Capturing event a percent of these markets would make a significant impact on Catskills farmers, economies and communities.

Rebecca continued to outline how we get there – to the school system, to Hunts Point, to the restaurants and shops that feed a population hungry for locally, sustainably grown food. We are increasing the infrastructure of food processing. Our land is still comparatively reasonably priced and available to farmers. Innovative incubators like the Glynwood Center and CADE research ideas and help determine what works. Groups like Catskills CRAFT help young farmers learn the skills necessary. Renewed interest in historically important crops like hops mark resurgence in grain production. Regional artisanal value-added dairy products are making a name for themselves.

Why bother? For one thing, cheap food is often bad food. Poverty impacts people’s health and it is not just an urban problem. Local people also need reasonably priced, good food. We can grow it here and have it available for a decent price. Agriculture helps underpin the local economy. There are tax benefits to having farmland not be developed and to having farms. Also the dollars earned by smaller farms producing locally grown food  stay within  a community helping to support the local economy before being sent out of the area by way of large corporations.  Jennifer is looking for a change not just in food systems but a change in economic systems to benefit local producers.

We are NYC’s Watershed and are officially recognized as part of its Foodshed. Progress is continually being made to help farmers profit from their proximity to this mega market.  Together, Jennifer and Rebecca brought us realism and optimism to start our day at the Farm to Market Connection.

Farm to Market Connection photo courtesy of Veccvideography.com