A3B-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 10, 2003 NESARE Announces $660,000 For Research, Education ITHACA, N.Y. The Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NESARE) program located at the University of Vermont in Burlington has announced its re search and education awards for 2003. Funds will support a total of 16 research, demonstration, and educa tion projects support the long-term viability and sustainability of farms and farming in the northeast region. NESARE characterizes sustain able agriculture as profitable, envi ronmentally sound, and making im portant contributions to the community in which it resides. Seven farmers will share approxi mately $42,600 to conduct on-farm research. The grants were awarded based on their relevance, innovation, and promise to contribute to sustain ing farming operations across the northeast. NESARE awarded a total of $268,744 to farmer/grower proj ects in the Northeast. Awards for New York are Peter Anderson; Long Eddy, N.Y.; compost mounds and no-till for pumpkins; Michael Glos; Berkshire, N.Y.; season extension for organic culinary herbs; Ron Khosia; New Paltz, N.Y.; low cost electric seeding and culivating tractor; Bi-Co View Farm; Munnsville, N.Y.; heated beds for dairy cows; Chris Pa welski, Goshen, N.Y.; commercial spring salad mix for Muckland; Mat thias Reisen; Avoca, N.Y.; organic high production of medicinal herbs; Fred Forsburg; vinegar as an organic herbicide for garlic. NESARE awarded $2,255,075 to 19 researchers in the Northeast who will explore topics as diverse as ex ploring reduced tillage techniques for vegetables, controlling mites in honeybees, and linking local food sources with local schools both in the cafeteria and the curriculum. Awards totaling approximately $568,000 will support four projects in New York: • Soil health assessment, manage ment, and training: Vegetable pro duction systems. George Abawi, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. As soil is depleted, growers in crease their use of fertilizers, pesti cides, tillage, and irrigation to main tain acceptable yield, all of which have led to more interest in soil as sessment and improvement to save money and labor. The project leader will assess the soil health on SO to 100 vegetable farms and establish demonstration trials in the adoption of sustainable, biologically based soil management. An assessment proto col, Website, and materials kit for educators will be developed, and farmer adoption and economic im pact will be tracked and analyzed. • Determining the commercial vi ability of an exclusionary production system using disease-resistant col umnar apple and sweet cherry culti vars. Peter Jentsch, Cornell Univer sity’s Hudson Valley Lab, Highland, N.Y. Apples are pesticide-dependent, and costs for pesticides run $4OO an acre in the Hudson Valley. The proj ect manager will grow disease-resis tant columnar apple and dwarfing sweet cherry trees in five different orchards using a v-trellis high-densi ty system, integrating mulches, irri gation, a fixed-canopy spray system, and supports for barrier netting. These sites will be use to familiarize fruit growers with an integrated sys tem that will protect against hail and discourage pests without the use of synthetic pesticides. • Optimizing reduced tillage sys tems for vegetables grown in the upper Northeast. Anusuya Rangara jan, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. The cool climate in the northern part of the region often makes no-till dif ficult, since the soil takes a long time to warm. The project manager will use on-farm and experiment-station research, workshops, and field dem onstrations to promote reduced-till age strategies specific to the climate and soil of this area. At least five techniques will be tested, and vegetable farmers f wiH leam about and adopt the ones best suit- ed to their farms. Case studies will capture the experiences of individual farmers as they adopt re- duce tillage practices and will be used for further outreach and education. • Beach plum: A new crop for new markets. Thomas Whitlow, Cor nell University, Ithaca, This continues a N.Y. previous SARE project. LNEOI-153, which focuses on beach plum as a low-input sustainable crop suitable for adding value. The project leader will build a marketing consor tium and focus on market research, business planning, and producer, chef, and processor workshops. A Beach Plum Consortium Council will support and oversee marketing, and the emphasis will be on quality niche markets and responding to consumer preference for a wild-flavored jam with a distinctive regional identity. The overall goal is to continue build ing product quality and consumer in terest in beach plum products. NESARE partnership grants are awarded to agricultural professionals who work directly with fanners. The grants are for demonstration, re search and marketing projects that relate directly to the long-term sus tainability of farming and agriculture in the northeast region. In 2003 16 grants totaling $150,000 were award ed. Six Cornell Cooperative Exten sion Educators received grants total ing $48,000 for work in New York State; • Alternative continuous cover forage crop systems for the North east. Paul Cerosaletti, Cornell Coop erative Extension of Delaware Coun ty, N.Y., and Lisa Fields, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Schoharie County, N.Y. Dairy fanners in south-central New York often grow their own forage, but struggle to es tablish cover crops needed to mediate soil loss. The project leaders will see whether sorghum sudangrass, inter seeded with small grain cover crops and perennial forages, will provide a continuous cover, and whether win ter rye and triticale will reestablish sods in no-com, conventional-till fields. Four cooperating farmers will plant and harvest various mixes, and the results will be analyzed in terms of production costs, plant success, and milk production. • Regional compost network. Aaron Gabriel, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Hudson Falls, N.Y. One of the challenges of composting is lo gisticalconnecting composters with waste generators, moving organic waste, and developing the commu nity infrastructure needed to make composting viable. The project leader will develop case studies of compost facilities on area farms as well as profiles of waste generators. The leader will also recruit participants for a regional composting network and seek out economical ways for municipalities to transport yard waste and leaves to farms for com posting. A directory of composting resources will be developed for the Cornell cooperative extension Web site and will also be distributed in printed form. • Development of improved con trolled-atmosphere storage tech DEP Kicks Off Watershed Awareness HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) Department of Environ mental Protection (DEP) acting secretary Kathleen A. McGinty today joined legislators, educators, students and a host of envi ronmental groups to help declare May as Watershed Awareness Month in Pennsylvania, encouraging residents to leam more about their local watersheds and participate in environmental activities to enhance their natural surroundings and commu nities. “Watershed Awareness Month is a unique opportunity for every Pennsylvanian to expand their awareness and apprecia tion for our valuable water resources through educational activ ities, watershed hikes and tours throughout the month of May,” McGinty said. Local watershed organizations and schools from across the Commonwealth also joined Acting Secretary McGinty to cele brate the event. The purpose of Watershed Awareness Month is to promote the importance of watersheds by encouraging and supporting volunteer community organizations, educators and other groups that conduct watershed education and awareness activi ties throughout the month of May. AVitfOl For The Control Of • Starlings • Pigeons • Sparrows • Crows 5 lbs. for *295 00 +6 00 S&H These Pesticides have restricted use. MUST HAVE Current Applicator's License. SV.V.VAV.V, Make Those Rodent hacks END! % DHtae tracking Powder* Kills Rats & Mice %}6 lb. Bucket i W *39.95-seoos.H % Balt Available > Blai RRI, Box 8 717*536*386 niques for gooseberries and red cur rants. Steven McKay, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Hudson, N.Y. Gooseberries and currents have shown promise as alternatives to tra ditional fruit crops, and can diversify a farm. The project leader will ex plore how to best use controlled-at mosphere (CA) storage techniques to make the most of the berry crops, and the trials will specifically com pare traditional CA pallet-storage to self-conditioning poly bags, which are reusable and require no external machinery. Several varieties of ber ries will be tested, and the results will be disseminated through extension publications, a farm newsletter, and the Website of the International Ribes Association. • Grass-based poultry production. Lynn O’Brien, Cornell Cooperative Grumbine Designated Fair Executive MYERSTOWN (Lebanon Co.) Dennis L. Grumbine, former executive director of the Pennsyl vania Farm Show and Pennsyl vania Farm Show Show Commis sion, has been designated a Certified Fair Executive (CFE) by the International Association of Fair and Expositions (lAFE). The certification is based upon a rigid scorecard of management skills, education, and leadership. The award designation was made May 4 in Williamsburg, Va. dur ing the lAFE Annual Spring Management Conference. Drawing from more than 3,200 organized fairs in the U.S. and Canada, 20 fair executives quali fied for the CFE award in 2003. Dennis L. Grumbine is a native of Myerstown and has been with the Pennsylvania Farm Show since 1978. Previously, he served as a commission member for 17 years. Grumbine served as executive director during the $9O million dollar expansion project that was accomplished in 11 months. Under his directing, the annual Farm Show experienced a 75 percent growth in at- T* tendance. Grumbine is well I known in the agriculture 7 community and has re- V ceived numerous awards T from major agriculture and f livestock organizations. He Z is also a member of the I Pennsylvania Livestock I Hall of Fame. 1 Starlicide For the Control of Starlings & Blackbirds Less Diseases Saves Feed 33 Lb. Pail *89.00 In Supply 37, Blain, PA 17006 1 or 717*536*3933 Extension of Allegany and Cattarau gus Counties, Belmont, N.Y. Con sumer preference for quality food is constrained by a lack of local and af fordable processing capacity. The project leader will develop and dem onstrate, in conjunction with two skilled farmers, a portable poultry processing lab as an education and outreach tool. The goal is to support diversification and competitiveness. Flock management and hands-on processing training will be offered, and the results will be disseminated to extension and directly to farmers. • Developing successful direct marketing strategies for agricultural producers in Washington County. Paula Schafer, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Washington and Sara toga counties, Hudson Falls, N.Y. Producer interest in direct marketing Dennis L. Grumbine, former executive'director Pennsylvania Farm Show, right, received a special nation from lAFE. At left is Marla Calico, CFE, lAFE chair. Randall G. Renninger Certified Public Accountant Specializing in agriculture and construction industries “We help business people discover ways to cut costs, save taxes, and be more profitable” Call about our FREE seminars 535 W. Orange Street, Lancaster, PA 17603 (717)299-6480 ♦ Fax (717) 299-6390 is growing, and the project leader will identify and support fanners who are interested in adopting new techniques. Ongoing effortswork shops, a culinary event, and a pro gram for part-time farmerswill be supplemented by the creation of a county farm guide that lists farms, products, contact information, and other information for consumers. The publication will be distributed at farmers’ markets, festivals, through tourism offices, and electronically. Results will be tracked through changes in sales and farmer feed back, and will be reported in the ag ricultural media. Additional information is at (607) 255-7286. For information other grant opportunities and small farms, visit the Cornell Small Farms Web site at www.smallfarms.comell.edu. of the desig board