Extension Out Loud: Recent Episodes
Cornell Cooperative Extension
Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Paul Treadwell highlights the impact that CCE has on the daily lives of New Yorkers through engaging interviews with researchers, educators, and practitioners. These wide-ranging conversations explore agriculture, food systems, nutrition, sustainable energy, youth development and more.
Cast Forward : CCE Oswego County 4‑H and Trout Unlimited Hook Tomorrow’s Anglers by Cornell Cooperative Extension
In this episode of Extension Out Loud, Mario Miranda Sazo, fruit extension specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension's (CCE) Lake Ontario Fruit Program, shares how advanced technology and agricultural techniques are revolutionizing apple orchards. The digitalization of orchard management is transforming farming practices. Advanced drone technology now enables farmers to create precise blossom density maps. These maps provide crucial data on bloom levels, helping growers identify which trees are flourishing and which need additional care. By leveraging drones, precision crop management, and advanced grafting techniques, CCE specialists and Cornell researchers are helping New York’s apple industry improve yields, enhance fruit quality, and promote orchard sustainability.
In a rapidly evolving world, strengthening connections between the work done in Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) program areas across the state and the related research conducted at Cornell University has never been more crucial. This episode of Extension Out Loud is the first in a series introducing the purpose and potential impact of Critical Issue Leads. As defined by Andy Turner, director of CCE and associate dean in both the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences and Cornell Human Ecology, these campus appointments will function as central leaders and liaisons, cultivating guidance and vision while connecting diverse program areas. Featured in this episode is David Kay, senior extension associate in the Department of Global Development and newly appointed Critical Issue Lead for Sustainable Energy and Climate Change at Cornell Cooperative Extension. Kay highlights the contributions of CCE in addressing climate challenges, and the importance of dialogue-driven approaches to foster understanding and action. Across multiple departments and over 45 years at Cornell, Kay’s research and outreach focus on energy efficiency, sustainability, and innovative strategies that integrate climate action with education. In addition to his work on campus, Kay chairs the City of Ithaca’s Sustainability and Climate Justice Commission and the National Extension Climate Initiative. A cornerstone of Kay’s approach is effective communication. He believes that while the science of climate change is robust, real engagement comes from understanding community priorities and equipping people with knowledge to make informed decisions. By embedding climate change insights into diverse educational disciplines—ranging from agriculture to nutrition—CCE underscores its relevance across societal sectors. “If I want to be a good educator and communicate with someone, I'm going to find out what they care about the most and figure out what resources can I bring to the table that would help them make informed decisions.” - David Kay Programs like agrivoltaics, which integrate solar energy with agriculture, highlight the collaborative potential of research and community-based education. These initiatives bridge the gap between campus innovation and local application, reinforcing CCE’s mission to empower communities. Looking ahead, Kay envisions expanding such programs to strengthen positive collaboration between research, education, and local engagement. Kay’s vision highlights the importance of informed, community-centric strategies in addressing the multifaceted challenges of climate change. According to Kay combining research, dialogue, and education, will ensure that CCE continues to drive impactful change, fostering resilient and empowered communities in the face of climate challenges.
The Joro spider, an arachnid that's been in the United States for years in some southern states, has been trending in the news lately as the next potentially invasive species to land in New York State. Some media hypes giant, venomous, flying spiders, but how concerned should we really be here in New York about their potential arrival?To address these questions Alejandro Calixto, Director of the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program at Cornell University joins this episode of Cornell Cooperative Extension’s ‘Extension Out Loud’ podcast. Calixto discusses the myths surrounding the Joro spider and the impacts of a changing climate on the spread of invasives. While large and venomous like many spiders, the Joro spider does not pose a direct threat to humans."Every spider has venom, but their venom is primarily for capturing prey and defense, not for attacking humans," said Calixto.One common misconception Calixto addresses is the idea of Joro spiders flying into homes or attacking pets. While they can disperse using a technique called ballooning—where they release silk strands to catch the wind and travel—they do not have wings or parachutes and are not aggressive towards humans or pets.Calixto highlights concerns about the Joro spider potentially outcompeting native species like the golden silk weaver in habitats where they overlap. However, their slow dispersal rate means any effects would likely be gradual and localized.Focusing on more immediate concerns for New Yorkers, Calixto mentions the rise of pests like the spotted lanternfly and the increased activity of ticks due to milder winters. These changes underscore the importance of vigilance and proactive pest management strategies to mitigate potential impacts on agriculture and public health.To learn more about the Joro Spider and other invasive pests in New York State visit the NYS Integrated Pest Management website.
The Joro spider, an arachnid that's been in the United States for years in some southern states, has been trending in the news lately as the next potentially invasive species to land in New York State. Some media hypes giant, venomous, flying spiders, but how concerned should we really be here in New York about their potential arrival?
To address these questions Alejandro Calixto, Director of the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program at Cornell University joins this episode of Cornell Cooperative Extension’s ‘Extension Out Loud’ podcast. Calixto discusses the myths surrounding the Joro spider and the impacts of a changing climate on the spread of invasives. While large and venomous like many spiders, the Joro spider does not pose a direct threat to humans.
"Every spider has venom, but their venom is primarily for capturing prey and defense, not for attacking humans," said Calixto.
One common misconception Calixto addresses is the idea of Joro spiders flying into homes or attacking pets. While they can disperse using a technique called ballooning—where they release silk strands to catch the wind and travel—they do not have wings or parachutes and are not aggressive towards humans or pets.
Calixto highlights concerns about the Joro spider potentially outcompeting native species like the golden silk weaver in habitats where they overlap. However, their slow dispersal rate means any effects would likely be gradual and localized.
Focusing on more immediate concerns for New Yorkers, Calixto mentions the rise of pests like the spotted lanternfly and the increased activity of ticks due to milder winters. These changes underscore the importance of vigilance and proactive pest management strategies to mitigate potential impacts on agriculture and public health.
To learn more about the Joro Spider and other invasive pests in New York State visit the NYS Integrated Pest Management website.
Though the H5N1 virus, often referred to as avian influenza, is most commonly associated with poultry, this spring farms in the Midwest reported cases in dairy cattle, presenting new risks for dairy herds, and farmers who work with them. While there are currently no known cases of H5N1 in New York dairy herds, Cornell and Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) experts are carefully monitoring the situation. Rob Lynch, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, and dairy herd health and management specialist with Cornell's Pro-Dairy program, joins CCE’s ‘Extension Out Loud’ podcast to share an update on H5N1, discussing the safety of dairy and meat products and what we currently know about the virus and its transmission. He also covers preventative measures dairy farms in New York can take. Lynch emphasizes the importance of continued vigilance and adherence to standard safety protocols. Frequent handwashing, use of personal protective equipment and other safety measures help protect both dairy herds and the people who work with them. While the situation is evolving, the current measures provide a framework for managing this emerging threat effectively. For updates and guidance on managing H5N1 in dairy cattle, Lynch advises farmers and industry stakeholders to contact their local veterinarian. They should also monitor trusted websites, including the CDC and Cornell Pro-Dairy, and take proactive measures to protect workers and cattle. Links: FOLLOW US! I nstagram: @ccecornell X: @CCECornell @ccecornell TikTok: @ccecornell Facebook:
Though the H5N1 virus, often referred to as avian influenza, is most commonly associated with poultry, this spring farms in the Midwest reported cases in dairy cattle, presenting new risks for dairy herds, and farmers who work with them. While there are currently no known cases of H5N1 in New York dairy herds, Cornell and Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) experts are carefully monitoring the situation. Rob Lynch, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, and dairy herd health and management specialist with Cornell's Pro-Dairy program, joins CCE’s ‘Extension Out Loud’ podcast to share an update on H5N1, discussing the safety of dairy and meat products and what we currently know about the virus and its transmission. He also covers preventative measures dairy farms in New York can take. Lynch emphasizes the importance of continued vigilance and adherence to standard safety protocols. Frequent handwashing, use of personal protective equipment and other safety measures help protect both dairy herds and the people who work with them. While the situation is evolving, the current measures provide a framework for managing this emerging threat effectively. For updates and guidance on managing H5N1 in dairy cattle, Lynch advises farmers and industry stakeholders to contact their local veterinarian. They should also monitor trusted websites, including the CDC and Cornell Pro-Dairy, and take proactive measures to protect workers and cattle. Links: Cornell Pro-Dairy CDC - H5N1 Bird Flu: Current Situation FOLLOW US! I nstagram: @ccecornell X: @CCECornell @ccecornell TikTok: @ccecornell Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CornellCooperativeExtension/
A trip to the grocery store today is an exercise in balancing budget against nutritional need. For many community members, these calculations lead to decisions based on economy and convenience. For historically underserved populations, this process is complicated by issues of access and the expense of healthier choices. Addressing this challenge is the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), whose goal is to help folks understand and maximize the impact of food dollars. Federally funded and present in every state and U.S. territory, EFNEP programs are delivered locally through the Cooperative Extension system. This year marks the 55th anniversary of EFNEP, a celebaration that highlights the importance of local partnerships in empowering communities to eat healthier. This episode of ‘Extension Out Loud’ focuses on the impacts of EFNEP through a conversation with Carol Parker, nutrition and health program leader and Cynthia Fouyolle, community nutrition educator for Cornell University Cooperative Extension New York City (CUCE NYC), which administers EFNEP programming in the Big Apple. I like to describe us as being rooted and planted in the neighborhood. The communities that we're working in are the communities that we've been working in for over 50 years. -Carol Parker Before becoming an community educator, Fouyolle was an EFNEP program participant. Her journey illustrates the success of the embedded approach to education that forms the core of nutrition education by CUCE NYC. One of the things about the program is not only the food preparation. It's not only the exercise. It's not only what they've been learning. It's the passion that we share with the participant. It's the respect. - Cynthia Fouyolle Parker and Fouyolle discuss EFNEP’s history, educational approaches, and significant impacts over 55 years. The conversation highlights the importance of partnerships with schools and community organizations, and the diverse linguistic and cultural adaptations in teaching methods. It also emphasizes the long-term behavioral changes and empowerment of participants. Learn more about
A trip to the grocery store today is an exercise in balancing budget against nutritional need. For many community members, these calculations lead to decisions based on economy and convenience. For historically underserved populations, this process is complicated by issues of access and the expense of healthier choices. Addressing this challenge is the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), whose goal is to help folks understand and maximize the impact of food dollars.
Federally funded and present in every state and U.S. territory, EFNEP programs are delivered locally through the Cooperative Extension system. This year marks the 55th anniversary of EFNEP, a celebaration that highlights the importance of local partnerships in empowering communities to eat healthier.
This episode of ‘Extension Out Loud’ focuses on the impacts of EFNEP through a conversation with Carol Parker, nutrition and health program leader and Cynthia Fouyolle, community nutrition educator for Cornell University Cooperative Extension New York City (CUCE NYC), which administers EFNEP programming in the Big Apple.
I like to describe us as being rooted and planted in the neighborhood. The communities that we're working in are the communities that we've been working in for over 50 years.
-Carol Parker
Before becoming an community educator, Fouyolle was an EFNEP program participant. Her journey illustrates the success of the embedded approach to education that forms the core of nutrition education by CUCE NYC.
One of the things about the program is not only the food preparation. It's not only the exercise. It's not only what they've been learning. It's the passion that we share with the participant. It's the respect.
- Cynthia Fouyolle
Parker and Fouyolle discuss EFNEP’s history, educational approaches, and significant impacts over 55 years. The conversation highlights the importance of partnerships with schools and community organizations, and the diverse linguistic and cultural adaptations in teaching methods. It also emphasizes the long-term behavioral changes and empowerment of participants.
About FNEP
Learn more about EFNEP in New York City
In a world increasingly dominated by technology, fostering a connection with the natural world carries more weight than ever. This episode of ‘Extension Out Loud’ is a conversation with John Linstrom, who recently edited a new version of Liberty Hyde Bailey’s book, “The Nature Study Idea.” Bailey, a horticulturist, and educator, helped found the Cornell College of Agriculture, becoming dean of what was then known as New York State College of Agriculture. He believed that cultivating a relationship with nature was not just beneficial, but essential. Originally written for elementary school teachers, Bailey’s work laid the foundations for 4-H, emphasizing an experiential approach to engage youth in active learning . This new edition of the “Nature Study Idea” brings Bailey’s ideas to a new generation. “Bailey’s philosophical and literary writing is just so beautiful and grounded ,” Linstrom says. “I think it really speaks to his idea of the human place in the natural world, and to our current moment.” Linstrom argues that Bailey’s work, though written over a century ago, offers valuable insights that have been somewhat lost to environmental thought. Bailey’s concept of nature study goes beyond the accumulation of facts about plants and animals. The Nature Study Idea emphasizes the cultivation of a sense of wonder and empathy for the natural world. Linstrom suggests that Bailey’s concept of “sympathy with nature” is particularly relevant today, as environmental concerns continue to mount. Linstrom’s edited edition of “The Nature Study Idea” offers a timely reminder of the importance of reconnecting with nature. During our conversation, Linstrom explores Bailey’s philosophy, rooted in observation, curiosity, and empathy, revealing a valuable framework for environmental education in the 21st century. Visit
In a world increasingly dominated by technology, fostering a connection with the natural world carries more weight than ever. This episode of ‘Extension Out Loud’ is a conversation with John Linstrom, who recently edited a new version of Liberty Hyde Bailey’s book, “The Nature Study Idea.”
Bailey, a horticulturist, and educator, helped found the Cornell College of Agriculture, becoming dean of what was then known as New York State College of Agriculture. He believed that cultivating a relationship with nature was not just beneficial, but essential. Originally written for elementary school teachers, Bailey’s work laid the foundations for 4-H, emphasizing an experiential approach to engage youth in active learning
.
This new edition of the “Nature Study Idea” brings Bailey’s ideas to a new generation.
“Bailey’s philosophical and literary writing is just so beautiful and grounded ,” Linstrom says. “I think it really speaks to his idea of the human place in the natural world, and to our current moment.”
Linstrom argues that Bailey’s work, though written over a century ago, offers valuable insights that have been somewhat lost to environmental thought.
Bailey’s concept of nature study goes beyond the accumulation of facts about plants and animals. The Nature Study Idea emphasizes the cultivation of a sense of wonder and empathy for the natural world. Linstrom suggests that Bailey’s concept of “sympathy with nature” is particularly relevant today, as environmental concerns continue to mount.
Linstrom’s edited edition of “The Nature Study Idea” offers a timely reminder of the importance of reconnecting with nature. During our conversation, Linstrom explores Bailey’s philosophy, rooted in observation, curiosity, and empathy, revealing a valuable framework for environmental education in the 21st century.
Visit Cornell University Press "The Nature-Study Idea"
After nearly 10 years as the New York State 4-H Director, Andrew Turner ’88, MPS ’98, is moving into a new role as Director for Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) beginning Dec. 1.
In this episode of ‘Extension Out Loud,’ Turner shares his vision for moving the organization forward and his deeply personal connection to and appreciation for the CCE educators across the state who selflessly drive and embody CCE’s commitment to New York state communities.
Turner was prepared for his new role by a lifetime of personal and professional experiences. A third-generation extension professional, Turner has led NYS 4-H since 2014, providing program leadership, professional development, and support for one of the largest and most diverse 4-H programs in the nation. Prior to that, he spent two years on campus as CCE assistant director for field operations and communications.
However, it is Turner’s boots on the ground experience at the county level that he says has most prepared him for his role of director. That journey began in 1989 at CCE Rockland County where Turner worked as a 4-H educator for nine years before serving as executive director for CCE Greene County for 14 years.
Turner says having experienced CCE at different organizational levels, as well as being a Cornell graduate, has had a profound impact on the way he views the reciprocal relationships between communities, local CCE educators, and extension faculty and researchers on campus.
We're not information providers only, we're community builders. And that happens through collaboration and context and embracing diversity, finding a way to engage all the people.
While appreciative of CCE’s rich history of serving New York communities, Turner also acknowledges the need for extension to adapt and embrace new ways of reaching people. Still, Turner emphasizes the importance of maintaining the human element as part of extension’s two-way exchange of ideas with communities. “We're not information providers only, we're community builders,” he said. “And that happens through collaboration and context and embracing diversity, finding a way to engage all the people.”
Download the podcast to learn more about Turner’s perspective on the future of CCE and extension work as well as his deep admiration for the educators who drive and define CCE’s work across the state.
Download the episode transcript (pdf)
The agricultural sector dealing with unprecedented challenges in the face of climate change. To shed light on the efforts being made to address these issues, Jenna Walczak, Ag Climate Resiliency Specialist for CCE’s Harvest New York team joined Cornell Cooperative Extension’s (CCE) ‘Extension Out Loud’ podcast for a conversation about helping farmers adapt to the changing climate and build resilience in their agricultural practices.
“Adaptation is the actions that we are taking in response to a changing climate. On farms in New York State, that might mean things like improving water management or soil health to be able to better withstand drought or flooding.”
In this episode, Walczak discusses climate vulnerabilities, strategies for adaptation, and the future landscape of farming in New York. While climate-related challenges affect the entire state, their intensity varies across regions. CCE’s work involves tailoring adaptation strategies to cater to the specific needs of each region, ensuring that farmers receive personalized support.
Walczak underscores the significance of re-establishing connections within agricultural communities and fostering the exchange of knowledge and experiences among farmers. By building stronger social networks, farmers can collectively address climate challenges and enhance their resilience.
“One thing that is important in the agricultural community in terms of building resilience is really developing and continuing to grow social networks.”
CCE plays a pivotal role in bridging the gap between university research and agricultural stakeholders. Specialists like Walczak serve as conduits for translating scientific knowledge into practical applications on farms. Events like the upcoming climate symposium facilitate collaboration among extension agents, researchers, and farmers, enabling them to share ideas and collectively strive toward a more resilient future for agriculture.
Links: Responding to Climate Change in New York State (ClimAID)Report CCE Ag In-service Climate Symposium (November 9, 2023) Harvest NY (website) EpisodeTranscript: PAUL: Welcome to another episode of Extension Out Loud, a podcast from Cornell Cooperative Extension. I'm your host Paul Treadwell. For this episode, I sat down with Jenna Walczak:, the Ag climate resiliency specialist from Cornell Cooperative Extensions Harvest New York team. Our conversation focuses on the ever-evolving climate challenges confronting the agricultural sector in New York. We also discussed the work of Cornell Cooperative Extension in facilitating innovation and collaboration to support adaptation, and climate resiliency and agricultural practices.
JENNA: My name is Jenna, and I am an Ag Climate Resiliency Specialist on the Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest New York Team.
PAUL: Welcome, Jenna. It's nice to meet you here. When we're looking at New York State, what are the main climate vulnerabilities farmers are currently facing?
JENNA: So there are a number of vulnerabilities or what are referred to as climate risks that are outlined in a 2014 report that's often called the ClimAID Report, and some of these include things like temperature, extreme heat, and more frequent and longer heatwaves are definitely of concern and something we already been seeing.
Another risk is related to precipitation. It's projected that in the coming decades we might be seeing more precipitation over the course of one year but that this precipitation will likely be falling in more extreme rainfall events where we're getting more than 1 or 2 inches in a 24-hour period.
Some other kind of risks or roller abilities are related to increased instances of diseases and things like that, so possibly more generations of an agricultural pest in one season.
PAUL: Given the fact that New York State is a large and geographically diverse State, do the climate vulnerabilities vary by region of the state, or is it pretty consistent across New York State?
JENNA: I think it's likely fair to say that every region will be seeing changes as a result of climate change but that the extent of those kind of risks or vulnerabilities may be different slightly from one region to another in the state.
But there are certain risks, things like sea level rise, that will be seen in the Hudson Valley or around New York City that won't be a problem in Central New York.
PAUL: At the outset of our conversation, can you just talk a little bit about the difference between climate and weather?
JENNA: Weather is often thought of as something that we are seeing from day to day in the shorter term sense while climate is the patterns that are happening over longer periods of time.
PAUL: Playing this out theoretically, we could-- for the climate, we could be experiencing a wetter climate, but we could have weather events that are droughts?
JENNA: Absolutely, absolutely, and I think an important piece related to that is with those climate projections that I was mentioning earlier that are outlined in the 2014 ClimAID Report is that along with that description of possible wetter years, more precipitation in one year, there's also likelihood or increased chance of short-term drought in the later summer.
PAUL: In your role, you talk a lot about climate adaptation. Can you describe for us what climate adaptation means? What is it? What does it look like in practice?
JENNA: Adaptation is the actions that we are taking in response to a changing climate, whether it is seeing more extreme precipitation or short-term drought or extreme heat. It's the actions that we're taking across the state and across sectors of the economy or particularly in agriculture to meet those challenges.
So on farms in New York State, that might mean things like improving water management or soil health in order to be able to better withstand drought or flooding. For our perennial cropping and trees, cropping systems, that might mean things like hail netting to try to avert the worst impacts of those events.
PAUL: How do you get the word out, and how do people begin to understand the challenges they're faces and then-- they're facing and then change their practices? Is there a particular method you have, or is there a better way to approach this work?
JENNA: Yeah I think what I'll say from my experience in my role in this position for about a year and a half now is I've been working to-- working with fellow Extension agents and technical service providers and especially farmers and others working in the natural resource field across New York State to build a common knowledge and a common understanding of some of the things that we've been talking about today, what the impacts of climate change will look like in New York State, many of which we're already seeing, as well as what the practical and the adaptation actions and climate mitigation actions that farmers can take as well as citizens and community members.
PAUL: So we know that farming is, at best, a dodgy business. It has a lot of risks and variabilities, whether it's crops or pests or livestock, financial issues. You throw the variable weather that we're experiencing into that. What are some of the fundamental things or fundamental practices that can be done to make a farm more resilient or more adaptable?
JENNA: In terms of resilience and adaptation, there are a lot of practices related to improving soil health and generally on-farm, other practices related to things like on-farm energy efficiency. Or as I mentioned earlier, water management can also take a number of forms on-farm, yeah, and some of the practices do vary based on the type of cropping system going on at an individual farm.
PAUL: You mentioned energy efficiency, and one thing this-- this is to the side of our main conversation, but one of the things that we're starting to see is the transition of some traditional agricultural land into solar farms. Can you talk a little bit about the trade-offs or the costs and benefits of taking some land and setting it aside for solar production?
JENNA: New York State has pretty ambitious goals in terms of renewable energy production, and part of that is increasing the amount of solar energy. So there have been a lot of conversations going on about how to best locate solar panels and taking into account the fact that we have certain areas of New York State that are prime agricultural land or prime agricultural soils. So there are now a lot of people doing work on the best use or siting of our land, which is really great and really important work.
But there's also a lot of exciting projects going on about co-locating solar agriculture through things like agrivoltaics. Solar grazing is something that is increasing in interest and awareness among farmers in Extension, and then there's also ideas about growing tree crops or perennial crops or other vegetable and agricultural crops under solar panels and a lot of really exciting work going on about that.
PAUL: I just have to ask because it sounds so cool. Solar grazing-- is it as simple as having your goats or your cows out grazing in fields with elevated solar panels, or is it something else?
JENNA: Oftentimes it's a sheep grazing under solar panels in New York State, and yeah, I've heard a little bit about different organizations working on training programs. There are specific challenges that I think one would face grazing animal [? grazing ?] area and solar panels related to maintenance and rotational grazing, grazing time, and things like that. And exciting to see the work being done there.
PAUL: Yeah, and it just sounds so cool. But anyways, if we're looking at being climate-resilient or these adaptation practices, what support is available to help farmers or producers who are building resiliency and adaptation into their processes and practices?
JENNA: For that education piece, there are county and regional team Extension agents across New York State working on a variety of climate-related topics, everything from silvopasture and agroforestry to rotational grazing, increasing soil health, you name it. There's a lot of expertise in New York State, so that's that educational piece.
And then as farmers are interested in implementing specific projects on their farm, they are able to connect to either the Soil and Water Conservation District in their County for specific climate related grant programs as well as the Natural Resources Conservation Service in their region to connect to some of those federal funding programs as well.
PAUL: To follow up on that, we have talked about educational and economic supports that are available. Is there support for farmers or producers who are coping with the social and emotional impacts of climate-related stressors? That's a whole other layer on top of the normal things. Do we have access to resources that will help them cope with that?
JENNA: Yes. In New York State, we are very fortunate to have a New York FarmNet, which runs an awesome group of both farm business, financial, and then mental health consultants across New York State and working with farmers and able to provide assistance in everything from business planning, succession planning to on-farm stresses that farmers and farm families and farm service providers are facing, which definitely may be increasing or overlapping due to climate concerns.
PAUL: So that leads me to a follow-up question that you personally and folks who are in positions like yours who are doing this work-- that it has a certain weight involved, a certain heaviness to the topic. How do you maintain your well being while you're dealing with this very heavy subject?
JENNA: I would say during the work day definitely connecting to colleagues and others who are doing similar work or able to express and share the challenges. And then outside of that, I enjoy spending time outdoors, so whenever I can get outside, hiking or biking or sitting by the Hudson River, that's what I enjoy.
PAUL: So in a prior conversation we had, we talked a little bit and we brushed on this topic of peer support amongst farmers in dealing with these things. Can you talk a little bit about that?
JENNA: Absolutely. I think one thing that is important in the agricultural community in terms of building resilience is really developing and continuing to grow and develop social networks, so whether that's farmers meeting one another and learning from one another, collaborating on projects, or farmers connecting to service providers, whether that's local Extension agents or Soil and Water Conservation District, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or other agricultural nonprofits in the area.
And I think everyone who's working in the agricultural field just being aware of the services, educational events, financial supports available to them, and I think that can help farmers especially be able to access resources to preemptively prevent any sort of climate-related challenges on-farm, or in the unfortunate event that they do face an extreme weather event that might cause damage on their farm, that they know who to turn to get help as soon as possible.
PAUL: Yeah, and that, to me, is particularly interesting because that kind of calls back to-- the way things used to be, agricultural communities, farming communities used to be fairly tightly-knit, and there was a lot of-- I guess I would call it mutual aid that would happen amongst farmers. And so even under this-- due to the situation, but one of the positives is the reweaving of some of this connectedness we used to have in our agricultural communities.
And so Jenna, I understand that there is a climate symposium coming up in November at the CCE Agricultural In-Service. Can you tell us a little bit about what that is and what's going to be discussed at the symposium?
JENNA: Yeah, so on November 9, the last day of this year's in-service on Cornell's campus, we will have a climate symposium, and it's really geared towards all CCE Extension agents and county-based regional team as well as Cornell faculty and staffs and agricultural stakeholders across the state.
And the goal is really for everyone to have a chance to meet one another and connect and share the climate-related programming and education and research that they're working on and hopefully from there, to be able to, again, develop networks and learn who our colleagues are who we can connect to for future projects and programming. It's really supposed to be a start of this sort of work.
PAUL: So if I'm at home listening to this and I'm not associated with Cooperative Extension, if I'm a farmer who's curious, can I participate in the symposium?
JENNA: Yes. The event is open to the public as well, and I should also mention that for the first kind of half of the day, there'll be a virtual option for attendees as well.
PAUL: And how do people find out about this if they're interested?
JENNA: There is information on the in-service website.
PAUL: And we'll be sure to link to that in our show notes so that people can find that. One thing that just popped into my head as we were talking here is we have Cornell Cooperative Extension. You're out there doing the work. The in-service is happening, and that's on campus at Cornell. And you're going to have Cornell faculty and staff showing up. Can you talk about the relationship between the university and Extension and then how the benefits of university research might flow through you to our stakeholders?
JENNA: Absolutely, yeah. So there is a lot of work going on, a lot of research being done on campus at Cornell related to mitigating climate change on agricultural and forested and working regions across New York State, and out on farms across New York State is where we're really seeing a lot of the impacts of climate change.
And I think the role of Extension is to really connect those two, so to help express the needs of farmers and landowners in New York State to research being done at the university and vice versa to share that research being done at the university with farmers across the state. So it is really an exciting position to be in, yeah, to amplify that research and that work being done.
PAUL: So I have two last questions for you here, and I'm going to ask the more pessimistic one. First, so what do you see as the biggest barriers to progress when we talk about climate adaptation and farms?
JENNA: One barrier I would say is the fact that there is often a high cost to some kind of adaptation and mitigation projects, but the good news there is that there is a lot of funding available from both the state level in New York as well as from the federal level coming down from the USDA and the Natural Resources Conservation Service that is specifically geared to go to farmers to help them to implement climate mitigation and adaptation practices, so there's good news there.
I'd say another challenge is the fact that there are a number of people or farmers, gardeners who are interested in having agricultural production systems that are sustainable and resilient but they don't yet have access to land and resources in order to be able to pursue those agricultural operations.
PAUL: And just to follow up a little bit on the funding issue, how do people find out about funding that's available at the state or federal level?
JENNA: It's great to have a conversation with your county Soil and Water Conservation District staff or the regional Natural Resources Conservation Service technicians in your area as well because there can be a number of steps you have to go to before you can apply for the grant programs. But then those service providers are able to help guide you through that process.
PAUL: So my final question for you, on a more upbeat note, is, in the realm that you're working in climate and resiliency and adaptation, what makes you hopeful for the future?
JENNA: A couple of things. I would say one of the things that gives me hope is the youth engagement in climate and environmental issues and in all the energy. Yeah, definitely a lot of hope there.
And another is the community-based organizations and programs that are already at work on climate issues across New York State and leading the charge
Chef Chantay Skrine is dicing onions for her collard greens. Skrine, owner of Sweetay’s LLC in Binghamton, N.Y., is at work in a shared commercial kitchen on the campus of Cornell Cooperative Extension Broome County. The past two years have been demanding, but her presence here signals a major step in the growth of her food-based business.
“Being able to utilize the kitchen here at the CCE has been awesome because I'm able to work with some amazing people.”- Chantay Skrine
This episode of Cornell Cooperative Extension's ‘Extension Out Loud’ podcast charts Chantay's journey from home to commercial kitchen and beyond. Amy Willis, Food Systems Project Coordinator, and Katie Matsushima, Food Development Specialist, of CCE Broome County join the conversation to talk about the full range of support her team provides to help Southern Tier chefs successfully scale up a food-based business.
“We always like to say, ‘What do you want to make? Do you have a business plan?’ We always just try to take a second to make sure that we can understand the bigger picture,” says Matsushima. The bigger picture often includes licensing and legal requirements. Combined with a scarcity of available commercial kitchens in Broome County, successfully navigating this landscape requires support and guidance.
“You start at home you grow, develop a base, customers. you start developing those smaller pieces. And then it's time to really scale” -Amy Willis
CCE Broome County offers a unique environment to support home processors who are ready to scale up production. The commercial kitchen is adjacent to the farmer's market. This means that fresh, local produce is available to aspiring chefs. Combined with CCE staff who can help navigate the many challenges facing small food-based businesses the odds of making a successful transition are dramatically increased.
Download this episode transcript (pdf)
The South Lawn Project, on-site at the offices of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County, in Rochester, N.Y., has transformed an underutilized piece of land into a thriving food-growing environment, offering employment opportunities to at-risk young adults.
In this episode of Cornell Cooperative Extension ‘s 'Extension Out Loud” podcast Marci Muller, CCE Urban Garden Specialist, explains the origin and goals of the South Lawn Project.
During the project's planning phase, Muller envisioned integrating transitional employment aspects into the urban farm's framework, aiming to establish a living laboratory for urban agriculture. According to Muller “a transitional job is a job for someone with barriers to employment. And it gives them the structure of work but not quite as demanding as a real job”.
A key factor in the project's overall success is the emphasis on mentoring, as young adults work alongside a seasoned farm manager to acquire essential knowledge in planting, tending, and harvesting. Simultaneously, they develop vital skills necessary for success in the workplace.
Also contributing to this episode are two farm employees, as well as farm manager Mike Kinkaid, and Brendan Tidings of the Regional Valley Market in Rochester. The Regional Market is a supporter of the south lawn farm, providing funding in these first years to help this innovative program continue.
Download the episode transcript (pdf)
Aravelle is a new grape variety developed by Dr. Bruce Reisch of Cornell Agri Tech. This Riesling Cayuga White cross has some unique features that address specific challenges faced by growers here in NY State.
For this episode of Extension Out Loud I sat down with Dr. Reisch, Hans Walter Peterson – viticulture specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension and Louis and Donna Gridley of Gridley Vineyards to talk about the potential of Aravelle and the process of developing and bringing a new variety to market.
Download episode transcript: https://cornell.box.com/s/a9si6a131hvo1ys4kihohqzs5xnitfi7 (word document)
Links to resources mentioned in the episode:
NY State Ag and Markets Poultry pages
USDA APHIS Defend the Flock website
NY DEC Contacts page by region
Episode Transcript:
Nancy Glazier:I'm Nancy Glazier. I am the small farms and livestock specialist on one of the regional teams for Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops Team. And I've been with the team roughly 24 years.
Speaker: Great to have you join us, Nancy. And Amy?
Amy Barkley: Hi there. My name is Amy Barkley. I am the livestock and beginning farm specialist for the Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops Program. So I'm essentially Nancy's counterpart in the Southwest Region of the state. I've been with Extension for about three years. But prior to coming to Extension, I worked in the commercial poultry industry.
Speaker: Well, it's great to have you both here. And, Amy, it's really good to have your deep experience with poultry because today we're going to talk about avian influenza. It has jumped up in the news again. So I was just curious, what is the current, as of March 24, 2023, when we're recording this, what's the current status of avian influenza here in New York State and then across the nation?
Amy Barkley: So as of March 24, 2023, we are up to 17 confirmed cases in domestic flocks and kept wild flocks of birds in the state of New York. Additionally, we have seen about a little over 300 cases in wild birds. And when we compare this to the national average, we have seen over 58 million birds infected with avian influenza across the nation and many thousands of birds affected from the wild bird populations. Right now, we're looking at a pretty even split between backyard birds and commercial birds. And we expect that split to continue going forward.
Speaker: So avian influenza, are there different strains of it? And what is the current strain that is giving us concern?
Nancy Glazier: Avian influenza has been around for a very long time. In normal years-- and we're in an abnormal stretch right here. Normal years, there may be the low-pathogenic strains that are around. But we've gotten into this highly pathogenic avian influenza, H5N1.
And the outbreak actually started just a little over a year ago, with the first flock identified at the end of February, 2022 in New York. Through the wild bird migrations, that's when we've had the uptick in cases. And so now we're just kind of gearing up that spring migration. You look up in the skies and the wild geese, whether the Canadian geese or the snow geese, are out and about with some ducks and other waterbirds. So that's what's transporting the disease around right now.
Speaker: It's not just chicken flu.
Nancy Glazier: No.
Speaker: So it really is more-- birds are affected across the board. Is that correct? Songbirds?
Amy Barkley: For the most part. So most of the infections that we're seeing are in wild waterfowl populations, as had Nancy mentioned. We are also seeing with this particular outbreak a huge number of wild raptors that are affected. And they're likely affected because they're preying on those sick and dead birds that they're finding in their wild habitats so that they can sustain themselves. We're also seeing some of these outbreaks in corvids, such as crows and ravens. And, again, we think it's because they're feasting on some of these wild bird carcasses.
Speaker: We've mentioned wild birds and flocks of chickens. Are mammals susceptible to H5N1?
Nancy Glazier: We have had some mammals that have been diagnosed with avian influenza. And I think those populations primarily in New York has been the red fox. And there was a skunk. And there was actually a captive leopard at the Syracuse Zoo that was diagnosed and died.
I think those wild animals are feasting on those carcasses that they find out in the fields. So it's a heavy dose of the virus that's impacting them.
Speaker: So just to get this question out of the way, for us upright bipedal mammals wandering around, it's really not a concern that is going to infect us at this point, is it?
Nancy Glazier: Not at this time. I think in the countries where people live with their chickens, there's a little bit more of a risk. And there has been less than a handful of human cases. But we all should practice biosecurity with our chickens, clean boots, all those things that we do.
We should be experts at that right now, Paul, with just the sanitation and working through COVID. It's wash your hands, cover your cough, and all those practical things. And one of my taglines over the years has been don't kiss your chicken.
Amy Barkley: I'll second that.
Speaker: Is that a thing? Is that a social media thing? Or is that a thing people have been--
Amy Barkley: Oh, it is. Oh, it is. I mean, cute, cuddly chicks? I mean, what more would you want them to put them up to your face and give them a kiss?
Speaker: Uh, that's not my first impulse.
[laughter]
So, Nancy, I just want to flip back. When you say a handful of cases, you're talking a handful of cases worldwide, right?
Nancy Glazier: Worldwide, yeah. I don't have the number on that exactly, but--
Speaker: Yeah, but New York State, we haven't had any infected human beings?
Nancy Glazier: No, no.
Speaker: OK. Good. If I have a small flock in my backyard, if I have half a dozen chickens, what are some of the symptoms-- well, I guess this goes beyond just half a dozen chickens. In general, what are the symptoms to look for? And how do you assess whether your flock is healthy or not?
Amy Barkley: That's a really great question. So with chickens, turkeys-- and when I say "chickens," I mean both meat chickens and egg-laying chickens-- the hallmark symptom is death without any other sign. When this disease gets itself ramped up in a flock, it'll kill off a flock in about 24 to 48 hours of those particular species.
The other hallmark that we see is depressed appetite, maybe sneezing among the whole bird population, bluing of the waddles or the comb of the bird. And we'll also see decreased egg production. So perhaps you have chickens that are producing an egg a day. You go out into the coop tomorrow, there are absolutely no eggs to be found. That is a sign that something might be cooking. And it might be highly pathogenic avian influenza.
I do want to make a point that waterfowl are the main carriers of this disease, in part because they survive it a little bit better than some of our other domestic poultry species. So they may be sick and you might not know. You might have some mortality, but it won't be as dramatic as it is with chickens or turkeys.
Speaker: So backyard ducks aren't going to evidence in the same way that backyard chickens are.
Amy Barkley: Right.
Speaker: If you notice one bird is evidencing these symptoms, can you pull that bird out of the flock and will the rest of the flock be safe? Or is it if one bird is infected, it just sort of is a given that they're all infected?
Amy Barkley: Yeah, so this disease transfers through your respiratory secretions and fecal secretions primarily. So if you have one bird that is sick with this disease in your flock and you go to isolate it, it's not going to help anything. All the birds in your flock will end up succumbing in one way or another. There's typically no recovery period. And that time of decreased health into death is very quick.
Speaker: So what happens when an infected flock is found? What are the procedures that are followed?
Nancy Glazier: As extension educators, we've gotten over the years the sick bird question. When it's one out of a flock, it's not a big deal. But when there tends to be a significant number, that's when it tends to be a serious issue.
And the best resource to reach out to is New York State Ag and Markets. And they'll send out a veterinarian and come and assess the situation. They'll sample. They'll have it sent off for testing. And they, actually, if it's a suspect case, they'll send it off for double testing, to make sure that it's actually highly pathogenic avian influenza. And then, unfortunately, the only control method we have at this time is complete depopulation of the flock.
Amy Barkley: And when Nancy says "complete depopulation," that means every single bird on a farm premises will be depopulated. They will be humanely euthanized.
Speaker: If I have two chicken coops and they're 500 yards apart, if one is infected, they're all going to go?
Amy Barkley: Correct.
Speaker: After that happens, what are the biosecurity procedures you have to go through to make sure that you can then have chickens again without the virus spreading to them?
Nancy Glazier: There has to be a pretty thorough cleaning and disinfecting of the premises. And then they need to be empty for 30 days if it's a barn or structure. If they're out, pastured birds or out in the yard, the recommendation is 180 days of no birds back on the farm. If this is a tough time of year for the virus to be killed because we haven't had the nice, sunny, warm days to kill the virus in the environment-- so if a farm does pastured poultry for a business, you think that could pretty much wipe out their whole season of pastured poultry.
We've been really promoting the prevention-- keep your birds in and in a covered structure, keep your boots clean, no visitors. Some of those general practices are good for any situation, but they're really critical right now.
Speaker: We talked about what happens when a flock is infected. And, Nancy, you mentioned a little bit about how do you keep a flock safe. But what are, just laying out methodically, what are the procedures to keep your flock safe? What are the biosecurity protocols you should have in place?
Nancy Glazier: It's great to have a dedicated pair of boots for when you enter your chicken house or whatever your bird facilities. Contain the manure on them and not track that across the yard. And on the other side of that, you don't want to track in any wild bird manure into your birds. So really, it's an excellent idea to keep a dedicated pair of boots.
Don't allow visitors. Watch out right now for any bird swaps, trading. Some of those things can raise issues. Ag and Markets, they're the ones that kind of set the limits on some of those operations right now.
Keep your hands clean. Even if you want to wear disposable gloves can help with just that cleanliness. Keep traffic down as much as you can. If you're kind of a commercial type operation, you really want to limit the visitors. So, Amy, what else am I missing?
Amy Barkley: Nancy, I think you got a big part of that. I think the only other thing I would add is if you're planning on running your birds outside, a lot of folks that raise pastured broilers raise them in what we call chicken tractors, which are essentially open-air pens that are moved across a field once a day or multiple times a day. We recommend that those folks who are raising broilers in that manner be really conscientious of where they're placing those chicken tractors over the course of the season, so making sure that when they first place those tractors, they're not in areas that wild birds frequent or have frequented at least 180 days prior and that once the broilers are out on pasture that those wild birds are not coming in and mingling or flying over or interacting with those birds in those pens.
Speaker: [inaudible] Well, I have to ask, is there a vaccine? I mean, is there a magic bullet folks can rely on for this?
Nancy Glazier: There is a vaccine. But it can impact our trade with our international partners. I think Amy is our better expert on that one if she wants to elaborate a little bit.
Amy Barkley: I'll elaborate to the best of my knowledge. So Nancy's right. So there is a vaccine. But should we use it, it would essentially create a state where the virus exists still in the United States. It's just controlled with the vaccine. So that's why it impacts our trade partners. And because of that, we don't have permission to use it here in the United States on our flocks.
Speaker: So what about backyard bird feeders? I know-- and, again, I might be misremembering, but I remember a few years ago there was this call for people to take their backyard bird feeders in because they were concerned about avian influenza. Is that a concern at this point?
Amy Barkley: This is a really difficult question because the reality is we aren't testing songbirds as frequently as we're testing raptor mortality and wild waterfowl, both mortality and as regular checks. So we don't really know the extent of avian influenza in our songbird populations. What we do know is that some songbirds can carry it. And we also know that the communication of wild songbirds with wild waterfowl and then potentially in communication with kept birds can spread the virus from those two populations.
So if you have poultry at home or if your neighbors have poultry, it's probably a good idea to take them down, just until-- at least until the spring migration is over. We might have another chance for this virus to dissipate in the summer, kind of like what we saw last year. But at this time of year, the risk is really high. And so if you don't have kept poultry at home, it's probably not going to help a whole lot. If you have kept poultry at home, it's another layer that you can provide a protection to your flocks.
Speaker: So what about hunting? Is that OK?
Nancy Glazier: Turkey season will be starting up in a month and a half or so. But for the most part, there isn't risks. Hunters are always looking for those healthy birds anyways. But it would be wise if they see a mass die-off of any of the waterfowl to report that to the DEC.
Speaker: So is that New York State DEC or US United States DEC?
Nancy Glazier: Yes, yes, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Speaker: If you have a flock and it is infected and you have to euthanize those birds, is there a reimbursement program? Is there any? Because the economic hit, I would imagine, could be pretty huge on your operations. So are there any supports for farmers who have to go through this process?
Amy Barkley: There is some money set aside by the federal government to reimburse flock owners for the population of their flocks. And the way that that works is when Ag and Markets is called out to your farm, they will assess how many live birds are still on the premise. That live bird number is going to be the basis for payment. The payments are typically not going to cover the true costs of the bird. They're just to kind of offset some of that financial hit that producers and backyard flock owners will receive from the flock depopulation.
The challenge with this currently is that this particular outbreak is the largest domestic animal health disease outbreak in the history of the United States. It's unprecedented. There is not enough money in the coffers to pay every single person the full value that had been assessed originally. So right now there's a lot of talk about how these funds are going to end up getting paid out and how much they're going to end up being. And there's just a lot of questions right now.
I don't know the payment rate. We're not privy to that. And that's something that will have to be discussed one-on-one with flock owners and Ag and Markets.
Speaker: For those of us in New York State, we go to New York State Ag and Markets. But let's suppose somebody from Pennsylvania is listening. Is there an equivalent Pennsylvania Ag and Markets that they would report to? Is that pretty much universal across the United States?
Nancy Glazier: There is. And there's also at the federal level, there's the USDA Animal Plant Health--
Amy Barkley: --Inspection Service.
Nancy Glazier: --Inspection Service. Thank you very much. I was trying to bypass that acronym, APHIS. And they work at the national level. They'll come in and oversee the depopulation with Ag and Markets. But they're available as well to field calls and questions.
Speaker: So if anybody in New York State has concerns or thinks they might have a backyard chicken flock that's infected, their go-to contact is Ag and Markets?
Nancy Glazier: Yes.
Speaker: All right. We'll link to their resources in the podcast description so people can have access to that.
Amy Barkley: In 2014 and 2015 was when we had our last avian influenza outbreak. That outbreak essentially ran itself out in six months. And part of that was due to the increased killing of the virus because of the temperature and solar radiation associated with summer. Last year we didn't see that happen with this virus, even though it's still an H5N1.
We don't know what the timeline is for this virus. It could peter out the summer. It could get worse. We just don't know. And so we have to be prepared for anything.
Links to Resources from this episode: Cornell Garden-Based Learning Program
Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners website
Vegetable Varieties For Gardners 2023 Selected List (Word document download)
NY County Extension Gardening Resources
Episode Transcript: PAUL TREADWELL: Welcome to Extension Out Loud, a podcast from Cornell Cooperative Extension. I'm Paul Treadwell. And it's that time of year. Seed catalogs have arrived. The days are slowly getting longer. And we look, with longing and hope, to our backyards, anticipating the day when we can finally plant the first seeds of the season. And so many seeds to choose from, as we flip through the pages and browse websites-- a cornucopia of potential boundless in its diversity and promise. Knowing what seeds to choose can feel overwhelming. But to help us sort through the options and decipher the nuance of growing zones, soil types, and more, I'm joined by Stephen Stresow of Cornell's Garden-Based Learning program. We talk about a number of resources that can help you plan and plant your garden, so be sure to check the show notes for links to those resources. And Stephen, if you could just introduce yourselves to our audience and let them know a little bit about you. STEPHEN STRESOW: Hello, everybody. My name is Stephen Stresow. I am a master's student here at Cornell University working with the Cornell Garden-Based Learning and Cornell Small Farms program. A lot of my research focuses on sustainable vegetable management. I should mention I study plant science. So it's really fun to go from the morning lectures on molecular biology and how plants think and do what they do and then to do some of the more community outreach-based things with these different programs at Cornell-- so really has the best of both worlds. PAUL TREADWELL: Great to have you join us. We're here today to talk a little bit because it is that time of year when we start thinking about seeds, just wanted to get some basic information about seeds and selecting seeds for your garden. I know that seed catalogs have started to show up. And if you flip open any random seed catalog, you're going to be-- I find myself both dazzled and overwhelmed by the selections. So I have a seed catalog that has, what, 50-some odd different varieties of tomatoes. So if I'm getting ready to think about starting my garden, what are some of the key things to look for when I'm looking at different kinds of seeds? Can I ask that question? STEPHEN STRESOW: Yes. That is a great question. And I too find myself overwhelmed a lot of times. And I have a multipronged answer. One, it's a great question, as part of my master's work is taking a lot of these different information, varieties, then putting them into a seed catalog just for New York state for New York gardeners so they can select varieties that have already been tested-- tried and true. The second part is it's all about right plant, right place. What makes a good variety in upstate New York is going to be different from what makes a good variety in Georgia or in Texas or in California. So one of the first things that you want to think of is your space-- your actual garden-- because there's some varieties that are going to grow really great in containers as opposed to directly in the ground. And that could just be for space requirements. That could just be some plants are smaller and more compact. So that's the first thing you want to think of. And then the second thing that you want to think of is your garden itself. Not just the space, but how much shade do you get? How much sun do you get? On those seed packets, does it say that this plant must have a trellis, or that you have to do anything special with it? And if you're a beginning gardener, you might not want to have to deal with trellising your bean plant. So if you don't have that much time, you might want to go with a bush variety instead of a pole variety-- same thing with tomatoes. And on that note with space, that goes on choosing the plants that you personally like to eat. If you don't like hot peppers-- you don't like jalapenos-- why would you want to grow them? And then portioning space in your garden-- if you want to grow corn, that's great. Corn takes up a lot of space in that garden. I know this answer is a lot of things that depend on the garden, and we haven't even got into the plant themselves. So I promise we'll get there in a moment. [LAUGHTER] Another thing you want to think of is on that note of personal preferences is, maybe, novelty. I personally like growing varieties that might be hard to find at the grocery store. It might be hard to find at the farmer's market. One variety that comes to mind is lemon cucumbers. Most people haven't heard of lemon cucumbers. And they are a variety of cucumber, then the fruit looks like little tennis balls. And they're super delicious-- this nice, mild cucumber flavor. This nice beige-yellow color. And so I love to grow that because I can't buy that anywhere. So gardening is also a lot about these personal preferences. And then the last thing, which is on the personal side of thing-- not necessarily in the plant-- is the end use, if you're going to grow one of those 50, 70 varieties of tomatoes, do you want to grow a slicing tomato? Do you want to grow something that you're going to can? Or if you think of cucumbers, the cucumbers that are really good for slicing in salads are different than the cucumbers that are really good for pickling. So you want to have this end use in mind. And once you go through all of those factors, that trims down the list of what you can grow pretty significantly. And what I like to do, personally, to decide once I've gone through all those maybe external constraints, is go to the Cornell gardening website, print out the recommended varieties list, and then go by crop. When I'm deciding, I can look at the seed catalog. So if you're in a store, it's really easy. Or whatever seed catalog supplier you pick, you can also have that sheet next to you. And you go, OK, I want to grow kale. The Cornell recommended variety list says these handful of kale varieties are good. This store has it in stock, so I'm going to buy it. And that's how I'd personally shop for my seeds. PAUL TREADWELL: Yeah the Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners guide is really useful in narrowing down the range of things. Even with that, when you look at a packet of seeds, you pick up a packet of seeds and you flip it over. And on the back, there can be this vast encyclopedia of information that-- I don't know if I'm atypical, but I don't have my growing zone memorized. And maybe people who are serious gardeners know this. But if you're just starting out in gardening, how do you start to make sense of things like growing zones and whether or not a seed is heirloom seed or an organic seed? Does it all come down to, I feel better growing organic, so I'm going to do that? Or how do you make sense of a seed package? [LAUGHS]. STEPHEN STRESOW: Oh, no, that's a great question. Even as someone who studies this, it can be very confusing at the time. First off, I would start off with a lot of people, when they think of organic, they might think of non-GMO, GMOs. And for all your listeners out there, GMOs are not something you have to worry about in the context of gardening, because no company is going to make the investment to make a genetically engineered carrot or basil. PAUL TREADWELL: Oh, really? STEPHEN STRESOW: Right now in the United States, there's maybe about a dozen crops that are actually genetically modified that have been approved for market. So even if they don't have a USDA organic or certified non-GMO label on it, if you're buying out the garden center, it's not genetically engineered because nobody's made a genetically engineered version of that crop. So that's the confusion that a lot of people have that maybe us plant scientists haven't a good job of explaining to the public. And then to that next question, so why you might want to choose an organic-certified seed versus non-organic seed. And that really comes down to how that seed is produced. If a seed is certified organic, it's produced under organic conditions. So if you are going to be managing your garden organically without a lot of these herbicides or pesticides, or even it can be a small organic farmer or organic farmer having a certified-organic seed, it was bred and produced in conditions that might be more similar to what you're going to be doing in your garden as opposed to non-certified organic seeds. That's really what it comes down to. Another thing you can look for is seed producers in your area. There's a handful of new seed companies who are breeding seeds specifically for, say, New York's climate as opposed to Florida, Georgia, or California, just because we have differences. And then heirloom and open pollinated are the next two things that you might find on the seed packet. Every heirloom seed is open pollinated, but not necessarily every open-pollinated seed is heirloom. And what heirloom-- that's not a word that we hear a lot. So I think of it as heirloom is an old-timey word for old-timey varieties. PAUL TREADWELL: [LAUGHS]. STEPHEN STRESOW: It's varieties that maybe have been grown 100 years ago, 50 years ago. They stay around because they have one trait, one flavor, one component that's really unique. We hear a lot in tomatoes. Heirloom tomatoes tend to be delicious. But they don't look like what you see in the supermarket because the supermarket have been bred to be shipped across the country to store well-- to hold up in the refrigerator. So that's what heirloom means. And then open pollinated is that you can go in your backyard, and you can hand pollinate. You can wind pollinate. The bees can pollinate it. And you will get fruit from it. And that's different from what we also see is hybrids. So hybrids are completely natural. I think it's a term that confuses a lot of people. And all that a hybrid seed means is that you took two plants, and through natural plant selection processes you make a new variety. So say, parent one is really high-yielding. And then parent two is really disease resistant. So you cross those two plants, and then you get that F1 hybrid that-- knock on wood-- hopefully has the best traits of both. And so hybrids are great-- all natural. The only problem with-- in air quotes-- with hybrids is when you save seeds from hybrids, they won't come what's called "true to type." So you won't be getting the seeds from that plant you grew. You're going to be getting seeds that you have no idea what those genetics are going to look like. So if you're growing a hot pepper, and you want to have a hot pepper, maybe that hybrid that you save-- those spicy genes don't come out, or vice versa. You might be growing a sweet pepper, and then some spicy gene-- some hot pepper gene that's been dormant all these seasons-- pops up. So I would not recommend saving hybrid seeds. PAUL TREADWELL: OK, yeah. So if you're looking at seed saving, which is something I remember when I was growing up. I remember my grandfather would save his bean seeds and things like that. You could save hybrid seeds, but you're going to-- well, that's going to be a surprise garden then if you're saving hybrid seeds because you don't know what you're going to get next year, right? STEPHEN STRESOW: Correct. Correct-- surprise garden. Good surprises, bad surprises. PAUL TREADWELL: Yeah, I mean, depending on how fussy you are. I just want to go back to the organic seed thing for a quick second. Even if I buy all organic seeds, I can immediately make them non-organic by treating them with pesticides or things like that, right? STEPHEN STRESOW: Yes. So USDA organic is a very strict certification process to have something USDA-certified organic. So you can have that seal-- sell it by the seal-- that little logo that you see. There's all this paperwork. There's steps that you have to do. You have to transition your land from non-organic to organic. It's a robust national program to make sure that anything you buy that has that label meets the specific set of regulations. As a gardener who's growing stuff for home use or to share with your family, you can grow stuff organically-- use organic practices. But that seed that you sell, because you're not following the USDA national organic guidelines, you're not having an inspector come inspect your facilities. You can't sell it using that USDA logo. That doesn't mean that the crop that you're growing because it doesn't have that certification, which most people use to enter different markets to get a higher price for it, that there's anything wrong with that seed. It's just you're not paying for that label. PAUL TREADWELL: Right. So another thing on the back of seed packages that I know that I experience a lot is I will become very enthusiastic when this sort of weather starts happening. And I'll go and I'll buy a bunch of seeds. And they're all marked-- I'm buying seeds this year. They're for the planting season 2023. Do seeds expire? Do the seeds that I bought for this year-- can I not plant those next year? What is the downside? STEPHEN STRESOW: So it goes back to a conversation about surprises. So most seeds, you also might see on a seed packet-- it says germination percentage 90%, 95%-- really high numbers. And that means that 95% of those seeds in those packets are going to germinate. And that number holds true for about a year. And then every year after that, especially depending on how the seeds are stored, you're going to see a decline in those germination rates. So if you're a farmer-- you're growing stuff for production-- you definitely don't want to gamble. Are 10% of my seeds going to germinate? Are 70% of my seeds going to germinate? So that's why most people buy seeds year after year. Some of those seed packets will definitely survive two years, maybe three years. But it's really up to how much risk you're going to take. I know when COVID first hit, I'm back home. We're pulling seeds out of the garage. And some packets, everything germinates and it's fine. Other packets, absolutely nothing popped up. So waiting longer than a year for seeds that you've saved just introduces a lot more of that unknown variability. So it's 100% up to you as a gardener. Some tips first-- if you're going to store those seeds, you want to store them in a paper container because moisture and seeds, when you don't want them to germinate, is bad because then they could get moldy and just all die. A lot of people will store them in the refrigerator. And if you are like my parents-- and I have taken over the refrigerator to put in tulip bulbs and all these other non-immediately edible items-- and you can't store them in the fridge, just keep them in a dry cool place away from light. A cupboard or a pantry is pretty good for most people. PAUL TREADWELL: We have growing zones. STEPHEN STRESOW: Yes. PAUL TREADWELL: And I know, even in New York state, isn't there variation in the growing zones? Or am I misreading the maps? STEPHEN STRESOW: Oh, you are 100% correct. Yeah, growing zones in New York and in many states are very different. Long Island-- well, I guess, first I should explain to the audience that a growing zone is defined as the average minimum temperature. So a lower growing zone means that it's a lot colder from where you're from. And then a warmer growing zone is your average minimum temperature is a lot higher. So we have growing zones in Long Island is going to be very different from a place closer to the Adirondacks. And growing zones are really important if you're growing perennial species because that tells you if a perennial species like a tree or a blueberry bush is only suited for a particular growing zone. Then you don't want to grow a thing that's only hardy to zone 5 in zone 3 or zone 4 because come winter, it's just going to freeze and it's not going to make it unless you have a greenhouse or some plan to come up with that. But what's also really important, which a lot of people focus a lot in growing zones, is first frost date and last frost date. So your last frost date will be that time in April and May-- maybe even June-- that the risk of frost is still there. So we might even have some warm days in April. But if your last frost date is, say, May 15-- like it is in Ithaca-- you wouldn't want to plant something like tomatoes or eggplants that have no frost tolerance before that last frost date because even if you have a warm spell of weather, that risk of frost can come in and wipe out your garden. You might be able to plant kale, lettuce, some things that are a little bit frost tolerant. And shout out to Extension websites. For each county in New York you're in, your local Extension office will have a planting calendar. So it'll have different crops that you can plant come April or different plants you can plant in May. And they also have these things called last planting date, which means that's the last time you can plant that crop and get a reasonable harvest off of it because then the first frost of the year comes in. And maybe that first frost is first week of September. Maybe it's an unseasonably warm year when you get it to October. That goes back to something that is important when selecting seeds is knowing your growing zone-- knowing your first frost date, your last frost date. If you're up in the Adirondacks, you might not want to choose a variety that has 100-120 days to maturity. That might be great if you're in Long Island, somewhere that's a little bit warmer. But you could be running into either ends. You might not have a long enough growing season. So that days-to-maturity is one of those inherent seed characteristics that you might want to look out for, too. PAUL TREADWELL: If you take this seriously, you really need to sit down and map these things out, don't you, to effectively plant a garden that's going to give you the maximum satisfaction, I guess, is one way of saying it. STEPHEN STRESOW: Exactly. And that's why I recommend using those Extension resources and having those calendars because it's easier to look at them and say, don't plant these crops by this date. And you'll have a couple of days variation. Maybe last frost is earlier by a week, later by a week. But it gives you some guidelines that I find personally really helpful. PAUL TREADWELL: In looking at growing zones and first and last frost dates, I don't think I'm alone in noticing that we're starting to have some erratic behavior in our weather. How often are these growing zones updated and changed? Is climate change having an impact on our growing zone? Or is it have we not had enough time of this unsettled weather pattern to really factor it into how we plant our seeds? STEPHEN STRESOW: Yeah. So climate change is definitely affecting growing zones. But the thing you have to remember with growing zones is that it's an average-- of the average minimum temperature. So if we have one unseasonably warm year, that might be balanced out, quote unquote, by an "unseasonably cold year." So that average isn't changing. The last time the growing zones were updated was in 2012. So it's been about a decade. And that just goes because to update it annually for all those places in the country just doesn't make any sense, especially since you want to have a pretty long time to get those consistent, average datas. But yeah, we definitely see places are getting warmer, even if that's not reflected in a growing zone or last frost date/first frost date. But that's the thing with erratic weather and why it's important to still look at those historical averages of when your last-- when your first frost is-- because even a warm year might, all right, we haven't had a frost since mid-April. And this calendar says May 15. But to plant anything, you run into that risk that, historically, frosts have happened to that date. But I'm right up there with you. It is a lot warmer. I'm from Texas myself. And yes, those summers are very, very warm. [LAUGHTER] PAUL TREADWELL: So how hard is it to save your seeds? So it's great to go out and buy exciting new varieties and try them out. But after a while, if I found things that I like-- if I found this particular hot pepper that grows really well and performs for me-- how hard is it for me to save those seeds from year to year? STEPHEN STRESOW: When you want to save seeds, you want to make sure that those seeds that you grow the next season are pretty identical to that plant with those traits. And so saving seeds is going to depend on a couple of things. One is that you're growing open-pollinated varieties. If you have any hybrids in there, do not save seeds. And then how many of a different crop you're growing. For example, say you're growing peppers. And you have your hot peppers and you have your sweet peppers. You want to make sure that no bee, butterfly, or wind is transferring pollen from one plant to another plant. And because it won't affect the fruit. If you don't want to save seeds, you can grow every single type of pepper in the world in your backyard. And that's not going to affect the fruit that you eat. The seeds that the genetic material. So that's what's going to make next year's crop. So what you want to do when you're saving seeds-- and this could be for tomatoes. This could to be for peppers. This can be for squash and pumpkins. You can buy these small mesh bags. Sometimes you see them for party favors thrown on the table with chocolates or sweethearts in them. And before the flower bud opens, cover it with this mesh bag. And what that mesh bag does is it will keep bees and other pollinators from cross-pollinating. And then what you can do is throughout the season, if it's a plant that has a what's called perfect flower, like tomatoes and peppers-- it has the male and female parts in it. You can just shake that flower in that bag, get a paintbrush, and make sure that plant is pollinated by itself or another plant of that same variety so that it keeps those genetic lines pure. If you're only growing, say, one tomato variety, and none of your neighbors have tomato varieties, and there's no chance that some random tomato plant pollen is going to come in, affect your tomato plants, you don't have to go through the trouble with all that bag. Or if you have a big yard-- big garden-- and you can put 500, 600, 800 feet between each pepper variety, then don't worry about those bags. So it really depends what you have in those gardens. We've done it in labs and classes. It's definitely a thing that's very feasible. You just have to be very careful about not letting any cross-pollination between different varieties occur. One thing I think it's great about saving seeds is people talk a lot about adapting seeds to your climate. But as the gardener, you're also part of that climate. So if you go on vacation in the summer-- and this past summer, we had a really dry season in New York-- and you have all your garden died except for a handful of plants. Those might be the plant that have that ability to adapt to drought that you want to save and keep growing. PAUL TREADWELL: So, Stephen, if I went on vacation for three weeks and it was a drought, and I came back and I noticed that these tomatoes and these peppers are doing really well, how late in the season would it be for me to bag the flowers and try to get a true seed from that variety? STEPHEN STRESOW: So as long as there are still unopened flower buds on that. So once the flower is opened, that's like Pandora's box. You have no idea what's happening. But if it was a closed flower bud that has yet to set fruit on it, that's something you can tie up and you can bag. Mid-summer, you might be OK. As we're getting later in the season, it becomes a little bit riskier. PAUL TREADWELL: Are many people doing that? Are many people out there actually saving their seeds? STEPHEN STRESOW: All across the country there's vast networks of seed savers. There's online organizations where you can trade seeds with people from all across the country. Even locally, there's individual gardeners who are saving seeds that are adapted for that specific region. I know some county Extension offices will host seed exchanges. Some library programs will have seeds that you can go-- instead of a book, you can check out seeds. And then you can go and save those seeds-- donate them back to the library. So you have these varieties that have really adapted to your local climate, which I think is just amazing. One of the great parts of gardening and seed saving is not just having these great crops-- these great genetics. It's that community that you build through saving seeds, sharing information, sharing stories, and the historical value of some of these crops and varieties that we might not know about. PAUL TREADWELL: You've worked with the Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners program here at Cornell. Can you talk a little bit about that? What is that program? Do people participate in that? Or are those things that are grown here at Cornell, and then Cornell recommends them? STEPHEN STRESOW: OK, awesome. So first, I'll answer what's selected in the brochure. So that comes from the Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners program, which I'll talk about in a little bit, as well as what some local farmers are growing. Say a professor used this variety in their research plots and performed really well. That might make it onto the list. But really, the purpose of the Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners is to crowdsource all this information from gardeners across the state who are growing these different varieties, and to rate them, and to get firsthand feedback on how they performed, and tips and tricks. So what the Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners is-- it's a website where not just anyone in the state, but anyone across the country could create an account and then enter the varieties that they're growing. And then you have the ability to rate them. So there's four different categories. One is overall. So you might get one to five stars. And then you have taste, yield, and ease of use. Some crops you might have to be pruning a lot. I think of tomatoes. You have to trellis them. You have to stake them. Or other crops you might have, and it's, I threw these seeds in my backyard, and this crop grew. I never watered it. I never did anything. And it did amazing. That's going to be a five-star yield. Versus my heirloom tomatoes were so delicate. I had to mulch. And I had to make sure there was good flow. And I had to-- they were riddled with pest and disease. Maybe five-star taste but definitely not five-star ease of use. And I personally like that because in addition to the recommended list, you have those stories. And that's awesome. And once you have an account, it's free to use. You can filter by state, by growing zone, by growing type. You can filter through all these crops. And that really helps see more detail than just what this recommended list has. And that's really fantastic. And another segue is that we use the Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners in combination with the Vegetable Varieties Trial Garden. The trial garden is that each master gardener organization in each of the counties across New York state has their different demonstration gardens. And in the past, they've just tried out different varieties-- ranked them. And we have this feedback, which is really great. But what we've been trying to do at Cornell Garden-Based Learning is reach more diverse audiences. New York state, I think, represents some of the best of what America tends to be. We have so many different cultures-- so many different communities in here. And a lot of mainstream garden publications and garden advice might not be targeting some of these crops in some of these communities. So what we've been trying to do is each summer the demonstration gardens have been focused around a a certain geography. So last summer was Latin America and the Caribbean. So we're growing and giving the master gardeners varieties that are really popular in those areas just to try and reach more diverse audiences. And that's what the great thing about the open-access forum that the Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners program is. It's that we don't know everything. So if you have a variety that's really important to you-- that you're really passionate about-- you can go at the website. And you can rank it. And then anyone who has access to the internet can see your reviews and a learn about these varieties. So even if you aren't officially associated with the Trial Garden program, not only can you see the results, you can try growing them next year and putting your own input. And I think it's a beautiful way to capture what people across the state are doing and inform decisions for other gardeners. PAUL TREADWELL: That's awesome. So the website is-- how do you get to the website? STEPHEN STRESOW: Let's see. I have my laptop out here. So I will run it for you. I just google Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners and then Cornell, and it comes up. But the actual website is vegvariety.cce.cornell.edu. PAUL TREADWELL: Using myself as an example, if I'm a lazy gardener, can I go to Vegetable Varieties and find, really, the easiest things for me to grow that are going to at least be nominally edible? STEPHEN STRESOW: Yes. That's the beauty of having all these different rankings of taste, yield, flavor, is if the most important thing to you is ease of use, you can rank it by ease of use. And then as you compare that, you could also see stuff that tastes good in addition to being-- weeds are really easy to grow, but that doesn't mean you don't want to eat every weed in your garden. PAUL TREADWELL: [LAUGHS]. That's awesome. So Stephen, I don't want to take too much of your time. Is there anything that we've failed to cover that we should have covered? STEPHEN STRESOW: One thing I will mention, when we focus on certain geographical regions, we'll post those varieties. So if you want to be part of it and grow as an individual, you can see varieties of child in years past. And you can also go visit your local Extension demonstration garden. I think that's one of the most important things about having this network of Extension. And also, check out all the Extension's resources and our website because there is a ton of good information. I think one last thing on selecting varieties-- I know there's a lot that come with selecting-- is the plant traits. One thing you might see is a lot of disease resistance. And on that sheet, I can tell listeners there's about 20 different diseases that some plants may or may not be resistant to. And that can be a very confusing thing. And so one, that's why we have the varieties that we recommended, so that if you don't want to think about that, just go with something that's recommended. It'll have good resistance to a variety of diseases. Two, if you always get powdery mildew in your area, then, yeah, have something that's resistant to powdery mildew. Resistant doesn't mean immune. The plants can still get sick. And you can kind of remedy that with good gardening practices, making sure you have good airflow, but making sure your plants aren't always dripping wet. That's a great place for bacteria and fungus to grow. Maybe using mulch to keep your soil from touching your leaves and your actual plant to reduce soil-borne diseases. There's a lot of things you can do to mitigate a variety that might not have good disease resistance. And that just goes all back to your personal preference-- personal skill. PAUL TREADWELL: One thing I realized we didn't talk about is soil. And we should probably mention soil because that's a primary thing that's involved in growing your garden here. How do you understand your soil? Is there a process that a gardener should go through to really understand the qualities and traits of their soil and how that's going to impact the seeds that they plant? STEPHEN STRESOW: Yes. So I think, visually feeling the soil, you can kind of tell it it's very sandy-- very clayey. There's some USDA maps that you can look at and tell you exactly your soil type. But one thing I really recommend to all gardeners is send your garden soil out for a soil test. They're not really expensive-- probably the $10 to $15 range. Contact your local Extension county to figure out exactly how to do that and who to send it to because that will tell you a lot of things, like soil pH. If you have very acidic soil versus if you have very basic soil, that is really going to affect nutrient availability, how well your crops are going to be able to perform, and also things like, if you have very clayey soil, maybe you don't want to grow carrots that get to a foot long. And you might want to grow some of those like shorter, couple-inch long carrots. And that goes back to the whole idea of variety selection. And depending on what's in your garden or what's in your backyard is going to determine what plants are most appropriate for your garden. Once you send off the soil test, it will tell you some really great results of nutrient availability. Maybe you probably-- do you want to amend with some compost and some organic matter? That always helps. You can't change your soil texture. If you have sandy soil, you're always going to have sandy soil. But you can do things to mitigate some of those challenges you might have. For example, sandy soil is really great in wet years because it doesn't stay waterlogged. In dry years, you're just gasping for moisture. So knowing the type of soil type you have can help you plan around it. Maybe you do want to use mulch. Maybe you don't want to use mulch. Adding organic matter-- not too much-- compost from a reputable source. Lots of people make home compost. And that's great. And that's awesome. If it hasn't heated up, there might still be some weed seeds that haven't been killed. And when I say for the heating kill-off, that's also a bigger concern of using animal manure. And I know this is going off topic, I just-- as food safety out there using raw manure on vegetables that you're going to be eating raw is something that can be done. But you should do it at least 90 to 120 days before you put those plants in the ground. So you don't run into any of those bacteria and getting sick. We don't want E. coli outbreaks. But yeah, the garden test will tell you a lot of what you need to know, especially on correcting nutrient deficiencies. And so you can come up with a fertility management plan and also figuring out the varieties you want to grow. Because if you have clay soil, and the seed packet says, does not do well in waterlogged soils, that's a red flag. You don't want to grow something there. PAUL TREADWELL: We've talked about a lot of different things. And it could potentially seem very complicated. Is gardening complicated? STEPHEN STRESOW: So I'm going to use a quote that one of my friends told me one time. I remember being so excited about gardening in my backyard compost. And he said, you know, you're just letting stuff grow. So on one hand, gardening is very complicated. And you can be very detailed. And you could have your calendar, and your plan, and your crop rotations. And you can make it as complex as you want to be. You could even, using myself as an example, decide to go pursue a PhD-- PAUL TREADWELL: [LAUGHS]. STEPHEN STRESOW: --in vegetables and become very complicated. And on the flip side of things, it's as complicated as you want it to be. If you provide the soil with the right nutrients-- you provide water. You take care of your plants. You're following those guidelines. You're not popping stuff out in the middle of February just because we had one warm day. You will most likely yield something. My personal advice to gardeners is I like starting stuff off that's easy to grow-- kale, Swiss chard. They're not as finicky. You don't have to worry about trellising. And you get a lot of bang for your buck. It's something that you can use every day as opposed to tomatoes, which you might go through all these diseases. They get attacked by bugs. At the end of the season, you might have that $25 tomato. PAUL TREADWELL: [LAUGHS]. STEPHEN STRESOW: But gardening is fun. And it's all about the experience just as much as that final product. PAUL TREADWELL: Thanks, Stephen. I really appreciate your time and talking to us. We'll be sure to link to the Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners site as well as some of our local Extension resources so folks can find those easily. Really appreciate your time. And maybe we'll have you back in a couple of years to see what's new at that point. STEPHEN STRESOW: Awesome, Paul. Thank you so much. I really enjoyed being here. And happy gardening, everyone. PAUL TREADWELL: Thank you for listening to this episode. Extension Out Loud was produced and edited by Paul Treadwell. For more information about this episode, including show notes and the transcript, visit extensionoutloud.com. And be sure to subscribe to Extension Out Loud on your favorite podcast directory.
For this episode of Extension Out Loud I’m joined by three guests who are active in a new program focusing on mental health on the farm.
Farmers faces several complicating factors that create mental health stressors – long work hours, volatile commodity prices and lack of access to mental health resources being serval of these factors. New statistics from the CDC reveal a startling truth about agricultural work, with suicide rates for farmers and other agricultural workers at 36 per 100,000, making agricultural work one of the highest ranked occupations at risk.
My guests - Nicole Tommell , an agricultural business specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension, Kendra Janssen of Farmnet, and Becky Wiseman a clinical social worker and consultant for Farmnet explain the roots of this crisis and the new Farmer First Aid program and its train the trainer model.
Before we jump in, a quick note on the contents of this episode. Throughout our conversation we discuss depression and suicide. Listener discretion is advised.
Links
New York FarmNet
CCE Central New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops web site.
Episode Transcript
PAUL TREADWELL: Welcome to Extension Out Loud, a podcast from Cornell Cooperative Extension. I am Paul Treadwell. And for this episode, I'm joined by three guests who are active in a new program focusing on mental health on the farm. Farmers face several complicating factors that create mental health stressors, long work hours, volatile commodity prices, and lack of access to mental health resources being several of these factors.
New statistics from the CDC reveal a startling truth about agricultural work, with suicide rates for farmers and other agricultural workers at 36 per 100,000, making agricultural work one of the highest ranked occupations at risk. My guests, Nicole Tommell, an agricultural business specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension, Kendra Janssen of FarmNet, and Becky Wiseman, a clinical social worker and consultant for Farm Net, explain the roots of this crisis, and the new Farmer First Aid program, and it's train the trainer model.
Before we jump in, a quick note on the contents of this episode. Throughout our conversation, we discussed depression and suicide. Listener discretion is advised.
NICOLE TOMMELL: Hi, everyone. My name is Nicole Tommell. I am the Central New York dairy, livestock, and field crops team farm business management specialist. I'm also the team lead. And we cover eight counties, from Madison County to Saratoga County.
PAUL TREADWELL: Thank you Nicole. And Kendra?
KENDRA JANSSEN: Yeah. I'm Kendra Janssen with FarmNet. So I'm the office administrator here. So we are offering these mental health first aid courses for free to New York State agricultural communities. And I help organize all this, and pilot them, and get these trainers out there and ready to instruct.
PAUL TREADWELL: Hey, Kendra. Just for my benefit, can you tell me a little bit about FarmNet?
KENDRA JANSSEN: FarmNet is a unique program. We offer free financial and family consulting to New York State's agricultural producers. So if you're a farmer in New York State, we offer financial business analysis. We help with business transfers, succession planning. And then we also help with the stress management side of things and family side of things, communicating.
So it's a unique program, as in there's two consultants that go out to the farms and to clients. And they help together. So it's not just a financial consultant going out alone, but rather it's a financial, and a family consultant, and a social worker going out and addressing the issues that the farmers are dealing with.
PAUL TREADWELL: Thank you. And Becky?
BECKY WISEMAN: Yes. I'm Becky Wiseman. And I have been working with FarmNet for now five years. I am an clinical social worker. I am the family side of the team that goes out.
PAUL TREADWELL: We're here to talk about, this is a new program that's starting to be deployed. So who wants to introduce the program to us and tell us a little bit about what it's supposed to do?
KENDRA JANSSEN: FarmNet received a grant from USDA NIFA. And it's the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. And with this grant, we were able to have several folks throughout New York State that have an agricultural background become instructors in mental health first aid.
So Becky, one of our FarmNet consultants, and Nicole, with Cornell Cooperative Extension, both became certified instructors in mental health first aid. Along with them, there is a cohort of others that became instructors from Farm Bureau to other FarmNet consultants.
PAUL TREADWELL: So what does it mean to be an instructor? What does that role do?
KENDRA JANSSEN: As an instructor, Becky and Nicole, how about you guys?
NICOLE TOMMELL: So an instructor, we actually went through a very intensive training program, which is a three-day program, 24 hours, which basically covered the gamut of how to deliver very sensitive content to people. So we can go in and teach people how to deliver the content and understand mental health first aid in their communities so that they can identify problems at the ground level. So to get people help more rapidly than their traditional doctors or first responders. So it's really just ground level type health that we are instructing people on how to identify.
BECKY WISEMAN: Which like when we have a physical problem that happens and we call the ambulance, the team that comes out are not the doctors. They're not the people who perform the surgeries. That's what we train.
We train people to be able to not diagnose the problem, but be able to know how to work with people who are in a mental health crisis. How to identify what's going on. How to listen effectively and attentively and be supportive and know some of the steps then that needs to be done to help that person get the kind of care that they need.
PAUL TREADWELL: What has brought us to this point where we're starting to train people to do this work?
BECKY WISEMAN: There's been increased stress and suicidal risks in agricultural workers. In fact, the CDC, in January 2022, the suicide rates for agricultural workers were 36 per 100,000. And I think what we're seeing more is this isn't something that's brand new. I believe that agriculture workers and farmers have been increasingly at risk for suicide for a number of years, one of the reasons why FarmNet was founded in 1987.
And I think that now there's been more emphasis on it because people across the spectrum of mental health issues are being more aware of problems. And I think it's losing some of its stigma that was once attached to it. And farmers have been very receptive of this program.
FarmNet gives people a chance to find out that they can talk about their crises, talk about what's going on in their lives. And we listen. And that's one of the things they taught us, right? And it was so difficult.
NICOLE TOMMELL: Yes. It was a lot of listening and understanding not just verbal cues, but body cues as it was very intensive training. But you are correct, Becky. And just kind of touching back. 1987, you look at what happened in the '80s with the farm crisis, and that really is why FarmNet came out of that. And we got lots of suicide and people hurting themselves.
In the '80s and with COVID, we saw people with the lockdowns have issues. We always look at pre-COVID, post-COVID time period. Even pre-COVID, even though we didn't see it, it was very prevalent because just the stress of the economics on the farm family really did take a toll.
And within this program, it's not even mental health that we're talking about. We also talk about addiction. Whether it's alcohol or opioid drug addiction, we do talk about that and the identifying factors of that. We see across the country the opioid addiction rates have gone up significantly.
BECKY WISEMAN: And it's a lot of stressors too because COVID added to falling commodity prices. And then you also have the labor shortages that farmers were dealing with and then the supply shortages, all those stressors add up. And then that increases the risk of suicide, depression, and substance use.
PAUL TREADWELL: So Nicole, I just want to ask. Do you see a difference between the size of the farm and the problem? Does that have bearing on it? Or is this pretty much universal across most farmers?
NICOLE TOMMELL: It's universal. I mean, mental health affects everyone in some way, shape, or form, maybe not somebody directly, but maybe indirectly. So I can't comment to whether it's predominantly small farm or large farm. I just think that it's just across the scale.
I look at it as we're creating awareness. And whether it may not be the farmer, but it may be the farmer spouse. It may be the farmer's children. It may be an aging parent. So it could be anything along that spectrum. When that person is tied to the farm, the farm finances, the production side of it, it kind of just all is wrapped into one, in my perspective.
BECKY WISEMAN: I agree with you.
KENDRA JANSSEN: It doesn't matter, small or large farms. We all have issues that we have to work through and deal with on top of just dealing with the farming and managing the farm. You still have to go home. And you still have to take care of whatever you're dealing with at home. No one is immune to it.
PAUL TREADWELL: There is stigma attached to discussing your mental health of other people. And Nicole, I think you indicated earlier there's been a slight shift-- or maybe it was Kendra-- there's been a slight shift in attitudes. Is that shift enough? How much further do we have to go to get this out into the open where it's an acceptable thing to talk about?
BECKY WISEMAN: The more the general public talks about mental health, the more it becomes OK. And I think it has become more available, just verbally, socially acceptable to talk about mental health issues. That will help reduce the stigma. I think it's just really positive that USDA has provided this kind of funding for programs such as ours to be able to address mental health issues.
PAUL TREADWELL: If you identify a farmer who is at risk, many rural communities are under-resourced, there may not be facilities or professional help nearby, what are the next steps? How do you get them to appropriate help?
NICOLE TOMMELL: So that's where FarmNet comes in because we have a 1-800 free hotline. We as folks out in the community can't call for them, but we can encourage the farm to call on behalf of themselves. There are also people that will sit there with a phone, so just for moral support.
I would dial the phone, call in to FarmNet. They always answer. There's never a recording, which people really do appreciate. So the worst thing to do is if you're having a crisis and you call somebody, and it's press 5 for help. Or dial 911 if you feel as though you're in a terrible emergency.
FarmNet will answer the phone. There's always a live person on the other end. And then they can go through the steps to help that person and get an in-person meeting or whatever they feel the next step is.
PAUL TREADWELL: Kendra, FarmNet, is a national program? Is it just in New York State?
KENDRA JANSSEN: It's just in New York State as of right now. So our funding is only statewide. So that's why we are pretty unique as in New York State. And there's not that many. I would only say maybe one or two throughout the United States that have a similar program.
And as Nicole was mentioning, as people call in, they talk to a live person. And I've answered that phone at midnight or 2:00 AM and dealt with emergency calls. Also, we have an answering service, which is another human being too that will push it through.
If I'm on the phone at the time that someone calls in, then we also have an auxiliary service to answer. And we pilot and assign consultants. Within 24 hours, that caller will get help. They will receive a call from a consultant. Where if someone's contemplating suicide, that is escalated. That's immediate help. There's number 24-hour wait.
PAUL TREADWELL: During COVID, we came to rely on technology as a way to establish some continuing or ongoing connection with people we used to see face-to-face. Can you talk a little bit about the impact of that as technology found new utility, I guess, in delivering aid that otherwise would be out of reach?
BECKY WISEMAN: And we see that with COVID too. During COVID, we used Zoom a lot. We used phones, and FaceTime, and any sort of avenue electronically that was available. If we could not have our feet at the farm and be on site, we were virtually on site.
NICOLE TOMMELL: And now, also say, Paul, just one extra step to that or a one-off would be the social media presence of the impact of mental health and how people are coming out and speaking about suicide awareness, substance abuse awareness, their own personal journeys in mental health. You see that on TikTok, or Facebook, or Instagram. It's ever present out there.
And I think that social media has really driven positive results of getting the word out there about destigmatizing mental health. Really quick, as we were talking, I was thinking about I saw a TikTok just the other day. It was a spoof on two nurses in a rural hospital.
And they said, there's a farmer in here. And they were like, oh, my gosh. There's a farmer here. Let's go take care of him right now. What's his problem because he never comes to the emergency room? So we know that that's how farmers are. And people in the agricultural industry, it's like, oh, we'll do it tomorrow. But social media has really ramped up people recognizing, seeing the need, and I think really pushing that to the front of the page.
PAUL TREADWELL: That's fascinating that you say that because we so often hear about the negative impacts of social media. So it's kind of comforting to hear the fact that there is a utility to social media that has a positive benefit. I want to just flip back to this farmers don't go to the doctor. Is some of that a natural reticence, but is some of that economic?
NICOLE TOMMELL: I think it's both. But some it too is they just don't want to take the time. I mean, I have farmers that don't want to have rotator cuff surgeries done because they know they'll be laid up for so many months. Or they need hip or knee replacements. And they just don't want to deal with that.
So they would rather go through the pain than go and go to the doctors and know that they're going to be out of commission for six weeks or three months. That spurs the substance abuse potential issues, kicking that can down the road. I hate using that. It's really what happens. It's kind of a big snowball effect.
PAUL TREADWELL: Let's talk about a number of farmers that have been interacted with, the number of farmers that up to this point have received some sort of care that they would not have otherwise received. Can you talk about that a bit?
NICOLE TOMMELL: Yeah, or even like some of the agricultural community that has taken the mental health first aid courses. So we offered over 10 of them throughout 2022. And we've had over 200 folks in the agricultural community attend these. That was a really good turnout. And it's educating the agricultural community on how to better identify and help folks that are dealing with mental health crises.
PAUL TREADWELL: When you talk about the agriculture community, are you talking about folks like Nicole? Or are you talking about actual farmers themselves? Or is it a mix?
KENDRA JANSSEN: It's a mix. It can be Cornell Extension folks. It can be nurses. It can be people in the hospital that work with farmers that come in or teachers that work with students that are farming. It's across the board.
Basically, everyone in the community is impacted by a farmer one way or another. And we're just trying to educate the communities throughout New York State on listening. Have listening skills. Do you see something or see someone acting off, a little different?
Maybe they're quiet. They're just mad. Be there for them and try to figure out what's going on. And we also are offering Safe Talk and Talk Saves Lives, which it's a suicide prevention course as well, just basically listen. Acknowledge what's going around and in your surroundings.
BECKY WISEMAN: And not be afraid. I think it breaks down some of our stigmas or what we should say or what we shouldn't say. We can't be afraid to ask somebody.
NICOLE TOMMELL: And that's sometimes one of the first questions. When I get a caller to the 800 line, to FarmNet, and they seem-- they're sad. They're depressed, stressed. It's a tough question, but that's the first question. Are you contemplating suicide? Are you safe?
These are questions that need to be asked right in the beginning because we care. We want to help. And we want to assess the situation so that we can provide the help that's needed.
PAUL TREADWELL: You're listening to Extension Out Loud and our conversation about the new Farmer First Aid program. There are a couple of things that come to mind. But one is, this is shifting some of the work of extension workers and some of the work of FarmNet. And it's really opening up this mode of caring that may have been somewhat de-emphasized in the past.
Nicole, I want to ask you specifically. When you open yourself up to caring, you open yourself up to a lot of risk. You're taking on some of the emotional burden that is brought out there. So how do you as an extension professional cope with that? Do you have strategies and tools?
NICOLE TOMMELL: Paul, that is a great question because over the course of COVID, a lot of our farm business management specialists got really burned out. And a lot of our extension colleagues were burned out. So we put on a three series seminar with the help of New York FarmNet to help our colleagues get some tools in their toolbox.
Because that's what was happening, is we were going out to the farm. We are working. We're dealing with these folks and hearing their kitchen table talks, which they can be mentally exhausting. We were dealing with this and COVID. People were dumping milk. People were not getting paid for their product, whatever that may be.
They have children at home. They're stressed about their kid's school, their education. I mean, we heard it all. And it was burning us out. But I know that if I need help as an extension specialist, I can call FarmNet. And I know that I can call and get help that I need from my colleagues in mental health. And so doing that gives me a lot of relief.
But also just caring for myself and making sure that I take the time that I need to be able to process this stuff is really important. Burnout is real in this job, as we all know. We need to make sure that we are healthy for ourselves, healthy for our families, and then also healthy for the people that we are working with. We want to be our best self.
PAUL TREADWELL: Thank you. So Kendra, I want to flip the question over to you because Nicole just said she might contact FarmNet for help. So it sounds like you're at the bottom of the heap here, bearing the burden of multiple people asking for help. This is a very heavy thing. So what do you do to make it bearable?
KENDRA JANSSEN: Yeah. And just like Nicole said, it is, it's a lot. And I'm glad that Nicole and her colleagues use us as a resource too because that's what we're here for. And she's frontline. They're frontline with the farmers. So it's important to do self-care and for us to be there to help them so that they can provide that important work. And it's the same with our consultants.
So we have trainings throughout the year. I usually plan three to four trainings for our consultants. And they come on site. And it's like a retreat. So we have trainings on taking care of ourselves so that we can continually be refreshed, in a sense, so that we can provide the essential help to callers, and to clients, and farms that are calling in. Because it is, it's a draining work. And you can easily become overrun.
And most of our consultants, they are, I would say, retired. So our consultants work in general 20 hours a week. So we're not asking folks to work 40 to 80 hours. That's another thing that we keep in consideration is 20-hour weeks. That can feel like 40 or 60 hours when you're dealing with this kind of work. So it helps keep them refreshed and ready for their next client.
So we have consultants throughout New York State. And they each help each other. And I also know, I think, Becky is part of a cohort. We have several cohorts throughout New York State where the consultants meet with each other and just talk about cases, talk about how to handle maybe life situations. Becky can elaborate on that too.
BECKY WISEMAN: Yes. We have these small, we call them pods. And there are three other women in my pod. We meet once a month via Zoom. And talk about cases and support each other. But as far as technology also has played a big role in our consultants being closer to one another.
We have three meetings a month that we can attend. And we have 25, 30 people attend almost every time. And it's where we get support. We get to listen to each other. We get news updates.
PAUL TREADWELL: I'm just curious. Do you ever use Zoom to connect with called clients? Is that generally the way it's done? I assume, Becky, you're not going to drive to Saratoga County to talk to somebody.
BECKY WISEMAN: Sometimes, it depends. Zoom has been wonderful though. It's a great resource for us to use. I've used it with clients. And then if I see a real need, then I schedule a trip. Every form is a little different. So it's always great be able to see what's happening right on the farm.
KENDRA JANSSEN: You learn so much more from a person. And you see some of the body language or some of the things at the farm that you might not see on Zoom. And I've assigned consultants. They've driven up to three or four hours to some cases.
PAUL TREADWELL: If you could do any one thing to make the situation better, what would it be?
KENDRA JANSSEN: Listen and be there for people. That's the main thing. And a lot of times when I get a call, it's listening. It's hearing them out, hearing their story, and being that supportive person. Because they just might not have anyone in their corner. Sometimes that's all they need is your time, time to listen, time to support them.
BECKY WISEMAN: To just be there for them.
NICOLE TOMMELL: Yeah. And sometimes it's just not even us speaking. It's just sitting there. You could be in total silence and just let them talk when they feel comfortable, so just being able to be present. And we're thankful in extension that they allow us the time because we're not scheduled.
I know when I work with farmers, I block out two hours. But I may be there four. You never know. And just know that you can sit and listen. And then usually if you can sit in silence, people will start to slowly open.
PAUL TREADWELL: Thank you for listening to this episode. Extension Out Loud was produced and edited by Paul Treadwell. For more information about this episode, including show notes and the transcript, visit extensionoutloud.com And be sure to subscribe to Extension Out Loud on your favorite podcast directory.
Episode links: Episode Transcript: PAUL TREADWELL: Welcome to Extension Out Loud, a podcast from Cornell Cooperative Extension. I am Paul Treadwell. KATIE BAILDON: And I'm Katie Baildon. PAUL TREADWELL: This is our final episode in the Living Through Extension series that we've been running. And as a side note, it's also the final episode that my co-host will be joining me for the show. We want to say goodbye to Katie Baildon and wish her best in her next career move. You'll be missed, Katie. KATIE BAILDON: Thanks Paul. I'll definitely miss doing these podcasts with you. PAUL TREADWELL: For today, who are we talking to? KATIE BAILDON: Today we talked to Ashley Helmholdt. And she's the Adult Program leader for Cornell garden-based learning, which means that she engages with master gardeners and master gardener coordinators across New York state. ASHLEY HELMHOLDT: My name is Ashley Helmholdt, and I'm the adult program leader for Cornell Garden-based learning. I've been here for approximately two years. It's been a really interesting journey getting back to extension work because it's really where I started off in most of my volunteering and even some of my practicum work in college and graduate school. So, I'm from western New York but I've lived all over this country. I've lived in Michigan for a large chunk of my life. I went to undergrad there, Michigan State. And lived in Savannah, Georgia, as well. And across these experiences, I really have more of a background in urban planning and environmental studies and environmental justice. And so I have this real focus on the urban environment, but the impacts of urban greening on local communities. And that's really been the central theme of my career. And so it's a little different way of getting to working with the master gardener volunteer program at Cornell garden-based learning, but it makes a lot of sense when thinking about my background. I really worked in a national nonprofit called Earth Force, where I worked with watershed-based education in a lot of urban areas throughout the Midwest, as well as working for several years for farmers markets and farmer's markets nutrition education programs, starting up a SNAP program at a farmers market and Double Up Food Bucks program, which is similar to what we have in New York state around increasing purchasing of fruits and vegetables. So I really got kind of cut my teeth more on environmental education and farmer's market work. And then really, that led into doing some local government work in a sustainability office in Savannah, Georgia, where I worked directly with community organizations and community gardens and really helping to support, organize, develop, volunteer programs, even developing a sustainability plan and several grant programs that supported this idea of using vacant spaces in urban areas to really support those communities, whether it be through food security or reducing flooding. The central theme of my career is just working in these vacant, underutilized spaces and helping support the way that we can enhance urban greening through them. Like I said, community gardens were really a central part to that. So when I moved back to New York state after having my son, I really was interested in getting back into that work. And really extension is just the perfect kind of place for me. Because this place for applied research really takes place right, where we take the great work going on at Cornell and we apply it to communities where they can use it. And so that's what I really went to school for. I really was interested in more of the applied piece, how does this really address community issues. And that's exactly what the Master Gardener Volunteer program does. It prepares adults to take on action projects in communities, to work with community partners, to address issues through the use of gardens. I really love that, and that's what Cornell Garden-based learning is all about. And we really prepare those...
Episode transcript: PAUL TREADWELL: Welcome to Extension Out Loud, a podcast from Cornell Cooperative Extension. I'm Paul Treadwell. KATIE BAILDON: And I'm Katie Baildon. PAUL TREADWELL: We got a chance to sit down and talk to-- KATIE BAILDON: We talked to Mary Jo Dudley. She's senior extension associate and director of the Cornell Farmworker Program in the Department of Global Development at Cornell University. PAUL TREADWELL: The format of this episode is the result of us wanting to give Mary Jo a platform to explain the Farmworkers Program in some detail. MARY JO DUDLEY: My name is Mary Jo Dudley. I'm the director of the Cornell Farmworker Program, which is a university-wide program. And my faculty appointment is in the Department of Global Development, which is in the College of Ag and Life Sciences. The Cornell Farmworker Program has quite a long history. It actually started under the name of the Cornell Migrant Program over 54 years ago when students, in order to graduate, needed to work on a farm. So for students who were from farming families, they would work a full semester on a different farm. But students who hadn't grown up on a farm would work a full year on a farm. The program was born out of student activism. Because at this time, a Cornell alum donated a large apple orchard in Wayne County to the university, and it became one of the first experiment stations. So many students worked on that farm, and they lived in migrant housing and worked alongside migrant farm workers who, at that time, were primarily Southern Blacks. This had a deep impact on the students. They were surprised about the situation of farm workers, in particular migrant farm workers. And they went to the Cornell Faculty Senate, along with their faculty mentors, and the senate approved a resolution that Cornell should have a program specifically dedicated to the needs of farmworkers and their families. So with that background, our program really focuses on farmworker-identified needs and opportunities. The program is dedicated to improving the living and working conditions of farmworkers and their families. But we also seek recognition for their contributions to society and their acceptance and full participation in local communities. So this includes things like equal protection under the law, earning a living wage, living in safe and comfortable housing, and more importantly, receiving respect as workers and as individuals to allow them to participate fully in their communities. So how do we understand what farmworkers need? And the way that we approach this is direct interviews with farmworkers in the format of a needs assessment. The interviews examine where the workers originate. Why do they migrate? How do they get here? How do they find their employment? What is their job? What is their day to day? What do they enjoy about their job? What do they find challenging? What do they do during their time off? How do they interact with others in local communities in the rural areas? And what are their goals for the future? And this aspect of understanding where they came from, why they came, how they located employment, and what their goals are for the future drives the agenda of the Cornell Farmworker Program, because we look at how people assess where they are today and where they'd like to be in one year, five years, 10 years. And so we can look at the current challenges and go from there to how to address those challenges. So who are the farmworkers in New York state? Currently, most of the farmworkers are undocumented workers that come from rural areas of Mexico and rural areas from Guatemala. And we have a small portion of workers who come from Jamaica through the temporary guestworker program. When we talk about farm workers, we often talk about seasonal or year-round and temporary guestworkers who come through the H-2A program. And those workers come with a visa with a beginning date and an end date. And they also have...
Summer is a great time to be on the water. For this episode of Extension Out Loud we talked with David White, of New York Sea Grant, about the basics of boating safety. Learn how you can help insure a safe and family friendly experience on the great waterways of New York State. Transcript: Paul Treadwell Welcome to extension out loud, a podcast from Cornell Cooperative Extension. I'm Paul Treadwell. And here we are in the middle of summer, seemed like a good time to talk about boating and boat safety. And for our conversation today I talked to David White is with New York City grant. He's the recreation and tourism specialist and Associate Director of the Great Lakes Research Consortium. Dave, when we talk about boats, that's a pretty large term. I mean, I think of tugboats, I think of ocean liners. But when we talk about boat safety in New York State, what kind of boats are we talking about? David White You know, what I always refer to people is if you can ride on it, or in it, you should consider it a boat. In that way, you just start right off from whether it's a paddleboard paddle, paddle board, kayak, canoe, power boat, pontoon boat up to a yacht, you know, those are all forms of boats. We have them all in New York throughout the Finger Lakes in Great Lakes across the state. We just have awesome vessels and each one of them has a different set of safety requirements, but there's a lot of basics and you always got to start with like jackets. Paul Treadwell Okay, so even if you're on a paddleboard, just paddling around in your pond, you should have a life jacket. David White Absolutely. In fact, if you're on a paddleboard, we'll start with a requirement you're required to have a lake check onboard every vessel, the right size, the right shape, US Coast Guard approved. I always remind people it has to say US Coast Guard approved on it because there's a lot of places where you can get them from overseas that they are not US Coast Guard approved under the age of 12 have to have it on at all times when they're underway. If you're on a personal watercraft, you're being pulled behind. You have to have a life jacket on, so there's some confusion. But when it comes to paddle safety, you don't have to wear it but there's no place else to put it. You know, I've got a paddle board. I have a pedal paddle board I got a kayak if you don't have it, I do have it strapped someplace and the whole concept is it has to be accessible. So if you're on a paddleboard kayak one thing to be looking at maybe is an inflatable, especially trying to paddleboard inflatables are great I'm a huge fan of inflatables, you know, they don't mess with your tan you can get them to back all the important stuff that people think about when they're out on the boat. So baseline requirement of life jackets really there for us. Paul Treadwell Okay, so when you say inflatable, I was think of, you know, airline safety and you can reach under your seat and pull that is that same thing. Are we talking about a different beast? David White It kind of looks like that. I mean, it's all folded up. I mean, I have one that's a fanny pack. It's all folded up looks a fanny pack, or the around the collar, of course you can but you know, they're in clothes, they look really nice. But when you pull the lever, it is the same as if you were on an airplane, it really gets the same basic concept. It's got a co2 cartridge on it and it inflates. Paul Treadwell So whenever you go out if you're going to set foot on a paddleboard or kayak your rowboat any kind of boat you're on, you should have a lifejacket that's Coast Guard approved. Yes, absolutely. So that's baseline for every watercraft. David White Absolutely, it's what will provide everybody the safety and security they need to have as I say to you're going to survive until your rescued and that's what having a good life jacket on board. And then every vessel has to have...
The Cornell Chicken recipe has a storied history. During this conversation with Reenie Baker Sandsted - daughter of Dr. Baker, and Sarah Sandsted - grandaughter of Dr. Baker, we dive into the origins of this recipe. We also discuss other poultry innovations that Dr. Baker is responsible for. Recorded August 2018 at the New York State Fair. Original Cornell Chicken recipe published 1950: Accessible version of Cornell Chicken Recipe: Episode Transcript: PAUL TREADWELL: Welcome to Extension Out Loud, a podcast from Cornell Cooperative Extension. I am Paul Treadwell. KATIE BAILDON: And I'm Katie Baildon. PAUL TREADWELL: With summer, fall on us right now, we thought it'd be an interesting time to highlight one of our past episodes that really embraced a summary topic. KATIE BAILDON: Yeah. It's an episode on Cornell chicken. We went to the New York State Fair a few summers ago and to Baker's Chicken Coop. And we had a great conversation about the origins of Cornell chicken. PAUL TREADWELL: And surprisingly, it's been one of our most-listened-to episodes. So we're going to give you a chance to listen to it again if you've heard it before. And if you haven't, give a listen to the exciting origin stories of Cornell chicken. It's time to think barbecue. KATIE BAILDON: And being where we are, it also means Cornell chicken. PAUL TREADWELL: For this episode, we spoke with Reenie Baker Sansted, daughter of Dr. Robert Baker, originator of the world famous Cornell chicken recipe. KATIE BAILDON: And did you know that Dr. Baker started out as an extension agent in Saratoga County, New York? PAUL TREADWELL: I did not know that, Katie. KATIE BAILDON: [LAUGHS] PAUL TREADWELL: We're also joined by Reenie's daughter, Sarah, also known as the granddaughter of Dr. Baker. KATIE BAILDON: Our conversation took place at Baker's Chicken Coop in the midst of many happy and effusive diners. PAUL TREADWELL: So let's fire up the grill and dig into the story of Cornell chicken, Dr. Baker, and some of his many innovations. KATIE BAILDON: Chicken nuggets, anyone? [LAUGHS] Also, the original recipe for Cornell chicken is linked in the show notes. REENIE BAKER SANSTEAD: Hi. So I'm Reenie Baker-Sansted. And I'm one of the daughters of Robert C. Baker. SARAH SANSTED: And I'm Sarah Stanstead. I'm Reenie's daughter and the granddaughter of Robert C. Baker. PAUL TREADWELL: So how long have you been running the [INAUDIBLE] here at the fair? REENIE BAKER...
What trends are we seeing in Extension work nationally and how are state Extension systems rising to meet needs highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic? Dr. Caroline Crocoll Henney, executive director of the national Cooperative Extension System, joins the Extension Out Loud podcast to discuss these questions and the history of the Cooperative Extension System in the latest episode of Cornell Cooperative Extension’s “Leading through Extension” podcast series. For show notes and the episode transcript, visit: https://cals.cornell.edu/news/2021/05/leading-through-extension-meeting-local-emerging-needs-nationwide
In this episode of “Extension Out Loud,” CCE Associate Director Kimberly Kopko introduces listeners to the history and evolution of the College of Human Ecology and how its mission to support New York state families has endured. For show notes and the episode transcript visit: https://cals.cornell.edu/news/2021/05/leading-through-extension-supporting-families
Historian and professor Scott Peters has dedicated over two decades to examining the dynamic relationships that scientists, scholars, and extension educators at land-grant universities have with the communities they serve. In this episode, Peters traces the history of extension systems and engages with the difficult question: what exactly is extension work? For the episode transcript and more show notes, please visit: https://cals.cornell.edu/news/leading-through-extension
Under Anu Rangarajan’s direction, the Cornell Small Farms Program builds networks and cultivates relationships among new, aspiring, and longtime farmers across the state. During the past year, when staying connected feels harder than ever, Rangarajan, also an assistant director of Cornell Cooperative Extension, and her team created space for human connection and personal reflection.
In this episode of “Extension Out Loud,” a podcast by Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE), Rangarajan shares her approach to Extension work and her vision for the future of New York farm and food systems.
For a transcript and show notes, visit: https://cals.cornell.edu/news/leading-through-extension-finding-common-humanity
Hands-on youth development programming looks different these days, with more youth, educators, and 4-H volunteers gathering virtually and making full use of digital communication and learning platforms. What hasn’t changed is 4-H's enduring commitment to nurturing the heads, hearts, hands, and health of youth across the New York state.
In this episode of “Extension Out Loud,” a podcast by Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE), Andy Turner, director of New York State 4-H Youth Development, shares how the program’s holistic, positive youth development approach is designed to support and grow the dynamic lives and interests of young people even, and perhaps especially in, times of uncertainty and transition.
For more about this episode and a transcript, please visit: https://cals.cornell.edu/news/leading-through-extension-engaging-youth-trying-times
In this episode of “Extension Out Loud,” a podcast by Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE), Benjamin Houlton, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, shares his journey and his vision for carrying forth Cornell’s Land Grant mission in New York state. For additional show notes and the episode transcript, visit: https://cals.cornell.edu/news/leading-through-extension-humility-and-responsibility
The latest episode of Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE)'s "Extension Out Loud" podcast explores a community science project aimed at mitigating the impacts of flooding in Jamaica Bay, NY.
Residents of Jamaica Bay, coastal neighborhoods located in Brooklyn(Kings County) and Queens (Queens County), are experiencing tidal flooding at increasing frequency—as often as twice a month. Tidal flooding is also called sunny-day flooding because it can occur in any weather, causing disruptions in the daily lives of residents. With the Community Flood Watch project, residents engage in data collection and decision making about flood mitigation measures. The project enables local lawmakers and researchers to work together with residents to design a more resilient community informed by local knowledge.
In this episode of the “Extension Out Loud” podcast, Katie Graziano, coastal resilience specialist, and Paul Focazio, communications manager, with New York Sea Grant discuss the development and vision of the Flood Watch project.
For the episode transcript and additional show notes, visit: https://cals.cornell.edu/news/community-flood-watch-project-engages-residents-reporting-and-mitigation
Each year the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Summer Internship Program invites dozens of students from across Cornell to engage with CCE staff on a broad variety of applied projects. This summer, three interns worked with 4-H program leaders from Dutchess, Columbia-Green, and Ulster counties on a Rural Storytelling Project. The project, offered in partnership with Cornell’s Office for Engagement Initiatives (OEI), engaged 4-Hers in multimedia, written and oral storytelling workshops. Each youth participant ended the summer by sharing a story about an element of life in their community during a virtual showcase.
In this episode of CCE’s “Extension Out Loud” podcast, the summer interns, joined by their CCE advisors and two 4-Hers, talk about the experience, lessons learned, and memories made.
For a full list of guests and show notes, please visit: https://cals.cornell.edu/news/bridging-divides-4-h-rural-storytelling-project Transcript (PDF): https://cornell.box.com/s/0gq8ool0funxtmpjhs3lopcc8rp7l7xv
This summer 4-H camp leader across New York State found themselves with a difficult task: preserve the camp spirit while following COVID-19 health and safety requirements. They rose to the task with unusual, engaging, fun and creative projects and activities for children and whole families! Listen in for an inspiring conversation about how 4-H camps adapted during this unconventional camp season.
Our guests include: Amy Pyra, 4-H community educator with 4-H Camp Beechwood in Wayne County; Corrine Rose Tompkins, camp director for 4-H Camp Shankituk in Deleware County; Sabrina L Derue, 4-H program manager and director of 4-H Camp Wabasso in Jefferson County; and Shawn R. Tiede, New York State 4-H camp specialist.
Transcript PDF: https://cornell.box.com/s/x3o503324hw2xzew1cfjyfrvnydp7uvu New York State 4-H camps: https://nys4-h.org/nys4hcamps
Since her early years on her family's farm in Horseheads, NY Kathryn J. Boor's life has been dedicated to furthering New York state agriculture. As her tenure as Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University comes to a close, Dean Boor joins Extension Out Loud to share wisdom, reflections, and hopes for the future. Dean Boor has served as the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of CALS since 2010 and is a professor of food science.
Transcript(pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/vlsrrkb9cexrhlj3kakzdu2bvq8zxi9i A decade of impact: Kathryn J. Boor, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean by Samara A. Sit: https://cals.cornell.edu/news/decade-impact-kathryn-j-boor-ronald-p-lynch-dean Kathryn Boor named Graduate School dean, vice provost by Joe Wilensky: https://cals.cornell.edu/news/kathryn-boor-named-graduate-school-dean-vice-provost
Swallow-wart (aka dog-strangling-vine) is a nonnative creeping vine-like plant that is native to the Mediterranean and has become harmful to ecosystems and livestock health in New York State. CCE Educators Sharon Bachman and Laura Bailey are partnering with Carrie Brown-Lima, director of the New York Invasive Species Research Institute, to control the invasive plant using biocontrol measures. In this episode, Paul and Katie talk with the team about their project and about why controlling invasive species is important for ecosystem health.
Transcript PDF: https://cornell.box.com/s/smeljtkos1yzmdh4uvnd7jklq9h6hnkw
Sharon Bachman bio: http://erie.cce.cornell.edu/staff/sharon-bachman
Laura Bailey bio: http://yates.cce.cornell.edu/staff/laura-bailey
Carrie Jean Brown-Lima bio: https://dnr.cals.cornell.edu/people/carrie-lima-brown/
New York Invasive Species Research Institute: http://www.nyisri.org/research/biological-control/biocontrol-updates-resources/
Pale & Black Swallow-wort Best Management Practices (PDF): https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.cornell.edu/dist/3/8738/files/2020/07/Swallow-wort-BMP-Final.pdf
Photo: Swallow-wort biocontrol site in Clarence, NY taken by Jonathan Bleuer, Town of Clarence
Marylynn Collins, dairy and livestock educator with CCE Oneida County, hosts the I Farm Oneida podcast providing crop and dairy farmers with weekly crop reports and periodic policy updates. In this episode, Katie and Paul welcome Marylynn to Extension Out Loud to talk about her podcast and to share an episode on safely engaging in Farmer’s Markets during NY-PAUSE. In the featured I Farm Oneida episode, Marylynn is and her colleague Elizabeth Irons, Oneida County Public Market manager, in a discussion about the changes both consumers and vendors can expect at markets this year.
Episode Transcript(pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/eu9ei61m3hczq65jznkd03umc4o5a1vq
Episode links Marylynn Collins; http://cceoneida.com/staff/marylynn-collins Elizabeth Irons; http://cceoneida.com/staff/elizabeth-irons Oneida County Public Market: http://www.oneidacountymarket.com/ Cornell Cooperative Extension Oneida County: http://cceoneida.com/ I Farm Oneida podcast: https://soundcloud.com/ifarmoneidacounty CCE Oneida County Agriculture public Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CCEoneidacountyAgriculture
While Extension Out Loud took a break, the Eastern New York Vegetable News podcast has been hard at work keeping growers informed about policy changes and growing conditions. In this featured episode, Ethan Grundberg, vegetable specialist with CCE and host of Eastern New York Vegetable News podcast, talks with a local farmer about messaging and the shift to online sales during the COIVID-19 pandemic.
Transcript (pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/03chagdahfkwzi2556eqeo8nefh98e7k Links: Cornell Cooperative Extension Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture Program: https://enych.cce.cornell.edu/ Eastern New York Vegetable News podcast: https://soundcloud.com/easternnewyorkvegnews Ethan Grundberg Bio: https://enych.cce.cornell.edu/specialist.php?id=89
Jeff is the highway superintendent in the Town of Prebble. He joins Extension Out Loud to share his "soup-to-nuts" role in maintaining and repairing roads and responding to local emergencies. Transcript PDF: https://cornell.box.com/s/wtzj0zayxm7lj9xtlwkoefv358wr9x28
After a few months of pause, Extension Out Loud is back! In an interview recorded this February, Katie and Paul discuss the Cornell Local Roads program with program director David Orr. Do you know who maintains the road you live on or the road you drive to work on? Maybe you’ve never thought about it less there’s a pothole or snowstorm. Listen in to hear learn about the history, laws, and science of local roads and their maintenance. David is also a senior extension associate in the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University. Transcript (PDF): https://cornell.box.com/s/g5dcn663090djewcy3b77kn0t5x2sf1f Citizens Guide to Local Highway Operations: https://www.clrp.cornell.edu/library/Citizens_Guides.html Cornell Local Roads Program: https://www.clrp.cornell.edu/ Cornell Local Roads Program Services Guide 2020: https://www.clrp.cornell.edu/library/publications.html David Orr bio: https://bee.cals.cornell.edu/people/david-orr/ Federal Highway Administration National Highway System Map: https://hepgis.fhwa.dot.gov/fhwagis/ViewMap.aspx?map=Highway+Information|National+Highway+System Street smarts: Cornell paves the way for safer roads in NYS | Cornell Chronicle: https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2019/07/street-smarts-cornell-paves-way-safer-roads-nys
CCE Assistant Director, Keith Tidball joins Extension Out Loud hosts Katie Baildon and Paul Treadwell to discuss CCE’s role in preparing and responding to natural, technical, and man-made hazards.
Episode Transcript (pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/zxpubzlszi6zn0dn586dfle11oc303p3 Links: CCE EDEN website: https://eden.cce.cornell.edu/ About APREP: http://eden.cce.cornell.edu/about-ny-eden/ Ready.gov website: https://www.ready.gov/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) link: https://www.cdc.gov/
Have you heard the Parenting Tips podcast by CCE Suffolk County? Hosted by Rory McNish, the show features parenting educators who offer research-based advice on issues impacting modern families. Listen to an episode that explores temper tantrums and learn about the wealth of parenting programs offered by CCE from Family Health and Wellness director at CCE Suffolk County, Nancy Olsen-Harbich.
Episode links: Parenting Tips Podcast: http://ccesuffolk.org/family-health-and-wellness/parenting-tips-podcasts CCE Suffolk County Family Health and Wellness: http://ccesuffolk.org/family-health-and-wellness Transcript (pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/4j17itaya5pnabmd9nuw02s3a3mxg8ru
In this episode of Extension Out Loud, hosts Paul Treadwell and Katie Baildon chat with extension experts on how to prepare your home for the winter — from programs and incentives for winterizing your home for energy efficiency, to resources and tips for how to deal with energy outages during our infamous upstate snowstorms. Listen to the episode.
Guests include: Katherine Herleman, Extension Disaster Education Coordinator, Cornell Cooperative Extension Collin Adkins, Environment and Energy Resource Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County Sean Welsh, Energy Resource Educator, Community Energy Advisor, Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County
Links to more resources: https://midhudsonenergychoices.org/ https://smartenergychoices.org/ https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/Contractors/Find-a-Contractor/Community-Energy-Resource https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/Programs/Community-Energy-Engagement-Program http://eden.cce.cornell.edu/
Episode transcript (pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/hizjpwugwnc7sedyogx9zbz10j9dp0xi
The leaves have peaked. The air has chilled. The clocks have fallen back. It’s undeniably November, and everyone is talking turkey.
Offering a bird’s eye view of the turkey scene in New York state, we are joined by Mo Tidball, a nutrition educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension Seneca County and the creator of the Wild Harvest Table website. An expert in all-things turkey, Tidball raises and sells heritage breed, free-range turkeys on her Seneca Falls farm.
Episode transcript (pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/msqnp2qvq0ndmac2pkh2zq5b231lkdgz
Episode links: Wild Harvest Table: http://www.wildharvesttable.com/ USDA Turkey Basics-Safe Cooking: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/poultry-preparation/turkey-basics-safe-cooking/CT_Index
Photo of Mo by RJ Anderson.
In a special Veterans Day episode of CCE’s “Extension Out Loud” podcast, hosts Katie Baildon and Paul Treadwell speak with project coordinator Dean Koyanagi ‘90 on the scope of the Farm Ops project across New York state.
Episode Transcript(pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/lbjeuek2x4zrjmsm85er3wrnrh51a9a9
Links: Cornell Farm Ops program: https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/projects/farm-ops/ Cornell Small Farms Program: https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/ Armed to Farm: https://www.ncat.org/armedtofarm/ EquiCenter: https://www.equicenterny.org/
CCE summer interns extend and explore What may have felt like a short amount of time was long on influence for the 29 Cornell undergrads who spent their summer working and conducting research in New York state communities across New York state as Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) interns.
During this episode we talk to 5 of interns about their summer of discovery.
2019 CCE Interns Video: https://youtu.be/No4bRCjjGOg
Adjoa's Blog: https://sway.office.com/Z6XboHscj023CeP2?ref=Link Stephanies's Blog: https://sway.office.com/6LSfbGKhrmjtNw1i?ref=Link Jesse's Blog: https://sway.office.com/nhoYGKKEDzMA3M3F?ref=Link Rose's Blog: https://sway.office.com/QKYDa8azIHjOH1W1?ref=Link Johanna's Blog: https://sway.office.com/DnVhv4HvX7GYUfxy?ref=Link
Episode Transcript (pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/77b14ssse4zcz0ytj6eyf1l0qhojtt9g
Credits: Title and End Music by Ryan Andersen - Bike Ride With You from the album Swimming. freemusicarchive.org/music/Ryan_Andersen/Swimming/ licensed under CC BY-NC 4,0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
We sat down with Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, Representative for the 123 NY Assembly District and Chair of the Assembly agriculture committee to discuss hemp legislation, consumer protection and more. Recorded at Empire Farm Days.
Episode Transcript: https://cornell.box.com/s/p6bqb8csctijk8yjdsf85cg4rowwvm4n Credits: Title and End Music by Ryan Andersen - Bike Ride With You from the album Swimming. freemusicarchive.org/music/Ryan_Andersen/Swimming/ licensed under CC BY-NC 4,0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Larry Smart, professor of horticulture at Cornell University's School of Integrated Plant Science and Associate Director of Cornell Agritech talks about NYS hemp. In part 2 of this 2 part series, Larry discusses hemp production research and the newly funded Cornell hemp seed bank.
Links: Cornell Hemp: https://hemp.cals.cornell.edu/ Cornell Hemp on Twitter: @Cornell_U_Hemp
Episode Transcript: https://cornell.box.com/s/akv2k524e3n76vcoo6btj69hghdkqrul
Credits: Title and End Music by Ryan Andersen - Bike Ride With You from the album Swimming. freemusicarchive.org/music/Ryan_Andersen/Swimming/ licensed under CC BY-NC 4,0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Larry Smart, professor of horticulture at Cornell University's School of Integrated Plant Science and Associate Director of Cornell Agritech talks about NYS hemp. In part 1 of this 2 part series, Larry discusses uses of the hemp plant including CBD, hemp for fiber and hemp for food and feed.
Links: Cornell Hemp: https://hemp.cals.cornell.edu/ Cornell Hemp on Twitter: @Cornell_U_Hemp
Episode Transcript: https://cornell.box.com/s/vpo6nvh47g1z5zbdo04ki80w7p7214gy
Credits: Title and End Music by Ryan Andersen - Bike Ride With You from the album Swimming. freemusicarchive.org/music/Ryan_Andersen/Swimming/ licensed under CC BY-NC 4,0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
At the annual Empire Farm Days event in Seneca Falls, NY, "Extension Out Loud" hosts sat down with Mario Miranda Sazo, a cultural practices specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension's Lake Ontario Fruit Program. Mario shares how is career lead him from Chile to NYS and how digital agriculture may shape the future of the apple industry.
Links: Lake Ontario Fruit Program and Mario's bio: https://lof.cce.cornell.edu/specialist.php?id=46 The Modern Acre podcast: http://themodernacre.co/ Cornell Cooperative Extension Program Work Teams (PWT): http://cce.cornell.edu/programworkteams/about
Episode transcript (PDF): https://cornell.box.com/s/umo9vfvbk3a32z9epr66p7f6voptlaqo
Credits: Title and End Music by Ryan Andersen - Bike Ride With You from the album Swimming. freemusicarchive.org/music/Ryan_Andersen/Swimming/ licensed under CC BY-NC 4,0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
How is the 2019 growing season shaping up and what should we expect from this year’s harvest? 8 CCE specialists from across NYS join Extension Out Loud to share their insights and observations. Tune in to learn what NY growers are facing in their fields, gardens and vineyards and how they are adapting to combat climate, weather, and pest challenges.
Our guests for this episode: Judson Reid, Vegetable Specialist, Cornell Vegetable Program, Harvest New York Ethan Grundberg, Vegetable Specialist, Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture Craig Kahlke, Fruit Quality Management Specialist, Lake Ontario Fruit program Laura McDermott, Small Fruit and Vegetable Specialist, Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture Mike Basedow, Tree Fruit Specialist, Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture Kitty O'Neil Regional Field Crops & Soils Specialist, North Country Regional Agriculture team Hans Walter-Peterson, Viticulture Specialist, Finger Lakes Grape Program Jennifer Russo, Viticulturist, Lake Erie Regional Grape Program
Download the episode transcript (pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/4lzbgehux9aoy3fprpytlpu3od7r2d67
Credits: Title and End Music by Ryan Andersen - Bike Ride With You from the album Swimming. freemusicarchive.org/music/Ryan_Andersen/Swimming/ licensed under CC BY-NC 4,0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
The Cornell Chicken recipe has a storied history. During this conversation with Reenie Baker Sandsted - daughter of Dr. Baker, and Sarah Sandsted - grandaughter of Dr. Baker, we dive into the origins of this recipe. We also discuss other poultry innovations that Dr. Baker is responsible for. Recorded August 2018 at the New York State Fair.
Links:
Original Cornell Chicken recipe published 1950: https://ecommons.cornell.edu/handle/1813/2652
Accessible version of Cornell Chicken Recipe: http://yates.cce.cornell.edu/resources/cornell-chicken-barbecue-sauce-and-safe-chicken-barbecues
Episode transcript (pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/3zbl6brclgefxe8cgs859xy9t2r0tf0n
Credits: Title and End Music by Ryan Andersen - Bike Ride With You from the album Swimming. freemusicarchive.org/music/Ryan_Andersen/Swimming/ licensed under CC BY-NC 4,0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
In the midst of camp enrollment season, Shawn Tiede, the NYS 4-H camps specialist, and Jim Hooper, manager of 4-H Camp Bristol Hills in Canandaigua, NY, join “Extension Out Loud” to discuss what New York State 4-H camps have to offer. From crafts and physical activity to culinary workshops, this episode covers the breadth of learning opportunities available to campers. Shawn and Jim also highlight how camps have evolved to become more inclusive of all children and adolescents from all backgrounds.
Links: NYS 4-H camps website: https://nys4-h.org/new-york-state-4h-camps
Episode transcript (pdf file): https://cornell.box.com/s/9be6g4z3w4pdtz7693v1tqhvyd4h9o9k
Credits: Title and End Music by Ryan Andersen - Bike Ride With You from the album Swimming. freemusicarchive.org/music/Ryan_Andersen/Swimming/ licensed under CC BY-NC 4,0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Sam Anderson and Yolanda Gonzalez urban agriculture specialists with the Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest New York team join Extension Out Loud to discuss their work with growers and producers in NYC. They talk production methods, interesting value added products, community engagement, soil health, and the diversity of taste preferences in one of the most diverse cities in the world.
Episode transcript (pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/t85tipegny8eri3s3no235llf2moqnh4
Episode Links: Harvest NY Urban Ag | https://harvestny.cce.cornell.edu/topic.php?id=7 Oko Farms | http://www.okofarms.com/ EdenWorks | https://edenworks.com/ SmallHold | https://www.smallhold.com/ Square Roots | https://squarerootsgrow.com/
Credits: Title and End Music by Ryan Andersen - Bike Ride With You from the album Swimming. freemusicarchive.org/music/Ryan_Andersen/Swimming/ licensed under CC BY-NC 4,0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ Episode art: photograph by R.J. Anderson/Cornell Cooperative Extension
Michele Ledoux, executive director, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Lewis County joins Extension Out Loud to discuss how the #2 maple syrup producing state in the U.S. produces, processes and markets a wide array of delicious sweet and savory maple products. Michelle also highlights the latest production innovations from the Cornell Sugar Maple Research & Extension program.
Episode transcript (pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/kdta4oas4n0qjuziua6n0olohee8opj9
Episode links: NYS Maple : https://www.nysmaple.com/ CCE Lewis County Maple page: http://ccelewis.org/agriculture/maple International Maple Museum: https://maplemuseumcentre.org/index.php Cornell Maple Program : https://blogs.cornell.edu/cornellmaple/ Northern New York Ag Development Program: http://www.nnyagdev.org/
Credits: Title and End Music by Ryan Andersen - Bike Ride With You from the album Swimming. freemusicarchive.org/music/Ryan_Andersen/Swimming/ licensed under CC BY-NC 4,0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ Episode art: photograph by R.J. Anderson/Cornell Cooperative Extension
How can exploring one’s identity and self-purpose help youth get more out of programs, such as 4-H? Dr. Tony Burrow, associate professor in the Department of Human Development at Cornell’s College of Human Ecology shares his research on the benefits of helping youth think about long-term personal goals and self-identifying “their why” prior to introducing programming in clubs like 4-H. Tony is co-director of the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research Program for Research on Youth Development and Engagement (PRYDE), and a recent recipient of Engaged Scholar Prize from Engaged Cornell.
Episode transcript (pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/islq5r3bvhzzbos05oavuwitateedhyy
Links: Program for Research on Youth Development and Engagement: https://pryde.bctr.cornell.edu Purpose and Identity Process Lab: http://blogs.cornell.edu/burrowlab/
Credits: Title and End Music by Ryan Andersen - Bike Ride With You from the album Swimming. freemusicarchive.org/music/Ryan_Andersen/Swimming/ licensed under CC BY-NC 4,0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
In the first episode of season 3, Julie Suarez, Associate Dean of Governmental and Community Relations in the College of Agriculture and Life Science at Cornell University, joins Extension Out Loud once again to discuss the provisions of the newly passed 2018 farm bill. Julie breaks down how the longest government shutdown in the books has impacted farmers, Cornell University’s role in the growing hemp industry, the farm bill’s emphasis on urban agriculture, innovative production, research, and more! See S1E1 for the first interview with Julie about the farm bill.
Please, take our survey and let us know what you think about Extension Out Loud. All data is gathered is anonymous and will help us shape upcoming episodes.
Survey: https://cornell.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eWm0KiYFdAF1afP
Episode transcript (pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/pgzw4ftuc9gkmvz08im02t6x6mfow55g
Links: Grow NYC: https://www.grownyc.org/ Cornell Small Farms Program – the Labor Ready Farmer project: https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/projects/ Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Harvest New York Team – Urban agriculture: https://harvestny.cce.cornell.edu/topic.php?id=7 Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2
Credits: Title and End Music by Ryan Andersen - Bike Ride With You from the album Swimming. freemusicarchive.org/music/Ryan_Andersen/Swimming/ licensed under CC BY-NC 4,0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Join us as we talk to Kitty O'Neil and Mike Hunter of CCE's North Country Regional Ag team about this year's harvest. This is our final episode of 2019 - Join us again in the new year, and don't forget to take our survey and let us know what you think about Extension Out Loud. All data is gathered is anonymous and will help us shape upcoming episodes.
Survey: https://cornell.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eWm0KiYFdAF1afP
Episode transcript (pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/xdeiq377cg3h2r7d58voi6aw39vpl46q Link: https://ncrat.cce.cornell.edu/
In this episode we talk with Hans Walter-Peterson - Team Leader for the Finger Lakes Grape Program and Tim Wiegle - Team Leader of the Lake Erie Regional Grape Program. Not surprisingly, our conversation focuses on the 2018 harvest for grapes.
Please, take our survey and let us know what you think about Extension Out Loud. All data is gathered is anonymous and will help us shape upcoming episodes.
Survey: https://cornell.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eWm0KiYFdAF1afP
Links: Ginger Lakes Grape Program: https://flgp.cce.cornell.edu/ Lake Erie regional Grape Program: https://lergp.cce.cornell.edu/
Episode transcript (pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/8rt3pia4r86iz08xo9xxlwie56f21dsk
Just in time for Thanksgiving! Our 3 Harvest Highlights 2018 episode is an exploration of the wild harvest this year with Moira Tidball- CCE Seneca's Nutrition Issue Leader and creator of the Wild Harvest Table website. We discuss a range of issues, including the use of ingredients such as squirrel, canned Canada goose and much much more!
Please take our survey and let us know what you think about Extension Out Loud. All data is gathered is anonymous and will help us shape upcoming episodes.
Survey: https://cornell.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eWm0KiYFdAF1afP
Episode transcript (pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/4m5ll5odmknr28kyynz4dmw54m7q85jo
Links: Bio of Mo : http://localfood.cornell.edu/moira-tidball/ Wild Harvest Table website: http://www.wildharvesttable.com/ Hunting and the Local Food Movement: Insights from Central New York State: http://www.wildharvesttable.com/2017/10/13/hunting-and-the-local-food-movement-insights-from-central-new-york-state/ National Center for Home Food Preservation website: https://nchfp.uga.edu/ NYS DEC Venison Donation program info: https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/8351.html
Credits: Title and End Music by Ryan Andersen - Bike Ride With You from the album Swimming. freemusicarchive.org/music/Ryan_Andersen/Swimming/ licensed under CC BY-NC 4,0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
It's our second Harvest Highlight. Apples and Berries are where it's at this episode! We talk with three of our specialists in the field to learn about this years growing season and harvest/ Our guest are Craig Kahlke -Team Leader, Fruit Quality Management Lake Ontario Fruit Program, Mike Basedow -Tree Fruit Specialist Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture Team and Laura McDermott - Team Leader, Small Fruit and Vegetable Specialist Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture Team.
Season 2, Episode 2 transcript (pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/utvfvmuvnnjid7cp9ie716ip4vpj6igm
Links: Lake Ontario Fruit Program - https://lof.cce.cornell.edu/ Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Team - https://enych.cce.cornell.edu/
Credits: Title and End Music by Ryan Andersen - Bike Ride With You from the album Swimming. freemusicarchive.org/music/Ryan_Andersen/Swimming/ licensed under CC BY-NC 4,0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
The first of our 2018 Harvest Highlights series. Today we talk with Ethan Grundberg and Judson Reid, two of our vegetable specialists, about the growing season and what this years harvest looks like.
Please take our survey and let us know what you think about Extension Out Loud. All data is gathered is anonymous and will help us shape upcoming episodes.
Survey: https://cornell.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eWm0KiYFdAF1afP
More info on CCE Area Teams: http://cce.cornell.edu/page/areateams
Episode transcript (pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/x8hvef4yg3mc2nroliufc70foz087wdf
Credits: Title and End Music by Ryan Andersen - Bike Ride With You from the album Swimming. freemusicarchive.org/music/Ryan_Andersen/Swimming/ licensed under CC BY-NC 4,0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
In the last episode of the farm bill series, Extension Out Loud hosts discuss nutrition programming with Lara Parrilla, nutrition & community development issue leader with CCE Tompkins County and Randi Quackenbush, advocacy & education manager with the Food Bank of the Southern Tier.
Please take our survey and let us know what you think about Extension Out Loud. All data is gathered is anonymous and will help us shape upcoming episodes.
Survey: https://cornell.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eWm0KiYFdAF1afP
Episode transcript (pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/8uyzznbuoe75kjuqn73dv64ulzb54o8s
Relevant links: Lara's bio: http://ccetompkins.org/staff/lara-parrilla Rani's bio: https://www.foodbankst.org/staff-listing Eat Smart NY: http://eatsmartnewyork.org/ Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP): https://fnec.cornell.edu/for-partners/programs/efnep/
In this episode we talk with Dr. Andrew Novakovic, E.V. Baker Professor of Agricultural Economics at the Dyson School at Cornell University. This conversation explores the economics of dairy and current challenges that dairy farmers are facing with a focus on the impact of the farm bill on the NYS dairy industry.
Please take our survey and let us know what you think about Extension Out Loud. All data is gathered is anonymous and will help us shape upcoming episodes.
Survey: https://cornell.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eWm0KiYFdAF1afP
Episode 4 transcript (pdf) https://cornell.box.com/s/pisaz8165y8jp39z9nbsaeph9su43ji6
Relevant Links: Federal Milk Marketing Orders: https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/moa/dairy Margin Protection Program for Dairy: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/Dairy-MPP/index
Credits: Title and End Music by Ryan Andersen - Bike Ride With You from the album Swimming. freemusicarchive.org/music/Ryan_Andersen/Swimming/ licensed under CC BY-NC 4,0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Guests Jerry Bertoldo, dairy specialist with CCE Northwest NY Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops Program and Tom Overton, CCE associate director and director of PRO-DIARY, discuss CCE programs supporting dairy farmers across New York State.
Download episode transcript (pdf) : https://cornell.box.com/s/jdwwfe6ueoxlyyyoy28qug24kt4elm3h
Relevant Links: Cornell Cooperative Extension : http://www.cce.cornell.edu NWNY Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops Team : https://nwnyteam.cce.cornell.edu PRO-DAIRY : https://prodairy.cals.cornell.edu/ Dairy Acceleration Program : https://prodairy.cals.cornell.edu/dairy-acceleration/ Dairy Profit Teams : https://nyfvi.org/nyfvi-dairy-program/ NY FarmNet : https://www.nyfarmnet.org/
Title and End Music by Ryan Andersen - Bike Ride With You from the album Swimming. freemusicarchive.org/music/Ryan_Andersen/Swimming/ licensed under CC BY-NC 4,0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
What does international trade have to do with the dairy industry? Agricultural economist Dr. Andrew Novakovic explains in this snippet from an upcoming Extension Out Loud podcast episode. Hosts Katie and Paul and their guest went on a timely tangent about trade, tariffs, and NYS dairy that gives important context to the trade negotiations that are currently underway. Check out this snippet and tune in next week for the full interview.
After we wrapped up Episode 3 we talked with Cheryl Thayer about several of the programs she mentioned and she graciously agreed to venture out into the world and talk with Dave Walczak of the western New York food hub, and Bridget O'Brien Wood Director of Child Nutrition Services for the Buffalo, New York school district.
Episode 3 Bonus transcript (pdf) - https://cornell.box.com/s/i35o37h8k9s007wsbtkl2j1t5x8ee9ea
Music by The Local Farmers Union - thelocalfarmersunion.bandcamp.com/
In this episode we talk with Cheryl Thayer, Local Food Distribution and Marketing Specialist with the Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest New York Team.
Cheryl is actively working to support and grow local food systems here in New York. This episode – while it does discuss the farm Bill – explores the idea of local food systems more broadly. We talk about some of the programs active here in New York that support different aspects of local food systems like double up food bucks, the field and fork network and food hubs.
Please take our survey and let us know what you think about Extension Out Loud. All data is gathered is anonymous and will help us shape upcoming episodes.
Survey: https://cornell.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eWm0KiYFdAF1afP
Transcript (pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/747qghu31oqr41ur6295guf530mf4ufo
Relevant links: Harvest New York - https://harvestny.cce.cornell.edu/ Double Up Food Bucks - http://www.doubleupfoodbucks.org/ Field and Fork Network - https://fieldandforknetwork.com/ Farmers Market Promotion Program: https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/fmpp
Credits: Music by The Local Farmers Union - https://thelocalfarmersunion.bandcamp.com/
In this episode we explore the impacts of Title 2 - Conservation - of the Farm Bill. We talk with Dr, Amanda Rodewald of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Allan Gandelman, of Main Street Farms about the impact of conservation funding through the Farm Bill. The farm bill is the largest source of funding for private land conservation in the country. In this episode we learn how that funding is used to conserve land, what it means to conserve land, and some programs in NYS that help farmers and landowners to practice conservation.
Please take our survey and let us know what you think about Extension Out Loud. All data is gathered is anonymous and will help us shape upcoming episodes.
Survey: https://cornell.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eWm0KiYFdAF1afP
Episode transcript (PDF): https://cornell.box.com/s/2d6txc74os1fl922jf0sftwoxaps9me1
Related Links: Dr. Rodewald bio: https://dnr.cals.cornell.edu/people/amanda-rodewald/ Allan Gandelman bio: https://mainstreetfarms.com/meet-us/ Cornell Lab of Ornithology - http://www.birds.cornell.edu State of the Birds 2017 - http://www.stateofthebirds.org/2017/ Main Street Farms - https://mainstreetfarms.com/ Farm Bill Law Enterprise - http://www.farmbilllaw.org/ Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/financial/eqip/ eBird database: https://ebird.org/home Farm bill conservation programs: https://www.landtrustalliance.org/topics/federal-programs/farm-bill-conservation-programs
Credits: Title and End Music by Ryan Andersen - Bike Ride With You from the album Swimming. freemusicarchive.org/music/Ryan_Andersen/Swimming/ licensed under CC BY-NC 4,0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Going Down the Road Feeling Bad - Library of Congress. Voices of the Dustbowl - https://www.loc.gov/item/toddbib000314/
Franklin Roosevelt Fireside chat excerpt - http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/archives/collections/utterancesfdr.html
Sound effects - Car driving - freeSFX - http://www.freesfx.co.uk
Welcome to Episode 1 of Extension Out Loud! In this episode, Julie Suarez, Associate Dean of Governmental and Community Relations in the College of Agriculture and Life Science at Cornell University, discusses the history and process of passing the farm bill as well as its current status in Congress. She also discusses the particular importance of the bill to NYS food systems, farmers, and citizens.
Please take our survey and let us know what you think about Extension Out Loud. All data is gathered is anonymous and will help us shape upcoming episodes.
Survey: https://cornell.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eWm0KiYFdAF1afP
Episode transcript (pdf): https://cornell.box.com/s/6vz4vg70dfxpi7gcv47zsvirqwqazwat
Related links: The United States House of Representatives version of the farm bill officially titled: H.R. 2, Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018: https://agriculture.house.gov/farmbill/
The United States Senate version of the farm bill officially titled: Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018: https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/2018-farm-bill
Credits: Music by Ryan Andersen - Bike Ride With You from the album Swimming. https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ryan_Andersen/Swimming/ licensed under CC BY-NC 4,0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/