healthy food - New ag specialists in Northern New York - SIBEJO

Cornell Cooperative Extension has made 7 unique specialists available to northern New York farmers over the past year. Their expertise covers everything from business planning to technical crop and livestock knowledge.

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healthy food - Farmer Friday - 8 O'Clock Ranch - SIBEJO

Intern Amands Korb offers us another reflection on food and farming issues on the last day of her internship...

In the 21^st century, the rise of grass-fed, all-natural, free-range, cage-free, pasture-based animal products is certainly evident. We buy the bloodless package of ground beef with a sticker of a picturesque red barn and white chickens in the yard and the cleanly washed pearl-white eggs. We are living in a food illusion, and the lack of transparency between the farmer and the consumer is only getting wider. I believe we must ask ourselves what are our personal beliefs are in terms of food, or rather, what do we demand as consumers when we purchase items. On a more personal level, we might ask what is it like for a chicken to live in a cage, to be given certain feeds or various medications? And furthermore, do we care?

From pig to cow to chickens, the large-scale production of animal meat (think 2 million hens per �warehouse�) personifies the broken American food system. We all know the horror stories of the industrial farm�some of us turn a blind eye, thinking, �How else will be feed the world?� while others choose to eliminate the product from their diet as a form of animal solidarity.

These were a few questions Kassandra and John Barton asked when they first started 8 O�clock Ranch in 2001. Their 200-acre mission to raise non-GMO, soy-free, pasture based meat is far from the images Food Inc. portrays. On the larger farms, �ag gag laws� forbid any form of filming or photography of farms without the consent of owners. Even with consent, the images do not portray the full story. This was not the case with Kassandra, who specifically invited me to come on butcher day. I pulled into the ranch�s driveway, greeted by her amiable face. She instructed me to the barn where her sons and neighbors were at the head of the butchering assembly line. They were in charge of killing, scalding and then chilling the birds. I was impressed by the cleanliness, efficiency and humaneness of the process. One might think the birds would be squawking as they faced death, but these hens cooed sweetly.

After chilling, the hens were then cleaned and split into parts. All portions of the bird are consumed except for the head. (Customers do actually ask for them, but Kassandra hasn�t figured out a way to package them safely.) The liver, heart, necks and feet are packaged for sale elsewhere. 8 O�clock Ranch used to work at the Canton Farmers market, but slow demand led the couple to �follow other marketing strategies,� like shipping all over the east coast or delivering milkman style to one�s doorstep.

�We wanted to do what they used to in the 1700�s,� Kassandra remarked. �Sure I use new technologies, and I utilize YouTube a lot too, but a lot of what we do now comes from old books. If it worked then, why can�t it work now?� Their land is called a ranch and not a farm to reflect how they believe animals should be raised�free to roam with ample amount of fresh land, air and grass. They practice block pasturing and intensive grazing, which has reduced the unwanted growth of thistles and instead encouraged clovers to flourish. As Michael Pollan writes, �It is doubtful you can build a genuinely sustainable agriculture without animals to cycle nutrients.�

Kassandra is a firm believer in healthy soil: �If the soil is healthy, then the rest falls in line.� They regularly add minerals to the ground, although they recognize it takes 18 months system integration. Prevention, it seems, is a better method of treatment. In fact, John and Kassandra have only called the vet 4 times in 8 years. �If you�re calling the vet, then there is something lacking in your management practices.�

Around 1,000 hens a year are processed at the ranch, alongside 40 lambs and 100-120 beef cattle. I asked the inevitable, given their success, would they consider getting bigger? �Any bigger and our job would be harder, especially since we insist on sticking to our standards,� John responded. Their morals are tried and true�a few years ago the couple threatened to shut down when USDA regulations had them shipping their meat to far off processing units. Kassandra and John are firm believers in giving their customers what they desire- transparent, healthy, truly natural meat because �customer service is what keeps [them] going.�

�Taste is our biggest advertisement,� she further commented. �When selling meat, the hardest part is getting people to actually cook the meal. But once they taste it and show their friends, they understand why we do what we do.� On average, Kassandra and John have a 90% CSA renewal rate. The word of mouth sales are certainly proving to be fruitful.

Promoting local healthy food is an easy feat, but to actually execute the philosophy is a more strenuous process. 8 O�clock Ranch used to participate in GardenShare�s Bonus Bucks program, but had to demure their participate due to USDA regulations. When I asked Kassandra what role she thinks government should play in small-scale meat production, she quickly responded none. �Because they [the government] is involved the cost of food increases. People who can afford food don�t care that much and we secure their business no problem; however, this makes access to low-income or working households difficult.�

Currently, out of house sales are illegal unless permitted otherwise. This means Kassandra�s customers must pre-order meat, a process deemed inconvenient due to our instantaneous society. �If a customer could simply come and go it would be easier. Also, this would help keep prices lower for people to try new meat. It would be easier for people to say, �I want to eat healthy, local food.��  

When I asked how to fill the gap the USDA creates between her meat and the customer�s plate, Kassandra further said, �Many mothers ask, how do I cook, look up recipes, share that knowledge, and have the ability to eat? You can�t expect to cook all meats equally. Visits to a farm, where a meal can be shared, are conversational and relatable way to cook food.� I invite all North Country residents to give Kassandra a call. 8 O�clock ranch is a 100% transparent operation that produces ethical and sustainable meals for families and friends. 

healthy food - Scholarships for Young Farmers Conference - SIBEJO

Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture  is offering a limited number of farmer scholarships to the 2016 Young Farmers Conference on December 7, 8 and 9. Scholarships cover the cost of conference registration only; recipients are expected to cover the cost of lodging and travel expenses to and from the conference.

For more info and an application, please click here. Applications are due by 5PM EST on Saturday, August 20, 2016. 

healthy food - Farmer Friday - Lazy River Farm - SIBEJO

 Intern Amanda is back with another profile of a local farmer...

There are some people in life that you just immediately connect. This is how I felt when I met Mike Watkins at his farm, Lazy River, in Hermon. His patient demeanor coupled with his knack at reading someone�s personality makes for good company. What is more, I was impressed by his immaculate gardens. They leave a person to believe Mike hires help, but in reality he does the majority of the work himself with a little help from his son, Raymond, and brother, Bill. When I complimented Mike on his success, knowing how much time (at least twelve hours/day) and effort he puts into each plant, he modestly responded, �Oh, I putter around.�

21 years ago, Mike Watkins oversaw the growth of a thousand pheasants on only two acres of land. He moved to the North Country, searching like David Rice for that perfect slice of land to satisfy his desires, a hunting preserve and a quiet place to fish. He quickly discovered lending his land to seasonal hunters was not enough to sustain his family. �When you have five hungry kids and a wife that works part time, you learn to do a lot of things,� he quietly commented. Mike began picking fiddleheads and leaks for the spring sale. He used to ship over 800 lbs./week, but the demand was too much as he juggled other jobs. Now Mike sells 200 lbs./week to a company in Vermont. He also has personally cut, sawed and delivered lumber from his hardwood lot to make ends meet.

For 18 years now, Mike has grown a wide range of vegetables. He had no prior experience in farming; nonetheless, his work ethic gleamed in the sun�s rays reflecting on his 200-acre farm. The growth of his vegetables was through a process of trial and many errors. At one point the grassy spots surrounding the house used to be tilled for vegetable cultivation; however, the lack children�s hands permitted grass to grow. Even so, Mike�s sizable beds and three greenhouses make a person wonder if hides extra hours in his day somewhere.

Mike�s success is an upshot of his keen business oriented mind. He can state how many markets worth of produce are in a given row (generally four), and his math skills are quick as well as calculated.  Any excess produce he donates to community members as well as the local food pantry. Mike�s generosity outshined his prickly beard as he encouraged me to take home sweet onions, yellow beans, and blueberries. �Take what you need�do you want anything else?� he kept asking. His kindness isn�t just an after thought or a neighborly gesture either. For example, Mike harvests his watermelons and cantaloupe at a smaller size because he recognizes often commercial size melons spoil before elderly can consume their juicy summer flesh. He also grows sweet corn at the request of Farmers Market customers, even though doing do costs him money.

Mike is what I call a �thinker.� He �tries to make the most with what [he] has.� For example, he

built his greenhouses out of repurposed materials. On the 16� x 90� he only spent $300 to build, using his own lumber and labor. The other greenhouse is two pre-made greenhouses from Tractor Supply Co. put together after they failed to make the growing process worthwhile. He braced the metal poles with three foot stakes, 2�x 6� cedar boards and recycled last year�s plastic from the 16� x 90�. �Desperation is a great provider,� he remarked. That is not to say Mike is desperate or in need; he simply lives a life of innovation and logic.

Management wise, Mike uses the least amount of chemicals necessary, but occasionally will treat his plants with Bull�s eye, Miracle Gro, or CaMg+. To prove wife�s tales are sometimes true, he also spreads dog hair around the garden because deer do not like the scent. Forage oats planted between rows during the summer serve as a cover crop, returning needed nutrients into the ground and cutting unwanted weeds. On a side note, I was surprised at how lush Mike�s gardens appeared. Many farmers are struggling with irrigation as a consequence of this summer�s dry season. Yet, Mike�s sandy soil has withheld fairly well. He bent down to show me this, squeezing a handful of dirt to show how the moisture caused the particles to stick together.

The visit to Mike�s farm reminded me of how life is a process. We often forget when eating a meal that someone, somewhere (hopefully nearby) grew that eggplant or tomato. Someone spent countless hours freeing onions from weeds, milking cows, or planting new crops. We take for granted farming is not only a hobby, but also an occupation. Supporting local food systems is critical for people like Mike who rely on our community for his income.  I left Lazy River Farm feeling like I do after a long conversation with my dad: settled, comforted and informed. I also left with a job blueberry picking�and how could a girl turn that down?

healthy food - Summer grower meeting next week - SIBEJO

Summer Grower Meeting

Wednesday, August 3, 2016   

6:30-8:00 pm

Cornell Cooperative Extension Learning Farm

2043B Rte 68, Canton, NY

Featured Topics:

Training and Pruning High Tunnel Cherry Tomatoes

Leaf Mold Resistant Cherry Tomato Variety Trial

This Year�s Disease Challenges

Summer Cover Crops

Speakers:           Christine Smart, Cornell University Plant Pathology

                             Judson Reid, Cornell Vegetable Program

                             Amy Ivy, Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture

                             Kitty O�Neil, Northern NY Ag Program

Free and open to the public. For more information contact Amy Ivy at adi2@cornell.edu or 518-570-5991.

Sponsored in part by the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program. Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Senate and administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Learn more at www.nnyagdev.org.
And by the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture through a grant from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.