It has been a very difficult time for many of us as Cornell University grapples with the sexual assault in 2024, and the issue of sexual violence on college campuses. We’ve heard from many of you in our small farm audience of deep concern, grief, and anger.

We affirm our values and commitment to creating educational and collaborative spaces where all feel safe and welcomed to participate as we are.

As we look ahead to our many educational and networking events, we will continue to express this commitment to all who learn with us.

We are in this together.

Sincerely,
Anu Rangarajan
Director of the Cornell Small Farms Program

The post A Message of Our Support and Commitment appeared first on Cornell Small Farms.

Our Agroforestry project team worked with collaborators around the state to build APRBs and plant seedlings this spring. Now, they are ready to harvest! Join us for a workshop near you to learn techniques for overwintering beds with or without seedlings and how to plant/heel in seedlings into a nursery area or your garden.

• October 8 in Ithaca, NY — Join us at CCE Tompkins from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• October 9 in Franklinville, NY — Join us at CCE Allegany from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• October 13 in Kingston, NY — While the APRB workshop is closed, you can join an evening talk on “Solutions Inspired by Nature” at CCE Ulster from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• October 14 in Arca, NY — Join us at CCE Columbia and Greene from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• October 15 in Brooklyn, NY — Join us at the Opportunity Hub from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• October 16 in Manhattan, NY — Join us at the New York Restoraton Project from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• October 17 in Bronx, NY — Join us at Starlight Park from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• October 22 in Staten Island, NY — Join us at the Snug Harbor Botanical Garden from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• October 24 in Queens, NY — Join us at Smiling Hogshead Ranch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• October 25 in Irvington, NY — Join us at the O’Hare Nature Center from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for a combination mushroom cultivation and APRB workshop.

Additional topics will include strategies for seed collection and storage for planting next spring. Requirements for selling nursery stock in NYS will also be addressed along with marketing ideas. This workshop is ideal for producers seeking to diversify into a new, efficient tree seedling production system.

The sessions are led by Connor Youngerman, our Agroforestry lead. There is no charge for the workshop, however pre-registration is required.

If you are unable to join us for a workshop, but want to learn more about APRBs, we have a comprehensive fact sheet on our website. It covers the principles of air pruning, appropriate species to plant, siting, design, and more.

We also made a video on buildng your own bed, you can watch it below.

The post Join Us for Air Pruned Raised Beds Events Series Across the State this October appeared first on Cornell Small Farms.

You will learn from experts and experienced farmers and gain practical knowledge on a variety of farm production topics, including berries, cut flowers, maple syrup, mushrooms, and more.

“The CSFP courses were key to us taking our small sheep farm from a dream to a now-profitable livestock operation. We couldn’t have done it without the help and knowledge of the CSFP course materials and instructors,” past student Henry O’Connor shared.

More than 32,000 students have taken at least one of our courses over the last seven years. Nearly 70% of those students who are actively farming decide to further invest in growing their farm operations after taking a course with us.

Don’t miss our next block of live instruction; enroll now and join us for webinars beginning the first week of November! See below for upcoming offerings: 

Farm Woodlot Management: Assessing the Economic Potential of a Managed Forest

• Mondays at 6:30 p.m. November 2 – December 7
• Farmers and woodland owners need to recognize the potential values of their woodland. This course will teach you methods to assess forest resources and discuss common activities such as cutting firewood, harvesting logs for mushroom cultivation, and support for wildlife and long-term forest health

Poultry Production: Profiting from Layers, Broilers, Turkeys, and Ducks

• Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m. November 3 – December 8
• Many new farmers get started with poultry, but the margins can be slim and farmers need to develop the necessary skill set to produce a product that is both safe and profitable. This course will help you get started with all the basic information to build a successful poultry enterprise

 Outdoor Mushroom Cultivation: Growing Mushrooms on Logs, Stumps, and Woodchips

• Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. November 3 – December 8
• Mushrooms are an emerging crop with many benefits, including improving farmer stewardship of forested lands and the ability to offer a unique and highly desired product. This course trains new and experienced farmers in the background, techniques, and economics of outdoor mushroom production

Vegetable Production II: From Season-Long Care to Market

• Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. November 4 – December 16 (no class on Nov. 25)
• Continue where Vegetable Production I leaves off – expand upon production from transplanting to harvest, including information on in-season fertility, integrated pest management, weed control options, harvesting strategies, and tips for marketing your products

Berry Production: Getting Started with Growing and Marketing Berries

• Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. November 4 – December 9
• Explore the idea of adding berries and bramble fruits to your farm, from growing to marketing the fruits, with our berry production course. This course will help you consider all the aspects of this decision, from varieties and site selection through profit potential and marketing

Cut Flower Production: Introduction to the Business of Flower Farming

• Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. November 5 – December 17 (no class Nov. 26)
• Flowers can be costly unless you have background knowledge on production techniques and a solid plan for selling them. This course will introduce you to the topics, resources and questions you’ll need to answer if you intend to operate a flower farm or add flower production to your farm

Intro to Maple Syrup Production: Sugaring for Profit

• Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. November 5 – December 17 (no class Nov. 26)
• Maple syrup production is rapidly growing around the Northeast and offers a sound financial opportunity to utilize woodlots. This course explores the range of possibilities of maple sugaring on your land, including “alternative” trees for production

Our growing team of online course instructors includes experienced farmers, extension educators, and agriculture service providers. The online courses are offered on a user-friendly platform, which grants registrants permanent access to their course content.

“It’s hard to explain how valuable the courses I took have become!” past student Arthur Shertzer shared. “The instructors couldn’t have been more knowledgeable, helpful and friendly! I couldn’t recommend the program more enthusiastically and I look forward to taking more classes in the future.”

You can browse all of our course offerings on our website. You can learn more about our courses, including answers to common questions, on our course FAQ.

The post Grow Your Production Skills With Farm Courses Starting in November appeared first on Cornell Small Farms.

Consider joining one of our more than 40 online courses during live instruction this upcoming online course season. Whether you’re starting to dream of farming, or are looking to take your operation to the next level, there’s a course designed for you.

At the Cornell Small Farms Program, you’ll learn from experienced educators and industry experts in agriculture, farm business, and extension. But our courses offer more than just information — they connect you with a community of farmers. You’ll learn not only from experts, but also from farmers and producers who are navigating many of the same challenges, opportunities, and questions as you are.

Registration is now open for all courses, with live content starting later this month for our first block of courses.

Starting at Square One​

• Mondays at 6:30 p.m. from September 21 – October 26
• So you’re thinking about starting a farm, but feeling overwhelmed by all the decisions? This course was designed to assist new and aspiring farmers in taking the first steps in thinking through farm start-up (whether you already have land access or not).

Building Farm Financial Records to Measure Success

• Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. from September 22 – October 27
• Successful farm businesses rely on accurate, organized financial records to understand profitability, support management decisions, and plan for the future. This course introduces farm financial recordkeeping principles and helps participants develop a system that fits their operation.

Reading the Land

• Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. from September 22 – October 13
• Want to learn the secrets of what your land is telling you to increase profitability on the farm or ranch? This course is a 4-week exploration of how you can confirm and/or measure improved land health and conduct various biological monitoring practices.

Beef Cattle Management

• Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. from September 23 – October 28
• A successful cattle business is about much more than just buying a few head and putting them in a field. Learn about appropriate breeds, marketing strategies, and many more aspects of starting a beef enterprise.

Vegetable Production I

• Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. from September 23 – October 28
• This course will help you answer basic questions about site selection, crop rotation, seeding and transplanting, as well as the financials of vegetable crop production. Afterward, take ​Vegetable Production II​ to continue learning.

Cómo Iniciar su Negocio Agrícola

• Jueves de 6:30 p.m., 24 de Septiembre – 29 de Octubre
• ¿Está pensando en comenzar un negocio agrícola propio, pero se siente confundiso por todas las decisiones que esto involucra? Este curso esta diseñado para ayudar a los agricultores nuevos y aspirantes a dar los primeros pasos para iniciar su propio negocio agrícola (finca, rancho, granja) ya sea que tenga acceso a la tierra o no.

Getting Started with Pastured Pigs

• Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. from September 24 – October 29
• Pigs can function as a profitable stand-alone enterprise or can be integrated into your existing farm structure to provide a variety of products and make use of marginal lands. This course guides beginning farmers through the production and marketing of pigs raised in pasture settings.

Our growing team of online course instructors includes experienced farmers, extension educators, and agriculture service providers. The online courses are offered on a user-friendly platform, which grants registrants permanent access to their course content.

The bulk of the course happens on your own time, with discussions, readings, and assignments in Teachable, our online course platform. To add to the experience, webinars will be woven into the interface of the course for a dedicated time slot each year to allow you to meet on a weekly basis to learn from presenters and ask questions in real-time. If you miss one, they are always recorded and posted for later viewing.

Courses have tiered pricing based on household size and income to make access to the courses more affordable and equitable for everyone. We also offer scholarships for eligible farmers in New York who face an entry barrier to farming, and for military veterans in New York.

You can browse all of our course offerings on our website. You can learn more about our courses, including answers to common questions, on our course FAQ.

The post From Business to Beef, Our Online Courses Help Farmers Learn New Skills appeared first on Cornell Small Farms.

As with many student projects, there was concern from the administration about what would happen once the group of students graduated. Erica Frenay, who has her own farm and works at Cornell Small Farms on agroforestry and online courses, was a rising junior at Cornell in 1999. She came across a flyer for Dilmun Hill’s VSA program (Volunteer Supported Agriculture). The idea was that students would volunteer their time and be paid in produce. Erica was very drawn to the idea of working on a farm and payment in healthy local produce, so she got involved. By the next year, she was part of the leadership team.

On the latest episode of Small Farms Radio, Erica remembers those early years of planning the student farm as she is joined in conversation with Ryan Maher, who previously worked at the Cornell Small Farms Program before moving to his new role on campus as the Organic Coordinator for the Cornell Agricultural Experiment Station — which includes serving as the staff manager for Dilmun Hill. Even though Erica and Ryan worked together for 8 years, they never discussed Erica’s history with Dilmun Hill.

Erica remembers that planning the farm’s yearly operations took up all the capacity of the student group. There was nothing left for thinking about big picture tasks like infrastructure, or convincing the administration that the student farm was a worthy investment. The group of faculty and students then discovered that the area where they had been growing market garden vegetables was contaminated with lead and arsenic. The land had formally been an orchard, and years of pesticide applications had accumulated in the soil. So, the farm had to move to adjacent land that was not contaminated and start over.

Despite the challenges, with faculty support and continued student interest, the farm survived. Erica’s memories of healthy vegetables from the student farm are forever contaminated, but she is pleased to see that Dilmun Hill has grown and garnered support from the university. Erica notes that one of the many things that early group of students needed was an anchor at the university, someone who would help carry the knowledge from year to year. Thirty years later, that is Ryan’s job.

Their conversation starts with Dilmun Hill and pulls back to think more broadly about the value of student Farms. You can find it wherever you get your podcasts.

The post The Value of a Student Farm: Small Farms Radio Discusses 30 Years at Dilmun Hill appeared first on Cornell Small Farms.

ESPAÑOL ABAJO

The idea is to offer our listeners a language experience. Wilber’s original conversation with Tim in Spanish is followed by an English translation read by Tim and our team member Garrett Quade. This consecutive interpretation format is not common in media production, but we feel that it centers the importance of language and allows us to really hear Wilber in his native tongue. The result is an experiential gem for an English speaker interested in learning Spanish, or a Spanish speaker learning English. It’s also an opportunity to bring a mindset of learning for anyone listening to this episode. 

Wilber’s first business, at Jubilo farm, is raising broiler chickens under a canopy of elderberry, hazelnuts, corn and sunflowers. He tells us that chickens are jungle birds, so he is trying to simulate a jungle in Minnesota. These plantings provide shade on hot days, attract insects, and provide additional income by being able to harvest nuts, berries and popcorn. He wants his birds to be outside, taking dust baths and having “chicken parties” until their last day. This approach helps him talk about his operation and connect with customers who are willing to pay slightly more for a bird that was raised in a way that aligns with their values.

Wilber’s second business is called Tortillas La Mayzteca, which produces traditional artisanal tortillas from nixtamalized corn. Nixtamalization is an ancient Mesoamerican process of turning dried corn into masa (like special cornmeal), the base for tortillas, posole, tamales and many more traditional dishes. Dried corn is soaked in an alkaline solution, usually made by adding lime to the water, and then ground. This process creates a chemical reaction that increases the nutritional value of the mixture by adding calcium and making vitamin B3 available. It also improves the flavor and aroma of the masa. Finally, it significantly reduces the presence of mycotoxin (a category of toxins produced by a fungi that colonize crops) in the corn.To create these tortillas, Wilber has partnered with local farmers to grow a specific variety of corn that has been crossbred to be like the corn grown in Guatemala in terms of flavor and chemical makeup but adapted to the Minnesotan climate. This variety yields just above half per acre of what a standard variety yields, but he is able to pay the farmer three times what they would normally get per bushel because he is sharing profits from the value-added product. Wilber views his business arrangements as collaborative; he wants all his partners to share in prosperity.

Part of Wilber’s success is his ability to communicate his vision and his work. He offers an interesting approach to agricultural entrepreneurship using production practices, breeds and varieties that create a unique product. He also controls the whole supply chain of both products, ensuring quality and capturing profits. 

If you’re interested in agricultural entrepreneurship, languages, or regenerative agriculture, give this episode a listen. You can find it by searching for Small Farms Radio wherever you get your podcasts.

Criando pollos bajo los saucos: Una plática bilingüe de Small Farms Radio con Wilber de la Rosa 

Este mes, en Small Farms Radio, compartimos una conversación con Wilber de la Rosa. Wilber es propietario de Jubilo Farm en Minnesota, una operación agropecuaria regenerativa. Además, recientemente ha lanzado Tortillas La Mayzteca, una empresa integrada verticalmente dedicada a la producción de tortillas tradicionales. Wilber platica con Tim Shenk, del proyecto Futuro en Ag del Cornell Small Farms Program, su enfoque de crear empresas comprometidas con un estilo de vida saludable, así como sobre su compromiso con los métodos regenerativos. La conversación original está en español y ahora también en inglés gracias a Tim.

Este episodio ofrece una experiencia lingüística a nuestros oyentes. A la conversación original de Wilber con Tim en español, le hemos agregado una traducción al inglés leída por Tim y por Garrett Quade, miembro de nuestro equipo. Este formato de interpretación consecutiva no es habitual en la producción de podcasts. Sin embargo, creemos que pone de relieve la importancia del idioma en la comunicación, y nos permite escuchar a Wilber en su lengua materna. El resultado es una experiencia única tanto para nuestra audiencia angloparlante interesada en aprender español como para un hispanohablante que esté aprendiendo inglés. También es una oportunidad para fomentar una mentalidad de aprendizaje en cualquiera que escuche este episodio.

El primer negocio de Wilber, Jubilo Farm, consiste en la cría de pollos de engorde bajo la sombra de sauco, avellanos, maíz y girasoles. Nos cuenta que los pollos son aves de la jungla, por lo que está intentando simular una jungla en Minnesota. La llamada “jungla” de Wilber proporciona sombra en los días calurosos, atraen insectos y aportan ingresos adicionales al permitir la recolección de frutos secos, nueces, bayas y maíz para hacer palomitas. Quiere que sus aves estén al aire libre, tomando baños de polvo y “celebrando fiestas” hasta su último día. Este enfoque le ayuda a diferenciar su operación de otras parecidas. De esta forma se conecta con clientes dispuestos a pagar un poco más por un pollo criado de una manera que se ajusta a sus valores.

El segundo negocio de Wilber se llama Tortillas La Mayzteca, que elabora tortillas artesanales tradicionales a partir del maíz nixtamalizado. La nixtamalización es un antiguo proceso mesoamericano que consiste en convertir el maíz seco en masa (harina de maíz), la base de las tortillas, el posole, los tamales y muchos otros platos tradicionales. El maíz seco se remoja en una solución alcalina, que suele prepararse añadiendo cal al agua, y luego es molido. Este proceso provoca una reacción química que aumenta el valor nutricional de la mezcla al añadir calcio y hacer que la vitamina B3 sea asimilable. También mejora el sabor y el aroma de la masa. Por último, reduce significativamente la presencia de micotoxinas (una categoría de toxinas producidas por hongos que colonizan los cultivos) en el maíz. Para elaborar estas tortillas, Wilber se ha asociado con agricultores locales para cultivar una variedad específica de maíz híbrida. En cuanto a sabor y composición química, se parece mucho al maíz cultivado en Guatemala, adaptado al clima de Minnesota. Esta variedad rinde un poco más de la mitad por acre de lo que rinde una variedad estándar, pero Wilber puede pagar a los agricultores el triple de lo que normalmente recibirían por bushel, ya que comparte con ellos los beneficios del producto de valor añadido. Wilber considera que sus acuerdos comerciales son colaborativos; quiere que todos sus socios participen en la prosperidad.

Parte del éxito de Wilber radica en su capacidad para comunicar su visión y su trabajo. Ofrece un enfoque interesante del emprendimiento agropecuario mediante prácticas de producción, razas y variedades que dan lugar a un producto único. Además, controla toda la cadena de suministro de ambos productos, lo que le permite garantizar la calidad y obtener beneficios.

Si a Ud. le interesa el emprendimiento agropecuario, los idiomas o la agricultura regenerativa, no se pierda este episodio. Puede encontrarlo buscando “Small Farms Radio” donde sea que escuche los podcasts.

The post Raising Pollos Under Elderberry: Small Farms Radio’s Bilingual Conversation with Wilber de la Rosa appeared first on Cornell Small Farms.

In the early 2000s, when Anu had been recently hired as an extension associate for vegetable production by Cornell, she organized the Northeast Organic Network (NEON). This project asked organic farmers across the northeast to elect leaders in the field. “Eleven exemplary, well-established organic farms throughout the Northeast have been chosen as NEON partners for the on-farm study component of the project,” the description read. Anu and a small team traveled to each farm and recorded conversations on cassette tapes, used for the social side of the study. The idea was to highlight what these farmers were doing that made them successful. A goal and a body of work that we are reviving with our new podcast mini-series Wisdom of the Elders. 

The mission is simple: to reconnect with these exemplary farmers (and some who were not part of the NEON project) and ask them to reflect on their careers and tell us what is next for them. Through those conversations, we hope to find nuggets of wisdom for those still farming.  

Our first episode features a conversation with Dave and Christine Colson, who ran New Leaf Farm, a 3-acre intensive vegetable farm in Durham, Maine. The Colsons were some of the first farmers to grow and market salad greens on the East Coast. Anu traveled up to Maine in 2024 to sit down with Dave and Chris, reflect on their careers in farming, and talk about their transition to retirement. 

“You don’t plan if you don’t have time to think, or reflect, or converse, you just work all the time,” Chris shared.  

This captures an eternal struggle in farming: how to use your time. You can always do more on the farm, push yourself harder, but are you pushing in the right areas? With all the pressures and demands of farming, stopping to think feels hard, but it is so essential. It allows you to see the bigger picture and make sure you are putting your efforts into the right spaces.

The Colsons were very good at making time to reflect, think, and plan. A skill that served them time and again over the course of their careers. Whether you are farming or not, having clear goals and making space for reflection and planning allows you to check in on how you are doing and course-correct when needed. There were so many other rich topics discussed, listen and learn from our first installment of Wisdom of the Elders from Small Farms Radio on any podcast platform. 

The next generation of farmers deserves to hear from the previous generation, and we are preserving these conversations forever. Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform, give it a listen, and reach out to us to let us know what you think, or share an idea for a story. You can reach us at 607-255-4455, or at smallfarmsprogram@cornell.edu.  

We hope you enjoy the show! 

The post Small Farms Radio Launches New Mini-Series: Wisdom of the Elders  appeared first on Cornell Small Farms.

As interest in regenerative agriculture continues to grow, agroforestry offers practical ways to make productive use of woodlands and underutilized spaces. These upcoming events will introduce participants to production methods that can improve ecological resilience while creating new opportunities to diversify their income. 

The workshops combine hands-on learning with research-based instruction through collaboration with Cornell Cooperative Extension, university educators, and industry specialists. These events are designed for beginning farmers, woodland owners, gardeners, and anyone interested in forest food systems. If you are looking to grow mushrooms and specialty crops, or integrate more trees into your land for additional income or personal use, join us to learn more and connect with others.

To ensure you learn about all of our upcoming events and opportunities, subscribe to our email newsletter.

Starting Shiitake Mushrooms

Friday, May 29, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Interested in learning how to start and maintain mushroom logs? Join us at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Warren County for a hands-on workshop inoculating mushroom logs while learning how to care for them all year long. Led by our Specialty Mushrooms project lead Connor Youngerman, this event is designed for both beginners and mushroom enthusiasts looking to expand their cultivation skills. A limited number of bolts are available for purchase ($20) at the time of registration.

Fungi, Forage, & Forest

Friday, June 12 , at 5:30 p.m. to Saturday, June 13, at 3 p.m.

Want to learn more about mushroom cultivation, foraging wild edible plants, or agroforestry? Join us at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County for a two-day educational event series exploring forest-based growing systems and farm diversification strategies. Featuring educators and presenters from the Cornell Vegetable Program, Niagara County Master Gardeners, and the Cornell Small Farms Program, this event will combine presentations and hands-on workshops focused on mushroom cultivation, edible plant identification, and sustainable agroforestry practices. Space is limited, and early registration is encouraged. Learn more and register.

An Introduction to American Ginseng Cultivation

Tuesday, June 16, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Interested in forest farming or alternative woodland income opportunities? Join us for an educational webinar led by Tracey Testo, CCE Columbia-Greene Agroforestry Educator. This session will guide you through each step of the production process, including instructions on how to identify a good growing site, plant and harvest ginseng, and market it to consumers according to current regulations. Learn more and register.

Shiitake Mushroom Log Yard Management Workshop

Saturday, June 20, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Interested in growing your own shiitake mushrooms in a woodland mushroom yard? Join us at Hawk Meadow Farm in Trumansburg, NY, for a hands-on workshop exploring the fundamentals of managing your own collection of shiitake mushroom logs using techniques that apply to most specialty mushrooms including wood-decomposing Lion’s Mane and Oyster. Participants will learn how to select tree species and inoculum strains, identify ideal bolt size and species, inoculate logs and encourage fruiting, optimize production through log stacking, harvest mushrooms, and grade them for quality. The workshop will include a tour of a working mushroom yard where participants can see woodland mushroom production in action. The first 25 registrants will receive one inoculated mushroom log per household to take home. Learn more and register.

The post Opportunities to Gather Together and Learn about Agroforestry this Month appeared first on Cornell Small Farms.

On the lastest episode of Small Farms Radio, our own Jamie Johnson spoke about all things pee-cycling with Dr. Rebecca Nelson of Cornell’s School of Integrative Plant Science and Ashley School of Global Development and the Environment. They discussed the crop nutrient, financial, and human health contexts of pee-cycling on small farms and home gardens and the future of the circular resource economy.

Inspired by an agricultural community in Niger, Nelson has been studying the use of human urine and excreta as fertilizer for years. Dubbed “pee-cycling”, this practice may sound like a cultivation strategy from The Martian, but Dr. Nelson’s ongoing research on pee-cycling finds it to be more practical than it seems.

After eating, the broken down version of the food you consumed is partitioned into your feces, urine, breath, and sweat. Most magnesium, calcium, and iron are partitioned into your feces while most nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are partitioned into your urine, making the latter both easier to work with and comparable to most commercial N-P-K mixes. “When we have benchmarked urine against synthetic fertilizer we have benchmarked well,” said Nelson about the use of urine as fertilizer in the field.

The Rich Earth Institute in Brattleboro, Vermont is Nelson’s role model of a community pee-cycling operation, providing free fertilizer to local farmers and normalizing the practice. Nelson also cites “pee-powered” compost as a valuable alternative to synthetic fertilizer as the carbon-rich, composted residues are enhanced by the nitrogen and other nutrients in urine. “The nutrients come out of us in plant-friendly form,” Nelson emphasized, “They breathe for us, we breathe for them. They feed us and we can feed them too.”

Pee-cycling isn’t all magic, though, and there are many factors to balance as the process is made safe. “We want to distinguish an ick reaction from technical concerns,” said Nelson as she walked through reliable procedures. Of chief concern is always the presence of fecal matter, which is hazardous. To avoid microbial concerns, urine can be pasteurized or stored for a few months, which raises the pH and kills any germs. In a closed container, urine can be aged, sterilized, and pH adjusted in a variety of ways. If producers are still worried about urine application, both Johnson and Nelson highlighted that pee-cycling can be piloted in non-consumed crops, such as lumber or turfgrass.

“The circular economy is old but bold … people have been doing it forever,” said Nelson, referencing centuries of integration between humans and their agricultural systems. “Circular economy is always matching that little need with that little resource, stitching things together.” As input prices rise, Nelson hopes to give people a chance to learn about pee-cycling and think about implementation on their farms.

Nelson is continuously seeking feedback from pee-cycling users and interested growers on everything from regulation to results.

“Small farmers are probably the most creative people in the world because they have to be and they wouldn’t survive in the business if they weren’t,” she said. “I feel like I have some ideas to share but a whole lot to gain from talking to small farm listeners.”

The post Discover the Power of Pee-Cycling for Plants on Small Farms Radio appeared first on Cornell Small Farms.

By investing in your continued education, you are investing in the long-term success of your farm. Live webinars for this final block of courses will begin in late February.

Our online courses are designed to be flexible and user-friendly. All course materials are stored on our single, easy-to-use web platform, which you can access for life after enrolling in a course. Tune in to weekly webinars to hear from experts and ask questions in real time, and complete all other course reading and assignments when it works for you. We also offer tiered pricing based on household size and income in our effort to make courses affordable, accessible, and equitable for all.

Registration is open now for all courses. Explore the full array of course offerings on our website and secure your spot for live webinars, which begin the week of February 23.

BF 103: Taking Care of Business

Mondays: February 23 – March 30 at 7 p.m.

This course helps early stage farmers assess and manage a variety of risks that they will face. Throughout the six weeks of the course, we will discuss topics essential for operating a viable farm business, including insurance coverage, business structures and tax information.

BF 110: Soil Health

Tuesdays: February 24 – March 31 at 6:30 p.m.

The health and productivity of the soil forms the basis for any farm’s success, profitability, and ecological sustainability. Successful farmers need to develop a holistic approach to preserving and building soil health and fertility. Stewardship of the soil is arguably the most important job of any farmer or gardener.

BF 123: Growing Uncommon Fruit

Tuesdays: February 24 – March 31 at 6:30 p.m.

Do you want to learn more about lesser-known fruit? This course will help you determine whether incorporating uncommon fruit into your operation is the right decision for you. We’ll walk you through all aspects of this decision, from possible fruits and appropriate site selection to marketing and profit potential, plus the advantages to including woody perennials into your farm plan. Many of these fruits can be successful in a forest farming setting, so are attractive to people with an interest in agroforestry. Expand your understanding of these promising crops and how they could improve your farm’s ecosystem while possibly also supporting your bottom line. Note: This course is designed as a companion to the BF 122: Berry Production course, but you do NOT have to take BF 122 before taking BF 123.

BF 202: Writing a Business Plan

Mondays: February 23 – March 30 at 6 p.m.

Whether you intend to borrow money or not, heading into a farm venture without a business plan is like setting out on a long-distance journey without a map. Arm yourself with a business plan and you will have a guide to aid your farm decision-making and demonstrate to yourself and your family that your ideas are feasible. This steady-paced course is designed to help you build your plan, including developing financial statements.

BF 205: Social Media & Online Marketing

Thursdays: February 26 – April 2 at 7 p.m.

Are webpages still useful? Does Facebook drive sales in real life? What do hashtags do? What kinds of photos do customers respond to? What are good strategies for low-cost online sales/marketing? What is Square and should I be using it? If you’ve been struggling with questions like these for your farm, this course is a great starting place for you. Taught by farmers and other ag professionals, you’ll get real-life, practical ideas and explanations to help you build a successful online presence, grow your customer base, and sell more product.

BF 220: Season Extension with High Tunnels

Wednesdays: February 25 – April 1 at 7 p.m.

Adding weeks to either end of your growing season can mean attaining a premium for having products available well before (or long after) other local growers. But the structures that make this possible–unheated plastic-covered “high tunnels” or “hoop houses”–can cost a lot of money, and they bring special management considerations that need to be understood in order to be profitable for year-round production.

BF 223: Introduction to Tree Fruit Production

Thursdays: February 26 – April 2 and Mondays: March 16 – March 23, all at 6:30 p.m.

Tree fruit are an important component of the agricultural and homeowner landscape. Planting and management of apple and other tree fruit orchards is a rewarding hobby and business, but you cannot simply plant trees and expect good fruit. There’s a lot that goes into successful orcharding! This course trains beginning tree fruit growers in fundamental concepts in orchard planning and management. Content will include site selection and management, rootstock and cultivar selection, orchard systems, pest management, nutrient management, and harvest considerations for commercial orchards tailored to the northeast region of the U.S.

BF 231: Grazing Management

Tuesdays: February 24 – March 31 at 6:30 p.m.

Grazing is more than simply turning livestock out onto a green pasture and hoping for the best. Sound grazing management is an economical farming practice that helps you reduce your workload, keep your animals happier and healthier, and improve the overall productivity and profitability of your farm. Well-managed grazing systems also provide greater environmental benefits and enhance habitat for many wildlife species. In this course, you’ll learn the key concepts of successful grazing operations that can be adapted and successfully implemented on your own farm. The course focus will be on grazing ruminant livestock, but most of the information will be relevant to non-ruminant animals as well.

In our ongoing commitment to equitable access to education, we have maintained tiered pricing for our courses based on household size and income. We also offer scholarships for eligible farmers in New York who face an entry barrier to farming, and for military veterans in New York State.

You can browse all of our course offerings on our website. You can learn more about our courses, including answers to common questions, on our course FAQ.

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