And please, share far and wide, a crowdfunding grassroots campaign
such as this relies heavily on word of mouth and sharing. Thank you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Frank Raymond Cetera
The Alchemical Nursery
200 S. Geddes St, Syracuse NY 13204
315.308.1372
www.AlchemicalNursery.org

Support the Rahma Edible Forest Garden in Syracuse at http://www.indiegogo.com/Rahma-Free-Health-Clinic-Edible-Forest-Garden

http://tinyurl.com/ForestMgmtMatters

thanks,
Steve

Greetings from Primitive Pursuits here in Ithaca! I’m writing to ask for your assistance in spreading the word about our vast employment opportunities. Primitive Pursuits has been a local leader in the nature awareness movement for ten years, and our year-round youth programs currently serve over 1,000 participants annually. The skills to be gained by working with this program are highly valued in both traditional and outdoor education spheres.

Below is information on a full-time and summer employment positions. Would you please this with members of your listserv.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

In gratitude,

Tim Drake

Primitive Pursuits
Cornell Cooperative Extension – Tompkins County
615 Willow Avenue
Ithaca NY 14850
www.PrimitivePursuits.com

office (607) 272-2292, ext.195 or 198
fax (607) 272-7088

Employment Opportunities with a Wilderness Education

& Environmental Summer Camp

PrimitivePursuits.com
Full time position, pay commensurate with experience, Ithaca, NY

Seeking enthusiastic, gregarious, and enterprising individual to join central New York’s premiere wilderness skills mentoring team! As part of our team, you will work side by side with seasoned Primitive Pursuits staff to plan and implement environmental education programs offered to youth in a variety of local wilderness settings.

In the Field: You will lead trips into undeveloped natural areas, designing group challenges, building fires without matches, gathering and preparing wild foods – learning the skills of cutting-edge nature connection while creating experiences destined to become campfire stories to last a life time. Positions include:

· Wilderness Instruction

· Environmental Educator

· Assistant Program Director

In the Office: Be part of a cutting edge social enterprise, honing your skills & abilities in the real world. Work side by side with a team of entrepreneurial minded program leaders dedicated to building financially successful models of lasting social change. Positions include:

· Registrar

· Administrative Assistant

Qualifications include ability to: understand and incorporate teaching philosophy into program delivery; maintain a positive, professional and inclusive environment; collaborate effectively with others and engage youth; promote the Primitive Pursuits nature education mission; keep effective records; and demonstrate commitment to your own professional growth.

Expect a great deal of learning opportunities and a friendly, innovative work environment.

Employment through Cornell Cooperative Extension/Primitive Pursuits

To applyor to request more information please visit our website at:

www.primitivepursuits.com

Primitivepursuits

Small Farmers: Shape Your Future!
Register Now for the 2012 NY Small Farms Summit

Register now for the 2012 NY Small Farms Summit! The Summit will take place Wednesday, February 29th, from 9:30am 3:30pm, with lunch provided.

What is the NY Small Farm Summit?

The Summit is an interactive meeting with an opportunity for all participants to take part in lively discussion, both locally, and across the state. The goals of the Summit are to increase visibility of small farmers and their needs, encourage local collaboration among regions, and to prioritize emerging opportunities to enhance viabilities of small farms in New York and the Northeast.

Who should attend the Summit?
Farmers, educators or agricultural service providers, farm businesses, policy makers, students, and members of the community who are interested and committed to a vibrant small farm sector in NY.

What can I expect?
In the morning, we will hear from two 2011 recipients of Small Farms Program grants to understand how stakeholder feedback turns into meaningful projects that have direct benefit in the field. Then, we will hear from two farmer speakers about the visions they have for the short-term future of small farms in their regions. Well also have a brief visit with Dean Boor, from the College of Agriculture and Life Science, to learn more about how Cornell is supporting the small farm sector. In the afternoon, we will work in small groups to evaluate emerging opportunities and prioritize investments to enhance the viability of small farms. We plan to end the day with a list of top priorities that can inform small farm research, education and policy over the next 5 years.

Why should I participate?
The New York Small Farms Summit is the only event in the state that brings together the entire small farm community. You should attend the Summit if you are interested in voicing your ideas, if you enjoy networking with others, or if you want to learn more about supporting small farms.

How do I register?
The Summit will take place in 5 locations across the state. Sign up at the site nearest you. The event is free to attend and lunch will be provided. After you register, your site host will be in touch regarding directions, parking information and an agenda for the day. See contact information below.

Pre-Summit Survey
Please take the survey, regardless of your attendance at the Summit. It helps to identify and prioritize issues you care about! The link to the survey is: https://cornell.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_bxrjyekn3mqaUy8

2012 Summit Host Sites:

Central NY
Location: Mann Library, Agriculture Quad, Cornell University Campus Address: Tower Road, Ithaca, NY 14853
To register: Violet Stone at 607-255-9227 or vws7@cornell.edu

Eastern NY
Location: Albany County, Cornell Cooperative Extension office Address: 24 Martin Road, Voorheesville, NY 12186
To register: Gale Kohler at gek4@cornell.edu

Northern NY
Location: St. Lawrence County, Cornell Cooperative Extension office Address: Extension Learning Farm Classroom at 2043 SH 68, Canton, NY 13617 To register: Brent Buchanan at bab22@cornell.edu or 315-379-9192 Ext 231

Western NY
Location: Wyoming County, Cornell Cooperative Extension Office Address: 401 North Main Street, Warsaw, NY 14569
To register: Joan Petzený at jsp10@cornell.edu or 585-786-2251

Long Island
Location: Suffolk County, Cornell Cooperative Extension Office Address: 423 Griffing Ave, Riverhead, NY 11901
To register: Sandy Menasha at srm45@cornell.edu or 631-727-7850

Please join me along with Sustainable Tompkins for the 2012 Earth Day Celebration, to once again be held at the Ithaca Farmers’ Market Pavilion on Sunday April 22 from noon-5pm. While it has been a couple of years since we last celebrated there, interest has continued to be strong and we anticipate another great event.

We invite your active participation in planning for this and future Earth Days. If you would like to table or be a part of the planning process, email me at solkitchen1@gmail.com for more information or a registration form. Examples of contributions include the media/public relations, set up or cleanup crew, coordination of a special performance and so on. Meetings will be held Wednesday February 15th, Wednesday March 28th at the office of Sustainable Tompkins and then Wednesday the 4th and the 18th of April at the Farmers’ Market Pavilion, all from 6-8pm.

If you have questions contact Joey at (607) 387-7799 or email solkitchen1@gmail.com.

We look forward to seeing you!

Yours for a more sustainable future,
Joey

February 25th, 2012

Please join us for Farming Our Future, a conference for local and regional farmers, educators, farmers’ market managers,

agricultural students, providers of goods and services, consumers and all who care about the future of agriculture!

Taconic Hills CSD

Craryville, Columbia County, New York

9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

farmingourfuture.org

Reserve Tickets

Speakers

Keynote

Steffen Schneider – Hawthorne Valley Farm

"Agri-culture 3.0: An Agricultural Narrative for the Future"

Read Press Release

Panel

Moderator – Steffen Schneider – Director Farm Operations, Hawthorne Valley Farm

Amy Cotler – Farm to Table Advocate, Food Writer and Event Producer

Bruce Davenport – Davenport Farms

Ian Perry – 9th Grade Student, President of the HARVEST Club, Taconic Hills CSD

Ellen Poggi – Hand Hollow Farm

Read Bio’s

Workshops

Revitalizing Our Communities Through Food and Agriculture

Panel Facilitated by Karyn Novakowski, Cornell Cooperative Extension

Sally Baker, Philmont Beautification

Fiona Lally – President, Lebanon Valley Business Association

Roberta Roll – Founder, Copake Farmers Market and Movement Therapist

The Right Fit: Matching Food and Farm to Market

Amy Cotler, Farm to Table Advocate, Food Writer and Event Producer

Farmland Accessibility Challenges and Opportunities

Marissa Codey, Conservation and Agricultural Programs Manager, Columbia Land Conservancy

Farmland Protection Plan – Where Are We Now?

Facilitated by Mary Ann Johnson Hudson Valley AgriBusiness Development Corp

Lender’s Panel: Learning About Accessing Credit

Facilitated by Benneth Phelps, M.R.P. – Program Coordinator, The Carrot Project

Peter Elmer – Farm Service Agency

Emili Ponte – Farm Credit East

Youth Workshop – Building Tomorrow’s Leaders

Vanessa Merrill, Taconic Hills Agriculture Teacher

Kim Carlo, Taconic Hills HARVEST Club Advisor

Sharing Resources – The Cooperative Way

Bruce Davenport – Fourth Generation Farmer, Davenport Farms

Agenda

8:00 AM Doors Open

Registration & Continental Breakfast

Exhibitors, Poster Presenters and Networking

9:00 AM Keynote Address – Steffen Schneider, Hawthorne Valley Farm

10:30 AM Panel Discussion and Q & A

12:00 PM Lunch

1:15 PM Workshops

3:15 PM World Caf (a community dialogue)

4:30 PM Program Closes

Check Updated Agenda

Taconic Hills, CSD – 73 County Rte 11A, Craryville, NY 12521 – Columbia County NY

Registration

RSVP online $20. At the door $25.

Registration includes Continental breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack break

Students are $10 per person and must show student ID.

Reserve your tickets now and pay at the door, or mail payment.

Reserve Tickets

Have Children?

Agriculture based program available for ages 5-14.

Includes a hands on cooking demonstration, recycled paper projects,

building a gnome house for the family garden and swimming!

$10 per child and must be reserved in advance.

Exhibitors & Sponsors

Exhibitor tables and sponsorships are available, please visit the website or call for details.

Exhibit Table – $50. Includes 2 Tickets and Exhibit Table

Non Profit Tables are No Charge, however tickets must be purchased.

Reserve an Exhibit Table

Beneficiaries

Proceeds from the conference will go toward Taconic Hill’s H.A.R.V.E.S.T. Club,

(Healthy Agricultural Resources by Volunteers & Educators in Science & Technology) a program that engages youth in the process of growing healthy fruits,

flowers and vegetables in a school based garden, and the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO).

Organizers

Karen DiPeri – NY Agri-Women, Copake EAB

Anna Duhon – Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program

Todd M. Erling – Hudson Valley AgriBusiness Development Corporation

Sandra Gardner – Taconic Hills Central School District

Stephen E. Hadcock – Cornell University Cooperative Extension

John Langdon – Langdonhurst Farms, LLC

Rachel Schneider – Hawthorne Valley Farm Learning Center

Ben Shute – Hearty Roots Community Farm

Contact

karendiperi

Mailing Address: Cornell University Cooperative Extension

479 Rte. 66, Hudson, NY 12534

ATT: Farming Our Future 2/25/2012

Join the Cornell Garden Based Learning (CGBL) and Cornell Cooperative
Extension of Erie and Niagara Counties for a Tend the Garden Training session
February 22nd at the Gloria J. Parks Community Center; 3242 Main Street; Buffalo,
NY 14214. The program will begin at 10:00 am and end at 2:30 pm; lunch will be
provided. Cost is $15.00.

The session is designed to assist existing youth garden programs (small or large) in developing a longer-term approach to garden-based
programs in hopes of expanding existing programs that foster a commitment to yearlong
food systems. The Tend the Garden session is part of a three part professional
development program offered by the CGBL called Take Root! A Training for Garden
Educators (http://blogs.cornell.edu/garden/takeroot/).

During this session, the CGBL Team will introduce a logic model as a tool to create
project sustainability both on the ground, in the garden and within a program. The
training session will cover building capacity, forming collaborations, extending the
gardening season, building healthy soil and composting, and more. Groups with
an existing school or community garden program hoping to expand and increase
project sustainability are encouraged to attend.

If there is a particular topic you would like to see addressed that is not listed, please let us know at 716-652-5400 x 150.

Registration required by February 15th to Laurie Korb at 716-652-5400 x 130 or
llk47. Cost is $15.00. Class size is limited. (If the fee is an issue, please contact Laurie.)

presented by the Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute

March 3, 2012
1-4pm
at Ecovillage at Ithaca

How do you prune your fruit trees and shrubs?
Have you avoided pruning because you dont feel confident in your pruning skills?

Well, youre not alone! This pruning workshop, led by Akiva Silver, will initiate and deepen your skills in the art of pruning. Most of the day will entail being outside, working with backyard fruiting trees and shrubs that might look just like yours–some are old, overgrown, and need pruning to restore health and fruiting ability, some are young and need only minimal pruning. Youll leave this class with a newfound confidence to work with your trees for better health and production.

Please dress for the weather, especially to stay warm. Wear sturdy boots. Bring gloves and good quality pruning shears, loppers and saws if you already own them.

Sliding scale fee: $15-40 per person
All proceeds cover the cost of this event, and any surplus supports other educational events organized by the Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute.

About the Instructor:
Akiva Silvers approach to teaching stems from his work as a primitive skills mentor, his deep knowledge of our local ecology, and dedication to connecting people with their environment. Known widely as the tree guy, he has worked for a native plant nursery, a tree service, and on fruit orchards. He has been assisting Ecovillagers to plant and maintain tree crops on Ecovillage land.

Location:
Ecovillage at Ithaca is located 2 miles to the west of Ithaca on route 79. Please obey speed limits once you leave highway 79, and yield to pedestrians and bicyclists. Park only in the visitors parking lot or along the field on the north side of the road.
Meet at 100 Rachel Carson Way, Ithaca, NY, which is the Common House of the First Neighborhood.

Register at: http://FingerLakesPermaculture.org to reserve your spot in the class.

###
Earn your Permaculture Design Certificate
with the Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute
http://www.fingerlakespermaculture.org
###

I’m writing to let you know about ‘Sapsquatch Community Supported Maple Syrup Expansion Campaign’

http://igg.me/p/59552?a=365506

Take a moment to check it out on IndieGoGo and also share it with your friends. All the tools are there. Get perks, make a contribution, or simply follow updates. If enough of us get behind it, we can make ‘Sapsquatch Community Supported Maple Syrup Expansion Campaign’ happen. We are raising funds to put walls on our sugarhouse to keep out the cold (yes, there will be more real winters in New York, so don’t panic just yet) raise a new kitchen and sleeping area for overnight guests and ecotourists, and to purchase efficiency equipment like the Steam-Away sap pre-heater to reduce our footprint.

Sapsquatch has been in the press recently. Read our interview at the Ecocentric Blog here:
http://www.ecocentricblog.org/2012/02/02/our-hero-josh-dolan-sapsquatch-pure-maple-syrup/

Josh has also been speaking out against Fracking here:
“Tap Maples, Not Marcellus!”

Check out the blog at: www.sapsquatchsyrup.wordpress.com

and follow us on facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sapsquatch-pure-maple-syrup/41901318258

or twitter @sapsquatch7

Thanks for your support everybody! Maybe we will see you this sugaring season!

Josh Dolan
Head Sugarmaker
Founder, Sapsquatch Pure Maple Syrup