Newsletter: November 2011
Welcome!
We're thrilled to offer this newsletter for our members and supporters. Our hope is to provide interesting and useful information, and to keep it short and sweet. We'd love your feedback as we refine this process.
We're also looking to highlight the knowledge and experience of CNG members in future newsletters. Do you have a story, resources, or tips to share? See Bits n Pieces below or send a note to hannah@naturallygrown.org. Thanks for reading!
Profile: Mid-Hudson Valley Growers Network
The Mid-Hudson Valley Growers Network is an established group of farmers who share knowledge and advice, organize farm tours, coordinate bulk orders, and get together for potluck dinners. Read more...
Kate Kohlsa of Hugenot Street Farm (New Paltz, NY) demonstrates the farm's electric tractor for a group of local famers. Solar panels to charge the tractor's batteries!
Practical Tips For...
Organizing a Successful End-of-The-Season Get-Together
○ Recruit a farmer / beekeeper who will be a draw to host the gathering
○ Have a "What worked, what didn't" discussion
○ The more personal the invite, the more likely you are to get a good turn-out
Preserving the Harvest
Extend the life of your storage crops by paying attention to humidity and temperature
Beets, carrots, turnips, rutabagas, leeks like it Cold (32 F) & Humid (90%)
Potatoes perfer Cool (40-60 F) & Humid (90%)
Onions & Garlic want to be Cold (32 F) & Dry (65-75%)
Winter Squash keeps the best when kept Cool (50-60 F) & Dry (50-70%)
Resources for Farmer-to-Farmer Sharing
◊ Practical Farmers of Iowa offer free ‘Farminars’. You can participate in one live, or listen to their archived Farminars. Topics range from financing to season extension to marketing.
◊ Mid-Hudson Valley Growers Network uses Yahoo! Groups as a tool to facilitate communication between members. Click here to see members posts from 2010. If you don't have one, consider starting your own online group or email list!
◊ National Young Farmers Coalition facilitates sharing on-farm innovations online.
◊ Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training is for continuing education and training for new and established farmers and apprentices. The original C.R.A.F.T started in W. Massachussetts & E. New York but there are other CRAFT groups sprouting up around the country.
Bits n Pieces
● We’d like to spotlight the knowledge and experience of you, our members and supporters. Please send us your thoughts and ideas about the following topics.
- Ergonomics: Have you experienced work-related pain? (Kind of a silly question, right?) Share how you treated it, relieved it, or changed something about the way you farm to prevent the pain.
- The off-season: What do you do in the wintertime to get ready for the rush of the season? This could be practical, superstitious, or spiritual.
- Funding sources: Have you received any grants or low interest loans to make improvements on your farm? Share your experience.
- Diversifying farm income: What new baskets are you keeping your eggs in? Have you tried producing a new crop or livestock product, new market channels, started hosting events, or something else entirely.
Email stories, tips, quotes, and/or resources to hannah@naturallygrown.org.
● Check out our Registry of Local Farmer Networks. If you are part of any kind of local farmers network, click here to list it in the Registry.
● CNG is proud to offer the Handbook for Natural Beekeeping
This new booklet is a guide to best practices for beekeepers who want to manage their hives naturally and support the optimum health of their honey bees. The Handbook covers all aspects of beekeeping - from apiary location to foundation to treatment of pests and diseases - in 40 colorful pages (5.5" x 8.5"). The contents are based on the Apiary Standards of Certified Naturally Grown and include the list of allowed and prohibited substances for CNG beekeeping, as well as some definitions and techniques. Look inside! You can order online through the CNG store or by check using this order form or call us at 845-687-2058.
Individually: $7
Bulk (orders of 50-200): $3.68-$3.90 each
Prices include shipping
