LEP Admin, Author at Hudson Valley Farm Hub

The American Kestrel

The American Kestrel, North America’s smallest falcon, is frequently observed on farms in our area. Their diet consists mainly of insects, other invertebrates, small rodents and birds. Some studies suggest they can provide a positive benefit to farmers to control crop pests. At the same time, farms can provide valuable habitat to kestrels, whose populations have declined in the region in recent years. In 2019, the Farmscape Ecology team partnered with one of our farmer trainees on a kestrel habitat management project. Click here to learn more about the Kestrel.

In Brief: Winter 2020 / En Resumen: Invierno 2020

Farmscape Ecology is the subject of an upcoming short film produced by Oceans 8 Films; we participated in the Share Fair at the first annual Youth Environmental & Sustainability Summit (YESS!), and our farmers shared their knowledge about growing corn for tortillas with students from George Washington Elementary.

Balancing agriculture and nature / El equilibrio de la agricultura y la naturaleza

On June 16 the Farm Hub organized a first-ever viewing of the short film “Farmscape Ecology,” followed by a Q&A and discussion with the researchers in the film and award-winning film director Jon Bowermaster. The film features the work of the Hudson Valley Farm Hub’s Applied Farmscape Ecology Research Collaborative. These researchers are examining the delicate balance of food production co-existing with nature and wildlife.

Tracing broccoli / Siguiéndole la pista al brócoli

As the Hudson Valley Farm Hub gears up for the 2020 growing season, broccoli returns as one of the staple crops. The plant is a window into better understanding food production and distribution at the Farm Hub. This past season we followed broccoli from seed to donation through still photography and film.

The Art of Farming; Q & A with Andrew Casner / El arte de la agricultura; una entrevista con Andrew Casner

ProFarmer Andrew Casner’s artwork is now featured on one of the Hudson Valley Seed Company’s 2020 art packs. Farm Hub Director, Brooke Pickering-Cole, talks with Andrew about painting for the seed pack and, more generally, about the creative process of farming, microbes and the science/art connection, and the fine art of taking the time to stop and observe.

Pinto Beans on the Farm / Frijoles Pintos en el Rancho

We are growing edible beans as a substitute for soybeans in our field crops rotation. Last season, the Field Crops team planted and harvested a variety of dry beans including navy, black turtle and pinto beans. Among them, pinto beans were the most widely grown and also performed the best.

The Farmer’s Corner: Winter 2020 / Esquina de Agricultores: Invierno 2020

Sam Tafolla Sr., the Hudson Valley Farm Hub’s building and grounds maintenance supervisor who has been working on the property since 2000. Here he shares his memories of farming in his youth, and what he loves most about agriculture and the Farm Hub.

Celebrating Black History Month

Over 300 people gathered for Kingston’s Black History Month held at the YMCA on January 31. The event drew people from all over the Hudson Valley. The free dinner, now in its third year, kicked-off a month of activities in celebration of Black History and the African-American experience.

Watch now: Livestreamed Session Videos From `Perspectives on Farming with Nature’

The Hudson Valley Farm Hub hosted a half-day event last November at The Ashokan Center that focused on the interconnections between agriculture and nature. Check out the speeches and presentations now available on our website.

Aves de invierno

While production slows down on the farm during the winter months, the land and fields continue to serve as a home for many birds. Here at the Hudson Valley Farm Hub there are some 174 species of birds documented on the farm.

Aves de invierno

Suscríbase a nuestro boletín de noticias y eventos.