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“Listening to the Earth” at Soul Fire Farm
On September 23 the Language Justice Program in collaboration with Soul Fire Farm conducted an event called Escuchando la Tierra (translated into Listening to the Earth). Five members of the Farm Hub’s production and Language Justice teams attended the day-long event which opened space for Spanish-speaking community members to connect, and share food and personal stories.
A Visit from the Ulster County Garden Club
On August 16 members of the Ulster Garden Club paid a visit to the Farm Hub. Executive Director Brooke Pickering-Cole gave an overview of the Farm Hub’s key programs and initiatives, while Farm Manager Jeff Arnold highlighted aspects of crop production and organic farming strategies. Anne Bloomfield, Applied Farmscape Ecology Program manager, K Greene, Advisor to Seed Growing & Rematriation, and Curtis Zunigha, the Lenape Seed Garden’s Liaison, talked about their programmatic work and partnerships at the farm. The visit wound up at the cut flowers near the farm’s entrance, where staff members Sylvia Tafolla and Paige Cranfield shared their love of flowers and the long-held tradition of growing annuals along Hurley Mountain Road.
Farmscape Ecology Showcases Research
In August, members of the Applied Farmscape Ecology Research Collaborative (AFERC) showcased their projects at a Field Day open to both Farm Hub staff and members of the community. The event provided an opportunity for participants to learn about individual projects, connect with researchers in the field, and ask questions. In 2019, the Applied Farmscape Ecology program at the Farm Hub and the Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program partnered to launch AFERC to further research in agriculture and ecology with the goal of sharing information, tools and resources with others in the region.
Lessons in Agroecology
Our Applied Farmscape Ecology Program and Agricultural Education & Training Programs teamed up to host ecology students from SUNY Ulster in September. The visit, led by staff members Sara Katz, Teresa Dorado, and Anne Bloomfield, included an introduction to the work related to the Applied Farmscape Ecology Program as well as activities and discussions intended to help students observe and consider the relationship between agriculture and ecology. Students had a chance to visit the vegetable field to study sweet corn and the Native Meadow Trial plots where researchers are studying the interactions between planted meadow habitat, crops, and biodiversity. The students also held discussions on how their observations impacted their ideas and thoughts about their career paths.
Farm Hub Donates to YMCA Summer Farm Stand
This summer marked the fifth year we donated vegetables to the Kingston YMCA Farm Stand. The summer farm stand, located at the YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County, runs through the month of October. The farm stand features produce grown by Kingston youth at the urban farm supplemented with vegetables grown at the Farm Hub.
Building High Tunnels
In the spring we hosted a high tunnel building workshop attended by members of our production staff and select community partners. The day-long workshop was led by Sam Zurofsky of Long Season Farm who taught participants how to build movable high tunnels. The inspiration for the workshop came from the Farm Hub’s Seed Growing Program staff. The need to build high tunnels for the Seed Rematriation Garden led to extending the opportunity for farmers to learn how to build their own; High tunnels are an important part of year-round farming as they better control growing conditions, especially under the challenges of the Northeast winters.
Examining Equity
In June Sarah Brannen, director of regional and community food initiatives, spoke at “Hudson Valley Food System Place, Present, Future” an event organized by the Hudson Valley Food System Coalition. Sarah is also a co-facilitator of the Coalition.
The gathering was held at the Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Education Center on the grounds of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. Those working in the food system were invited to connect and address topics related to equity and inclusion. Additional speakers and co-facilitators included Sarah Salem a food systems strategy consultant, Mary Ann Johnson of Hudson Valley Agribusiness Development Corporation, Stiles Najac of Cornell Cooperative Extension Ulster County, Megan Larmer of Glynwood and Cristin McPeake of Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley.
La Nueva Siembre Graduation
In May we hosted a graduation ceremony for attendees of this year’s La Nueva Siembra beginning farmer program. The 15 graduates were also joined by members of previous cohorts who shared about their journeys and offered tips. The nine-week program, now in its twenty-first year and run by our colleagues at GrowNYC, is a business planning course for native Spanish speakers. Since 2020 we have collaborated with GrowNYC and hosted courses at the Farm Hub. Our Language Justice team has also provided interpretation and translation services for La Nueva Siembra.
Finding Great Horned Owls
This spring a Great Horned Owl and her two chicks nested in an old Bald Eagle’s nest at the Farm Hub. Great Horned Owls are widespread in much of North and South America, living in a wide variety of habitats including deserts, forests, and mountains. The food the adults brings to the nest can vary significantly – ranging from mice, voles, and rabbits to waterfowl and even Wild Turkey. At six weeks old, the young leave the nest and move to nearby branches, and by seven weeks they are capable of short flights. Once they leave, they will stay near the adults for several more weeks, associating with them even into late summer.
