at the Hudson Valley Farm Hub with Cornell CALS, CCE – Ulster County, New York Soil Health and NOFA-NY

Regional field crop farmers, researchers, and growers are invited to a field day on soil health and organic grain production at the Hudson Valley Farm Hub on Friday, July 11th, 2025, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

Co-Hosted by the Hudson Valley Farm Hub, Cornell CALS, New York Soil Health, NOFA-NY, and Cornell Cooperative Extension Ulster County, this event will explore key practices for building and maintaining healthy soils, with a strong emphasis on organic no-till systems for field crops.

Learn about the impact of cover cropping, crop rotation, and fertility management on enhancing soil health and productivity through engaging split-group sessions led by farmers and researchers:

Small Grains Variety Trials: Join Christian Malsatzki of CCE Ulster County for a tour and discussion of current small grains variety trials relevant to the region.

Soil Health Trailer Demos: Experience hands-on demonstrations of soil health assessment tools and techniques with experts from New York Soil Health.

Expanding Opportunities for Organic No-Till: Gain valuable insights and research findings from Matt Ryan, Eric Youngerman, Natasha Djuric, and Adam Sharifi of the Sustainable Cropping System Labs at Cornell University on the latest advancements in organic no-till strategies.

Observe these practices at the Hudson Valley Farm Hub and learn how to integrate them into your own farm management.

Attendance is free, but space is limited. Register to secure your spot! Light refreshments will be provided. We look forward to connecting with you to advance soil health and organic grain production in the Hudson Valley.

Español Abajo

Join us for a self-guided birding day at the Hudson Valley Farm Hub! Observe Bobolinks, Eastern Meadowlarks, American Kestrels, and Savannah Sparrows during the nesting season with the chance to observe less common species.

We welcome the community to walk a 1.3-mile loop around our grassland bird field and to observe the different habitats such as a pond, creeks, meadows, and the floodplain forest. Community members are welcome to come between 7:30 am and 4:30 pm to observe birds on the trail as long as desired.

The Applied Farmscape Ecology Program team will be available to answer any questions halfway through the trail. The terrain includes mostly flat gravel roads and minimal shade in some areas.

All ages are welcome. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The bird walk will conclude at 4:30 PM. We kindly ask that all guests depart at that time.

Registration is required. Please see link below.

En Español:

Acompáñanos a un día de observación de aves autoguiado en el Hudson Valley Farm Hub! Observa especies como el Tordo Arrocero, Pradero Tortillaconchile, Carnicalo y Gorrión Sabanero durante su temporada de anidación, con la posibilidad de ver especies menos comunes.

Invitamos a la comunidad a recorrer un circuito de 1.3 millas alrededor de nuestro campo de aves de pastizal y a explorar diferentes hábitats como un estanque, arroyos, praderas y el bosque de llanura aluvial. Los miembros de la comunidad pueden llegar entre las 7:30 a.m. y las 4:30 p.m. y permanecer en el sendero el tiempo que deseen para observar aves.

El equipo del Programa de Ecología del Agro-Paisaje Aplicada estará disponible a mitad del sendero para responder cualquier pregunta. El terreno es mayormente plano, con caminos de grava y poca sombra en algunas áreas.
Personas de todas las edades son bienvenidas. Los menores de 18 años deben estar acompañados por un padre, madre o tutor. La caminata de observación de aves concluirá a las 4:30 p.m. y amablemente pedimos que todos los visitantes se retiren a esa hora.

Se requiere registración. Vea enlace abajo.

[Above photo provided by Bob Miller // Foto de Bob Miller]

Saturday, March 1st, 2025, at 2:00 PM.  Location: Bard College, Room 115, Olin Language Center, 77 Campus Road, Annandale-On-Hudson, New York.

How can farming and ecology work together to create thriving landscapes? Join us at Bard College on Saturday, March 1 for a discussion on landscape recovery in the Brecklands of Eastern England. The Farmer-Ecologist Research Circle, a partnership of local Hudson Valley ecologists and farmers supported by the Hudson Valley Farm Hub and Hawthorne Valley’s Farmscape Ecology Program, has organized the talk.

Richard Evans, co-founder and lead farmer in the Breckland Farmers Wildlife Network, will describe his experiences and motivations to protect and enhance the biodiversity of the Brecks, (a geographical region in eastern England). He’ll also share about his efforts to help shape future policy to benefit this area, and consider its current balance of food production and ecology. Chris Sharpe, an ornithologist who has helped gather avian data in the same region, will provide an ecologist’s view of the interaction of bird life and agriculture in that landscape.   

The event, hosted by the Bard Center for Environmental Policy, is free and open to the public. Click here to read more.

El programa de Fundamentos de Mecánica Agrícola, en Hurley, NY, ofrece experiencia práctica con la mecánica agrícola en nuestro moderno taller mecánico en 8 sesiones de jornada completa para granjeros y otros trabajadores agrícolas. Con esta examinación detallada de los tractores e implementos, usted podrá comprender las partes y sistemas de los tractores, y adquirir experiencia en diagnosticar problemas, hacer mantenimiento y reparaciones básicas en maquinaria agrícola. Este programa es para las personas que quieran dar pasos hacia la mecanización o quieran obtener una comprensión básica de la mecánica agrícola. No es necesario tener experiencia previa con tractores y equipos agrícolas para participar, aunque este programa se orienta a las personas que quieran dar pasos hacia el trabajo agrícola mecanizado. Para obtener más información, por favor visite https://hvfarmhub.org/programa-de-fundamentos-de-mecanica-agricola/ o contactar a Jennifer Crettien a texto: 845-523-9980

This program is offered in Spanish. If you are interested in our English program, please visit https://hvfarmhub.org/farm-mechanic-basics-program/. The English program will take place in early 2025 and registration will be available soon.

Join us on November 6, 2024 at 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

At this bird conservation workshop, we will learn about actions you can take right now to help protect birds.

Topics will include:

• How to prevent window collisions
• Site and maintain nest boxes
• Identify birds and use binoculars

Participants will leave with knowledge and skills to apply after the workshop. Our Facilities Team will demonstrate how to build and install easy and affordable “bird savers” to prevent window collisions. Participants will observe a real-life example of bird savers installed on our windows. The ecology team will have a nest box on display to demonstrate how to install, orient, clean, maintain, and monitor nest boxes to support cavity-nesting birds. Finally, we will have an interactive activity focused on bird identification and using binoculars. Binoculars and field guides will be available to use. The workshop will take place outdoors on the farm. This event is geared towards adults, but children accompanied by their parents/guardians are welcome.

This event is free. Registration is required and space is limited to 30 participants. We hope you’re able to join us!

Above image by Bob Miller.

On Sunday, October 6, the Applied Farmscape Ecology Program and the John Burroughs Natural History Society (JBNHS) are hosting a Sparrow Walk. This walk will be led by Anne Bloomfield the Applied Farmscape Ecology Program’s Manager, and will focus on sparrows and their allies during fall migration. To register or for additional information, please email Anne Bloomfield at [email protected].

This event is for farmers, conservation professionals, land managers, and others interested in on-farm ecology to learn about the different research projects that occur at the Farm Hub and discussing their applications.

*Rain Date is Wednesday, August 14, 2024

In 2019, the Applied Farmscape Ecology Program at the Farm Hub and the Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program partnered to launch the Applied Farmscape Ecology Research Collaborative (AFERC) to further research in agriculture and ecology to share information, tools, and resources with farmers and communities in the region. The collaborative works together across disciplines with the goal of better understanding the complex interactions between on-farm habitats, biodiversity, and crop production in the region.

For five years, AFERC has conducted research on birds flying above, the soil and water underneath, and organisms in between. This year, we want to feature the important work AFERC partners have conducted and provide an opportunity to discuss the potential applications for farms and land in the region. Event participants will have an opportunity to learn about each project in the field, meet the researchers, and ask questions in this interactive workshop.

Researchers from the Applied Farmscape Ecology Research Collaborative

• Conrad Vispo, Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program
• Claudia Knab-Vispo, Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program
• Anne Bloomfield, Hudson Valley Farm Hub
• Teresa Dorado, Hudson Valley Farm Hub
• Gabriel Perron, Bard College
• Erik Kiviat, Jason Tesauro, Hudsonia
• Shafiul Chowdhury, SUNY New Paltz
• Carmen Greenwood, SUNY Cobleskill

This event is free. Registration is required and space is limited to 50 participants.

This event will take place in the field, so please dress appropriately and plan to arrive on time. A porta potty and wash station will be available in the field. Transportation will be provided from the parking lot to the field using hay wagons, which will include climbing up and down. If you have accessibility needs, please inform us ahead of time by emailing [email protected] so we can accommodate your visit.

Water and cups will be available, but please be sure to bring your reusable water bottle to reduce waste. No glass is allowed in the fields.

Please leave all your furry friends at home. We are a GAPs-certified farm, which prohibits domesticated animals in the fields. Thank you for understanding.

Únase a esta caminata guiada para explorar la ecología acuática que se encuentra en el rancho. Observaremos la vegetación y organismos, como las libélulas, que usan el estanque y los hábitats alrededores. El terreno incluye un camino de grava mayormente plano y sombra mínima en algunas áreas.

Hay cupo limitado, por favor regístrense con Teresa Dorado por email [email protected] o por teléfono (845) 523-9969.

Español Abajo

Registration for this event is now closed. Thank you for your interest!

Join us for our first self-guided birding day at the Hudson Valley Farm Hub! Observe Bobolinks, Eastern Meadowlarks, American Kestrels, and Savannah Sparrows during the nesting season with the chance to observe less common species such as Sedge Wren.

We welcome the community to walk a 1.3-mile loop around our grassland bird field and explore the different habitats such as a pond, creeks, meadows, and the floodplain forest. Community members are welcome to come between 7:30 am and 4:30 pm to observe birds on the trail as long as desired. The Applied Farmscape Ecology Program team will be available to answer any questions. The terrain includes mostly flat gravel roads and minimal shade in some areas.

En Español:

¡Únase a nosotros en nuestro primer día de pajareo autoguiado en Hudson Valley Farm Hub! Observe tordos arroceros, praderos tortillaconchile, cernícalos americanos y gorriones sabaneros durante la temporada de anidación con la oportunidad de observar especies menos comunes como el cucarachero culibarrado.

Invitamos a la comunidad a caminar un circuito de 1,3 millas alrededor de nuestra parcela de aves de pastizal y explorar los diferentes hábitats como un estanque, arroyos, prados y el bosque de la llanura aluvial. Los miembros de la comunidad pueden venir entre las 7:30 am y las 4:30 pm para observar aves en el sendero durante el tiempo que deseen. El equipo del Programa de Ecología del Agro-Paisaje Aplicada estará disponible para responder cualquier pregunta. El terreno incluye un camino de grava mayormente plano y sombra mínima en algunas áreas.

[Above photo provided by Bob Miller | Foto de Bob Miller]

Hudson Valley Farm Hub’s Farm Mechanic Basics program offers hands-on experience with agricultural mechanics in our state-of-the-art machine shop through 10 day-long sessions intended for farmers and other agricultural workers. An in-depth look at tractors and implements, you will understand the parts and systems of tractors, and gain experience diagnosing problems, conducting maintenance and performing basic repairs on farm equipment.