Farmer Training
At the Watershed Agricultural Council, we believe education is vital to the success of new and established farm operations. We collaborate with Cornell Cooperative Extensions and other agencies to deliver learning opportunities for farmers of all ages, experience levels and farming expertise.
Our workshops and trainings run the gamut of topics, such as
- Farming for the first time, business planning and market analysis;
- Learning to raise healthy heifers through NYS Calf Health Assessment Program;
- Taking a pasture walk to better understand a rotational grazing strategy;
- Discovering the importance of proper record keeping in receiving Nutrient Management Credit payments;
- Transitioning from dairy to beef;
- Operations and maintenance of your Whole Farm Plan BMPs; or
- Supplementing a farm’s bottom line with a value-added dairy product like cheese, learning how to make it and then marketing the final product.
Speakers are often experts in their fields like veterinarian, precision feed managers, no-till operators and Extension agents. Or you might hear and learn something from your neighbor farmer.
Producer Groups
We also coordinate Producer Groups focused on dairy, beef and sheep/goat issues. These farmer-to-farmer gatherings meet periodically to discuss livestock topics of interest or to find solutions to on-farm hurdles. If you are interested in joining a Producer Group, contact:
Beef: Rich Toebe, CCE Dairy-Livestock Coordinator (607) 865-7090, ext. 208
Grazing: Dale Dewing, CCE-WAP Team Leader (607) 865-7090, ext. 246
Calf health: Rich Toebe, CCE Dairy-Livestock Coordinator (607) 865-7090, ext. 208
Sheep, goat, small ruminant livestock: Rich Toebe, CCE Dairy-Livestock Coordinator (607) 865-7090, ext. 208
Below are upcoming events for farmers:
Upcoming Events › Agriculture
September 2024
Harvesting corn at the correct moisture content is important for preserving this high value crop. The Watershed Ag Program Team, with help from Dairy One Forage Lab, will be testing corn to help farms predict optimum harvest dates. Farms should bring 5 stalks of corn from each field for testing. Dairy One will use NiR rapid testing to determine the dry matter content and the results will be available on site the same day. September 5th: Franklin Town Barn, Corner…
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Tenfold Farm raises lamb, chickens, and pastured pigs on their 156-acre farm. Relatively new to farming, Sal is a member of a Beginning Shepherds Group and is participating in a season long study on pasture management and sheep health including parasite management. This walk will feature: Walking the pasture looking at paddock development, fencing, and grazing management for the sheep Summary of the pasture study to date (7 farms are participating) Looking at the poultry and pig enterprises Review of…
Find out more »October 2024
West Wind Icelandics is a horse farm which offers Icelandic horse riding, lessons, and boarding services. This walk will feature how the farm successfully uses pasture for the primary feed source from April to December and how it uses pastured poultry to improve the pastures. 22 paddocks used in rotation for both pasture and exercise Use of pastured poultry system to improve soil fertility and health Short Tour of the horse barn and arena Please register by October 2 by…
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