2015
Mission Statement
Cornell Cooperative Extension puts knowledge to work in pursuit of economic vitality, ecological sustainability and social well‐being. We bring local experience and research based solutions together, helping New York State families and communities thrive in our rapidly changing world.
Vision Statement
Cornell Cooperative Extension is a national leader in creating positive change on behalf of families and communities through rigorously-tested extension programs. We create measurable change in the following priority areas by aligning local needs with the resources and priorities of the land grant system and its state and federal partners. Priority Areas:
*Agriculture and Food Ststems
*4-H Youth Development/Children, Youth and Families
*Nutrition, Food Safety and Security and Obesity Prevention
*Community and Economic Vitality
Board of Directors
Walter Adam
Paul Bursic
Donald J. Chutas
Charles Fausold
Michael Lausell
Sam Maggio
Dick Peterson
Mark Rondianro
Steve Sierigk
Jerome Smyder
Karen Stewart
Erin Thaete
Program Committees:
Agriculture
Walt Adam
Ryan Bossert
Lisa Brower
Kathy Engel
Brud Holland
Lorin Hostetler
Ken Mansfield
Nicole Rawleigh
Cheryl Richtmyer
Youth, Families, and Nutriton Program Committee
Nancy Brand
Mary DeWalt
JoAnn Fratarcangelo
Emily Johnson
Marcia Kasprzk
Deb McDonald
Deb Morse
Megan Scuteri
Erin Thaete
Hidden Vally 4-H Camp Advisory Committee
Rebecca Bowers
Don Chutas
Molly Lane
Autumn Lavine
Bernadette Raupers
Megan Tift
Tom VanDerZee
Front Cover- Angus Glen Farm in the Spring- Photo by Brett Chedzoy
ED Letter, March/April
Even as I write this letter at the tail end of March, I’m still waiting for significant signs of spring. Using guidelines on heating with wood from CCE (available on our website), at home I’ve managed to make it this far with my cordwood. However, the charm of a roaring fire is wearing as thin as my few remaining scrawny stacks. I’ve started to document signs of growth and change in the CCE Schuyler County Teaching Garden on our Facebook page, but there hasn’t been enough visible development to make it a weekly feature as of yet. I’m hoping that by the time this issue of Better Living makes it into your hands my complaint will be rendered anachronistic by a sudden burst of warmth, but I’m not taking any bets!
However, despite the drawn-out tail of winter, spring really is here. Our staff are busy with early spring workshops (pruning & grafting), supporting a new 4-H Robotics session, working with homeschooled 4-Hers to explore maple syrup and forest-based learning, delivering a new round of nutrition courses in local schools and hiring for this summer’s camp season. We are extremely excited to announce that we will be hosting Brittany Popovich as a College of Agriculture & Life Sciences Intern. Ms. Popovich is returning to Schuyler County for the summer to implement garden-based learning strategies both at the Teaching Garden and at Hidden Valley 4-H Camp. Welcome, Brittany!
Looking at program planning and events, it feels very much like summer is just around the corner, even when there are still flakes of snow in the air. Keep your eyes open for details on our second annual Celebration of Extension at the end of June. And with any luck (and a lot of hard work!) we will kick off a fundraising and family activity event for the middle of June. Hint: be ready to dress up. And then run, walk or skip … anything to be active!
So let us help you come out of hibernation after a long winter, and look to Cornell Cooperative Extension for resources on home horticulture, family activities, woodlot/forest maintenance, planning for energy efficiency and a renewed, healthy approach to nutrition and an active lifestyle. Hopefully by our next issue we will be able to feature pictures of spring flowers in the garden and complain about the heat. Until then, stay warm!