Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County

12/17/2025

Miss. Madi's apple tasting have been a hit this year!

12/16/2025

Calling all photographers! This is the last week to submit photos for the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets' year-long Agricultural Photo Contest aimed at showcasing the very best of New York State's diverse agricultural landscape. The first-place winners each month will have their photo included in a 2026 calendar spotlighting the best of New York agriculture.

December's photo contest category is "Homegrown Holidays." This month, you are invited to spotlight the small agribusinesses and farmers that make up the fabric of our ag community during the festive season.

New York State is home to a robust community of farmers, producers, and agribusinesses that offer delicious, home-grown food and beverages as well as local products that bring comfort, warmth, and cheer to the holiday season. From the delicious, home-cooked meals prepared with locally grown food, the New York Christmas trees, wreaths, or winter floral arrangements decking the halls in homes across the state, or the heartfelt artisan gifts like beeswax candles, handcrafted soaps, and cozy wool products, December's photo contest category aims to capture these growers and producers, and the shops that champion them!

To submit a photo for consideration, email it with a brief description of the photo to PressOffice@agriculture.ny.gov. Submissions for this month will be accepted through Friday, December 19. Visit our website to see the full details!

12/12/2025

Are you small farm that has suffered a current financial hardship or urgent financial crisis? The NY Small Farmer Fund applications are due Dec 15, 2025. Learn more and apply online at https://www.nysmallfarmerfund.org/apply-for-support

If you are applying for support, please ensure that you meet the following criteria required to be eligible for assistance.
To qualify for support, applicants must meet all of the following criteria:
1. Qualify under the USDA’s definition of a small farmer.
(An operation with gross cash farm income under $250,000 per year.)
2. Operate a small or independent farm within New York State.
Includes sole proprietors, family-run farms, and small-scale agricultural producers.
3. Demonstrate current financial hardship or urgent need.
Examples: equipment failure, crop loss, natural events, revenue disruptions, or other unexpected challenges.
4. Actively participate in the day-to-day operations of the farm.
Applicants must be directly engaged in managing or performing essential farm work duties.
5. You cultivate non-subsidized crops commercially.
You are not a commercial farmer receiving subsidies for Corn, Wheat, Dairy, Soy, Etc.
6. Provide documentation upon request to verify eligibility and need.
Examples include farm income records, USDA or NYS registrations, invoices, or relevant financial statements as needed.

Apply for SupportIf you are applying for support, please ensure that you meet the following criteria required to be eligible for assistance.To qualify for support, applicants must meet all of the following criteria:Qualify under the USDA’s definition of a small farmer. (An operation with gross cas...

11/21/2025

Miss. Taylor is helping shape the next generation with agricultural education in Oneida County!

Ag in the Classroom Educator, Taylor McNamara (left), was honored last night as an Outstanding Educator at the 19th Annual Celebration of Education hosted by The Genesis Group and First Source Federal Credit Union. We are so lucky to have an educator as passionate about agricultural and educating the next generation as Taylor on our team!
Read the full article online (including a quick interview with Taylor) at https://www.romesentinel.com/news/genesis-group-first-source-annual-education-honors/article_e2db583e-b13a-418a-b584-3fd2fa2ea5fd.html

11/17/2025

Pruning reduces pests and diseases while maximizing fruit production. Prune your fruit trees and cane berries as instructed for that variety in late fall in preparation for the next growing season or as the days lengthen before buds begin to swell in early spring. Compost all fallen fruit and prunings in another location.

11/13/2025

Ag in the Classroom Educator Taylor keeping her lessons seasonal! 🎃

11/07/2025

It's never too early to start thinking about Ag Lit Week! Join this statewide effort to connect students to the farming community through volunteer readers, a book, and an activity. Register as a participating classroom or volunteer reader!
https://cornell.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5jsN2vQkiZuYOEK

11/07/2025

Teaching emotional wellness at a young age builds lifelong coping skills. We’re proud to partner with Connected Community Schools to bring these lessons into the classroom. 💚

11/03/2025

With nearly 3 million New Yorkers potentially losing their federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) assistance in November, DEC is encouraging hunters to help fight hunger in our communities at this critical time. https://feedingnys.org/hunters/

To help join the fight against hunger by donating your deer harvest:
1. Drop off any legally harvested, tagged, and reported deer at one of Feeding New York State’s participating deer processors.
2. Call the processor ahead of time to ensure they can accept your deer.
3. Complete the processor’s log sheet indicating your desire to donate the deer.

DEC and Feeding New York State will cover the processing costs for donated deer so that the venison can be distributed to food pantries and food banks throughout the state; however, funding is limited. If you don’t have a deer to donate but still want to help, consider making a financial donation to the venison donation program through Feeding New York State, by clicking the “Donations” link at the top of the DEC Automated Licensing System page, or when you purchase your next hunting license

Learn more about our venison donation program. Working with venison processors, your donated deer will be distributed to food pantries in NY.

11/03/2025

Providing food and habitat encourages birds to forage and take shelter in your garden. Leave the seeds of late blooming perennials for our feathered friends to eat. Overwintering resident species and birds passing through on their migration will appreciate winter berries and habitat from evergreen and deciduous shrubs of varying heights.

11/01/2025

Rain or shine we can't wait to see you at North Star Orchards for Taste of CNY! It’s a day to savor the flavors, appreciate the craftsmanship, and embrace the essence of Central New York ‘s culinary treasures, while enjoying live music and the beauty of fall at one of the area’s beautiful orchards.

10/28/2025

It's always a pleasure being able to collaborate with other CCE's!

Seed to Supper participants learned how to can with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County 4-H Educator, Celeste Oppito, and Ag Team Leader, Jennifer Reynolds. One more class and our Seed to Supper program will be wrapped up for the season!