ECO-BULLETIN FROM OTSEGO COUNTY CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION

February 3, 2012: Vol. 5, No. 2

Eco-bulletin headlines this issue:

KIDS CAN WIN DEC CAMPERSHIPS THROUGH OCCA ESSAY CONTEST

NRCS FUNDING CUTOFF QUICKLY APPROACHING

BEARDOFF PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT OCCA EFFORTS

EARTH FESTIVAL 2012 TO BE HELD ON APRIL 14

START SAVING NOW FOR OCCA GARAGE SALE

SWCD SEEKS TO ASSIST LANDOWNERS THROUGH NEW PROGRAM

RECYCLABLES TO BE COLLECTED AT EARTH FESTIVAL

OCCA NEEDS PACKING CARTONS, USED TOTES

REGISTRATION OPEN FOR 2012 SMALL FARMS SUMMIT

KIDS CAN WIN DEC CAMPERSHIPS THROUGH OCCA ESSAY CONTEST: This week, the Otsego County Conservation Association kicked off a countywide competitive essay contest which will send eight middle-school students to DEC Environmental Education Camp this summer. Working with the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society, OCCA will award eight winning essayists – seven from Otsego County and one from Delaware County, compliments of DOAS – with a week-long stay at New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Environmental Education Camp, the main focus of which is environmental education. Campers spend their week immersed in the natural environment and enjoy a balance of environmental education, sportsman education and outdoor fun. Otsego and Delaware County students ages 11-14 (including 10-year-olds who will be 11 by December 1) are invited to compete for camperships via the essay competition. In 750 words or less, they are asked to consider “Why Kids Need to Experience Nature” and to examine the physical, emotional and social benefits of a healthy, active, outdoor lifestyle. Eight winning essays will be chosen: six from participating Otsego County schools, one from Delaware County entries, and one from Otsego County applicants at large. The deadline for essay submissions is February 17, and winning essays will be chosen by February 24. The contest will culminate with an awards ceremony and open house in the spring. Complete contest rules and requirements are available by e-mailing admin@occainfo.org or by calling (607) 547-4488. Teachers are invited to incorporate the essay contest into their lesson plans and are asked to call OCCA in order to qualify as a participating school.

NRCS FUNDING CUTOFF QUICKLY APPROACHING: New York farmers and landowners have until February 17, 2012 to apply for 2012 conservation program funding.The programs falling within this deadline include the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative (CBWI), and the Agricultural Management Assistance Program (AMA). Applications are competitive and ranked based on national, state, and locally identified resource priorities, and their overall benefit to the environment. Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP): offers financial assistance in the form of engineered structures, such as manure handling facilities, and conservation practices such as grassed waterways. Focus areas within the EQIP program include livestock waste, cropland, and grazing. Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative (CBWI): assists producers to help minimize excess nutrients and sediments in order to restore, preserve and protect the Chesapeake Bay. In New York, the Bay program offers funding and technical assistance to producers in the priority areas of the Upper Susquehanna Watershed. Agricultural Management Assistance Program (AMA): focuses on improving irrigation efficiency through micro-irrigation. A primary goal of the program is to assist agricultural producers in mitigating risk through production diversification. For more information on these programs, visit http://www.ny.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/general_information/how_to_apply.html or contact District Conservationist Anthony Capraro, USDA-NRCS, at (607) 547-8337.

BEARDOFF PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT OCCA EFFORTS: On Friday, February 10 at The Autumn Cafe, the area’s finest beards and moustaches will be on display for a panel of women to judge whose is the finest in the land. The event, which began in 2009 as a gentleman’s bet between a few friends, now includes five musical acts and is set to benefit the fight against hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in upstate New York, specifically the Otsego County Conservation Association. Beardoff 2012 will begin at 9:30 p.m. Musical acts will include Micah Resney, The Spectacular Average Boys, Grassroots Rebels, Horseshoe Lounge Playboys and Krisco Fist. A $5 cover charge at the door will benefit the fight against fracking. The judges for the event will rate each beard and moustache from 1-5 in the following categories:  fullness, shape, originality and awesomeness. The beard, moustache or “other” with the highest score wins. First, second and third prizes will be awarded in each category. In addition, three “honorable mention” prizes – Most Original, Mountainmanliest, and Least Inspiring – will be awarded, and are open to all contestants. Judging will take place from 9:30-11:30 p.m. A $5 entry fee will benefit the fight against fracking. Beardoff is a one hundred percent volunteer effort, as the performers and a group of community-minded local businesses have donated goods and services for the event. Beardoff 2012 is sponsored by Brewery Ommegang, The Oneonta Theatre, Golden Lotus Tattoo, O-Town Scene, The Crystal Palace Barbershop, LiveLIVE Productions, The Autumn Café, Mill Hollow Maple, Dryhill Studios, Chanda Misevis LMT, ORabbit Designs, and Eveningwith Designs. A variety of limited-edition Beardoff memorabilia will be available at the event. Proceeds from the sale of these items will benefit the cause.

EARTH FESTIVAL 2012 TO BE HELD ON APRIL 14: Planning has begun for the 7^th Annual Earth Festival, set for Saturday, April 14 at Milford Central School. Returning is the traditional information and vendor fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the gymnasium. The popular pre-festival bird walk, to be led by Bob Donnelly from the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society, will kick off the event again this year, and the EcoArt/Trendy Trash Contest and expanded children’s activities provided by Milford Central School will also be featured. New for 2012, Master Gardeners of Cornell Cooperative Extension Schoharie and Otsego Counties will host Spring Garden Day in conjunction with Earth Festival, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with morning and afternoon classes on a wide variety of gardening topics suitable for both new and experienced gardeners. Morning session presentation topics will include garden design, composting, gardening with containers, and gardening using alternative methods. In the afternoon, Master Gardeners will provide new gardening product demonstrations and hands-on opportunities for participants to construct an alternative gardening project using recycle materials, such as a bottle garden or living wreath. Additionally, Master Gardeners will have a table at Earth Festival and will be available to answer any gardening questions. Earth Festival is an environmentally-focused, interactive event featuring exhibits, activities, vendors and entertainment, all with a fun, earth-friendly twist. Financial contributions are most welcome, and an open invitation to earth-friendly exhibitors, food and retail vendors is extended. Earth Festival 2012 is sponsored by Otsego County Conservation Association and WildLearn.com. For more information about Earth Festival, click on http://occainfo.org/documents/EarthFestivalMasterLetter2012FINAL2.pdf , call (607) 547-4488 or e-mail admin@occainfo.org.

START SAVING NOW FOR OCCA GARAGE SALE: OCCA’s Annual “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” Garage Sale will be held on Saturday and Sunday, April 28 and 29 in the Cooperstown Farmers’ Market building at 101 Main Street, Cooperstown. Please begin setting aside items now for this fundraising event. The official collection dates for the OCCA garage sale will be April 22-26. All donations are tax deductible: OCCA will provide a donation voucher upon request. Those interested in dropping off materials sooner, or who would like more information about volunteering to assist with the event, should call (607) 547-4488 or e-mail admin@occainfo.org for further details. In addition to raising funds for OCCA programming, the garage sale also benefits the environment through waste prevention, or “source reduction.” Source reduction, including reuse, can help reduce waste disposal and handling costs, because it avoids the costs of recycling, municipal composting, land filling, and combustion. Source reduction also conserves resources and reduces pollution, including greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.

SWCD SEEKS TO ASSIST LANDOWNERS THROUGH NEW PROGRAM: The Otsego County Soil and Water Conservation District is reaching out to landowners with erosion problems resulting from downed trees in their streams and landowners who are interested in planting trees along their stream banks. Currently, SWCD is working on funding that would address both of these scenarios at no cost to the landowner. They believe these efforts will lead to less erosion of our soils as well as less turbidity in our local water, and will provide valuable habitat to wildlife. According to District Manager Scott Fickbohm, although things look promising, funding for the program is not guaranteed at this time. Nevertheless, SWCD is interested in compiling a list of potential projects in order to estimate workload and to formulate a budget. Those interested in either one or both of these initiatives are asked to contact Fickbohm at (607) 547-8337, extension 4. For more details, visit http://thedailystar.com/localnews/x897046052/Otsego-may-benefit-from-tree-program

RECYCLABLES TO BE COLLECTED AT EARTH FESTIVAL: Earth Festival 2012 will be held on Saturday, April 14 at Milford Central School. In keeping with the earth-friendly theme, a number of items will be collected for recycling. Event organizers invite attendees to drop off Styrofoam (white only), bubble wrap, empty inkjet cartridges, cell phones, eyeglasses, videotapes and CDs, and used nylon monofilament fishing line at no charge. An electronics collection will be held (some fees may apply), and Empire Recycling will be back with the ConfiData Shredder from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information about Earth Festival, visit http://www.occainfo.org/EarthFestival.htm, call (607) 547-4488 or e-mail admin@occainfo.org.

OCCA NEEDS PACKING CARTONS, USED TOTES: The Otsego County Conservation Association is seeking donations of packing cartons and used plastic totes. Those interested in making a donation of such items to OCCA are asked to call (607) 547-4488 for further details.

REGISTRATION OPEN FOR 2012 SMALL FARMS SUMMIT: The Cornell Small Farms Program has announced that registration is now open for the 2012 statewide Small Farms Summit to be held Wednesday, February 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Summit is an interactive meeting with an opportunity for all participants to take part in lively discussion and provide important feedback, both locally, and across the state. At the 2012 Summit, participants will be asked to reflect on recent successes and identify new concerns and challenges affecting the growth of the small farm sector. CSFP will be issuing a preliminary e-survey early this month to capture feedback from voices that cannot attend the Summit.  In the morning session, issues that emerged in the survey will be discussed and additional ideas will be generated from participants. In the afternoon session, participants will work within their regional sites to prioritize areas of importance over the next five years. Summit attendance is free and lunch will be provided. Farmer participation is especially encouraged, but educators, agricultural service providers, policy makers, non-profit organizations, students and community members are all welcome.In Central New York, the 2012 Summit will convene at the Mann Library (Agriculture Quad) on the Cornell University campus in Ithaca. To register, contact Violet Stone at(607) 255-9227 or vws7@cornell.edu