Extension Connection
USPS-525-100
Sullivan County
YOUR LINK TO LOCAL, RESEARCH-BASED SOLUTIONS TO BETTER YOUR LIFE
VOLUME XCIII NO. 4
APRIL 2022
AARP Tax-Aide Program volunteers have completed a successful season of free tax prep for the community! See spotlight pg 10.
Upcoming U pcoming Events Events & Programs Programs E-Commerce for Farmers
Issue Isssue sue Highlights Higghhligghhts
Free Farm Stands & Mass Distribution
New Meat Calculator and Profitable Meat Marketing Workshops for Direct Marketing Livestock Farmers
Virtual Caregiver Support Groups
Spring to Improve Home Energy Costs
4-H Horseback Riding Program 4-H Crafty Clover Kids
The Power of Parks Sullivan Fresh Community Cupboard Stories from the Road
A Day of Youth Empowerment
Laughter is the Best Medicine: The Role of Humor in Reducing Stress
Raising Pasture Pigs on Small Acreage
The Most Impactful Program in 4-H
Profitable Meat Marketing Workshop
CCE Spotlights: Carl Amaditz, Pat Avery
See more events and opportunities on sullivancce.org/events.
Check out page 8 for fast facts and our Healthy Recipe of the Month!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
Welcome W elcome to to the the Issue! Issue! Page 3 Message from the Executive Director Page 4 DHI Report: Feb Page 5 New Meat Price Calculator and Profitable Meat Marketing Workshops for Direct Marketing Livestock Farmers Page 6 Feb Ag Report
Table Table of of Contents Contents Page 7 Spring to Improve Home Energy Costs Page 8 Fast Facts & More! Page 9 Healthy Recipe of the Month Page 10 CCE Spotlights Page 11 The Power of Parks Page 12 Sullivan Fresh Community Cupboard
Stories from the Road Page 13 Laughter is the Best Medicine: The Role of Humor in Reducing Stress Page 14 The Most Impactful Program in 4-H Page 15 Thanks, Sponsors! Page 16 Liberty Unity Festival
The Extension Connection (USPS-525-100) (USPS 525 100) is published monthly for $25.00 $25 00 enrollment by Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County, located at 64 Ferndale-Loomis Road, Suite 1, Liberty, NY 12754-2903. Entered at Liberty, New York, as a periodical class matter. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in section 412, Act of February 24, 1925. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Extension Connection, 64 Ferndale-Loomis Road, Suite 1, Liberty, NY 12754-2903.
OFFICE HOURS
EXTENSION CONNECTION
Hours: Mon - Fri | 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Phone: 845-292-6180 E-mail: sullivan@cornell.edu Website: www.sullivancce.org Facebook.com/ccesullivan Instagram.com/ccesullivan YouTube: bitly.com/ccesullivan
Produced by: Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County Edited by: Nicole Slevin Nikolados & Colleen Monaghan Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County is an employer and educator recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with DisAbilities and provides equal program and employment opportunities. NOTICE: Official endorsement of advertisers and their products is not intended by the acceptance of their sponsorships for the Extension Connection.
STAFF MEMBERS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dara Smith............................President John “JP” Lang...............Vice President Denise Frangipane................Secretary John Kiefer............................Treasurer Nadia Rajsz.................Legislative Rep. Adam Hughes..................Cornell Rep. Michael Bel Marcie Ehrman Freda Eisenberg Amanda Langseder Juanita Sarmiento Gary Silver Gary Silverman Justin Sutherland
PROGRAM COMMITTEE Alex Alorro Heather Brown Roberta Chambers Samara Ferris Cynthia Hernandez-Gonzalez Robert Kaplan DeeDee Malloy Desmond Oxford McDaniel Danielle Sykes Eugene Thalmann Deborah Worden
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Colleen Monaghan..............................................................................Executive Director Patricia Avery......................................Caregiver Resource Center Program Coordinator Thomas Bosket....................................................................SALT/DFC Program Manager SueAnn Boyd.........................................................Healthy Schools Program Coordinator Fabio Campanati............................Sullivan Fresh & Shop Taste NY Program Coordinator Elizabeth Clancy-DiBartolo......................................Sullivan Fresh Program Coordinator Martin Colavito................................................Community Cupboard Program Manager Kaitlyn Conklin............................................................................................4-H Educator Wanda V. Cruz..............................................Healthy Communities Program Coordinator Erin Denman...............................................................................Operations Coordinator Erica Lynch..........................................................Catskills Kitchen Program Coordinator Melinda Meddaugh.......................................................Ag & Food Systems Issue Leader Brenda Miller..................................Environment & Natural Resources Program Manager Vivian Monsanto...............................................................................Finance Coordinator Barbara Moran................................................4-H Youth Development Program Manager Bee Moser........................................................................SNAP-Ed New York Nutritionist Kendra Payne.............................................................................Digital Marketing Manager Vanessa Petrossian..................................Director of State & Regional Ag Market Initiatives Abyssinia Pla El...................................................................................Finance Coordinator Michelle Proscia..............................................................................Agriculture Educator John Mastrangelo............................................................................Assistant Ag Market Manager Nicole A. Slevin Nikolados..............................................Administrator & Director of DEI Ashley Tully...............................................................................Ag Program Coordinator Tara VanHorn........................................................................................Finance Manager Malinda Ware........................................................................................Program Director Sean Welsh.............................................................................Energy Resource Educator John Wilcox..........................................................................................Facilities Manager Judy Arpadi, Cherene Audain, Jamie Behrns, Christopher Jones..........Ag Market Coordinators
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Happy Spring, Neighbors! I hope this note finds you beginning to thaw out from a rough winter. I’d like to take a moment to introduce you to our newest Board Executive Committee. President Dara Smith, Vice President JP Lang, Treasurer John Kiefer, and Secretary Denise Frangipane bring a combined 120+ years of administrative, ag and food systems, and nonprofit experience to the table. While a big board transition can sometimes be nerve racking, we’re feeling as confident as ever that our leadership team will continue to “steer the ship” in a direction that is responsive to community needs, and has forethought towards a financially stable Extension office that makes good use of taxpayer dollars. We’re operating under more than 30 government grants and contracts, and have a healthy fund development strategy in place to be able to continue the pivots towards food security we’ve made programmatically over the last 2 years. The County continues to provide 100% funding support for the Sullivan County 4-H Youth Development Program and our partners at the New York State Departments of Health and Agriculture and Markets, and United States Department of Agriculture continue to fund our core ag, food systems, and public health outreach efforts. With any luck COVID-19 will continue to be seen in the rear-view mirror and the Extension Education Center will remain open to 4-H clubs and community partners for years to come. As we reopen the space, we’re looking forward to hallways bustling with meeting and workshop attendees; lots of feet on the Turtle Spring Nature & Fitness Trail once we dry out a bit; and the blooms of the Sensory Garden out front. As has been the case for the last several years, you’ll continue to see projects here and there: the renovation of the lower-level restroom to a fully ADA accessible unisex restroom, replacement of the 35 year old exterior steel to aluminum doors in the rear lower level, and the reimaging of an edible teaching garden, in place of the aging high tunnel at the North end of the property towards BOCES. At the same time, our Board of Directors is continuing to crunch community data and survey our program participants, partners, and donors to inform our next five-year strategic plan. We anticipate being able to publish that plan at the end of this calendar year, right after we complete our delayed 2020 and 2021 independent fiscal audits. I share this admittedly “boring” administrative information so you can be assured that despite the pandemic, we have continued to pay close
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attention to our programmatic tools and spaces, as well as our fiduciary responsibilities to ensure we continue to emerge from the last two pandemic years as strong as ever. Thank you so much to our extended Extension family, YOU, and our funding partners for working together with us to bring trusted, relevant information to you, your families, and your neighbors.
My very best,
Colleen Monaghan Executive Director, cm638@cornell.edu
DHI Report:
February
HerdCode HERDOWNER 21470146 THONY'S DAIRY
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SAMPLE NO. BREED COWS TYPE
MILK FAT PROTEIN
DHI-AP
HO
52 17517
668
550
21470021 GLASSEL, ROBERT DHI-AP
HO
46 16763
609
521
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CORNELL ANNOUNCES NEW MEAT PRICE CALCULATOR AND PROFITABLE MEAT MARKETING WORKSHOPS FOR DIRECT MARKETING LIVESTOCK FARMERS from 17 NY farms and 7 Ithaca-area grocery stores. They found that farm store The Cornell Program on and farmers market prices Agribusiness and Rural were typically lower than Development announces grocery store prices for that a new, improved similar products. It may version of the Cornell be that some farms do Meat Price Calculator not account for all costs (MPC) is available for free or include sufficient use at www.meatsuite. profit margins relative to com. The MPC, originally grocery store competition. launched in May 2018, is The MPC offers a usera user-friendly online tool friendly approach to that allows farmers to set account for production, prices that ensure they processing, and marketing reach farm financial goals. costs and then set prices The new version, launched to reach a profit goal. in March 2022, allows NY To read a short article farmers to create a free about the 2021 meat price account and save their observations, click here. data. This way, as their (https://www.meatsuite. costs change over time, com/calculator/about/ they can revisit the site docs.php) and make adjustments to To support the launch their pricing to maintain of the new MPC, a profitability goals. series of “Profitable The release of the Meat Marketing” and improved MPC comes “How to Use the Cornell at a time when both Meat Price Calculator” farmers and consumers workshops are planned face increasing costs. for locations around Inflation of grocery store the state and online. At meat prices may lead the workshops, MPC to increased consumer developer, Matt LeRoux, interest in locally Extension Associate in raised meats. Likewise, Cornell’s Dyson School increasing input costs for of Economics and farms will cause farms Management, will present to revisit their current on marketing strategy and pricing. In the summer of technique, pricing logic, 2021, Cornell researchers and demonstrate how to observed meat prices use the new Meat Price Submitted by Michelle Proscia, Ag Educator
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Calculator. The workshops will be relevant to any farms selling meat directly to consumer, whether in bulk or by-the-cut. Raising prices can feel like a challenging task. The Cornell Meat Price Calculator aims to simplify the process and the Profitable Meat Marketing workshops prepare farms for successful marketing and pricing. Join the Cornell Cooperative Extension Southeast Region Livestock Team (Sullivan, Ulster, and Orange County Extensions) to learn how to use this new calculator to develop prices that can deliver a profit in every channel. Thursday, May 18, 6:008:00 PM CCE Orange County Education Center & 4-H Park, 300 Finchville Turnpike, Otisville, NY Registration: Email Sh2234@cornell.edu or call 845-340-3990 Ext 329
Source: Cornell Program on Agribusiness and Rural Development. Accessed March 24, 2022.
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AGRICULTURE REPORT: FEBRUARY 2022 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Staff assisted producers and partners with the following:We have provided technical assistance to 102 inquiries/contacts and conducted 5 soil tests. Inquiries and technical assistance consisted of farm food safety, business planning/cost of production, beginner farmer education, funding resources, Sullivan County Revolving Loan Program, starting a farm, farm planning and market/ market access assistance, poultry processing, livestock processing, livestock diseases, ag assessment, ag districts, farm food safety practices, livestock production and soil health. Staff continue to send out ag resource emails to our contacts and are in the process of updating the CCE website. CATSKILLS KITCHEN FOOD INCUBATOR PROGRAM For February we provided technical assistance to 10 food businesses and technical assistance to producers via Shop Taste NY. Technical assistance was provided on the following topics: insurance, 20c licensing and NYSDOH permitting, funding, scheduled processing, insurance and labeling.
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PROJECTS Farm to School Sullivan County Farm to School initiative is in the process of implementing our Harvest of the Month (HOTM) pilot program, with February 2022 highlighting Potatoes from Somewhere in Time Farm, in Parksville, NY and March highlighting maple syrup from Tonjes Farm. The overall goal of this program is to educate students on the importance of local food, it’s increased nutritional value, and how food purchases and sourcing choices tie directly into our larger economy. We also hope for this to be an opportunity for local farms to market to their local consumers, and for School Districts and The Catskills Food Hub (local, not for profit distributor) to build a fluid working relationship to expand purchasing. Sullivan Fresh Program Even though the markets are closed for the season, staff are still helping to connect customers to local farm products and planning for the 2022 season. The Community Cupboard continues to operate, serving almost 600 people per week. The Nourish NY program was funded by NYS again for the 2022. For 2022, so far we have purchased $7,000 in local farm products from the Catskills Food Hub, including milk, yogurt, Extension Connection
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chicken and apple cider for the cupboard program. Staff are in the process of developing the 2022 market schedule, which includes 2 additional mobile market stops. Catskills Local Food Promotion Project CCE Sullivan received a USDA Local Foods Promotion Grant, The grant will cultivate the local food economy through public private partnerships with the Catskills Food Hub and area farm and food producers. As part of the project, we are working to connect more producers to the Catskills Food Hub.We are hosting a Farm and Food Producer Onboarding event at the Catskills Food Hub in April. USDA Regional Food System Partnership grant/Cornell Livestock Program Work Team CCE Sullivan staff continue to work with the Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming, in collaboration with Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, on a USDA Regional Food System Partnership grant to evaluate challenges and opportunities for livestock production in the Hudson Valley and adjacent regions. Ag staff also participate in the Cornell Livestock Program work team, hosting monthly Flock Talk webinars for producers.
SPRING TO IMPROVE HOME ENERGY COSTS into what program, based on income thresholds, would best fit. These With spring’s arrival, programs begin with an my mind often goes audit and go on to add to improvements I can insulation, air sealing, make around the house. and look to ensure the While considering a efficiency of the home, home improvement leading to more effective project, there may be an HVAC equipment and a opportunity to improve more comfortable home. the efficiency of the For heating and cooling home. Opening up an needs, air and ground exterior wall could be source heating and part of the renovation, cooling equipment can but may be a way to add provide heat for cold better insulation and climates and cooling for improve air sealing. hotter seasons. Electric With energy costs on utilities have rebates the rise around the available for both air country, consumers are and ground source heat looking at ways to reduce pumps to help consumers costs any way possible. with some of the up-front Energy efficiency work costs. in the home can be a Doing an inventory of journey and help fend your home and assessing off some energy costs. what appliances use Traditionally, homes in high amounts of energy the Northeast spend and which carry the a large amount of a Energy Star label can household budget on inform purchasing going heating and cooling, forward. The Energy so often improving the Star label confirms the efficiency of the home is appliance is meeting a smart first step. federally endorsed Homeowners or renters efficiency standards. dealing with air leaks or This can help prioritize energy efficiency issues purchase actions with who want to shore up high energy consuming drafty homes can begin appliances having by calling Community priority for replacement Energy Advisor Sean or as things cease to be Welsh at 845-292-6180, operational. ext. 127 to research Looking at what your energy audits and look electric utility offers Written by Sean Welsh, Community Energy Advisor
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through their online store can help with picking up rebates, energy saving, and energy star items. These online utility stores offer discounts on things like low-flow shower heads, efficient lights, and other items that could help with saving energy. For hot water heater replacements, the electric utilities hold rebates for replacing these with more energy efficient systems. For help with costs, some folks qualify for The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). Electric utilities across New York State offer economic assistance programs to help with billing. To learn more about any of these offerings, reach out to Community Energy Advisor Sean Welsh at sw288@cornell.edu.
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April Focus: Fast Facts, Cool Tools, & News to Use
April is National
th n o M s s e n e r a w A Stress
Some common reactions to a stressful event can include numbness, feeling frustrated and helpless, difficulty concentrating, and headaches.
"It's no use to go back to yesterday because I was a different person then." -Lewis Carol, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Page 8
In the era of April wasthe mAncient Rome, Aphrodite, theonth honoring of love and be Greek Goddess auty.
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Healthy Recipe of the Month
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CCE Sullivan Spotlights
Staff Spotlight
Volunteer Spotlight
PATRICIA AVERY
CARL AMADITZ
Patricia earned her bachelor’s degree in rehabilitation services at W.Va. Wesleyan College. In her role as Caregiver Resource Center Coordinator, she brings with her many years of experience working with seniors in a variety of settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and home and communitybased services. Having been a caregiver for both her parents, Patricia is passionate about helping others succeed in their role as care partners. Patricia has a strong connection to Sullivan County having spent many happy summers in the Roscoe area. Patricia believes in giving back to the community and is active in the Napanoch Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary as well as church and community organizations. Patricia is Mom to three children, all grown and on their own, and three fur-babies who provide endless hours of entertainment and unconditional love.
AARP Tax-Aide volunteer Carl Amaditz has brought back the annual Free Tax Preparation program to a local, inperson environment in partnership with the Sullivan County Office for the Aging and Cornell Cooperative Extension. Through February, March, and April, Carl and his fellow AARP Tax-Aide volunteers have assisted residents all over Sullivan County in completing and filing their federal and state tax returns regardless of AARP membership status. The AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, through which volunteers are trained to assist county residents, was founded in 1968. The goal of this organization, and by extension the local program, is to provide in-person and virtual tax assistance to anyone nationwide, free of charge, with a special focus on taxpayers who are over 50 or have low to moderate income. AARP Tax-Aide volunteers are trained and IRS-certified every year to give the best assistance to tax payers while staying up-to-date with the latest changes to the tax code.
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Pat Avery, Caregiver Resource Center Coordinator
C l Amaditz, Carl A di AARP Tax-Aide Volunteer
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SULLIVAN FRESH COMMUNITY CUPBOARD: STORIES FROM THE ROAD
Scan to donate! Page 12
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LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE: THE ROLE OF HUMOR IN REDUCING STRESS Submitted by Patricia Avery, CRC Program Coordinator
Did you know that April 14, 2022 is International Moment of Laughter day? April is also National Stress Awareness Month... For many years Reader’s Digest published its Laughter is the Best Medicine column. It’s now understood that humor and laughter provide more than entertainment. Science has demonstrated how important laughter can be to our overall health. We all must deal with stressors of one kind or another in our daily lives. For a person engaged in caregiving, the stress can become overwhelming, leading to caregiver collapse or burnout. Recurrent, or chronic stress has a negative impact on our mental and physical health. Stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, released over a prolonged time as a response to chronic stress, play a negative role in heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and many other illnesses. Excess stress is also known to depress our immune system making us more susceptible to communicable diseases such as flu, common colds, or Covid-19.
What can we do to combat the detrimental effects of stress? One scientifically proven, inexpensive, and easy intervention is to add a little humor to our day, and not just on April 14th. Laughter has many positive physiological effects that change body chemistry and brain function. Laughter leads to respiratory, oxygen consumption, and heart rate increases in a short period of time, which in turn leads to a state of relaxation. Heart function also benefits by dilating blood vessels and increasing cardiac output. Antibodies, which fight infection, are also released. Laughter is shown to lower the stress hormone cortisol and increase endorphins, which play a role in pain relief and reduction of anxiety and depression. Muscle tone can be positively impacted. Studies have shown that 15 minutes of laughter a day can burn 10-40 calories. With all the positive physiological changes above, the impact on disease has been impressive. There is a positive correlation between laughter and humor in the reduction of coronary heart disease, reducing inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, lowering heart attack risk, and delaying the detrimental cardiovascular Extension Connection
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consequences of diabetes. Laughter has been demonstrated to improve self-esteem and mood in cancer patients. Watching a comedy after a meal can help reduce blood sugar levels. It’s become clear that laughter and humor can have a positive effect on our health and overall quality of life. Healthcare systems have caught on to the benefits to be derived from humor. Seven NYC hospitals now offer CCUs (Clown Care Units). The Gesundheit Institute, founded by Dr. Patch Adams (yes, he is a real person), is dedicated to bringing humor and laughter into healthcare, patchadams.org. The new concept of Laughter Yoga is shown to have a positive effect on our health, Laughteryoga. org. Wherever your stress originates, be it caregiving, work, relationships, financial, or health concerns, add a little laughter to your day.Your body and mind will thank you. Sources: Rindfleisch, J.A. (2018).The Healing Benefits of Humor and Laughter. US Dept. of Veterans Affairs Whole Health Library. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://www.va.gov/ WHOLEHEALTHLIBRARY/tools/healing-benefitshumor-laughter.asp Pruthi, S. (2021, July 8). Chronic Stress puts your health at Risk. Mayo Clinic Healthy Lifestyles. Retrieved February 23, 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthylifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/ art-20046037
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THE MOST IMPACTFUL PROGRAM IN 4-H the course of the event day and its Make Up Night, nearly 60 Sullivan On the first Saturday County 4-H members, in March, CCE Sullivan ranging in age from 5 to County 4-H program 18, presented their topics hosted its annual 4-H to volunteer evaluators. Public Presentations, Youth may pick any topic a program designed they’d like to speak on to help youth work on and design a presentation improving public speaking around that topic. They skills. These skills are are encouraged to bring especially important to visual aids and even live master at a young age animals if it adds to the as it assists in school presentation. Presentation assignments, adds to topics ranged from pianos their college experience, to geckos, diamonds to and even helps during grains, maple syrup to interviews and workscience experiments, related presentations animal first-aid kits to later on in life. Many making Dorayaki, and 4-H alumni credit Public many more. Youth can Presentations as one of the also be nominated by most impactful and longthe volunteer evaluators term beneficial programs to move on to present of their 4-H careers. Over at District Presentations Submitted by Kaitlyn Conklin, 4-H Educator
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which this year will be held in Dutchess County. The public can witness Public Presentations in action at Youth Fair where youth may opt to do their presentation and or repeat their presentation for volunteer evaluators and show any improvements they may have made to it. Sullivan County 4-H staff is proud to say that Public Presentations is one of the most participated 4-H programs throughout the year. Public speaking is not easy and so these youth deserve immense amounts of praise for their hard work and dedication to improving their skills. Congratulations to all who participated and good luck to those moving on to District this year!
Tree Felling are you a do-it yourselfer that just needs a hand getting a tree safely down to finish your project?
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Call -
Ryan & Charlie* (845) 418-8793 *Both NYS Certified Arborists • Expert climbing & felling
• 55+ years experience • Environmentally conscious!
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Notify CCE Sullivan if you have a change of address: 845-292-6180 sullivan@cornell.edu
TH 6 2022 SATURDAY AUGUST
liberty unity festivAL 11AM-3PM
73 Walnut Mountain Rd, Liberty NY (Rain Date August 13, 2022) free SNACKS & Entertainment for All Ages