WelcometotheIssue!TableofContents Welcome to the Issue! Table of

Page 18 What’s Your Move?

Page 20 Geothermal/ Ground Source Heat Pumps

Page 21 Homeowner’s Checklist

Page 22 How to Cut Food Waste and Maintain Food Safety

Page 24 Agricultural Jobs

The Extension Connection (USPS-525-100) is published monthly for $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

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/ccesullivanagfood

Instagram.com/ccesullivan

YouTube: bitly.com/ccesullivan

Board Of Directors

Dara Smith............................President

Denise Frangipane...............Secretary

Dawn Parsons.......................Treasurer

Nadia Rajsz.................Legislative Rep.

Adam Hughes..................Cornell Rep.

Alex Alorro

Heather Berg

Lee Karasik

Amanda Langseder

Denise Luckman

Erika Malmgreen

Steve Marton

Gary Silver

Gary Silverman

Marcie Wild

Program Committee

Heather Brown

Roberta Chambers

Robert Kaplan, Chairperson

Eugene Thalmann

Deborah Worden

Extension Connection

Produced by: Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County

Edited by: Erin Denman & 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

Colleen Monaghan..............................................................................Executive Director

Taylor Adam.............................................................Beginner Farmer Program Manager

Pat Bennett................................................................Healthy Families Program Manager

Thomas Bosket....................................................................SALT/DFC Program Manager

SueAnn Boyd.........................................................Healthy Schools Program Coordinator

Fabio Campanati......................................................................Taste NY Market Manager

Lynn Colavito..............................................Community Cupboard Program Coordinator

Martin Colavito...........................................Community Cupboard Program Coordinator

Wanda V. Cruz...............................................Healthy Communities Program Coordinator

Erin Denman............................................................Association Operations Coordinator

Katie Gasior.................................................................Horticulture Program Coordinator

Christopher Jones..............................................................Taste NY Operations Manager

Joy Leon.................................................................Nutrition & Physical Activity Educator

Katie Rose Lugauer...................................................................4-H Program Coordinator

Erica Lynch..........................................................Catskills Kitchen Program Coordinator

John Mastrangelo............................................................................Assistant Ag Market Manager

Melinda Meddaugh.......................................................Ag & Food Systems Issue Leader

Vivian Monsanto...............................................................................Finance Coordinator

Barbara Moran................................................4-H Youth Development Program Manager

Bee Moser............................................................................................Senior Nutritionist

Vanessa Petrossian...........................Program Director: Operations and Community Vitality

Abyssinia Pla El...................................................................................Finance Coordinator

Michelle Proscia..............................................Agriculture Production Program Manager

Ann-Marie Sidtis............................................Drug Free Communities Program Assistant

Ashley Tully...............................................Food Systems Program Manager, Ag Business

Tara VanHorn.........................................................................................Finance Manager

Malinda Ware........................................................................................Program Director

Sean Welsh...................................................................Energy Senior Resource Educator

John Wilcox..........................................................................................Facilities Manager

Judy Arpadi, Vinny Bonizzi, Kayla Evans.................................................Ag Market Coordinators

Greetings Friends of Extension,

As we bid farewell to the chilly winter months and welcome the warmth of spring, we are eagerly anticipating the much-awaited Sullivan Fresh Farmers’ Market season, set to kick off the first week of July. Our team at CCE Sullivan has been working behind the scenes to ensure that this year’s market is a resounding success, offering fresh and locally sourced produce, dairy, eggs, proteins, and nutrition and food safety outreach to all corners of the County.

In addition to the upcoming farmers’ market season, I am pleased to share with you the key priorities of CCE Sullivan’s newly adopted 5-year strategic plan. These priorities have been thoughtfully crafted by the Board of Directors, Program Advisory Committee, staff, volunteers, program participants, and donors to guide our efforts in serving the needs of Sullivan County into the future.

One of our headline priorities is to enhance organizational communication between CCE and the community at large to work more effectively and collaboratively to achieve shared goals. Another priority is to diversify funding streams. We are committed to exploring new funding opportunities, building strategic partnerships, and engaging with the community to support our mission of bringing research-based education and outreach across program areas.

Creating a culture of innovation throughout CCE is also a key priority for us. While innovation can be challenging for an institution with 108+ years of history, we will strive to foster a culture that encourages creativity, experimentation, and continuous improvement in our programs and services to better serve the evolving needs of the community.

Building board and staff capacity to support CCE’s mission and programs is also a priority for us. Our team is dedicated to professional development, training, and capacity building to ensure we are equipped with the necessary skills and expertise to meet the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Last but not least, we are committed to ensuring a functional, safe, and comfortable learning and working environment at the Extension Education

Center. We value the health, safety, and well-being of our staff, volunteers, and community members, and will strive to create a conducive environment for learning, collaboration, and innovation.

As we embark on the journey outlined in the strategic plan, we look forward to your continued support and partnership. Together, we can achieve shared goals and make a positive impact for folks across the County. I am confident that these endeavors will help CCE continue to be Sullivan County’s trusted resource of choice. I extend my heartfelt appreciation to each and every one of you for your unwavering support, and anticipate a fruitful and exciting summer and harvest season ahead!

Sincerely,

Colleen Monaghan Executive Director, cm638@cornell.edu

WHY AND HOW: CREATING A POLLINATOR FRIENDLY GARDEN

Submitted by Katie Gasior, Horticulture Program Coordinator

Pollinators are Keystone species, meaning they are a necessary component of sustaining life on earth for all species. Eighty percent (80%) of flowering plants and most native plants need insects for adequate pollination, so pollinators’ health and well-being are important for the health of any ecosystem. While Monarch butterflies and Honeybees seem to get the most press, and while they are no doubt an integral part of local ecosystems, they are not the only pollinators in the game. Various species of butterflies, moths, wasps, flies, beetles, bees, and hummingbirds are all pollinators, and they need a variety of native plants to provide nectar as food as well as specific native host plants to provide food and shelter for their young. Native bees are the workhorse pollinators. In a Cornell Cooperative Extension study – they estimate that there is a total of 416 bee species in New York state. The majority (54%) of bees in New York State are digger bees. Native solitary bees, such as the wood nesting and ground nesting bees live alone and therefore do not pose colony threats that frighten people. While most of the bees in New York State are ground-nesting, several species also make nests in pre-existing cavities, such as twigs, hollow stems, beetle burrows, or in sites above ground. These aboveground, cavity nesters include the mason bees, the wool carder bee and various resin bees. Pollinator gardens give pollinator’s a place to feed and raise their young while providing hours of enjoyment for the gardener.

General Guidelines for a Pollinator Garden:

• Choose the right location. Many pollinator-friendly plants need at least six hours of sun each day.

• Create the best environment. Provide the following:

• Layers of trees, shrubs, perennial and annual flowers as well as some wild grasses and dead wood.

• Water sources within the garden.

• Areas of bare ground and habitat for ground-nesting bees.

• A butterfly puddling area. Mix a little sand, a pinch of Sea Salt (this provides valuable minerals for egg development) and water.

• Plant a diversity of flowering species that bloom in succession from spring through fall.

• Choose native plants already adapted to the local environment.

• Plant in drifts of a minimum of three plants of each species. This helps pollinators find the plants easily.

• Be chemical-free whenever possible.

Pesticides and herbicides kill pollinators .

• Be patient. It may take a few seasons for your plants to reach maturity and for pollinators to find your garden.

These are some examples of common plants that are easy to acquire and grow. Note bloom times to plant for a succession of blooms from April-October.

For Sun/ Medium-Dry Conditions:

• Wild Columbines (Aquilegia

Canadensis)- April-May

• Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divericata)- April-June

• Butterfly weed and Milkweeds (Asclepias spp.)- July-August

• Bee balm (Monarda didyma)- July-August

• Purple Coneflowers

(Echinacea purpurea)- July-August

• Brown-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia triloba)- July-August

• Perennial Sunflower (Helianthus spp.)- July-August

• Purple Giant Hyssop (Agastache scrophularii folia)- July-August

• Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

– July-August

• Goldenrod- (Solidago spp.) August-October

• Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta)

– September-October

Annuals:

• Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)

• Marigold (Tagetes)

• Lantana (Lantana camara)

For Sun/Moister

Conditions:

• Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana)- July-August

• Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)- July-August

• New England and NY Asters (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae and novibelgii)- Sept.-October

Annuals:

• Zinnia (Zinnia elegans)

For Partial Sun/Shade/ Moister Conditions:

• Violets (Viola spp.)- April-May

• Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium reptans)– April-June

• Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)- April-June

• Wild Geranium-(Geranium maculatum) April-July

• Annuals:

• Begonia (Begonia bolivienisis)

• Fuchsia (Fuchsia)

• Impatiens or New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens spp.)

Source:

“Pollinator Friendly Gardens.” Cornell Cooperative Extension, Monroe County, 7 Nov. 2022, https:// monroe.cce.cornell.edu/master-gardeners/ pollinator-friendly-gardens.

BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS: SHOULD YOU GAMBLE WITH THE DEFAULT RULES?

Written by Cari B. Rincker, Esq.

Submitted by Erin Denman, Association Operations Coordinator

Partnerships are ubiquitous in agriculture – you see them in one way or another in farm, ranch and agribusiness enterprises, both big and small in a wide array of circumstances. Forming a partnership is exceedingly simple—that is the main draw of this kind of business organization. There are typically no legal formalities required to create a partnership. In fact, a partnership is presumed anytime two or more parties come together in business with an implied or express agreement to share the profits generated. Unlike other business formations, such as LLCs and corporations, in most states a partnership does not need to file any documentation with the relevant Secretary of State to operate as a legal business entity.

Because it is so easy to form a partnership and begin partnership operations, many partnerships choose to hit the ground running without first establishing a written partnership agreement. Though a formal written agreement is not required in most states, it is nevertheless advisable so that all parties in the partnership are on the same page with respect to the bounds of the business and their respective rights and duties.

The Default Rules

What happens when you form a partnership and chose not to establish a written partnership agreement? Most states have adopted some version of the Uniform Partnership Act of 1997, which is a model law that provides default statutory rules that apply where partnerships either a) do not have a written agreement, or b) have a written agreement that is silent on a particular issue. These default rules set out certain baseline understandings about how the partnership will operate, how profits and losses will be shared, what the rights and duties of the partners are, when and how a partnership will dissolve, and many other aspects of the partnership business. While the default provisions are based on common sense, each partnership has its own unique considerations, which means that relying on the default rules may be a gamble. I discuss a few of the common default provisions you should be aware of below.

Profits. Without a written agreement stating otherwise, the default rule is that each partner in a partnership is entitled to an equal share of the partnership profits. While this may be what the partners intended, there are certain scenarios where an equal division of profits is not the goal. For example, one partner may have contributed much more initial capital than another did, or one partner may dedicate much more time and effort to the business operations than another does. Where the partners’ respective contributions are significantly asymmetrical, the default rule that each partner gets an equal share in the profits may be undesirable.

Losses. A partner’s share in the partnership’s losses is the same as that partner’s share in the partnership profits. In other words, where the default rule applies and partners share profits equally, they will also share losses equally.

Liabilities. In a general partnership, the default rule is that all partners are personally jointly and severally liable for the obligations of the partnership. This means that a single partner could be held liable and have to pay up from his or her personal finances for the entirety of a partnership loss if the other partners do not have the means to pitch in.

Acts of the Partners. If there is not a partnership agreement laying out which partners are authorized to undertake what acts, then each partner is considered an unrestricted agent of the partnership, and each partner has the authority to bind the partnership in the same way. The entire partnership is liable for any actionable conduct of any partner, if that partner is acting in the ordinary course of the business of the partnership.

Rights of the Partners. By default, every partner has an equal right in the management of the partnership, and differences of opinions are settled by a majority vote. This can be particularly tricky where a partnership is made up of two partners who are prone to disagreement. Regardless of a partner’s role, no partner is automatically entitled to compensation for the services he or she performs for the partnership. This can cause significant strain in a partnership where the partners disagree about whether, and to what extent, they should be compensated with a salary.

Dissolution. There are many events that, by default, will cause a dissolution of the partnership if there is no partnership agreement stating otherwise. For example, if a partner withdrawals from a partnership-at-will, the default rules provide that the partnership is dissolved and must wind down, even if there are multiple other partners remaining in the partnership. These are just a few of the default provisions contained in the Uniform Partnership Act. Not all of these default rules will be a good fit for, or be desired by, any given partnership. Notably, a majority of these default rules can be overridden by a written partnership agreement that more definitively and accurately establishes the partners’ preferences.

Establishing a Written Partnership Agreement

While a written partnership agreement is not usually required by law, there are nevertheless compelling reasons to draft one. As already noted, there may be certain default rules that are not optimal for your specific partnership operation. Moreover, banks and lenders often require a written partnership agreement before they do business with a partnership. Finally, a written agreement can help avoid disputes between the partners. Handshake agreements are a landmine for future litigation, whereas setting out the terms in writing ahead of time ensures that all partners are on the same page with respect to the partnership’s ownership percentages, assets, profit sharing, etc.

A well-drafted partnership agreement should, at a minimum, specify the following:

• The full legal names and addresses of all partners;

• The name of the partnership;

• The principal place of business of the partnership;

• The initial contributions each partner has made to the partnership;

• The inventory of assets owned by the partnership;

• The percentage of profits and losses assigned to each partner; and

• Whether the partnership is a general or limited partnership. The above terms relate to the bare-bones structure of the partnership; however, it may be helpful for your partnership agreement to address some of these additional issues:

• Subsequent capital contributions. Whether partners will owe future capital contributions; and if so, when.

• Duties of the Partners. Whether specific partners will have specific roles with respect to the partnership.

• Management and Voting Requirements. How decisions relating to the operation of the partnership will be made, and what kind of voting majority is required for decision-making.

• Salaries and Benefits of the Partners. Whether the partners may receive any salary or benefits.

• Restrictions on Partners. Whether there are certain activities the partners may not engage in, such as partaking in other businesses that compete with the business of the partnership.

• Transfer of Partnership Interest. Whether a partner may transfer his or her partnership interest to a third party and, if so, the effect of such a transfer.

• Retirement, Withdrawal, or Expulsion of Partners. The terms and conditions for the voluntary or involuntary exit of a partner from the partnership.

• Dissolution of the Partnership. The events that trigger a dissolution of the partnership, and the procedure for such dissolution.

While your partnership agreement can be tailored with respect to the above issues, a few of the default statutory rules governing partnerships are still nonwaivable, meaning that they cannot be overridden by written agreement. For example, in Illinois, a partnership agreement cannot contract away the partners’ respective rights of access to the partnership’s books and records, the various fiduciary duties owed by the partners, and the partners’ right to dissociate with the partnership. Accordingly, while drafting a partnership agreement can be fairly straightforward, it may nevertheless be helpful to consult an attorney to ensure you are on the right track.

For more information contact:

Cari Rincker, Esq.

Rincker Law, PLLC

Licensed in IL, NY, NJ, CT, KY, TX and DC

Illinois Office: 229 E Main St

Shelbyville, IL 62565

(217) 774-1373

New York Office:

535 Fifth Avenue, 4th Floor

New York, NY 10017

(212) 427-2049 cari@rinckerlaw.com www.rinckerlaw.com

Adapted from:

Rincker, Cari. “Business Partnerships: Should You Gamble with the Default Rules?” rinckerlaw.com. Rincker Law, April 3, 2023. PDF.

CCE Sullivan Spotlights

Program Spotlight

SULLIVAN 4-H YOUTH GO TO CAPITAL DAYS!

NYS 4-H Capital Days is an event sponsored by NYSACCE4-H that gives youth an opportunity to meet and interact with legislators and to tell their 4-H story. 4-H Capital Days also offers to youth an awareness of career opportunities in New York State government, a better understanding of state government, and the opportunity to network with delegates from other counties. This year, Beth Sykes and Collin Phelps were the selected delegates for Sullivan County. They sat in on a senate session, connected with 4-H members across the state, and met with legislators to discuss 4-H and its impact in Sullivan County.

Program Spotlight

CCE HELPS TO HOST A FOOD PANTRY LUNCHEON!

Food insecurity in Sullivan County is one of the greatest challenges CCE has taken on, but it is not a challenge that is faced alone. On April 19th, in partnership with the Sullivan Catskills Food Security Coalition partners, CCE hosted a gathering and luncheon for food pantry organizations across Sullivan County. The luncheon invited food pantry and community staff and volunteers to discuss the challenges they face in helping their communities, and to learn more about the efforts of the Coalition. In total, over fifty representatives from twenty-six local pantries attended.