Extension Connection Sullivan County
Upcoming Events & Programs
Upcoming Events & Programs
Making Healthful Decisions Conference
Caregiver Cafe
Strengthening Families
Bone Builders Fall 2024
Pumpkin Smash & 4-H Open House
Farm Succession Planning
Discipline is Not a Dirty Word Series
Community Preservation & Farmland Protection
See more events and opportunities on sullivancce.org/events.
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Is Diet or Exercise More Important for Your Health?
Let’s Talk About Your Farm’s Energy Bills
Wellness Initiative for Senior Education (WISE): An Evidence-based Program for Older Adults
Beginner Farmer Mentorship Cohort
Flu Myths Busted
November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and Native American Heritage Month! Check out inside for articles and fun facts about both!
Staff at CCE Sullivan thank everyone who was able to attend the 110th Annual Meeting!
WelcometotheIssue!
Welcome to the Issue!
Page 3 Message from the Executive Director
Page 4 Let’s Talk About Your Farm’s Energy Bills
Page 5 Beginner Farmer
Mentorship Cohor t
Page 6 Garlic Planting!
Page 7 Flu Myths Busted
Page 8 Wholesome Market
Readiness
Page 9 CCE Spotlights!
Page 10 Fast Facts!
Page 12 Is Diet or
Exercise More Important for Your Health?
Page 14 DEC Celebrates
Native American Heritage Month
NotifyCCESullivan if you have
Notify CCE Sullivan if you have a change of address: 845-292-6180
sullivan@cornell.edu
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
Alex Alorro...................Vice President
Robert Kaplan.......................Secretary
Dawn Parsons.......................Treasurer
Brian McPhillips...........Legislative Rep.
Adam Hughes..................Cornell Rep.
Freda Eisenberg
John Garigliano
Amanda Langseder
Denise Luckman
Erika Malmgreen
Steve Marton
Mark McLewin
Gary Silver
Gary Silverman
Nicole Slevin Nikolados
PROGRAM COMMITTEE
Heather Brown
Roberta Chambers
Nu El
Courtney Hanback
Carmela Hugel
Cathi Paci
Carol Roig
Stephen Stuart
Eugene Thalmann
Deborah Worden
Table of Contents
TableofContents
Table of Contents
Page 16 Starting the 4-H Year Off Right
Page 17 Wellness Initiative f or Senior Education (WISE): An Evidencebased Program for Older Adults
Page 20 Farmer Mixer
EXTENSION CONNECTION
Produced by: Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County
Edited by: Aaron 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
Monica Ponce-Agredano ......................................................Ag Operations Coordinator
Tracy Broyles................................................................FOR Youth Program Coordinator
Alan Carroll...................................................................Food Systems Program Manager
Luciana Carvo.........................................................................Sullivan Fresh Market Coordinator
Lynn Colavito..............................................Community Cupboard Program Coordinator
Martin Colavito...........................................................Prevention Programs Issue Leader
Haley Collins...................Agriculture Farmland Protection & Planning Program Manager
Wanda V. Cruz...............................................Healthy Communities Program Coordinator
Aaron Denman.........................................................Association Operations Coordinator
Erin Doherty..................................................................Prevention Program Coordinator
Eugene Doyle...................................................................................................Custodian
Katie Gasior........................................................................Horticulture Subject Educator
Jenna Gangel..........................................................................Shop Taste NY Coordinator
Christopher Jones....................................................................Taste NY Market 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
Nancy McGraw.......................................................Educator, Caregiver Resource Center
Melinda Meddaugh.......................................................Ag & Food Systems Issue Leader
Barbara Moran................................................4-H Youth Development Program Manager
Subidha Neupane............................................. Hudson Valley SNAP-ed Nutrition Educator
Patricia Ocasio...................................................................Prevention Program Coordinator
Shanice Owens..............................................Community Cupboard Program Coordinator
Abyssinia Pla El...................................................................................Finance Coordinator
Michelle Proscia..............................................Agriculture Production Program Manager
Lindsey Serapio.............................................................................................Bookkeeper
Ann-Marie Sidtis......................................................................FOR Program Coordinator
Tara VanHorn.........................................................................................Finance Manager
Malinda Ware........................................................................................Program Director
John Wilcox..........................................................................................Facilities Manager
Vinny Bonizzi, Kayla Evans......................................................................Ag Market Coordinators
Hello friends of Extension!
Thank you to the more than 150 supporters who joined us at The Extension Education Center last month for CCE Sullivan’s 110th Annual Meeting! It was so nice to enjoy our chicken BBQ together and to celebrate exceptional CCE staff and Friends of Extension.
A big shoutout to our 2024 Extension Professionals of the Year Christopher Ian with the Taste NY team, and Monica Ponce-Agredano, who work tirelessly to support and promote Extension programming in Sullivan County and across New York State! We’re so lucky to work with such dedicated professionals! And special thanks to our Annual Friend of Extension awardees!
This year we recognized our 4-H Youth Development Program Volunteers, the Calico Geese Quilting Guild, and Sprouting Dreams Farm. With friends like these, Extension in Sullivan County is sure to thrive for another century!
And we couldn’t have pulled the night off without our very own Sullivan County farm and food producers. Big thanks to Chick E Ribs BBQ, Two Farms Brewing located at Winterton Farms, Pella Poultry, Murray’s Chicken, Burns Farm, Myers Century Farm, Majestic Farm, and Sophie’s Blooms for helping us host this celebration!
And last but not least, my heartfelt thank you to outgoing CCE board members Dara Smith and Freda Eisenberg. It takes a village of volunteers to guide CCE Sullivan’s strategic and financial direction, and without the time and will of volunteers like Dara and Freda, we would be a ship lost at sea!
Until next month, get those chimneys cleaned, prepare your holiday menus, and take some time to reconnect with loved ones during the Thanksgiving season. Thank you so much for being a part of the Extension community!
Cheers,
Colleen Monaghan Executive Director
cm638@cornell.edu
LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR FARM’S ENERGY BILLS
Submitted by Haley Collins, Agriculture Farmland Protection & Planning Program Manager
Would you like to save on your farm energy bills? There are many opportunities to reduce energy use through efficiency improvements that save money, labor, and maintenance costs. Energy efficiency also has co-benefits, buffering farms from high costs in energy market fluctuations and making it is easier to transition to electric power and renewable energy. Ag Energy NY is an extension program helping farmers learn energy efficiency motivations, opportunities, and incentives. This program offers a mobile-friendly website, factsheets, and technical support. Farmers can reach out to the Ag Energy NY team with questions and to connect with farm-specific advising. NYSERDA offers no-cost, no-commitment energy assessments to help farmers prioritize areas for improvements and identify incentives to help with implementation.
For more guidance and support about farm
energy efficiency, visit www.agenergyny.org.
For a no-cost farm energy audit, visit www.nyserda. ny.gov/All-Programs/ Agriculture-Energy-Audit .
BeginnerFarmer Mentorship
GARLIC PLANTING!
Written and
submitted
by Katie Gasior, Horticulture Program Educator
For home gardeners in the Northeast, garlic (Allium sativum) is easy to grow, prolific, and can be stored for use for several months after it is harvested in midsummer. A hardy perennial that can overwinter, garlic is grown as an annual because it is harvested in its first year of growth. Garlic is related to onion (Allium cepa), both are members of the lily family. It is distinguished from onions by its flat leaves and flower buds, although most softneck types of garlic do not produce flower stalks or buds.
Enclosed in a parchmentlike sheath, a garlic bulb consists of several small cloves (Figure 1). The cloves are situated around a sturdy modified flower stem. The immature flower stems of garlic plants are called scapes. Scapes begin to form in midsummer. When the scape is removed, the plant can focus more of its energy on bulb production, which results in a larger bulb. Garlic scapes are edible and should be carefully pinched or cut off just
above the top leaf of the garlic plant. Scapes are most tender and have the best flavor if they are harvested when they begin to curl. Hardneck garlics are best for producing scapes since most softneck garlics have been bred not to produce them. Garlic is classified into two types (or subspecies)— hardneck (A. sativum var. ophioscorodon) and softneck (A. sativum var. sativum). In general, hardneck types grow well in colder climates, produce larger, but fewer, cloves and have a shorter shelf life than softneck types.
Garlic requires full sun (at least 6 hours per day). It is best started by direct sowing seed garlic that can be purchased through some garden centers, catalogs, and online websites. Certified seed garlic has been grown specifically for planting in the garden and is free of insects and diseases. Garlic bulbs purchased at the grocery store should not be planted due to the likelihood of diseases being present on the bulb and given the persistence of certain garlic diseases in the soil. This could prohibit planting garlic or onions in the same bed for several years. Plant
garlic in early to midfall in Sullivan County. To prepare the planting area, loosen the soil to improve drainage. Garlic likes soil that is rich in organic matter, so it is a good idea to throw some compost down.
After the leaves on the lower third of the plant have turned yellow, garlic is ready to harvest. This usually occurs during late June and midJuly depending on the growing climate and the garlic variety planted. Be careful not to damage the bulb during harvest— any wounds or bruises make the bulb more susceptible to disease and deterioration during storage. Use a trowel or spade to gently loosen the soil under the bulb. Remove any soil from the bulb and its roots gently. Place the garlic with the tops intact in a dry, cool, well-ventilated place to cure. Store in mesh bags, braided, or in hanging bunches. After several weeks, the garlic will be cured. To prepare the garlic for use, cut the tops to roughly 1 inch and trim the roots. After curing, the garlic will keep for several months.
Bibliography:
“Vegetables: Growing Garlic in Home Gardens.” Extension Publications, 2015, extension.wsu.edu/vegetables-growing-pubs. garlic-in-home-gardens.Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
FLU MYTHS
The facts are simple: Getting a flu shot every year decreases your chances of getting the flu — and you’re less likely to be hospitalized or die from it, especially if you have heart disease or have had a stroke. Getting a flu shot will help protect your health and the people you care about, so let’s bust some common myths about getting the flu vaccine!
MYTH: BUSTED!
MYTH: I got my COVID-19 vaccine(s), so I don’t need
BUSTED! Unfortunately your COVID-19 vaccine
MYTH: Only elderly people need to worry about
BUSTED!
MYTH: BUSTED!
HIGH-DOSE VACCINE
group. Ask your health care professional about a highis better than none.
MYTH: BUSTED!
CCE Sullivan Spotlights
Community Spotlight
ANNUAL MEETING 2024
We’re thankful to everyone who attended our 110th Annual Meeting and joined us in honoring outgoing board members, extension professionals, and friends of extension! For more on this event and its turnout, check out the Executive Director’s letter on page 3!
DHI Report: September
November Focus: Fast Facts, Cool Tools, & News to Use
November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month
Being exposed to radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer. Radon occurs naturally. It can be found in soil, as well as buildings.
Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer worldwide. Around 240,000 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year alone, mostly among smokers. More and more cases are being found among people who never smoked, which suggests that factors like the environment or genetics may also be involved in the development of lung cancer.
If it is caught early, lung cancer may be treated with surgery, including advanced lungsparing surgery available at City of Hope. In more advanced cases, cancer cells spread from one lung to another or move to other parts of the body, such as the adrenal gland, bones, brain or liver.
The lungs are a tree-like series of connected tubes surrounded by thick, spongy lobes. There are three lobes in the right lung and two on the left (to make space for the heart). When you breathe in, air travels down a large tube called the trachea, then branches out through a network of smaller tubes in the lungs called the bronchi and bronchioles. Finally, it ends up in ating tiny air sacs called alveoli. Lung tissue is some of the most sensitive in the body, and its health is largely affected by what we breathe in.
Lung cancer develops when abnormal cells in your lungs grow and divide at a rapid pace — so fast that the cells in your immune system that fight disease cannot keep up. These clusters of abnormal cells are called tumors. They can damage lung tissue and block your airways, causing issues like coughs, chest pain or bleeding.
Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) is the most common kind of lung cancer, accounting for around 8085% of all cases. NSCLC can form in different parts of the lungs and may spread to other parts of the body as it develops.
Tiny bers of asbestos can be breathed in and become lodged in lung tissue. Though asbestos is now banned, it is still commonly found in buildings and our environment.
Source:
“Lung Cancer Facts | City of Hope.” cityofhope. org, 2024. https://www.cityofhope.org/clinicalprogram/lung-cancer/lung-cancer-facts.
The best way to reduce your risk of developing lung cancer is to stop smoking. Research also shows that chemotherapy works more effectively for nonsmokers, and that they experience fewer complications from surgery. Other preventive steps include: testing your home for radon, avoiding secondhand smoke, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy diet.
If you used to be a smoker, or if you still smoke, you may reduce your risk of dying of lung cancer by getting screened for the disease. This is done using a low-dose radiation computed tomography scan of your lungs.
Smoking cigarettes is responsible for 80-90% of lung cancer deaths in men and women. The more you smoke, the higher the risk of getting lung cancer. This is because cigarette smoke includes harmful substances, such as nicotine, carbon monoxide and other dangerous chemicals. Being exposed to secondhand smoke also increases the chances of lung cancer by 20-30%.
IS DIET OR EXERCISE MORE IMPORTANT FOR YOUR HEALTH?
Medically reviewed by Alissa Palladino, MS, RDN, LD, CPT, Nutrition, Personal Training — Written by Katey Davidson, MScFN, RD, CPT — Updated on June 14, 2024
Submitted by Joy Leon, Nutrition & Physical Activity Educator
You’ve probably heard that “you can’t outexercise a bad diet.”
While this saying has some merit, you may wonder whether diet or exercise is more important for health goals like weight loss or improved heart health.
With endless health interventions out there, such as the 80/20 rule and exercise-free diets, it can be hard to gauge whether you should prioritize diet or exercise — or if the answer lies somewhere in between.
This article tells you the benefits of exercise and diet, and if one is more important for your health than the other.
Weight loss
To lose weight you must be in a calorie deficit, meaning your body expends more calories than you consume. This
can be achieved by eating and drinking fewer calories, burning more calories from physical activity, or a combination of the two.
Benefits of diet
While both diet and exercise are important for weight loss, it’s generally easier to manage your calorie intake by modifying your diet than it is to burn significantly more calories through exercise.
This may be why the 80/20 rule has become popular, as it states that weight loss is the result of 80% diet and 20% exercise.
For example, if you’re aiming for a daily calorie deficit of 500 calories, you could consume 400 fewer calories (80%) by eating lower calorie dishes, smaller portion sizes, and fewer snacks. Then, you only need to burn 100 calories (20%) from exercise.
For many people, this is easier than trying to burn 500 calories each day from exercise. Burning this many calories every day requires a significant amount of movement — plus, it’s time-consuming,
taxing on the body, and rarely sustainable.
To illustrate, a person who weighs 154 pounds (70 kg) would need to cycle on an exercise bike for 1 hour at moderate intensity to burn 525 calories. Meanwhile, they could cut out 520 calories by skipping out on a venti Green Tea Frappuccino from Starbuck.
An easy way to manage calorie intake and promote weight loss without counting calories is to focus on eating whole, minimally processed foods that are high in fiber, protein, and healthy fats.
Benefits of exercise
There are many ways that exercise supports weight loss.
Strength training helps preserve and build muscle mass, which can increase your metabolic rate over time so your body burns more calories, even at rest. Furthermore, a single strength training session can increase your metabolic rate for up to 72 hours.
Aerobic exercise such as walking, jogging, or
cycling — especially at a low to moderate intensity for 30 minutes or longer — can burn a significant number of calories in a single session and help promote a calorie deficit. Regular exercise may also help manage hunger by regulating your hunger hormones. This may help prevent overeating and excess snacking. That being said, excessive exercise may increase appetite as well as injury risk, so moderation is best.
Finally, by burning extra calories and increasing your metabolic rate, regular physical activity allows you to have more flexibility with your diet, making weight loss more enjoyable and less restrictive.
Exercising regularly also supports weight maintenance after weight loss, which is critical.
Exercise improves health whether or not you lose weight
Popular diet culture might make it seem like you need to lose weight to be healthy, but experts have found that’s not the case. Increasing your cardiovascular fitness and physical activity promotes
better health regardless of weight loss. Studies have found physical activity improves many different factors independent of weight loss, including markers of health at the cellular level, levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels, artery stiffness, levels of fats in the blood, brain health, and more.
Recommendation: Combination of diet and exercise
Although the 80/20 rule is a helpful guideline, you don’t have to follow it precisely. Instead, focus on making positive changes to your diet and exercise routine that work for you.
For instance, you may prefer achieving your daily calorie deficit 50% from diet and 50% from exercise. This means you’ll spend more time and energy exercising — but in return, you won’t need to limit your food intake as much.
The key for healthy, longterm weight loss and management is to use both diet and exercise. In fact, one older review showed that combining modest calorie restriction and exercise was the best
way to achieve significant weight loss. In some cases, combining the two led to over five times more lost weight compared with using exercise alone. A 2023 systematic review found that adults with obesity lost the most weight using a combination of strength training and endurance exercise for at least 175 minutes each week, plus a customized diet in which they ate fewer calories than they burned each day.
Ultimately, combining dietary changes and regular exercise can help you achieve more meaningful and sustainable weight loss in the long term.
Summary
While it may be easier to manage how many calories you consume, regular exercise helps preserve lean muscle and burn additional calories. Therefore, both diet and exercise are important for weight loss, and combining the two will optimize results.
Source: Davidson, Katey. “Is Diet or Exercise More Important for Your Health?” Edited by Alissa Palladino. Healthline, June 14, 2024. https://www.healthline.com/ nutrition/diet-vs-exercise.
DEC CELEBRATES NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
Regis River.
Submitted by Aaron Denman, Association Operations Coordinator
This month is Native American Heritage Month! Check out what organizations like New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation are doing to honor and celebrate the indigenous nations of New York State!
During this month, and year-round, DEC is working to improve our relationship with Indigenous peoples while also recognizing past challenges.
DEC’s Office of Indian Nations Affairs is leading the agency’s efforts to enhance and deepen proactive engagement with State and federally recognized Indian Nations by improving consultation, building shared knowledge, and advancing meaningful cooperation.
Over the past few years, our Indigenous neighbors have protected the Allegany River from pollution, installed solar panels to generate clean energy at Onondaga, and removed a dam blocking fish migration up the Saint
As part of the Onondaga Lake Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Program, and as Natural Resource Trustees for a cleanup settlement with Honeywell International, Inc., DEC and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service signed a resolution that directed Honeywell to transfer the title to more than 1,000 acres of open space in the Tully Valley of Central New York to the Onondaga Nation in June 2022. This was one of the largest returns of land by any state to an Indigenous nation and was executed, in part, in recognition of the Onondaga having been the original stewards of these lands and waters, and out of their continuing legacy of natural and cultural resource conservation and protection.
Many Indigenous people are at the vanguard of protecting the environment. For example, this year the Akwesasne Task Force on the Environment and the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe renewed their commitment to manage black ash trees in Brasher State Forest-a 19,782-acre reforestation area-by renewing their
Volunteer Stewardship Agreement with DEC. The forest contains suitable conditions for black ash growth that affords the Mohawk people with highquality timber for cultural uses like basket making, a highly appreciated Indigenous art form.
Out of respect for our Indigenous neighbors, DEC renamed a number of agency-managed resources. These include Skenoh Island in Canandaigua Lake, Ganowtachgerage Road in Hammond Hill State Forest, and Onãaktokok Fishing Access Site in Rensselaer County.
DEC continues to amplify our consultation efforts with interested Indigenous Nations during the development of recreation and unit management plans that help guide DEC’s management of properties held in trust for all New Yorkers. Our goal is to make these lands more welcoming to all people, including Indigenous peoples, and to explore how we can better integrate our environmental stewardship with opportunities to sustain and support Indigenous cultures.
As we recognize Native American Heritage Month,
DEC recommends that you explore and celebrate the heritage, traditions, culture, art, and history of the Indigenous peoples of New York State today and in the past and consider how society’s actions may impact Indigenous peoples and cultures. DEC also encourages you to learn more about how we can strengthen our relationship with nature and each other.
Adapted from:
“DEC Celebrates Native American Heritage Month.” Department of Environmental Conservation. Accessed October 28, 2024. https://dec.ny.gov/ about/dei/native-american-heritagemonth#:~:text=November%20is%20 Native%20American%20Heritage,to%20 protect%20our%20shared%20environment.
Bird’s Beak Basket by Sheila ‘Kanieson’ Ransom (Mohawk), on loan from the New York State Museum. Named for the thin woven splints of black ash that resemble beaks of birds. Made of black ash. Image sourced from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation website.
Akwesasne Task Force on the Environment crews from the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Land Resources program conducted improvement cuttings to protect black ash at Brasher State Forest. Image sourced from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation website.
STARTING THE 4-H YEAR OFF RIGHT
Written and
submitted
by Barbara Moran, 4-H Youth Development Program Manager
The excitement of the new 4-H year is just beginning. Club leaders and parents are excited to see our youth set goals and take action! A new 4-H year means that it is time to start thinking about projects, goals and plans for the year. No matter what project area youth plan to participate in, animal science, arts, environmental and outdoor education, food, health and wellbeing, community service, or one of the many other programs offered through 4-H, it is important to start the year off right!
The 4-H year goes by fast and there is a lot to do in a short period of time. Creating a list or calendar of activities for your project areas will not only help guide the various activities but will help in knowing what materials are needed for a successful project. The possibilities are endless! Once you have your projects picked out its time to plan. Along with project areas 4-H
offers many programs and these can be found in the weekly 4-H Alert you receive via email.
Animal Crackers, Capital Days, Public Presentations, and the Sullivan County Youth Fair are just some of the upcoming events you can get marked on your calendar, as well as club meetings. For more information, please contact Barbara Moran at bjm292@cornell.edu.
WELLNESS INITIATIVE FOR SENIOR EDUCATION (WISE): AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM FOR OLDER ADULTS
Written and submitted by Nancy McGraw, Caregiver Resource Center Program Coordinator
In early 2025, Cornell Cooperative Extension will be launching the Wellness Initiative for Senior Education (WISE) Program, which is an evidence-based prevention and wellness program for older adults created by the New Jersey Prevention Network (NJPN) offered throughout communities in the U.S. since 1996.
WISE promotes wellness through six interactive sessions with trained facilitators and helps older adults celebrate healthy aging by making healthy lifestyle choices. The lessons provide valuable educational services to older adults on topics including health and wellness, medication use, stress management, depression and substance use. In addition, participants will learn how to use simple tools to help them feel more empowered about their health and the healthcare they receive
This free program is open to anyone 60 or older. The WISE program is a collaboration between the Caregiver Resource Center and SALT at CCE Sullivan and is supported in part by grant funding from New York State, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Be on the lookout for registration opportunities for this six-week program planned to be launched in early January 2025 on our events page: www. sullivancce.org/events , email sullivancrc@ cor nell.edu or by calling (845)292-6180 e xt. 122.
