Happenings July 2024

July 2024

Putnam County Fair & 4-H Showcase

Increasing Food Insecurity Trends

Chicken Sprouts

New Program - Summer EBT

Mobile Food Truck Brings Fresh Local Produce to Those in Need

The Nativar Dilemma

Welcome CCEPC Intern – Kat Gaddie

---

Putnam County Fair & 4-H Showcase!

Looking for weekend fun that will please everyone? Come to the 3rd Annual Putnam County Fair and 4-H Showcase July 27th & 28th. Spend Saturday at Veterans Memorial Upper Park, 201 Gipsy Trail Road in Carmel. There you can ”Ask a Master Gardener,” see canine demonstrations, watch a puppet show, ride a pony, have fun with amusements, explore local artisans, tantalize your tastebuds with food trucks, get your face painted, sip a refreshing hand packed milkshake, and check out the car show (weather permitting).Not to mention get up close and personal with alpacas, goats, and sheep. For the existential learner, come and explore the Cornell Cooperative Extension Expo. Inside you’ll learn about composting, gardening, the Pollinator Pathway, and 4-H, as well as see exhibits from around Putnam County. Live music and entertainment will be under the pavilion all day. Sunday kicks off with horse and dog demonstrations, more amusements for the kids and ends with the whacky, super quacky Duck Derby happening on sight at 2pm. Live music and entertainment continues, and the car show folks will be there if they were rained out on Saturday. So, grab the family, sponsor some rubber ducks and be part of history at the Putnam County Fair and 4-H Showcase, where there is literally something for everyone. The Fair happens rain or shine and is a collaboration between Putnam County Tourism, Parks and Cornell Cooperative Extension. 

BACK TO TOP

---

Increasing Food Insecurity Trends  

by Ruby Koch-Fienberg, Ag & Food Systems Coordinator

Cornell Cooperative Extension Putnam County Embracing a Healthier, More Food-Secure Future

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, food security has become a critical issue for many New Yorkers. Recent data from the New York Health Foundation highlights that 10% of New Yorkers faced food insufficiency in 2023, a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges our communities face. Here in Putnam County, we at the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) are committed to addressing this pressing issue through our Food Systems Coalition.

The State of Food Security in New York

The COVID-19 pandemic magnified food insecurity, with emergency measures such as expanded SNAP benefits and free school meals providing vital support. However, the expiration of these programs has led to a resurgence in food insufficiency across the state. Notably, in 2023, households with children and historically marginalized groups reported the highest levels of food insufficiency since 2020. For instance, Black and Hispanic New Yorkers experienced food insufficiency rates of 19.9% and 18.4%, respectively—three times higher than their white counterparts.

Local Challenges and Our Response

Putnam County is not immune to these trends. Many families here are grappling with rising food costs and limited access to nutritious food. As a community organization deeply rooted in the needs of our local residents, the CCE Putnam County is actively working to address these challenges. Our Food Systems Coalition, a collaborative network of local farmers, educators, and community leaders, is dedicated to fostering a sustainable and equitable food system for all.

Our Initiatives to Boost Food Security

Expanding Access to Healthy Food:

• Mobile Food Trucks: We are expanding mobile food truck access to increase access to fresh, locally grown produce. These initiatives are particularly important for low-income families and those in areas with limited access to grocery stores.
• Community Gardens: Our community garden projects are helping residents grow their own fresh fruits and vegetables, promoting self-sufficiency and reducing food costs.

Supporting Local Agriculture:

• Farmer Support Programs: We provide resources and support to local farmers, helping them to sustain and expand their operations. By strengthening our local food supply, we can ensure a steady flow of fresh produce to our communities. All of our food security efforts include purchasing directly from local farms to economically support their businesses.
• Nutrition Education:
• Cooking and Nutrition Classes: Our nutrition education programs teach residents how to prepare healthy meals on a budget. These classes are designed to empower families to make the most of their food resources and improve their overall health.

Policy Advocacy:

• Advocating for School Meal Programs: We support initiatives to provide free healthy school meals for all students in Putnam County. Ensuring that children have access to nutritious food at school is crucial for their academic success and overall well-being.

Looking Forward

As we continue our efforts to enhance food security in Putnam County, collaboration is key. We invite community members, local businesses, and policymakers to join us in this important work. Together, we can create a resilient food system that supports the health and well-being of all our residents.

Get Involved

Join us in our mission to combat food insecurity. We always need volunteers to help address food security in our county. Your involvement makes a difference. Visit our website at CCE Putnam County for more information and to find out how you can help.

Photo: Ruby Koch-Fienberg

BACK TO TOP

---

 

Chicken Sprouts

by Brandy Keenan, 4-H Educator

Cade Freehill, Youth Leader of the Putnam County 4-H Poultry Club, lead a meeting of the Sprouts Cloverbud 4-H Club on a warm Sunday in June.

For an hour Cade (and a few of his clubmates) captivated the Cloverbuds by teaching them a little bit about the joy of chickens, going over proper coop construction, life cycles, good and bad food, predators, and fun facts (you can tell the color egg a chicken will lay by looking at their earlobe!)

The Cloverbuds shared what they already knew about chickens and then ended with something new that they had learned from Cade. All in all it was a great morning – especially when they got some hands on learning by holding a few chicks and seeing for themselves how delicate and active they are.

Maybe he has inspired some future chicken caretakers!

BACK TO TOP

---

New Program - Summer EBT

by Josephine Quiocho, SNAP Ed Educator

Beginning in 2024, New York State will launch Summer EBT, a new program that provides low-income families with food benefits to help buy groceries during the summer when kids might not have access to school meals. Most eligible children will receive Summer EBT food benefits automatically; however, some families may need to apply.

The new program is in addition to free meals that children ages 18 and younger can get at summer meal sites in their communities.

Each eligible child will receive $120 in Summer EBT food benefits in 2024.

Where can I use my SNAP EBT card?

Summer EBT benefits can be used just like SNAP benefits to buy food at grocery stores, farmers markets, and other SNAP-authorized retailers.

Summer EBT food benefits will begin to be issued this summer. Eligible children will receive benefits at different times, depending on whether they attend public or private school, and whether they receive benefits automatically or are determined eligible through a Summer EBT application. For more information visit https://otda.ny.gov/programs/summer-ebt/, or call Jo at Cornell Cooperative Extension Putnam County, 845-278-6738x211.

Photo: ImageStock

BACK TO TOP

---

Mobile Food Truck Brings Fresh Local Produce to Those in Need

by Ruby Koch-Fienberg, Ag & Food Systems Coordinator

We are thrilled to announce that our mobile food truck, funded by the NYFNYF grant (Track 1), has successfully delivered more than 40,000 pounds of fresh produce, eggs, milk, and meat directly to individuals in need. This initiative is a testament to our commitment to supporting both local agriculture and the most vulnerable members of our community.

Our food truck sources high-quality food from farms across Putnam, Dutchess, Westchester, and surrounding areas. By partnering with local farmers, we ensure that the freshest, most nutritious food reaches those who need it most, while simultaneously bolstering the local economy and reducing food waste.

The mobile food truck is making stops around the county, including places like the Carmel Mobile Homes Park, Brookside Senior Mobile Home Park, and the Putnam Valley Free Library. These locations are strategically chosen to reach a wide range of community members, ensuring that everyone has access to fresh, healthy food, regardless of their location or circumstances.

As our route is finalized, we will post the daily schedule on our website, providing easy access to information about where and when the truck will be available in your area.

Supporting Local Farms

Our collaboration with local farms in the region is a cornerstone of this initiative. By purchasing produce, eggs, milk, and meat directly from farmers in Putnam, Dutchess, Westchester, and nearby areas, we not only provide critical support to local agriculture but also ensure that our community receives the highest quality food available. This initiative fosters a sustainable food system that benefits both producers and consumers.

Provisions have come from local farms including Long Haul Farm in Garrison, Harvest Moon Farm and Orchard in North Salem, Harlem Valley Homestead in Wingdale, and Hudson Valley Fresh Milk.

Looking Ahead

As we move forward, we remain committed to expanding our reach and impact. Our goal is to continue making a difference in the lives of individuals and families across the county by providing access to fresh, nutritious food and supporting local farmers. We are grateful for the continued support of the NYFNYF grant, our partners, and our dedicated team, who make this vital work possible.

Stay tuned for more updates and information on our upcoming stops. Together, we can build a healthier, more sustainable community for all.

Thank you for your ongoing support!

For more information on our mobile food truck schedule and how you can get involved, please visit our website or contact us directly.

Photo: Irma Arango

BACK TO TOP

---

The Nativar Dilemma 

By Phyllis Bock, Master Gardener Volunteer

“Right plant, right place,” is a gardener’s mantra. As a haphazard gardener attempting to convert a suburban backyard to an oasis for wildlife, especially for pollinators, I eagerly pulled out privet, whacked and hacked at multiflora rose and the strangling vines of oriental bittersweet, and began replacing those scourges with native plants. But the plant world can be confusing. Should I replace the brilliant azaleas, the climbing roses, the ancient lilac? Is there a place in the garden for both? Shopping for native plants, I waded through the plant tags: common and scientific names, straight species, cultivars and now nativars. The confusion left me going home empty handed. What’s a gardener to do?

I decided to keep the stalwarts of my garden, the roses, azaleas, lilacs and others that provide cover and color throughout the seasons, and add more plants that will host, feed and shelter birds, bees, butterflies and other insects. In searching out native plants, I began a deep dive into the terminology and learned the difference between straight species, cultivars, and “nativars.”

A straight, or native, species, simply put, is an unmodified plant as it is found in the wild. These plants developed over a long period of time in a particular region, are open-pollinated, and grow true to seed. They evolved without human interference.

A cultivar is bred by people, not nature, for a specific trait like flower color, or height, and are asexually reproduced. They are grown from cuttings or divisions – cloned to be genetically identical.

A nativar is a cultivar of a native plant, again bred for specific traits, that may originally have been found in nature but has since been manipulated by people.

Now what to choose? If you are gardening to attract pollinators and other wildlife, it’s best to stick with the straight species, even though they are sometimes hard to find. Look at and read the plant tag! A native species will be labeled only with its scientific and common names – without any qualifiers as part of the plant’s names. Asclepias tuberosa, Butterfly Weed, is an example of a straight species label. Contrast that with Coreopsis tripteris, Tickseed ‘Gold Standard,’ the label of a nativar of tall tickseed that was selected and bred for its short stature and sturdy stems. The qualifier added to the scientific and common names, within single quotations marks -- ‘Gold Standard’ -- identifies this plant as one that is not a straight species of Coreopsis tripteris. Here comes the conundrum – if the plant is modified from its wild state, will it continue to be beneficial to wildlife? And there is where the debate begins.

Sometimes a native plant gets genetically modified to such an extent that it no longer supports the wildlife that depend on it. For example, Physocarpus opulifolius, Common Ninebark is a native shrub, known to attract bees and butterflies and moths. It has been cultivated and bred for leaf color, changing its original green foliage to varieties with dark red, golden brown, and even purple leaves. The manipulated Ninebark ‘Diablo’ has more anthocyanin pigments in the leaves, producing dark colors, but those pigments also make them unpalatable and, in some cases, even toxic to the insects that feed on them.

Other modifications like double flowers interest gardeners because what’s not to love about showy blooms? In this case native plants are bred for an abundance of sepals and petals, so much so that pollinators are prohibited from accessing the pollen. Some of these enhanced blooms are sterile and result in the double whammy of not producing seeds. In the case of double flowered varieties of Echinacea, that means birds like chickadees no longer have a winter food source.

If the straight species of a native is difficult to locate, it’s best to look for nativars that tamper least with nature. Choose nativars that are bred for compactness, disease resistance, or larger fruit, and stay away from those that change flower size or shape and leaf color. Some cultivars in fact produce copious pollen and nectar, more so that the straight species. But how are you to know which is which? We know so little about which cultivars are super producers, and with hundreds of cultivars in some species, like echinacea, it’s unlikely that research will catch up. We circle back to, “it’s best to stick with the straight species” if supporting pollinators is your goal.

Most of all, try to find the right plants by searching for nurseries that stock straight natives. And do your homework before going out!

List of Native Plant Nurseries in our area.

Photos

Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diablo’ by F.D. Richards Flickr CC SA 2.0

Physocarpus opulifolius Judy Gallagher Flickr CC 2.0

BACK TO TOP

---

 

Welcome CCEPC Intern – Kat Gaddie

My name is Kathryn Gaddie and I am a rising second-year in the Masters of Public Health program at Cornell University, concentrating in Food Systems and Health. I fell in love with agriculture in my undergrad, where I studied dairy science at Virginia Tech and participated in the VT Dairy Club, Sigma Alpha, and the Little All-American Dairy Show. Ever since, I have become passionate about being an advocate for agriculture and giving farmers a voice. I am super excited to be able to work with CCE PC to be able to spotlight farmers in the Hudson Valley, and promote the local food systems of Putnam County.

BACK TO TOP

Last updated July 11, 2024