Happenings July 2025

July 2025

Adaptation is Key to Growing Changes in Northeast Climate

Meet Mama B and Gil

Squash Vine Borer: Nobody Likes a Bore!

4-H News: Planting Gardens and All About Horses

Food Safety for Summer Grilling

Celebrate Summer with a Classic Recipe

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Adaptation is Key to Growing Changes in Northeast 

by Karen Heller, Master Gardener Volunteer

In New York, as our weather changes, adaptation is the name of the game for at-home gardeners and commercial farmers. From historically hot days to increased drought to unexpected rainfall, New York growers have had to adopt new techniques, growing times and learn to roll with unpredictable punches.

Climate change is worldwide and local
For one New York farm family growing corn, soy, and triticale, the last two years’ extremes had big effects on the harvest. The extreme rain made it impossible to get combine harvesters onto the land until a hard freeze made the fields accessible. Last year, the drought did the opposite. The crops were harvested by Nov. 19.

“We have [in the past] experienced rainier and drier seasons, but never for months on end,” said Megan Swartz of Swartz Farm, a fifth-generation working farm in South Schodack, N.Y.

The farm is known for strawberries, pumpkins, and its pick-your-own programs. Every year, the strawberries are ripening a couple of days earlier, observed Swartz. The earlier fast blooms are more vulnerable to occasional freezing events as well as hard rain and thunderstorms.

Last June, there was a week of 90-degree weather that shortened Swartz’s strawberry growing season by a full week. The pumpkins also struggled that year under a similar uninterrupted week of 95-degree summer days. The pumpkin plants dropped their flowers and bees avoided the heat as well.

The farm and family are continually adapting. For example, the strawberries have been protected from flash freezes by a watering product that incorporates sea kelp. Successful farmers are continually sourcing innovative approaches as well as more disease resistant and heat tolerant seed varieties.

It’s not just the weather
Shorter winters and severe storms coming from the South are increasing the lifespan and variety of destructive insects and pathogens. Storms carry new pests. The disease pressure has meant additional treatments with fungicides and pesticides to protect plant health.

In Cold Spring, the Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming is studying, practicing, and teaching regenerative agriculture. Their adaptation program features investments in infrastructure. For extreme rainfall they built earthworks – swales and berms - in their produce field. They are using raised beds to keep crops drier. For extreme drought and heat they have built an irrigation system. They have added high tunnels (movable structures where plants are grown in-ground rather than on greenhouse benches) as well as greenhouses. Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli for example, do poorly in extreme heat.

The changes have been unpredictable says Jarret Nelson, who has been Director of Vegetable Production and Farm Operations for the past 11 years. The adaptation program has meant significant capital investments: The earthworks cost $8,000; the high tunnels $20,000 across Glynnwood’s seven planting acres. The weather extremes have overshadowed gradual warming and have not yet changed planting dates, says Nelson. He is regularly looking at what to grow that will be best suited to survive the extremes.

The evolution of a zone map
An important reference source for the timing of outdoor planting is the USDA plant hardiness zone map. Specifically, the map aids gardeners, landscapers, and farmers to select and grow plants that are likely to survive winter in their region. Commercially available seed packets are labeled with colorful maps illustrating hardiness zone information. Online, the map is interactive. There are 13 climate zones with a difference of ten degrees Fahrenheit each. A user can put in their zip code to find their zone. https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/

In November 2023, the map was updated reflecting the temperature changes that have been recorded from 1991 through 2020. On average, the coldest days of winter in our current climate is 5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than they were between 1976 and 2005. Comparing the old and the updated maps shows that as climate changes warm the Earth, plant hardiness zones are shifting northward.

In some areas, including the central Appalachians, northern New England and north central Idaho, winter temperatures have warmed by 1.5 hardiness zones – 15 degrees Fahrenheit over the same 30-year window. According to multiple scientific organizations including NASA, NOAA, and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 2023 was the warmest year on record based on global average temperature data since recordkeeping began 174 years ago. The previous record year was in 2016. https://www.noaa.gov/news/2023-was-worlds-warmest... https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-analysis-c...

Photo credit: Dry brook, October 2024, Karen Heller.

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Meet Mama B and Gil

from the American Highland Cattle Association, adapted by Stefanie Hubert, executive director

Say hello to Mama B and her calf, Gil, the newest residents of Tilly Foster Farm! These gentle Highland cattle — a breed known for its hardiness, thick coats, and calm nature — are polled, meaning they’re naturally hornless, making them ideal for youth engagement and hands-on learning. Highland cattle are one of the oldest and most distinctive cattle breeds in the world, originally developed in the rugged Highlands of Scotland. Over centuries of living in harsh weather and rough terrain, they became a naturally hardy and adaptable breed.

Key Traits:

• Thick double coat: A long, coarse outer layer and soft, wooly undercoat keep them warm in winter and cool in summer — they don’t need barns or extra shelter!
• Polled or horned: While many Highland cattle have long, dramatic horns, Mama B and Gil are polled, meaning they are naturally hornless — ideal for educational settings.
• Docile and intelligent: Highlands are known for their calm temperament, making them great animals to work with, especially in youth programs.
• Efficient foragers: They can graze on brush, shrubs, and rough pasture, often used in land management and conservation projects.
• Strong maternal instincts: Highland cows are attentive mothers and can raise healthy calves even in challenging conditions.

Fun Facts:

• The breed's history dates back to the 6th century, with official herd books published in 1885 in Scotland.
• Highland cattle come in many colors: red, black, dun, yellow, brindle, silver, and white — all are traditional!
• Early Scots even kept Highland cows inside their homes during winter, separated by a fence to share warmth.

Highland cattle have a rich history of thriving in rugged environments, and Mama B and Gil will now be part of something just as enduring: a year-round 4-H Agricultural and Environmental Science Club for youth ages 11–19, launching this October.

Through this club, participants will explore animal care, sustainable farming, and environmental science — all while working closely with these remarkable animals.

If you’re interested in joining the club or volunteering as an adult co-leader, please contact Cornell Cooperative Extension of Putnam County at 845-278-6738.

Come meet Mama B and Gil — and be part of growing something great!

Resource: https://highlandcattleusa.org

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Squash Vine Borer: Nobody Likes a Bore!

from Abby Seaman, NYS IPM Program

Squash may slightly wilt in midday heat, but if plants don’t recover overnight, wilting might be a sign of squash vine borers on your farm. Recognizing infestation early and responding with appropriate management strategies can prevent stealth population build-up and crop losses.

Squash vine borer (Melittia satyriniformis syn. Melittia cucurbitae) is mainly a pest of summer and winter squash, pumpkins, and gourds. They primarily affect small-acreage diversified farms and are rarely a problem in large-acreage fields.

Damage
Caterpillar larvae burrow and feed inside plant stems, causing wilting by disrupting water and nutrient flow. Damage can be especially serious in bush-type squash if the main stem is destroyed. Vining-type cucurbits may have damage in only some runners. In a dry season, borer feeding can seriously reduce yield or even kill plants.

Identification and Biology
Check the base of wilting plant portions for frass (excrement) that resembles sawdust emerging from the stem. Slice open that stem to reveal the larva feeding inside.

Squash vine borers overwinter as mature larvae or pupae in the soil. Adults emerge in late June to July. Female squash vine borers lay small (1/25 inch) disk-shaped, reddish-brown eggs at the base of plants or vines. Eggs hatch in 9–11 days, and larvae burrow into stems within hours of hatching. Larvae are wrinkled, whitish worms with a brown head capsule.

Adult squash vine borers are distinctive clear-winged moths with a wingspan of 1–1 ½ inches. The top half of the body is black and the lower half orange-red with a vertical line of black dots and feathery orange scales on the legs (Fig. 3). They fly in daytime and can sometimes be seen hovering in front of flowers feeding on nectar, or around cucurbit plants and vines where they lay their eggs.

Monitoring
Pheromone traps can monitor moth flight. Yellow and white bucket traps or heliothis-style traps are recommended.

Base-50 degree–days (DD50) can help predict adult squash vine borer emergence, which is estimated to be around 1000 (DD50) accumulated degree–days. The Climate Smart Farming Growing Degree-Day Calculator shows your area’s GDD accumulation.

Varietal preference
Squash vine borers prefer some cultivars over others. Most commercial cucurbits are one of three different species: Cucurbita pepo (most summer squash, most pumpkins, and many long-keeping winter squash varieties); C. moschata (butternut squash and some pumpkins); and C. maxima (Hubbard, Buttercup, Kabocha, and Jarrahdale types). In a University of Illinois study, C. maxima were most attractive to squash vine borers, C. pepo had intermediate susceptibility, and C. Moschata were least preferred. Butternut squash are particularly tolerant.

Management

Cultural control: Reduce overwintering populations by disking in infested summer squash plantings as soon as harvest is complete. Tillage after longer-season cucurbits disrupts larvae and pupae in the soil.

Perimeter trap cropping: Because of the borer preference for some types of squash, if your main crop is a less-preferred variety, you can attract squash vine borers to lay most of their eggs on a more attractive crop variety planted around the perimeter of the field. University of Connecticut research showed 88% squash vine borer reductions in zucchini or summer squash main crops when using a Blue Hubbard perimeter trap crop. Either treat the trap crop with an effective insecticide to prevent borer infestation or destroy the trap crop after the peak egg-laying period is over to kill the borers. For more information on perimeter trap cropping, see: Perimeter Trap Cropping for Yellow and Green Summer Squash.

In a home garden with relatively few plants, stems can be slit lengthwise with a sharp, thin blade near where the frass is emerging from the stem. The caterpillar/larva can be killed with the blade and left inside, or carefully open the stem and remove the larva. Soil can be heaped around vining plants to promote new rooting.

Fig. 3: An adult squash vine borer moth. Photo credit: Ansel Oomman, Bugwood.org. https://www.insectimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?im...

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4-H News: Planting Gardens and All About Horses

from Brandy Keenan, 4-H Educator

Garrison Union Free School
Brandy Keenan, 4-H educator, was a guest teacher at the Garrison Union Free School Youth Climate Summit in May where she taught an enrichment lesson for one of the Pre-K classes. They read the book “Planting a Rainbow” and then engaged in an art project creating flowers out of popsicle sticks, buttons and cupcake liners. Then, they planted their own Rainbow gardens (a seed from a red flower, an orange flower, a yellow flower and a blue and purple flower in a cup) to take home.

Hippology
Two members of Tall Oaks competed in the Regional Hippology Event at CCE Orange.

Aine Carey placed second in Horse Judging while Karissa Escaravage placed 6th.
Aine: Sr. team 1st, ind. Hippology 5th, Horse Judging 2nd - qualified to go to state fair.
Karissa: Sr. team 1st, ind. Hippology 7th, Horse Judging 6th - qualified to go to state fair.

PQ Garden Club Comes to a Close for the Summer
Sadly, the PQ Garden club is wrapping up as the school year comes to an end. The curriculum for the club was built upon the foundational question of “How do Things Grow?”

The club started with an exploration of the different types of seeds through the book A Seed is Sleepy and continued the exploration through an art project of creating seed mosaics set in clay which will be decorations in the school garden.

The next month, they discovered that some plants don’t need to come from a seed and were introduced to propagation by reading the book The Greatest Class Pet and then breaking off “spiderettes” from a spider plant and putting them in test tubes of water for the students to take home, along with a cup and some dirt. Later in the season, the students excitedly gave updates on how their spiderette was growing, how long the roots were, and if they had transplanted it into the dirt.

The third month, the club tackled a lot! The younger groups (K-2) learned about hydroponics through the book Outdoor Farm, Indoor Farm and a short video on a hydroponic spinach farm. They then chose a seed they wanted to grow (lettuce, beet, bean, onion, carrot?) and packed it in rock wool for the hydroponic grow tower. Each slot was labeled with the student’s name and the Tower Garden now sits in the main hallway of the school. The older groups (3-5) learned about phototropism and gravitropism by creating a plant maze and sprouting seeds that then get rotated as the roots grow to show how the roots seek “down."

This last month, the students will be helping to grow a “Rainbow Garden,” a theme the students came up with themselves.

Plans are to continue the club when students return in September.

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Food Safety for Summer Grilling

from Cornell Cooperative Extension

The risk of foodborne illness increases during the summer months because disease-causing bacteria grow faster on raw meat and poultry products in warmer weather. Bacteria also need moisture to flourish and summer weather, often hot and humid, provides the perfect conditions.

USDA's four key recommendations can help keep friends and family safe from foodborne illness:

• Clean – Wash hands and surfaces often.
• Separate – Don't cross-contaminate. Keep raw meat and poultry apart from cooked foods.
• Cook – Use a food thermometer to be sure meat and poultry are safely cooked. • Chill - Refrigerate or freeze promptly.

In addition, USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline in the spirit of a food safe summer grilling season, is providing these important recommendations for grillers:

It's a wash! – In sports, "it's a wash" means that the two opposing teams are equally matched and the victor is anyone's guess. But during the summer grilling season, unless you wash your hands thoroughly, the opponent—bacteria that causes foodborne illness—will have the advantage. Be safe by thoroughly washing hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available at the picnic site then bring disposable towelettes or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Hand-washing is one of the simplest ways to help reduce the threat of foodborne illness.

Go ahead, make more marinade – Sauces and marinades used on raw meat or poultry should never be reused on cooked foods. Reused marinade could potentially harbor bacteria that can make people sick. Recycling the marinade as a dipping sauce after the food has been cooked is a bad idea if it has not been boiled first. Always allow meat and poultry to marinate in the refrigerator. At room temperature bacteria on raw meat and poultry can double in number every 20 minutes. Likewise, thaw meat and poultry in the refrigerator, never on the counter.

Safe at the plate – This term applies to more than baseball. One of the most common mistakes people make is serving cooked food on the same plate that was used to transport the raw meat or poultry from the kitchen to the grill. Cross-contamination can also occur when vegetables or other uncooked foods come into contact with cutting boards, plates and utensils that were used for raw meat and poultry products. So this summer keep it safe by using separate plates - one for raw foods and one for cooked foods.

Tools of the trade – You can never have enough tools and two of something is better than one - and safer. It is important to have more than one spatula, fork and other utensils on hand when grilling. Backyard chefs often use a spatula or kitchen tongs to place raw food on the grill and later use the same utensil to remove the food after it's been fully cooked. Because the utensil came into contact with raw food, it could harbor bacteria and transfer them to the cooked food. Be sure to use two utensils, one for raw food, and one for cooked food. Watch the temperature rise - Studies show that the color of cooked poultry and hamburgers is not a reliable way to determine if foods have been cooked to a temperature high enough to kill bacteria like E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella. The only way to be sure food is safely cooked is to use a food thermometer to measure the internal temperature. All poultry products should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F. Ground beef and pork should be cooked to 160°F and steaks, roasts and fish should be cooked to 145°F.

An ice chest isn't just for drinks – An ice chest is a valuable tool at summer outings. Not only does it serve as a vehicle for transporting food, it also plays a critical role in reducing the chances of foodborne illness. Drinks aren't the only food products that should be chilled. Popular picnic items like hot dogs, raw hamburgers and salads should be packed in a cooler with enough ice or freezer packs to keep the temperature inside at 40°F or below.

Dad, are we there yet? – All dads know the best way to get to their destinations without having to ask for directions. But when you are transporting hot foods to your picnic like fried chicken or BBQ ribs, take the most direct route. Hot take-out food should be eaten within two hours and within one hour if the temperature exceeds 90°F.

Keep the flame alive – For many grilling enthusiasts there is only one way to cook - with fire! However, realize that foods left out in temperatures higher than 90°F will become unsafe in just one hour. Because summer picnics and barbeques often last for more than a few hours, food that has been cooked and left sitting on the table for several hours should not be eaten. Hot foods need to be kept hot (140°F or higher). Use the grill and warming trays to maintain these temperatures.

Chill out – Play it safe by putting leftovers and perishables back on ice after eating. Don't send leftovers home with the guests unless this food is transported in a cooler with ice and immediately chilled. These foods can reach the "Danger Zone" (40°F to 140°F), where bacteria can grow and multiply if not properly chilled. Also, cold foods need to be kept cold (40°F or lower). Use coolers and ice to maintain these temperatures.

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Celebrate Summer with a Classic Recipe

submitted by Josephine Quiocho, Nutrition Educator

Baked Beans

Double or triple this easy recipe to feed a crowd. It’s perfect for a picnic or potluck!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups navy, kidney, or lima beans (dry, sorted, and rinsed)
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups apple juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 teaspoons vinegar
• 1 teaspoon mustard (dried)

Instructions
1. Combine apple juice and water. Bring to a boil. Add beans and simmer for 2 1/2 hours until beans are tender. 2. Drain beans, reserve the liquid. 3. Put beans and other ingredients in greased baking dish. 4. Cover and bake at 250 degrees for 3-4 hours. 5. Uncover the last hour of baking and add some reserved liquid if beans become dry.

Source: SNAP-Ed New York

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Last updated July 2, 2025