Happenings October 2023

October 2023

Putnam County Welcomes Nutrition Educator Josephine Quiocho

Culturally Relevant Foods

The Labor-Saving Magic of Not Tidying Up

Putnam 4-H Celebrates National 4-H Week

In The Lab: Lilac Problems

It's Paper Clover Time!

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Putnam County Welcomes Nutrition Educator Josephine Quiocho

Josephine Quiocho started her nutrition career in the garden. Growing food and being in nature are some of her absolute joys, however, she began to realize that food - growing, cooking, or eating – is a struggle for many. This led her to pursue a master’s degree in food studies from New York University and join Cornell Cooperative Extension’s SNAP-Ed Hudson Valley team. She is excited to use her education and experience to help enhance food literacy and security in Putnam and Westchester Counties.

What is SNAP-Ed?

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) is a federally funded grant program. SNAP-Ed is evidence-based and helps people make their SNAP dollars stretch, teaches them how to cook healthy meals and lead physically active lifestyles. SNAP-Ed partners with State and local organizations to meet people where they are. The goal of SNAP-Ed is to implement a nutrition education and obesity prevention program for eligible individuals that promotes healthy food choices and physical activity consistent with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans. For more information about SNAP-Ed contact Jo at Jmq24@cornell.edu, or check out www.snapedny.org.

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Culturally Relevant Foods

As Hispanic Heritage Month unfolds from September 15th – October 15th, we have a wonderful opportunity to honor and embrace the rich culinary traditions of Hispanic cultures right here in Putnam County, New York. While we may not be in the heart of Latin America, our region's climate and fertile soil allow us to grow some culturally relevant foods that bring the spirit of Hispanic cuisine to our tables.

Tomatillos: These vibrant, tangy green gems are essential for making delicious salsa verde. With the right care, tomatillos can thrive in Putnam County's gardens, adding a zesty touch to our local cuisine.

Hot Peppers: Spice up your dishes with peppers like jalapeños, poblano, or habaneros. These fiery peppers can be grown successfully in our climate, adding a punch of flavor to your favorite Mexican or Latin-inspired recipes.

Cilantro: A staple in many Hispanic dishes, cilantro grows well in Putnam County's gardens. Its fresh, citrusy flavor is perfect for salsa, guacamole, and countless other dishes.

Zucchini: While not exclusive to Hispanic cuisine, zucchini can be incorporated into Latin-inspired recipes like calabacitas. Its versatility makes it a fantastic addition to your garden.

Corn: Corn is a key ingredient in dishes like tamales and elote. Growing your own corn in Putnam County allows you to enjoy these traditional foods with a local twist.

Cubanelle Peppers: These mild, sweet peppers are perfect for stuffing with cheese or adding a gentle heat to your dishes. They thrive in our climate and can be a unique addition to your garden.

This Hispanic Heritage Month, let's celebrate the flavors of Hispanic cuisine right here in Putnam County. By growing these culturally relevant foods locally, we not only connect with Hispanic traditions but also support sustainable and diverse farming practices in our community. Explore recipes, visit local farmers' markets, and savor the delicious tastes of Hispanic heritage grown in our own backyard. ¡Buen provecho!

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The Labor-Saving Magic of Not Tidying Up

By Janis Butler, Master Gardener Volunteer

Let’s say you do all the right things to help those pollinators and other beneficial insects and spiders in your garden. You grow flowers with many different shapes and colors, including lots of natives, with blooms from early spring through late fall. You avoid pesticides. You keep lawn to a minimum. In October, you pat yourself on the back, tidy up for the coming winter and put your feet up until spring.

But wait! Back up to “tidy”. Tidy for whom? Not for those leg-endowed garden friends you’ve been helping all summer long. Most insects and spiders stick around for the winter, either as eggs, larvae, pupae or adults, and they need a place to live safely. Too much tidying could destroy their winter homes, or worse.

So, let’s rethink some of those clean-up chores.

Cutting back perennials: No need to overdo it. The plants don’t mind waiting until spring, and their stems provide winter homes for many tiny critters. Those empty-looking dried flowers can still contain seeds that birds hunt for all winter long. Especially leave coneflowers, sunflowers, black-eyed Susans and others from the aster family (those with wide, flat flowers). As a bonus, your garden will have greater winter interest as attractive dried flowers and seed pods stick out of the snow.

If you feel you must cut back those stalks, consider leaving some of them in small, loose piles around the back of the garden. Fat queen bumblebees would be glad to find a snug haven under such a heap. Stem-nesting mason bees may find them and be grateful. So will spiders, who badly need winter housing. In spring, they will send their progeny out to do battle with aphids, leafhoppers, leafminers, spider mites, spruce budworms, pine sawflies, thrips, cucumber beetles and many more gardeners’ enemies.

Mowing those grassy fields: Could you stand to mow only 1/4 or 1/3 of your meadow each year, leaving habitat for fauna? Katydids drill tiny holes in the stems of goldenrods and asters and lay their eggs there. Butterflies attach their delicate chrysalids to dead sticks and stems in meadows, emerging as adults in the spring. The round galls on goldenrod stems are made by tephritid flies and are eaten by titmice and chickadees during the winter months. Ladybugs and lacewings nest in the dry, sheltered crowns of native grasses.

Raking up leaf litter: This is a tough one. It goes against the grain of all our habits and assumptions. But think of it as free mulch. And remember who lives in that litter. Worms, snails, millipedes and earthworms feed on it, breaking it up so that other organisms (bacteria, fungi, protozoans, algae and viruses) can decompose it into forms of nitrogen, calcium, sulfur and other soluble chemicals and minerals that are recycled as food by plants, including trees. The little litter critters are themselves food for salamanders, turtles, other insects, birds and larger animals. Insect larvae in particular are eaten by forest birds. When you see a bird pecking through a pile of leaves, they’re looking for food.

Many butterflies and moths overwinter in their pupal state in leaf litter. They’re pretty but, more importantly, their caterpillars provide essential food for protein-hungry baby birds in the spring. Some moths and bees spend the winter hibernating under leaf litter. Many other critters huddle under the leaves in a semi-dormant state. The list of leaf-litter beneficiaries is long! Leaf litter insulates and provides moisture, the perfect winter habitat.

A closer look at fungi: In addition to providing food for mites, springtails and many beetles and nematodes, the fungi in leaf litter plays a critically important role in breaking down lignin, the tough stuff that gives trees their strength. Without fungi to decompose the rigid cell walls of dead trees, our forests would be covered with millennia of fallen trunks and branches. Mycorrhizal fungi live in close association with plant roots and help them absorb vital nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen from the soil. (The fungi aren’t doing this for free: from the plants they get nutrients produced by photosynthesis.)

By doing less tidying up, could you be harboring bad bugs as well as good? That’s always a risk but one worth taking, considering the alarming rate at which natural habitat is shrinking for the more desirable critters, especially the natives. And of course, you should tidy up any litter that might contain pathogens. Get rid of dead leaves under the grape arbor and the leaf-spot-ridden cherry tree. In fact, clean up carefully the fallen leaves of any plant with leaf spot or any other signs of disease. Dispose of all disease-prone plant material (tomatoes, impatiens, peonies, roses) properly, meaning double-bag it and put it out with the trash unless you are positive it’s healthy. If you have voles eating your plants – and they’ll eat bark, crowns, seeds and fruits as well as roots – you may want to leave some cleared (tidied) space so that hawks can find them.

Keep in mind that the insect and spider lives you save this winter will benefit your flowers next summer and generally contribute to a healthier ecosystem.

Photo credits:

Gorgeous seedheads of bee balm (Monarda fistulosa) and ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis) in late November. Photo by Debbie Roos, NC Extension

Monarch chrysalis on downy goldenrod (Solidago puberula) in mid-October. Photo by Debbie Roos, N.C. Extension

Luna moth cocoon secured to leaf litter. Photo by D. George, B. Watkins N.C. Parks

The late November chubby seedheads of Maryland golden aster (Chrysopis mariana) are as golden as the blooms! Photo by Debbie Roos, N.C. Extension

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Putnam 4-H Celebrates National 4-H Week

Join us in celebrating the power of 4-H! For over 100 years, 4-H has empowered youth with the skills to lead for a lifetime, inspired families, and impacted communities. From October 1-7, we will celebrate the impact of 4-H during National 4-H Week.

Get involved & help celebrate National 4-H Week! Here are some ideas:

Wear Your 4-H Gear — Nothing says 4-H pride like a 4-H tee! Dress yourself (or the entire family – pets included!) in 4-H green and clover gear.

Shout-Out a 4-H’er — Recognize the hard work and dedication of 4-H’ers by shouting out one youth or an entire club on social media, in a local newspaper or other media.

Join in our 4-H Spirit Week FUN - Take part in our daily Spirit Week Challenges on Facebook.

Storefront Displays/Information Booths — In some communities, you can ask local businesses to display 4-H posters, flyers, showcase the work of 4-H'ers, or host a table to share information about your local 4-H program. Stores may also be willing to dedicate their entire storefront to 4-H signs, memorabilia, and décor for the week.

Serve as a 4-H Youth Ambassador at Patterson Tractor Supply for the 4-H Paper Clover Fundraiser (October 5th – 16th): Email Dena at dla25@cornell.edu to ask how & sign-up for a time slot. Learn more about the Paper Clover Fundraiser here.

Become a 4-H Volunteer —If you are a parent of a current 4-H’er or just someone who cares about kids, consider giving your time to Putnam 4-H! We need volunteers more than ever to help provide opportunities to Putnam youth. Cornell Cooperative Extension | Volunteer with 4-H

Share Your 4-H Story — Take to social media to share a favorite 4-H memory, express how 4-H shaped who you are today, describe what 4-H means to you, post an old 4-H photo, or shout-out your 4-H club. Be sure to tag #cceputnam

Have a 4-H Reunion — 4-H Alumni often credit 4-H for the lifelong connections they’ve made! Gather your old 4-H friends and spend some time together reminiscing on your 4-H experience or recreate a 4-H project together! Be sure to register on our Putnam 4-H Alumni Association page. https://reg.cce.cornell.edu/putnam_4h_Alumni_REG_...

Send a 4-H ‘Thank You’ — We all have a reason to thank our local 4-H staff, volunteers and supporters. To show your appreciation, send a handwritten ‘thank you’ note to someone who has supported youth and made a difference.

Give Back — Local programs are always looking for resources to continue growing 4-H for the future. Help programs thrive by making a donation to help support your county 4-H program: 

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In The Lab: Lilac Problems!

This summer's frequent rains have created perfect conditions for pathogens to thrive. Lilacs in particular have been hard hit. We had frequent reports and photos of lilac foliage with spots, or widespread leaf-drop.

If this happened to you, don't be disheartened. Clean up all fallen, diseased leaves around the base of sick plants. This plant's strength is in its roots and buds. Next year, expected new foliage and stems to emerge from healthy buds.

Fingers crossed, next year is not as wet!

Read more about Lilac Foliar Diseases

https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2021-08-05-whats-wrong-my-lilac-summer-foliar-diseases-lilac

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It's Paper Clover Time!

4-H and Tractor Supply Company (TSC) are kicking off the Fall 4-H Paper Clover fundraiser! From October 4th-15th you can support 4-H Programs in Putnam County by making a donation when you check out at TSC on Route 311 in Patterson. The money raised is used to support Regional & Statewide 4-H Youth Leadership opportunities including sending Putnam Youth to the NYS 4-H Capital Days Conference in Albany and also to the NYS 4-H Statewide Ambassadors Retreat (among other things).

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Last updated September 26, 2023