Farmer Training
At the Watershed Agricultural Council, we believe education is vital to the success of new and established farm operations. We collaborate with Cornell Cooperative Extensions and other agencies to deliver learning opportunities for farmers of all ages, experience levels and farming expertise.
Our workshops and trainings run the gamut of topics, such as
- Farming for the first time, business planning and market analysis;
- Learning to raise healthy heifers through NYS Calf Health Assessment Program;
- Taking a pasture walk to better understand a rotational grazing strategy;
- Discovering the importance of proper record keeping in receiving Nutrient Management Credit payments;
- Transitioning from dairy to beef;
- Operations and maintenance of your Whole Farm Plan BMPs; or
- Supplementing a farm’s bottom line with a value-added dairy product like cheese, learning how to make it and then marketing the final product.
Speakers are often experts in their fields like veterinarian, precision feed managers, no-till operators and Extension agents. Or you might hear and learn something from your neighbor farmer.
Producer Groups
We also coordinate Producer Groups focused on dairy, beef and sheep/goat issues. These farmer-to-farmer gatherings meet periodically to discuss livestock topics of interest or to find solutions to on-farm hurdles. If you are interested in joining a Producer Group, contact:
Beef: Rich Toebe, CCE Dairy-Livestock Coordinator (607) 865-7090, ext. 208
Grazing: Dale Dewing, CCE-WAP Team Leader (607) 865-7090, ext. 246
Calf health: Rich Toebe, CCE Dairy-Livestock Coordinator (607) 865-7090, ext. 208
Sheep, goat, small ruminant livestock: Rich Toebe, CCE Dairy-Livestock Coordinator (607) 865-7090, ext. 208
Below are upcoming events for farmers:
Past Events › Agriculture
September 2024
Tenfold Farm raises lamb, chickens, and pastured pigs on their 156-acre farm. Relatively new to farming, Sal is a member of a Beginning Shepherds Group and is participating in a season long study on pasture management and sheep health including parasite management. This walk will feature: Walking the pasture looking at paddock development, fencing, and grazing management for the sheep Summary of the pasture study to date (7 farms are participating) Looking at the poultry and pig enterprises Review of…
Find out more »October 2024
Customer-Focused Marketing Workshop A few simple marketing tweaks can make a huge difference for selling meat direct-to-consumer. This event is being put on by ChopLocal and the Cornell Agriculture Marketing Program. Plan on attending this free workshop to learn how to simplify the meat buying process for your customers and boost your profits. Practical Marketing Strategies & Simple Technology Solutions – Katie Olthoff, Co-founder of ChopLocal Research results on customer spending at farmers markets – Matt LeRoux, Cornell Agricultural Marketing Research…
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West Wind Icelandics is a horse farm which offers Icelandic horse riding, lessons, and boarding services. This walk will feature how the farm successfully uses pasture for the primary feed source from April to December and how it uses pastured poultry to improve the pastures. 22 paddocks used in rotation for both pasture and exercise Use of pastured poultry system to improve soil fertility and health Short Tour of the horse barn and arena Please register by October 2 by…
Find out more »December 2024
Transferring the ownership and management of a family farm goes beyond passing down land—it’s about preserving and continuing the legacy built by generations. This process is inherently complex, involving much more than just financial and legal logistics. The legacy of a family farm often holds deep personal and cultural significance, making it vital to ensure a smooth transition that respects both the past and the future. Building a legacy takes time and effort, and successfully transferring it—whether to family or…
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Beef is a commodity product sold by weight. Multiple factors influence pricing structure depending on the market. Quality grade, yield grade, carcass fabrication, & meat color all play a role. Understanding what influences these factors is important. Presentations by Dr. Adam Murray, Cornell PRO-LIVESTOCK Beef Cattle Extension Specialist.Dinner at 6 pm, Presentations start at 6:30 pm. Calculating quality grade and yield grade Carcass fabrication and beef aging Consumer perception of beef color Call or email Kim Holden at (607) 865-7090…
Find out more »Transferring the ownership and management of a family farm goes beyond passing down land—it’s about preserving and continuing the legacy built by generations. This process is inherently complex, involving much more than just financial and legal logistics. The legacy of a family farm often holds deep personal and cultural significance, making it vital to ensure a smooth transition that respects both the past and the future. Building a legacy takes time and effort, and successfully transferring it—whether to family or…
Find out more »
Wintertime is the most difficult time to keep calves healthy. With fewer available treatment options, proper nutrition is more important than ever before as it is the best defense against disease. This workshop will explore feeding strategies to ensure that your calves ‘hit the ground running’! 11:00 – Trent Westhoff, Cornell University – Managing colostrum to maximize its health benefits from collection to feeding. 11:45 – Lunch and producer networking 12:45 – Dr. Mike Van Amburgh – Milk replacer, whole…
Find out more »February 2025
Transitioning farm ownership and management to prepare for retirement requires careful planning to meet your retirement needs while also assuring the farm is successful and profitable for the next operator. This workshop will be an interactive work session, where you will leave having identified the process and work needed to achieve a successful farm transition. We will focus on the financial health of your farm business, the assets of the business that will be transferred in the operation, consider your…
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Making your Pastures Work for You is the theme of this workshop. Start planning your 2025 pasture season now. Hear from four speakers discuss strategies that result in improved labor efficiency & increased pasture production and animal performance. Grazing System Tune-Up: Paddock layout, fence & water Pasture Renovation Strategies Clipping Pastures: When does this actually make sense? Grazing Management: Making decisions that keep you on track Register by calling or emailing Kim Holden by February 26th: 607 865-7090 or kmh19@cornell.edu
Find out more »
Making your Pastures Work for You is the theme of this workshop. Start planning your 2025 pasture season now. Hear from four speakers discuss strategies that result in improved labor efficiency & increased pasture production and animal performance. Grazing System Tune-Up: Paddock layout, fence & water Pasture Renovation Strategies Clipping Pastures: When does this actually make sense? Grazing Management: Making decisions that keep you on track Register by calling or emailing Kim Holden by February 26th: 607 865-7090 or kmh19@cornell.edu
Find out more »