Horticulture-related efforts cited by Sustainable Tompkins among its Signs of Sustainability for 2012 include:
- The Cornell student vineyard at Cornell Orchards has been certified organic by the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) of New York.
- This year, Cornell Small Farms Program‘s biennial New York Small Farms Summit grew considerably since their last summit. Approximately 150 farmers with small operations and farm educators met physically and virtually at the event to prioritize the organization’s efforts on behalf of regional small farms.
- Through a generous grant from the Northeast Sun Grant Institute, the Cornell University shrub willow bioenergy program grew tremendously. The grant led to breeding willow (a renewable energy option) and installation of a boiler which will burn willow biomass to heat two buildings in Cornell’s agricultural station in Geneva.