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Tips for a Fun Filled Local Foods Weekend

Local Foods Weekend is fast approaching! While it may seem like “just another fall weekend,” in fact it’s a uniquely curated extravaganza with an incredible range of experiences into the farms and food system of the region. Over 30 public events hosted by food producers and businesses participating in Local Foods Weekend on September 8, 9, 10 offer you a chance to connect with and visit one or multiple locations. Here’s 6 tips to create a memorable weekend.

1. Discover different event activities

With so many options to choose from, we don’t want you to feel overwhelmed to plan your Local Foods Weekend experience. Think about what you’d like to see or do. Do you have a big family and want to find children’s activities? Is eating great local food a top priority? Do you love hands-on learning? Each business event is categorized by “activity type,” and many events are associated with multiple types. The 9 different categories of activity types include: 

  • Children’s Activities
  • Demonstration
  • Free Samples
  • Guided Tours
  • Live Music
  • Open House
  • Plein Air Viewing
  • Prepared Foods
  • Workshop

You can look for the activity types in the brochure found on the website here and check out the activity icons next to each event listing. These listings are also organized by day and time in the brochure, which can help narrow down events to attend. 

A brochure listing of events over multiple days.
Check out the Local Foods Weekend brochure on the webpage to find activities you’d like to attend.

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Extending the Growing Season in Northern NY

Spring is here which means local greenhouses and high tunnels are filling quickly. Some businesses focus on growing transplants of flowers, vegetables, and herbs for sale to the public and others plant into the ground for a bountiful harvest later in the season. 

Last month, 19 farmers and gardeners participated in the final 2023 Ag and Food Producer Academy course organized by Cornell Cooperative Extension, Planning and Maintaining a High Tunnel or Greenhouse. The group was eager to learn how to incorporate protected structures on their own property, to extend the growing season and grow crops that otherwise might be challenging in northern New York. 

A wealth of experience was shared throughout the three online sessions and field trip day to local greenhouse businesses and high tunnels. Here are a few tidbits we gleaned from our course instructors and field trip hosts. 

  1. Determining Your Structure Size and Soil Management Plan

Judson Reid, Course Instructor and Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Vegetable Specialist emphasized proper structure size and soil management tools. Jud explained that it’s sometimes easier to start with a larger high tunnel or greenhouse so you can grow into it, rather than trying to scale up from a smaller one as your operation evolves. He walked course participants through considerations to determine the correct structure size for their business. Jud also strongly recommended having a soil management plan.

A man stands in a high tunnel between plants, speaking to a group.
Jud discussed air circulation in high tunnels and greenhouses during the field trip.

Soil tests are crucial to manage soil health and he suggests including a fertilizer injector into your system as a cost effective and efficient way to make adjustments to grow robust plants.

2. Finding Funding

Lindsey Pashow, Guest Instructor and Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Agriculture and Business Development and Marketing Specialist, discussed searching and applying for grant funding based on your farm and high tunnel or greenhouse needs. She suggested making a list of your needs and starting with internet searches, finding the past timings and deadlines of grants, and looking at past projects to see if your project is similar and a good fit. 

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Finding a home for the North Country’s Food Waste

We caught up with Alex French Clarkson University’s  Sustainability Coordinator to ask about the recent food waste New York State mandate that went into effect on January 1st, 2022.

Alex French

Can you share the backstory about the recent activities in NYS with Food waste diversion. How are ‘large generators of food waste’ defined? 

Alex: The NYS Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law went into effect in January of 2022. It defines large generators of food waste as companies or institutions that generate 2 tons of food waste per week. These entities are now required to donate edible food rather than throwing it out. If there is a food recycling facility (composting or anaerobic digester) available within 25 miles then inedible food is required to be sent there.

Why tackle food waste on a community level? 

Alex: Tackling this environmental and social issue at the community level will give us the economies of scale to make food recycling viable. I like how NYS has structured this new law to have the larger generators get everything off the ground.

How did Clarkson become involved with this food waste diversion initiative? 

Alex: This project was originally discussed by the Potsdam Climate Smart Communities Task Force. After deciding that we wanted to look into community-scale food waste management the task force asked Clarkson to take the lead. This became a win-win scenario for us because we were able to engage many students in the process through internships. 

Compost piles at Blue Line Compost in Saranac Lake

How much food waste does Clarkson generate on a weekly basis? 

Alex: The DEC estimates that we generate 5 tons of food waste per week during the semester. We think this estimate is high. We are still trying to understand exactly how much food waste we generate. There are so many different sources of food waste on campus! We have good estimates of pre-consumer waste from kitchen prep work but we do not have a clear understanding of our post-consumer food waste from 2 of our 3 main dining areas nor for our residential areas. We hope to have a better understanding by the end of the semester. Read more Finding a home for the North Country’s Food Waste