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Public Health News

Sustainability. Equity. Engagement.

Upcoming Cornell Cooperative Extension programs

4-H membership openings

Enrollment in area 4-H clubs for children and young adults ages 8-18 is now open, as well as for the Cloverbuds program, ages 5-7 years old. Hundreds of 4-H members all over Tompkins County are learning subjects as varied as photography and arts and crafts, gardening and rocketry, and discovering that they are leaders along the way.

Most clubs meet once a month, with additional special project meetings, guest speakers and trips or tours.  Hands-on experiences paired with reflection are practiced throughout all of our programs.  Animal-based clubs provide the opportunity to work directly with animals, engage in on-farm activities, and often the chance to lease an animal for exhibit at the 4-H Youth Fair.

Of special note: a poultry club (dates, times, location TBA) is accepting members; an afterschool 4-H club in Freeville (recruiting members ages 5-12), will hold meetings at the Freeville Methodist Church every Thursday afternoon, 3:15-4:30 p.m.

The annual enrollment fee for 4-H is $15 per member, though all clubs are financially independent and some may have additional funding requirements. For more information, contact Brenda Carpenter, 4-H Club Coordinator, at 272-2292 or email: btc6@cornell.edu or see the website.

Beautify Tompkins County

The Tompkins County Community Beautification Program is accepting nominations until Oct. 15 for outstanding examples of local beautification by businesses, civic associations and residents throughout Tompkins County. Award recipients will be recognized at a reception on Nov. 2.

The nomination categories are:

  • Community Beautification Award for a Business
  • Community Beautification Award for a Civic Association
  • Community Beautification Award for a Residence
  • Community Beautification Award for Placemaking

Types of beautification can include landscape plantings, hanging baskets, planters, murals, interpretive signage and any other features that add color and uniqueness to our communities.

To nominate your favorite examples of beautification, go to 2017_beautification_nominations to complete a short survey, or send an email to Chrys Gardener at cab69@cornell.edu. Include the address of the location and attach digital photos if possible.

Note: Sites in the City of Ithaca that are planted and maintained by staff and volunteers of the Community Beautification Program are not eligible. These sites include the Ithaca Commons and surrounding streets, traffic medians, and many other locations. Go to the public plantings webpage to see a map as well as photos and descriptions of beautification program sites.

The Tompkins County Community Beautification Program is administered by the Tompkins County Tourism Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) and the Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, see http://ccetompkins.org/beautification.

Upcoming CCE Workshops

For a comprehensive listing of the events held through the end of September and into the coming months, see the CCE Tompkins County Events pages. Below is a sampling of those held in early October.

Native Plants for Pollinators

Native plants help support native pollinators and come in varieties that are suited to hot, dry sites, clay or sand, even dry shade. Learn how to diversify your garden to support pollinators throughout their life cycles at a free workshop Oct. 4, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street, Ithaca. No need to register; donations accepted. Contact: Jennie Cramer jrc10@cornell.edu, 607-272-2292 ext. 146 with questions.

Seed Saving 101

In this hands-on class, Oct. 4, 6-7:30 p.m., at the CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Ave., Ithaca, participants will learn the kinds of home garden plants can be saved; how to harvest, clean and process; how to save wet-seeded crops such as tomatoes and peppers; and how to store seed. Cost: $5-10/person self-determined sliding scale Pre-registration is required; sign up and pay online at ccetompkins.org or call 607-272-2292 to register by phone.  Questions? Contact: Jennie Cramer, jrc10@cornell.edu, 607-272-2292 ext 146.

Consumers’ Rights & Responsibilities in the Marketplace

In this consumer issues program, New York State Assistant Attorney General Mike Danaher will discuss ways consumers can be more informed when they make their purchasing decisions. Free and open to the public, with no appointment needed, the program will be held Oct. 12, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., at the CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Ave., Ithaca. Learn how to avoid consumer problems and what to do if a problem occurs. Participants can stay after the presentation to consult individually with Attorney Danaher on any unresolved consumer issue. Individuals should arrive by 12:30 p.m. for a consultation. Presentations are videotaped for broadcast on Public Access Channel 15 Mondays at 7 a.m., and at 1 and 7 p.m.

Introduction to Permaculture Design

Permaculture (permanent agriculture) is an ancient system of growing food that minimizes labor by using perennial plants that come back year after year. Join Sean Dembrosky of Edible Acres (edibleacres.org) for an introduction to basic permaculture concepts, Oct. 12, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at the CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Ave., Ithaca, to look at living examples of plant guilds and polycultures, and learn the concepts that inform permaculture ethics and design in gardens and beyond. Cost: $5-10/person, self-determined sliding scale (pay what you can afford). Register online at ccetompkins.org, or call 607-272-2292. Questions? Contact: Chrys Gardener, cab69@cornell.edu, 607-272-2292 (voicemail #241).

Parents Apart®

Parents Apart® is a six-hour workshop, Oct. 14, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., for parents who want to learn how to help their child(ren) adjust during their separation or divorce. The workshop is taught by therapists and attorneys and focuses on how children react emotionally to their parents’ separation or divorce, and what parents can do to help them adjust. Registration and location are confidential and parents of the same child(ren) are placed in different workshops. Cost: $60-$100 sliding scale; reduced rates available. More information: http://ccetompkins.org/events/2014/06/14/parents-apart or contact Jennifer Gray at jcg33@cornell.edu, 607-272-2292 (voicemail #240).

This article was originally published in the Cornell Chronicle on September 21, 2017.