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July 1, 2007

Farm briefs: July 1, 2007

New farmers' market coming to Plattsburgh

PLATTSBURGH -- A new farmers' market is opening in Plattsburgh. The Plattsburgh Farmers Green Market will be held Thursday afternoons from 3 to 6 p.m. beginning June 21 at the Plattsburgh Church of the Nazarene, 187 Broad Street, near the intersection of Broad and Cornelia streets.

The Plattsburgh Farmers Green Market is a brand-new market focusing on local farm products (fresh produce, meats, eggs, cheese, flowers, maple syrup) and ready-to-eat foods that reflect good stewardship of the earth and bodies.

"We look forward to providing a convenient market for people to get the best tasting, freshest local foods they can get," Market Manager Beth Spaugh said. We want to show folks that if they start with the best ingredients, grown and picked for superior flavor, it is really simple and quick to prepare great-tasting snacks and meals. We aren't just about food, though. We will have beautiful fresh-cut flower bouquets to brighten folks' days, and some really nice original natural-resource-based crafts."

The Plattsburgh Farmers Green Market is a project of the AuSable Valley Grange's Foodshed Coalition and is hosted by the Plattsburgh Church of the Nazarene. Both organizations share a commitment to stewardship of the earth and its resources. Vendors may only sell what they have grown or made themselves -- reselling from wholesale markets is not allowed. The market began organizing in early May when the site became available and has the following farms committed to the market:

Atwood Maple Products: Maple syrup, cream and sugar.

Black Sheep Barn and Gardens: Fresh-cut flowers, dried flower arrangements, organically grown vegetables.

Campbell's Greenhouse: Bedding plants, hanging baskets, blueberries and raspberries, no-spray vegetables.

Clover Mead Farm: Certified organic cheese from their own herd of grass-fed Jersey cows.

Conroys Organics: Ready-to-eat foods, grass-fed beef, organically grown vegetables, cut flowers.

Northern Orchards: Apples, cherries, plums, vegetables, honey.

Rehoboth Homestead: Free-range eggs and chicken, Certified naturally grown vegetables and fresh-cut flowers.

To help consumers judge their natural production methods, several farms will be open for special open houses Friday, June 22, and Saturday, June 23. This is a way customers can see how their food is being produced.

June 22: Campbell's Greenhouse, 35 Ryan Road in Saranac, open House from 3 to 5 p.m.; Clover Mead Farm, 938 Mace Chasm Road in Keeseville, watch cheese being made and see their cows munching green pasture, from 9 to 2; Rehoboth Homestead, 66 Jabez Allen Road, Peru, invites customers to participate in a Certified Naturally Grown inspection process from 2 to 3 on Friday or 8 to 9 a.m. on Saturday.

June 23: Conroys Organics, five miles north of Plattsburgh on Route 9, from 10 a.m. to noon a special tour of their vegetable field will be offered, and the cattle will be by the store for close viewing; Rehoboth Homestead, 66 Jabez Allen Road, Peru, participate in a Certified Naturally Grown inspection from 8 to 9 a.m.

For more information, e-mail manager@plattsburghmarket.com or call Beth Spaugh at 643-7822.

Farmers reminded to report crop plantings

PLATTSBURGH "" Donald LaPierre, executive director of USDA's Farm Service Agency in Clinton County and for Essex County, reminds producers not to forget to report what they've planted by July 16 to the local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office. Annual crop reporting is also referred to as acreage reporting or crop certification.

"Filing accurate and timely reports for crops and land uses, including failed and prevented planted acreages, can prevent loss of benefits for many FSA programs," LaPierre said. "All cropland included in your farming operation must be reported to receive benefits from a variety of USDA programs."

According to LaPierre, "crop reporting is used by FSA to determine eligibility for commodity loans and Loan Deficiency Payments (LDP's), disaster programs and Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Programs (NAP) and to verify compliance with highly erodible land and wetland provisions." Crop reporting is used in determining compliance with farm programs and in making various current and future program decisions, such as crop base history.

LaPierre says some of the programs that use the crop-reporting information includes LDP's, Direct and Counter-Cyclical Programs (DCP), and Marketing Assistance Loans (MAL). Conservation Reserve Programs (CRP or CREP) acreage must be reported to receive annual rental payments. And, crop acreage for NAP must also be reported.

Crop reports must account for all cropland on a farm, even if left idle. Producers are required to report planted acres in Clinton, Essex or Franklin counties by July 16.

LaPierre adds that if natural-disaster conditions prevented a farmer from planting a crop during the normal planting period, the prevented planted acreage must be reported no later than 15 calendar days after the final planting date for the crop. If the crop failed due to disaster-related conditions, the failed acreage must be reported before disposition of the crop.

"If you miss the final crop reporting dates, you can file a late crop report if you pay a late-filed fee, the cost of a farm visit and the costs of verification of crop acreage," LaPierre said. Existence of the crop, or its undisturbed residue must be in the field at the time of filing a late crop report.

Finally, LaPierre said that if farmers are unsure of accurate acreages, they may want to consider using FSA's measurement service prior to reporting crops. FSA will measure acreage to determine the exact area designated for specific crop land or land use. Farmers can check with their local office for measurement service rates.

For more information on crop reporting or any FSA programs, contact the local FSA office or visit www.fsa.usda.gov

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