May 5, 2021

Manage Stress with 10 Self-Care Tips

Mental health is something few people feel comfortable talking about. However, we all know stress can lead to many health issues both mental and physical. Here are a few self-care practices to help eliminate stress and strengthen your mental well-being:

Adopt better sleep habits: Prepare yourself for a restful night’s sleep by securing a comfortable environment. Turn off electronics, lights, and other distractions that may stimulate the brain.

Begin an exercise regimen: Start with small changes by opting to take the stairs, if able, instead of the elevator. Take stretch breaks during the day. Go on a walk or a bike ride.

Find a hobby: Don’t be afraid to try something new or do something you enjoy.

Take a social media break: Put down the tablet, smartphone, step away from the computer for a block of time.

Utilize stress management techniques: Try yoga, meditation, or breathing exercises.

Get organized: Use a planner to set goals for yourself. You will feel a sense of accomplishment crossing things off your list!

Keep a journal: Instead of dwelling over negative thoughts, put them down on paper. Then “close the book on them” and enjoy your day.

Volunteer: It feels good to help a friend or give back to your community, as well as a great way to connect and cultivate relationships.

Strengthen your communication skills: Make connections by reaching out and talking to someone, as well as be a good listener.

Treat yourself, as well as others, with respect: Remember, we are all human, we make mistakes, and we miss goals, but maintaining a positive outlook is key.

Information shared from: Jana L. Davidson, Progressive Agriculture Foundation. More information from the article in the May 5th edition of the Morning Ag Clips.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates Tagged With: ,
April 27, 2021

Agritourism and On-Farm Direct Marketing Webinar Series Begins Tuesday, May 4th

Rutgers Cooperative Extension is working with other extension professionals in the northeastern states to deliver weekly, one-hour webinar programming for agritourism and on-farm direct market operators each Tuesday in May until the first week in June. We are announcing the first session and will post the registration information for more sessions soon. Registration is being handled through the University of Vermont. See information below to join the first webinar. 

Session 1: Getting Ready for Pick-Your-Own — Do’s and Don’ts for the Upcoming Season
Tuesday, May 4, 4:00-5:00pm Eastern time
No charge but you must register in advance.
Register for FREE HERE
People picking berries
Join growers and ag service providers from the Northeast for an interactive discussion about what is working and what is not as we prepare to open our farms to visitors for the upcoming pick-your-own season. The berries are ripening and the Covid-19 pandemic is evolving – what does that mean for PYO visitor management this season? What did you do last year that you’ll continue and what will be different this season?

Featuring:
-Deb Colitas from Valley Fruits & Veggies in the Lehigh Valley of PA
-Claudia Schmidt from Penn State Extension
-Lisa Chase from University of Vermont Extension
-And YOU! Come ready to share your PYO questions and experiences managing visitors.

This is the first agritourism/on-farm direct marketing zoom session in a series that will cover several topics for farms open to visitors through the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. Other sessions will be held on consecutive Tuesdays on May 11, 18, 25, and June 1. For more programs and information see the Rutgers NJAES Events Calendar. 

Session 2: Agritourism Operation Checklists and Self-Assessment During the Pandemic, When: May 11, 2021 7:00-8:00 PM Eastern Time – Register HERE

Session 3: What to Do when Something Goes Wrong, Incident Response and Media Relations, When: May 18, 2021 7:00-8:00 PM Eastern Time – Register HERE

Session 4: Liability Insurance, When: May 25, 2021 12:00-1:00 PM Eastern Time – Register HERE

To request a disability-related accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Christi Sherlock at 802-476-2003 or Christi.Sherlock@uvm.edu for assistance.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Food Safety, Fruit, Organic Production, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , ,
April 22, 2021

USDA National Agricultural Classification Survey – Important to All of Us

Please see the information below. Also, please realize that your information counts. By having the correct information submitted, the USDA is able to properly allocate funds to states for farm assistance programs, agricultural conservation programs, agricultural research and other programs important to our industry. So please don’t discard your survey and please fill it out to the best of your knowledge and return it in the mail. 

Below information reprinted from Morning Ag Clips, April 22, 2021

WASHINGTON — The USDA’s National Agricultural Classification Survey (NACS) is arriving in mailboxes around the nation. The survey, one of the most important steps in determining who should receive a 2022 Census of Agriculture questionnaire, asks recipients if they are involved in agricultural activity. The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently mailed the NACS to 633,000 potential agricultural producers. NASS requests that each person who receives the survey respond by May 3.

“The NACS shows the breadth of American agriculture and helps to ensure we get a complete count of farms and ranches in the upcoming agriculture census,” said NASS Census and Survey Division Director Barbara Rater. “Every response matters. Even if a recipient believes the survey does not apply to them, we ask that they respond online to at least the initial screening questions.”

NASS encourages recipients to respond securely online at www.agcounts.usda.gov, using the 12-digit survey code mailed with the survey. Completed questionnaires may also be mailed back in the prepaid envelope provided.

Referenced by countless national and local decision-makers, researchers, farm organizations, and more, the once-every-five-year Census of Agriculture is the leading source of facts about American agriculture. “The NACS ensures that everyone who produces and sells, or would normally sell, $1000 or more of agricultural product in a calendar year have a voice by being represented in the agriculture census,” said Rater.

If you did not receive the 2017 Census of Agriculture or the NACS and believe you should have, please sign up to be counted at www.agcounts.usda.gov/getcounted. All information reported by individuals will be kept confidential, as required by federal law. For more information about the NACS, visit www.nass.usda.gov/go/nacs. For assistance with the survey, please call 888-424-7828.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates Tagged With: ,
March 5, 2021

Assistance Needed: Sweet Corn Bird Damage Survey

This applies to all sweet corn producers. Researchers at the University of Rhode Island are currently distributing an online survey about fresh market sweet corn. If you grow fresh market sweet corn you are eligible to take this short 5-minute online survey.

Your participation and feedback are extremely valuable to the success of this research. The survey will gather information on growers’ bird damage levels to sweet corn and prevention methods used to deter bird damage.

To take this survey, please click here or paste the following link into your URL, https://uri.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8qBBeU2HAIwcKYl.

We thank you in advance for taking this survey. If you have further questions or interested in this study please see the contact information bQR codeelow.

For More Information contact:

Dr. Rebecca Brown at brownreb@uri.edu
Department of Plant Science and Entomology

Natalie Meyer at natalie_meyer@uri.edu
Department of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics

Filed Under: Organic Production, Uncategorized, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: ,
March 2, 2021

Register for a Free Asparagus Webinar – March 17th 10:00AM

Asparagus

Penn State announced an upcoming free Zoom Meeting on Asparagus Production, Management, and Marketing. The presentation will be given by Carl Cantaluppi, Retired Area Extension Agent, North Carolina Cooperative Extension. Registration required to obtain Zoom link. 

The Meeting will be on Wednesday, March 17 from 10 A.M. to 12 Noon. It will be free and open to all that are interested. The publication entitled, “Growing Asparagus from A to Z” will be available for sale but is not required to attend the meeting.

Click on the link below to register for the meeting:

https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fextension.psu.edu%2Fasparagus-production-management-and-marketing&data=04%7C01%7Cminfante%40njaes.rutgers.edu%7C6c4ad96b99884d60da8308d8d424f5e0%7Cb92d2b234d35447093ff69aca6632ffe%7C1%7C0%7C637492602501485088%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=dwjiC0F1OFulJPA2AXvCRZEzpwmxht7JYQWtnGHnsNk%3D&reserved=0

Filed Under: Food Safety, Organic Production, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , ,
February 19, 2021

New Cover Crops Decision Making Tool Available Online

The Northeast Cover Crops Council (NECCC) recently released an online tool designed to support farm decision-making around cover crops. The Cover Crop Decision Support Tool is available at no cost at: http://covercrop.tools/. It includes a Cover Crop Explorer that provides in-depth information on more than 35 cover crop species. It also has a Species Selector that assists users in selecting individual cover crops based on plant hardiness zones, field soil and growing conditions, and cover cropping goals.

CoverMore than 35 specialists from around the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic contributed their expertise to develop the tool. The project was spearheaded by the Northeast Cover Crops Council, a group of farmers, researchers, Extension educators and personnel from nonprofits and industry that encourages the adoption of cover crops by fostering the exchange of information, inspiration and outcome-based research. The Council was formed with support from a Northeast SARE Professional Development Program grant. Through this and other USDA funding, the project team collaborated with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Agricultural Informatics Lab and Precision Sustainable Agriculture to design the tool.

More information about NECCC and the Cover Crop Decision Support Tool can be found on the NECCC website at: www.northeastcovercrops.com.

Filed Under: Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Organic Production, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: