4-H Clover Bud Bash Public Presentations Saturday, February 15, 2025 10:00 am - 12:00 pm CCE Niagara County, 4487 Lake Avenue , Lockport, New York 14094 CLOVER BUDS, ITS YOUR TIME TO SHINE!Clover Bud Public Presentations will be celebrated at our new "Clover Bud Bash!" Once you sign up, more details will be emailed to families by end of January. Must be age 5, 6, or 7, as of January 1, 2025.Suggested presentation length 1-3 minutes long; but can be longer if your child likes talking in front of others :-) Suggested type of presentation: “Illustrated Talk” (like show & tell); Posters, props, & pictures are welcome. The Clover Bud can talk about any topic they like! i.e. My favorite toy, a craft or project they made/built, a favorite stuffed animal, etc. Emphasis is on self expression and helping the member feel comfortable speaking to a small group in a fun laid back environment. Or Clover Buds are welcome to do a “demonstration” and show the audience how to make/do something. i.e. how to make a friendship bracelet, how to make a PBJ sandwich, etc. If your clover bud wants to present but do not wish to attend the 2/15 "bash," they can instead choose to present on a regular presentation day--see dates on the registration form. Click on the link below. Parents, please plan to stay for the entire 2 hour duration. Games, snacks, and fun clover bud activities! We will end with a clover bud recognition ceremony.  Free to all 4-H Clover Buds Stacey Johnston, ssh85@cornell.edu, 433-8839 ext. 243 Registration: https://cceniagaracounty.org/4-h-youth/4-h-programs/public-presentations?fbclid=IwY2xjawHzmbBleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHe_ja-mG3G5smL70lk2gNTfataoVYVlhTwByEPZjIzB2bMT4BhADIU-b5A_aem_O_cBFzXu0cFD-wToAusOww ========================================= 2025 Board of Directors Meeting Monday, February 24, 2025 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm CCE Niagara County, 4487 Lake Avenue , Lockport, New York 14094 The CCE-Niagara Board of Directors meets monthly.  Meetings are open to the public.  Contact jpr237@cornell.edu with any questions. Justin Rogers, jpr237@cornell.edu, 716-433-8839 ext. 234 ========================================= Tree Fruit Production Classes Thursday, February 27, 2025 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm Online Event Planning and Managing Orchards for Hobby and Business Tree fruit are an important component of the agricultural and homeowner landscape. Planting and management of apple and other tree fruit orchards is a rewarding hobby and business, but you cannot simply plant trees and expect good fruit. There's a lot that goes into successful orcharding! This course trains beginning tree fruit growers in fundamental concepts in orchard planning and management. Content will include site selection and management, rootstock and cultivar selection, orchard systems, pest management, nutrient management, and harvest considerations for commercial orchards tailored to the northeast region of the U.S. Target Audience All levels – The course is for beginning tree fruit growers, or experienced growers seeking a refresher on basic concepts in orchard management. The topics covered will be specific to orchard systems in the northeast region of the U.S. and may not be appropriate for all climatic zones. Course Objectives At the completion of this course, you will: Understand of the basics of tree fruit production economics for retail and wholesale marketsHave information to help you site and prep your future orchardsHave a comprehensive listing of tree fruit varieties well suited for production in the northeastRecognize training systems for the major tree fruit crops, and have resources to train and prune your trees to these systemsHave a basic familiarity with tree fruit thinning and fertilizationKnow the basics of grafting your own trees Know the basics of trellis construction for high density fruit systemsRecognize some of the major pest issues in tree fruit production, and have the tools to put together a pest management strategy for your orchardUnderstand how growers determine when to pick their tree fruitKnow some of the key marketing outlets for tree fruit Webinars The bulk of the course happens on your own time, with discussions, readings, and assignments in Teachable, our virtual classroom. To add to the experience, webinars will be woven into the online interface of the course to allow you to meet on a weekly basis to learn from outside presenters and ask questions to address your farm issues in real time. If you miss one, they are always recorded and posted for later viewing. Access details will be posted in Teachable once you have registered and logged in. Webinar Schedule Incorporating feedback from previous years, we expanded this course to include additional webinar content. In 2025, this course will be offered live for 6-weeks every Thursday from 6:30 - 8:30 PM (Eastern) from February 27 – April 3. In addition, to the weekly Thursday webinars, two additional live webinars will occur in weeks 4 and 5 on Monday evenings March 17 and March 24 from 6:30 - 8:30 PM (Eastern). Please mark your calendar and plan to join us for all 8 live sessions! We understand that it might be difficult to join us two nights a week, so homework will only be based off the Thursday night material. While we encourage live attendance, so you have the opportunity to engage with presenters and ask questions, all 8 webinars will be recorded and posted in the online classroom to watch anytime. Once enrolled in this course, you will retain access to all materials indefinitely, and can return to participate in the live webinars in future offerings of the course if you wish. $265-399 Registration: https://smallfarmcourses.com/p/bf-223-introduction-to-tree-fruit-production ========================================= Agri-Business Outreach Forum Friday, March 14, 2025 8:30 am - 2:45 pm The 7th Annual Niagara County Agribusiness Outreach Forum will take place on Friday, March 14th at Cornell Cooperative of Niagara County in the 4-H Training Center. Registration opens at 8:30am, program kicks off at 9am. Wraps up around 2:45pm. During this FREE event you will hear from industry experts on a variety of topics including Collaborating for Growth - Understanding State & Federal Priorities for CCE featuring Andy Turner, Director of CCE, From Application to Action - Recruiting and Retaining H2A Workers, Rooted in Success - Building Your Agribusiness through Marketing & Networking, Harvesting Funding - Mastering the Art of Finding, Writing, & Being Awarded Ag Grants. You will also have the opportunity to network with attendees and visit with agribusiness industry representatives to learn more about the latest grants, incentives and resources available to the agricultural community.Co-Hosted by CCE Niagara & the Niagara County Center for Economic Development. Lunch provided by Beans Smokehouse. Sign up now, space is limited. Register here: https://www.niagaracountybusiness.com/agribusines... FREE Amanda Henning, app27@cornell.edu, (716) 433-8839 ext. 231 Registration: https://www.niagaracountybusiness.com/agribusiness-forum ========================================= 2025 Board of Directors Meeting Monday, March 24, 2025 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm CCE Niagara County, 4487 Lake Avenue , Lockport, New York 14094 The CCE-Niagara Board of Directors meets monthly.  Meetings are open to the public.  Contact jpr237@cornell.edu with any questions. Justin Rogers, jpr237@cornell.edu, 716-433-8839 ext. 234 ========================================= 2025 Board of Directors Meeting Monday, April 28, 2025 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm CCE Niagara County, 4487 Lake Avenue , Lockport, New York 14094 The CCE-Niagara Board of Directors meets monthly.  Meetings are open to the public.  Contact jpr237@cornell.edu with any questions. Justin Rogers, jpr237@cornell.edu, 716-433-8839 ext. 234 ========================================= Master Food Preserver Spring 2025 Thursday, May 1, 2025 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm Get ready to preserve the harvest with Amanda and Jen!  Want  to learn how to safely use that pressure canner?Want to volunteer and educate your community?Do you have a hankering for homemade strawberry jam?Workshops start on May 1, 2025 and will be on Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 8:30 pm.  Classes will be held either in-person at  the Training Center or online. You will  have homework assigned at every class and you must attend all classes. A final class and in-person exam will be held  all day on Friday, June 6th from 8-5.You will learn:  Safe Techniques and the Science of Food PreservationBoiled Water and High Acid CanningPressure Canning ( you CAN do it!)FermentationFreezingDehydration and DryingQuick Picklingand More!More about the Master Food Preserver Program:Master Food Preservers are trained and certified volunteers who assist CCE Niagara in their efforts to provide up-to-date food safety and preservation information to Niagara County residents. After a comprehensive, hands-on training, volunteers serve as a local community resource providing food preservation information to community members by conducting community education and outreach. Types of volunteer service might include: Supporting food preservation workshops taught by Extension staff. Answering consumer questions about food safety on our hotline. Writing social media posts with our Extension staff. Providing demonstrations and/or Q&A sessions at the Niagara County Fair or community events.In order to become a trained and certified Master Food Preserver Volunteer the following steps must be completed. Submit completed application  Click here: .MFP Application 2025 If accepted, attend intensive hands-on training course. After successful completion of the course, complete and document 40 hours of food preservation experience.Receive your Master Food Preserver Certificate. Provide at least 20 hours of volunteer service per year with CCE Niagara to stay an active Master Food Preserver.There will be a limited number of spots available in this training for people interested in obtaining (or already have) a NYS Home Food Processors License or those unable to volunteer at this time.For more information and to register, please email Amanda at app27@cornell.edu or call us at 716-433-8839 $325.00 Amanda Henning, app27@cornell.edu, (716) 433-8839 ext. 231 ========================================= Cornell Chicken BBQ & Basket Raffle Saturday, May 17, 2025 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm The famous Cornell Chicken recipe is back by popular demand! Fundraiser hosted by CCE Niagara & Niagara County Farm Bureau. More details coming soon! Save the date....Saturday May 17, 2025 at the Niagara County Fairgrounds.  Ticket prices coming soon Amanda Henning, app27@cornell.edu, (716) 433-8839 ext. 231 ========================================= 2025 Board of Directors Meeting Monday, May 19, 2025 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm CCE Niagara County, 4487 Lake Avenue , Lockport, New York 14094 The CCE-Niagara Board of Directors meets monthly.  Meetings are open to the public.  Contact jpr237@cornell.edu with any questions. Justin Rogers, jpr237@cornell.edu, 716-433-8839 ext. 234 ========================================= 2025 Board of Directors Meeting Monday, June 30, 2025 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm CCE Niagara County, 4487 Lake Avenue , Lockport, New York 14094 The CCE-Niagara Board of Directors meets monthly.  Meetings are open to the public.  Contact jpr237@cornell.edu with any questions. Justin Rogers, jpr237@cornell.edu, 716-433-8839 ext. 234 ========================================= 2025 Board of Directors Meeting Monday, August 25, 2025 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm CCE Niagara County, 4487 Lake Avenue , Lockport, New York 14094 The CCE-Niagara Board of Directors meets monthly.  Meetings are open to the public.  Contact jpr237@cornell.edu with any questions. Justin Rogers, jpr237@cornell.edu, 716-433-8839 ext. 234 ========================================= 2025 Board of Directors Meeting Monday, September 22, 2025 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm CCE Niagara County, 4487 Lake Avenue , Lockport, New York 14094 The CCE-Niagara Board of Directors meets monthly.  Meetings are open to the public.  Contact jpr237@cornell.edu with any questions. Justin Rogers, jpr237@cornell.edu, 716-433-8839 ext. 234 ========================================= 2025 Board of Directors Meeting Thursday, October 23, 2025 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm CCE Niagara County, 4487 Lake Avenue , Lockport, New York 14094 The CCE-Niagara Board of Directors meets monthly.  Meetings are open to the public.  Contact jpr237@cornell.edu with any questions. Justin Rogers, jpr237@cornell.edu, 716-433-8839 ext. 234 ========================================= 2025 Board of Directors Meeting Monday, November 24, 2025 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm CCE Niagara County, 4487 Lake Avenue , Lockport, New York 14094 The CCE-Niagara Board of Directors meets monthly.  Meetings are open to the public.  Contact jpr237@cornell.edu with any questions. Justin Rogers, jpr237@cornell.edu, 716-433-8839 ext. 234 ========================================= 2025 Board of Directors Meeting Monday, December 15, 2025 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm CCE Niagara County, 4487 Lake Avenue , Lockport, New York 14094 The CCE-Niagara Board of Directors meets monthly.  Meetings are open to the public.  Contact jpr237@cornell.edu with any questions. Justin Rogers, jpr237@cornell.edu, 716-433-8839 ext. 234 ========================================= 2025 Board of Directors Meeting Monday, January 26, 2026 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm CCE Niagara County, 4487 Lake Avenue , Lockport, New York 14094 The CCE-Niagara Board of Directors meets monthly.  Meetings are open to the public.  Contact jpr237@cornell.edu with any questions. Justin Rogers, jpr237@cornell.edu, 716-433-8839 ext. 234 =========================================