Outdoor Mushroom Farming Series Wednesday, April 29, 2026 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm Agroforestry Resource Center (Business Office), 6055 Route 23 , Acra, New York 12405 This workshop is a 3-part series. You may attend parts, but attend all three to develop the skill to successfully farm mushrooms on your land.This is event is offered free, with support from Edwards Mother Earth Foundation, to under resourced and/or beginning farmers. If you are under resourced or are a beginner farmer please reach out to us at columbiagreene@cornell.edu.Part 1 - Outdoor Mushroom Farming Series- Part 1: Log Inoculation, The BasicsWednesday, April 29 - 5:00 pm -7:30 pmAre you interested in exploring how to grow your own mushrooms to start a small-scale mushroom operation? Participants in this workshop will learn various techniques for growing different species of mushrooms using a variety of materials, with a focus on shiitakes. You will participate in a hands-on experience inoculating wood with shiitake spawn. Each participant will bring home their own inoculated log for at-home production.Part 2 - Outdoor Mushroom Farming Series Part 2: Laying Yard Management & Harvesting Wednesday, May 27 - 5:00 pm -7:30 pmJoin us at the shiitake laying yard to learn about managing shiitakes, as well as other mushrooms, as a crop. At this hands-on workshop, participants will experience soaking, fruiting, and harvesting shiitakes, and will learn what is required to build your own mushroom yard. In addition, we will examine where we harvested small pole-size trees used for inoculating the shiitake mushrooms and understand the rationale for harvesting those particular trees as part of forest improvement. Participants can be sure that they will leave this class with mushrooms to try and will gain an understanding of how to profit from this newly recognized crop.Part 3 - Outdoor Mushroom Farming Series Part 3: Enterprise planning & marketingWednesday, June 24 – 5:00 pm – 7:00 pmReady to set up your mushroom skills and turn that knowledge into a business? Join us at the Agroforestry Resource Center to learn what it takes. During this class, participants will receive shiitake business planning resources with detailed guidance on how to apply that knowledge to your farm. Many different revenue streams associated with mushroom cultivation will be discussed, and how to market your mushrooms.Register for Outdoor Mushroom Farming SeriesThis event is offered free, with support from the Edwards Mother Earth Foundation, to under-resourced and/or beginning farmers. If you are under-resourced or are a beginner farmer, please reach out to us at columbiagreene@cornell.edu. $25.00 per person per class or $60.00 for full 3-part series Hannah Case, hc2329@cornell.edu, 518-622-9820 ext 102 ========================================= Air Pruned Raised Beds Wednesday, May 6, 2026 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm Agroforestry Resource Center (Business Office), 6055 Route 23 , Acra, New York 12405 Join us at the Agroforestry Resource Center for a hands-on workshop exploring the innovative world of air-pruned raised beds (APRBs). APRBs are elevated nursery containers that enhance root development, improve transplant success, and are ideal for propagating nut-bearing and other long-taproot tree species. During this workshop, participants will see a short presentation introducing the principles of air pruning, design considerations, and species selection. We’ll then move into a hands-on session where attendees will build and plant a raised bed using native nut trees. By the end of the session, participants will have seen how to build a fully planted APRB ready for seasonal growth and a deeper understanding of how APRB’s work.Register for Air Pruned Raised Beds $25.00 per person Tracey Testo-Smith, tet35@cornell.edu, (518) 622-9820 ext.119 ========================================= Art Opening - Here For You Saturday, May 9, 2026 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm Agroforestry Resource Center (Business Office), 6055 Route 23 , Acra, New York 12405 Join us for the opening of Here For You, a group show exploring caregiving. Deven Connelly, dvc34@cornell.edu, (518) 622-9820 ex 120 ========================================= Seed to Supper: Grow Your Own Food on a Budget Wednesday, May 13, 2026 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Extension Education Center, 479 Route 66 , Hudson, New York 12534 Join us for Seed to Supper, a free, beginner-friendly gardening course designed to help you grow healthy food on a budget. This 6-week series will take place from May 13 to June 17, from 6:00–8:00 PM, at our Extension Education Center. Dates are Wednesdays 5/13, 5/20, 5/27, 6/3, 6/10, and 6/17.This hands-on course is designed for adults who want to start or improve a vegetable garden, especially those with limited access to growing space. Each session will include both indoor learning and time spent working together in our on-site vegetable garden. We’ll cover the basics—from planning and planting to maintaining and harvesting—so you can build confidence and skills each week.One of the unique aspects of this program is that participants will have the opportunity to continue gardening in our Extension garden throughout the growing season. For those who don’t have space at home, this offers a chance to keep learning, growing, and harvesting well beyond the class.All participants will receive: A free printed copy of Seed to Supper: A Beginner’s Guide to Low-Cost Vegetable Gardening (available in English or Spanish) Seeds and seedlings throughout the course A healthy meal at each class Opportunities to connect with fellow gardeners and grow as a communityImportant: This course is designed as a complete series—participants are expected to attend all 6 sessions. Space is limited, so please register in advance.Seed to Supper is a program of Cornell Cooperative Extension and Cornell Garden-Based Learning, focused on helping people grow their own food, build skills, and connect with others.Apply for Seed to SupperRegistration deadline: Friday, May 1st Xandra Powers, amp422@cornell.edu, 518-828-3346 x106 ========================================= Wild Edible Plants Thursday, May 14, 2026 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm Extension Education Center, 479 Route 66 , Hudson, New York 12534 Come explore the grounds at the Extension Education Center to learn about the value of woodlands and fields in a new way. Foraging is a great way to get to know your land as a resource for local foods. It can be a wonderful family activity and comes with a greater understanding of our interactions with the natural world. Participants will learn what is available on a seasonal basis as well as how to collect food without disturbing or endangering a plant population. Recommendations will be given on how to safely collect food with the help of local resources. Following the walk, we will learn how to incorporate these wild foods into a meal. Locally foraged goods will be made available for samples and snacking during a Q & A to wrap up this evening.Register for Wild Edible Plants $25.00 per person Hannah Case, hc2329@cornell.edu, 518-622-9820 ext 102 ========================================= Master Gardener Spring Seedling Sale: Garden-Tested Picks Saturday, May 16, 2026 9:00 am - 2:00 pm Join us for our annual spring seedling sale featuring Garden-Tested Picks — plants thoughtfully selected by Master Gardener Volunteers for Columbia and Greene County gardens.Our sale highlights native perennials that support pollinators and local ecosystems, along with vegetable and herb varieties chosen for their performance, flavor, disease resistance, and productivity. These are plants backed by research and real experience. They are the ones we grow in our own gardens and confidently recommend year after year.Every plant in this sale has been selected with intention. We focus on varieties that are resilient, ecologically valuable, and well-suited to our region’s conditions.A full plant list will be available in advance so you can plan your visit.Important Details No plants may be brought from home. This is a sale, not a swap. This change was made to help prevent the spread of invasive species, including the harmful Jumping Worm (Amynthas spp.). No pre-orders. All seedlings are first-come, first-served. Sales begin promptly at 9:00 am. We are not able to sell plants before 9:00 am, and we appreciate everyone respecting the start time. Come early for the best selection. Some varieties sell out quickly. The event is free to attend, and plant prices will vary.All proceeds support Master Gardener educational programs in our community.Whether you’re planting for pollinators, building a more resilient landscape, or growing food for your table, you’ll find plants we truly believe in.Register for Master Gardener Spring Seedling Sale: Garden-Tested Picks - AcraAgroforestry Resource Center, 6055 Route 23, Acra, NY 12405Register for Master Gardener Spring Seedling Sale: Garden-Tested Picks - HudsonExtension Education Center, 479 Route 66, Hudson, NY 12534 Free to attend, plant prices will vary Xandra Powers, amp422@cornell.edu, 518-828-3346 x106 ========================================= Outdoor Mushroom Farming Series Wednesday, May 27, 2026 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm Agroforestry Resource Center (Business Office), 6055 Route 23 , Acra, New York 12405 This workshop is a 3-part series. You may attend parts, but attend all three to develop the skill to successfully farm mushrooms on your land.This is event is offered free, with support from Edwards Mother Earth Foundation, to under resourced and/or beginning farmers. If you are under resourced or are a beginner farmer please reach out to us at columbiagreene@cornell.edu.Part 1 - Outdoor Mushroom Farming Series- Part 1: Log Inoculation, The BasicsWednesday, April 29 - 5:00 pm -7:30 pmAre you interested in exploring how to grow your own mushrooms to start a small-scale mushroom operation? Participants in this workshop will learn various techniques for growing different species of mushrooms using a variety of materials, with a focus on shiitakes. You will participate in a hands-on experience inoculating wood with shiitake spawn. Each participant will bring home their own inoculated log for at-home production.Part 2 - Outdoor Mushroom Farming Series Part 2: Laying Yard Management & Harvesting Wednesday, May 27 - 5:00 pm -7:30 pmJoin us at the shiitake laying yard to learn about managing shiitakes, as well as other mushrooms, as a crop. At this hands-on workshop, participants will experience soaking, fruiting, and harvesting shiitakes, and will learn what is required to build your own mushroom yard. In addition, we will examine where we harvested small pole-size trees used for inoculating the shiitake mushrooms and understand the rationale for harvesting those particular trees as part of forest improvement. Participants can be sure that they will leave this class with mushrooms to try and will gain an understanding of how to profit from this newly recognized crop.Part 3 - Outdoor Mushroom Farming Series Part 3: Enterprise planning & marketingWednesday, June 24 – 5:00 pm – 7:00 pmReady to set up your mushroom skills and turn that knowledge into a business? Join us at the Agroforestry Resource Center to learn what it takes. During this class, participants will receive shiitake business planning resources with detailed guidance on how to apply that knowledge to your farm. Many different revenue streams associated with mushroom cultivation will be discussed, and how to market your mushrooms.Register for Outdoor Mushroom Farming SeriesThis event is offered free, with support from the Edwards Mother Earth Foundation, to under-resourced and/or beginning farmers. If you are under-resourced or are a beginner farmer, please reach out to us at columbiagreene@cornell.edu. $25.00 per person per class or $60.00 for full 3-part series Hannah Case, hc2329@cornell.edu, 518-622-9820 ext 102 ========================================= Silvopasture Forest Conversion Workshop Wednesday, June 3, 2026 9:00 am - 3:30 pm Extension Education Center, 479 Route 66 , Hudson, New York 12534 Silvopasture is an Agroforestry Practice of integrating trees, forage, and rotationally grazed livestock into one system. This can involve planting trees in pasture, or thinning trees in the woods, and establishing grasses.Join Cornell Cooperative Extension Columbia-Greene, Ulster County educators, along with Forester Jeff Jourdain, for a full day of Converting Forest to Silvopasture at the Agroforestry Resource Center. The workshop will have a Forest to Silvopasture focus and topics to be discussed: planning, equipment, follow-through, and economics to thinning your woods. In the afternoon, we plan to head across the street to Siuslaw Model Forest, where we can identify and discuss site selection and assessment. Along the way, educators will discuss managing livestock, species selection, benefits, and what resources are available. This workshop is for farmers, landowners, and service providers who are practicing Silvopasture in the forest or are interested in applying or teaching these concepts.Lunch and handouts are included; part of this workshop is outside, so dress appropriately for the weather.Register for Silvopasture Forest Conversion Workshop Sliding Scale $25.00, $30.00, $35.00 per person (Pay what you can) Ashley Schoenborn, als543@cornell.edu, 518-622-9820 x 113 ========================================= Past, Present & Future of Our Forests and What We Can Do for Them Sunday, June 7, 2026 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Agroforestry Resource Center (Business Office), 6055 Route 23 , Acra, New York 12405 Join us for a woodland walk at the Siuslaw Model Forest with a sensory immersion that deeply observes slow processes happening within the forest, while considering the relationship between our own lives, communities, and the forest. We will explore how this relationship can be mutually healing through simple hands-on tasks we can do in our local forests. We'll focus on awareness and the nuances of issues such as invasive species, deer, and forest pests and diseases. This walk will be led by Annabel Roberts-McMichael of Tend & Gather Forestry Practice.For more informationRegister for Past, Present & Future of Our Forests and What We Can Do for Them $25.00 per person Shane Stevens, ss3666@cornell.edu, 518-622-9820 ex 118 ========================================= Paint Making with Invasive Plants Sunday, June 7, 2026 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Through mini presentations and hands-on paint-making, workshops introduce participants to bird species on farms and invasive plant management that supports their conservation. Asian invasive plants such as Toringo crabapple and Multiflora rose, collected at Hawthorne Valley Farm with guidance from professionals, are used as teaching materials.While acknowledging their impact on local ecosystems, participants learn the plants' names, cultural significance, and uses in Japan. Participants take part in a hands-on session making paint from invasive species, creating a positive relationship with these otherwise harmful plants.Participants will take home a bottle of plant paint and a list of low-cost, recycled-material options that allow them to continue paint-making independently.Register for Paint Making with Invasive Plants on June 7, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Agroforestry Resource Center, 6055 Route 23, Acra, NY 12405Register for Paint Making with Invasive Plants on June 13, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm- Extension Education Center, 479 Route 66, Hudson, NY 12534 $45.00 per person each day Tracey Testo-Smith, tet35@cornell.edu, (518) 622-9820 ext.119 ========================================= Paint Making with Invasive Plants Saturday, June 13, 2026 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Through mini presentations and hands-on paint-making, workshops introduce participants to bird species on farms and invasive plant management that supports their conservation. Asian invasive plants such as Toringo crabapple and Multiflora rose, collected at Hawthorne Valley Farm with guidance from professionals, are used as teaching materials.While acknowledging their impact on local ecosystems, participants learn the plants' names, cultural significance, and uses in Japan. Participants take part in a hands-on session making paint from invasive species, creating a positive relationship with these otherwise harmful plants.Participants will take home a bottle of plant paint and a list of low-cost, recycled-material options that allow them to continue paint-making independently.Register for Paint Making with Invasive Plants on June 7, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Agroforestry Resource Center, 6055 Route 23, Acra, NY 12405Register for Paint Making with Invasive Plants on June 13, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm- Extension Education Center, 479 Route 66, Hudson, NY 12534 $45.00 per person each day Tracey Testo-Smith, tet35@cornell.edu, (518) 622-9820 ext.119 ========================================= Pond Management: A General Overview Tuesday, June 23, 2026 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm Agroforestry Resource Center (Business Office), 6055 Route 23 , Acra, New York 12405 Are you interested in ponds? Join us at the Siuslaw Model Forest for an introduction to pond management and to learn the importance of ponds within the landscape. We’ll start in the classroom to discuss pond features, pond watersheds, basic ecology, and identify management goals. Afterward, we’ll walk to our ponds, and together we’ll apply what we have learned to perform an annual inspection while learning how ponds are influenced by their surrounding environment. Learn the basics to keep your pond resilient!Participants will receive a follow-up email with digital resources.Register for Pond Management: A General Overview $25.00 per person Lindsey Strehlau-Howay, las549@cornell.edu, (518) 622-9820 ext 112 ========================================= Outdoor Mushroom Farming Series Wednesday, June 24, 2026 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Agroforestry Resource Center (Business Office), 6055 Route 23 , Acra, New York 12405 This workshop is a 3-part series. You may attend parts, but attend all three to develop the skill to successfully farm mushrooms on your land.This is event is offered free, with support from Edwards Mother Earth Foundation, to under resourced and/or beginning farmers. If you are under resourced or are a beginner farmer please reach out to us at columbiagreene@cornell.edu.Part 1 - Outdoor Mushroom Farming Series- Part 1: Log Inoculation, The BasicsWednesday, April 29 - 5:00 pm -7:30 pmAre you interested in exploring how to grow your own mushrooms to start a small-scale mushroom operation? Participants in this workshop will learn various techniques for growing different species of mushrooms using a variety of materials, with a focus on shiitakes. You will participate in a hands-on experience inoculating wood with shiitake spawn. Each participant will bring home their own inoculated log for at-home production.Part 2 - Outdoor Mushroom Farming Series Part 2: Laying Yard Management & Harvesting Wednesday, May 27 - 5:00 pm -7:30 pmJoin us at the shiitake laying yard to learn about managing shiitakes, as well as other mushrooms, as a crop. At this hands-on workshop, participants will experience soaking, fruiting, and harvesting shiitakes, and will learn what is required to build your own mushroom yard. In addition, we will examine where we harvested small pole-size trees used for inoculating the shiitake mushrooms and understand the rationale for harvesting those particular trees as part of forest improvement. Participants can be sure that they will leave this class with mushrooms to try and will gain an understanding of how to profit from this newly recognized crop.Part 3 - Outdoor Mushroom Farming Series Part 3: Enterprise planning & marketingWednesday, June 24 – 5:00 pm – 7:00 pmReady to set up your mushroom skills and turn that knowledge into a business? Join us at the Agroforestry Resource Center to learn what it takes. During this class, participants will receive shiitake business planning resources with detailed guidance on how to apply that knowledge to your farm. Many different revenue streams associated with mushroom cultivation will be discussed, and how to market your mushrooms.Register for Outdoor Mushroom Farming SeriesThis event is offered free, with support from the Edwards Mother Earth Foundation, to under-resourced and/or beginning farmers. If you are under-resourced or are a beginner farmer, please reach out to us at columbiagreene@cornell.edu. $25.00 per person per class or $60.00 for full 3-part series Hannah Case, hc2329@cornell.edu, 518-622-9820 ext 102 ========================================= Memorial Day - Office Closed Friday, July 3, 2026 12:00 pm - 12:00 pm ========================================= 4-H Youth Anger Management SPIN Club Wednesday, July 15, 2026 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Extension Education Center, 479 Route 66 , Hudson, New York 12534 What’s Good About Anger?Helping Teens Manage Their Anger: In the Home, School & CommunityThe course utilizes the evidence-based and nationally recognized What’s Good About Anger? Teen-based curriculum. The course provides teens with the skills needed to express their anger effectively, practice conflict resolution, and develop healthy coping skills.After completion of 2 classes, a Certificate of Achievement is awarded.For ages 13-17Fee: $15 per youth, $30 per family to enroll in 4-H for the program year. The enrollment fee can be waived in cases of financial hardship.To register and obtain details regarding 4-H membership, please contact:Megan Gardner, MSW, CAMS-1518-622-9820 X114 or mg2287@cornell.edu4-H is for ALL Kids. 4-H welcomes young people of all beliefs and backgrounds, giving kids a voice to express who they are and how they make their lives and communities better. 4-H programs are open to youth on the Spectrum. If a young person requires a support person to attend, that person is also welcome. We limit the number of attendees at many of our programs. Please register. If a program has "THINK Differently" in its title, it was created with a focus on working with neurodivergent learners. These programs are also welcoming to all youth. Megan Gardner, mg2287@cornell.edu, (518) 622-9820 ext. 114 ========================================= 4-H Youth Anger Management SPIN Club Thursday, July 16, 2026 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Extension Education Center, 479 Route 66 , Hudson, New York 12534 What’s Good About Anger?Helping Teens Manage Their Anger: In the Home, School & CommunityThe course utilizes the evidence-based and nationally recognized What’s Good About Anger? Teen-based curriculum. The course provides teens with the skills needed to express their anger effectively, practice conflict resolution, and develop healthy coping skills.After completion of 2 classes, a Certificate of Achievement is awarded.For ages 13-17Fee: $15 per youth, $30 per family to enroll in 4-H for the program year. The enrollment fee can be waived in cases of financial hardship.To register and obtain details regarding 4-H membership, please contact:Megan Gardner, MSW, CAMS-1518-622-9820 X114 or mg2287@cornell.edu4-H is for ALL Kids. 4-H welcomes young people of all beliefs and backgrounds, giving kids a voice to express who they are and how they make their lives and communities better. 4-H programs are open to youth on the Spectrum. If a young person requires a support person to attend, that person is also welcome. We limit the number of attendees at many of our programs. Please register. If a program has "THINK Differently" in its title, it was created with a focus on working with neurodivergent learners. These programs are also welcoming to all youth. Megan Gardner, mg2287@cornell.edu, (518) 622-9820 ext. 114 ========================================= Forest Walk – An Introduction to Forest Stewardship & Conservation Saturday, July 18, 2026 9:00 am - 11:00 am Join Master Forest Owner (MFO) Jimmy Bulich for a walk in an 85-acre forest on High Falls Road in Catskill and learn about his stewardship and conservation efforts. He will discuss his 25+ years of stewarding this property and his goal of creating an uneven-aged forest with abundant biodiversity. He will discuss his experiences with the NYS 480a forest program, how a landowner can become an MFO through Cornell Cooperative Extension, how he has placed conservation easements with the Greene Land Trust to protect forests in perpetuity, and the challenges in growing the next generation of trees, shrubs, and wildflowers caused by the overabundance of white-tailed deer.This event is a great add-on for those who are planning to read How to Love a Forest with the GLT Conservation Book Club in the spring!This walk is on forested trails on private property along High Falls Rd in Catskill. The address of the parking area will be shared with attendees after registration.Register for Forest Walk – An Introduction to Forest Stewardship & Conservation $10.00 Shane Stevens, ss3666@cornell.edu, 518-622-9820 ex 118 ========================================= Indigenous Peoples' Day Monday, October 12, 2026 12:00 pm - 12:00 pm =========================================