Four Seasons of Gardening Conversations
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Lots about seeds
(May 13, 2013) Corn, cucumbers, parsley and parsnips...it all starts with seeds. But not all seeds are easy to nurse through the germination stage. In their weekly gardening conversation, Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy talks with Martha Foley about some of the challenges that stall or prevent germination, and ways to give seeds the conditions they need to sprout. [full story]
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Shaping up perennials in the spring garden
(May 6, 2013) Perennial beds need some attention in the spring. Dividing tubers can give them a renewed lease on life. And with a dry spring, a little irrigation might be in order. Martha Foley talks with Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy. [full story]
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Keeping up with asparagus
(Apr 29, 2013) It won't be long before the lucky people with an asparagus patch will be eating one of the first edibles offered by the new season.Whether you're trying to keep an old patch productive, or have established your own asparagus bed, Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy has good advice. Planting a new bed has traditionally required digging a big trench, but Amy has good news there: eight inches is plenty deep, and now's the time. [full story]
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Bringing Earth Day back home
(Apr 22, 2013) It's the 43rd Earth Day. The idea of a day to stop and think about and celebrate the Earth came from U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin after he toured the devastation of a massive oil spill off California.Earth Day 1970 achieved broad political support: Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, urban and rural, business and labor leaders. The first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean...
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Chill winds, be gone! It's time for a little gardening
(Apr 15, 2013) Spring has been a little frosty this year, so far, anyway. Cold wind and rain, even snow, along with frosty mornings might conspire to keep less-hardy gardeners (like Martha Foley) indoors. But outside, green shoots are coming up. Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy, tells Martha it's past time to uncover the garlic and the daffodils. And it's OK to try a few early rows of onions and spinach. [full story]
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Manure in the garden
(Apr 8, 2013) Best practices in gardening can change over the years. Martha Foley and cooperative extension horticulturist Amy Ivy talk about new wisdom on the best ways to use manure in the early spring garden. [full story]
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How to help your garden feed itself
(Apr 1, 2013) Did you poke around your garden this weekend? As the snow melts, it's time to start thinking about spring cleaning in the lawn and garden. Horticulturist Amy Ivy says much of what you rake up could become beneficial mulch. [full story]
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Another antidote for cabin fever?
(Mar 25, 2013) The not-quite-warm-enough weather in late March and early April can be a challenge for the staunchest fans of North Country living. It's cabin fever time. Cornell Cooperative Extension's Amy Ivy offers an answer that doesn't require a ticket to Myrtle Beach or Miami. She tells Martha Foley it's just perfect weather to get blueberry and raspberry bushes ready for the summer season. [full story]
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An early glimpse of spring
(Mar 11, 2013) With temperatures expected to reach the mid-50's, or higher, this afternoon, you're excused if you feel a touch of "spring fever" today. Todd Moe talks with horticulturist Amy Ivy about some of the early signs of spring around the region ? from pussy willows and red-stemmed dogwood to red winged blackbirds. [full story]
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"Seed swaps" let gardeners share and explore
(Mar 8, 2013) As gardeners look ahead to spring, some take advantage of what's called a "seed swap". It's a good way to recycle unwanted seeds, share a surplus, or take a chance on a few new varieties.Ottawa's 20th "Seedy Saturday" took place March 2 in a community hall at Britannia Beach. The busy event featured educational booths and a number of regular seed vendors, plus workshops on saving seeds, permaculture and worm composting. [full story]
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Digging in the dirt, indoors
(Mar 4, 2013) Many gardeners enjoy sharing perennials during the growing season. Horticulturist Amy Ivy brings that idea indoors with tips for propagating houseplants from stem cuttings this season. Amy told Todd Moe that this month is a great time to prune and shape-up houseplants. [full story]
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The science and art of pruning apple trees
(Feb 25, 2013) Pruning apple trees can bring trepidation to gardeners, but pruning improves the tree's vigor and fruit production. If you have an apple tree in your backyard, now is the time to start thinking about pulling out the pruners. Todd Moe talks with horticulturist Amy Ivy, who says now is a great time to start planning for pruning in March and April. She has some tips for best way to prune apple trees - and why you should take the time to prune. [full story]
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Strategies for working with wind
(Feb 18, 2013) Winter wind takes a toll on a household. It fills a driveway up with blowing snow. The windy side of a house can be colder on the inside, as well as the outside. Wind makes life hard for shrubs and trees, too, even some native species that are truly winter hardy when they're planted in a protected location. But as Cooperative extension's horticulturist Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley, wind-tolerant plantings can help block and redirect the worst of the wind. In their weekly...
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Seeing the shapes of the garden in winter
(Feb 11, 2013) A big snowfall makes the basic shapes of the garden stand out in relief against the white background. Amy Ivy and Martha Foley talk about choosing and shaping shrubs and the basic architecture of the garden, taking advantage of this opportunity when just the bones are showing.And on a cautionary note, it's good to mark yard and garden features that will be buried, particulary if they are near to where the snowplow might go. Also be careful about placing more delicate plantings...
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Getting a jump on the flower season
(Feb 4, 2013) Starting seeds indoors is a mid-winter routine that gives gardeners a nice taste of the coming season: potting mix on the fingers, the fragrance of moist soil. Mostly, the trays and boxes of little seedlings are destined for the vegetable garden.Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy has suggestions this week for starting flowers, perennial, that is, from seed as well.She tells Martha Foley that starting perennials from seed is generally a more forgiving project than...
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Starting seeds indoors: lots of options for onion lovers
(Jan 28, 2013) Most gardeners probably started out growing onions from sets, which are small, immature onion bulbs. They're easy to grow that way. But horticulturist Amy Ivy says growing from seed lets gardeners pick varieties to suit their own needs or whims. Todd Moe spoke with Amy for some tips about growing onions from seeds, sets and seedlings. [full story]
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Proper watering essential for houseplants
(Jan 21, 2013) Watering houseplants the right way can be a life-or-death proposition, for the plant.Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley poor watering practice is the number one killer of houseplants. Her advice: pay close attention, and remember every plant is different. [full story]
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New gear for gardeners
(Jan 14, 2013) Seed catalogs have started to arrive, with plenty of ideas and new products for the coming growing season. High tunnels, low tunnels, irrigation systems...it all can be a bit daunting.Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy helps sort through the offerings. [full story]
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The garden in winter
(Jan 7, 2013) The stark contrasts of a snowy landscape bring out hidden beauty in the garden and the yard. Plant stems and flower heads give depth and detail, and fences and other structures can anchor the view. Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy sorts through her favorites with Martha Foley. [full story]
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Good snow cover is good news for gardeners
(Dec 31, 2012) After a couple years of sparse snow, and a summer of drought, this week's heavy snow has some real upsides for gardeners. In her weekly conversation with Martha Foley, Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy explains the benefits to perennials and lawns, and has a couple of caveats. [full story]
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Caring for "hothouse" plants
(Dec 24, 2012) Most North Country homes, particularly in winter, don't have ideal conservatory conditions, but it's still possible to grow and maintain some exotics. African violets and Reiger begonias can be pretty finicky, but the Rex begonia is a little easier to keep, and the Streptocarpus or Cape Primrose can be a lovely addition to the home. Martha Foley talks with horticulturist Amy Ivy. [full story]
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Plants to brighten the holiday season
(Dec 17, 2012) Rows of poinsettias, clusters of cyclamen?favorite seasonal plants are crowding florist shops and supermarkets.Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy talks with Martha Foley about getting the most from these flowering plants. [full story]
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Tips on Christmas trees
(Dec 10, 2012) It's the thick of Christmas tree season. The Associated Press reported this morning that New York tree farms are having a great year, with more people buying their trees from local growers.That probably means they're getting a fresher tree. But it's always a good idea to check for the freshest tree on the lot. Martha Foley talks with Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy about how to pick the best, and keep it fresh. [full story]
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Greening the house for the holidays
(Dec 3, 2012) Firs, pines, cedars and spruces: all choices for the evergreens we bring in our homes during the winter holidays. Cooperative Extension horticulturist AmY Ivy sorts through the details of each with Martha Foley. And there's a warning, too: no gathering greens on private property without permission. [full story]
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Sharing a garden in Long Lake
(Nov 28, 2012) Long Lake Central School's community garden has been growing fresh food for the cafeteria for eight years. It's been such a success that surplus produce from the garden this year has gone to the local food pantry. As part of the project, students and staff are composting waste from meals, and veggies are incorporated into school lunches as much as possible. Teacher Becky Pelton works with local farmers, like Chris Thompson, to manage the school's community garden. She says the...
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Flowers for indoors: old favorites, and new
(Nov 26, 2012) Snow and cold spell the end of the season for outdoor flowers. But there are ways to get some fresh color and blossoms indoors. Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy has tips on some old standards, and a new twist on one favorite. She talks with Martha Foley. [full story]
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Liming the lawn not as easy, or useful, as it sounds
(Nov 19, 2012) The weather is still just fine for lots of outdoor chores. You could still sneak in a little window-washing, or move a few more piles of brush and leaves.But Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy has one chore you might want to cross off the list: "liming" the lawn. She talks with Martha Foley. [full story]
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See-saw winter temperatures threaten perennials
(Nov 12, 2012) Last winter was pretty hard on gardens, and gardeners, used to surviving tough North Country winters. Two related issues combined to make precious perennials vulnerable: warmer the usual temperatures that see-sawed above and below freezing, and a lack of snow. If this fall's up-and-down weather is a predictor of the coming season, it could be another tough winter.Cornell Cooperative Extension's Amy Ivy sorts through a complicated problem with Martha Foley. [full story]
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A good day to stay inside
(Oct 29, 2012) With the eastern U.S. anticipating a "superstorm" of high winds and heavy rain, it's not a good day for working in the yard or garden.In their weekly conversation, horticulturist Amy Ivy and NCPR's Martha Foley talk about what you might do once the weather clears. One annual fall chore: clear out the season's growth of wild grape, Asian bittersweet and other aggressive vines. [full story]
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Balmy days bring bugs inside
(Oct 22, 2012) It's the last full week of October, but it looks as though the North Country will be enjoying another several days of warm temperatures and sunny skies: good weather for enjoying the outdoors and finishing up fall chores.But as Cornell Cooperative Extension's Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley, the late season warmth brings unwelcome insects inside. Cluster flies and ladybugs lead the list of bugs that commonly turn up inside this time of year. They're annoying she says, but not...
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The Weekly Gardening Conversation: Lasagna Gardening
(Oct 15, 2012) Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturalist Amy Ivy talks with Martha Foley about "lasagna gardening," which (disappointingly) isn't about pasta at all, but rather about layering organic materials, like compost, newspaper, peat moss, etc., on your gardening spot to create a healthier plot come spring. But can it work for home gardeners in the North Country? [full story]
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Fall gardening: not quite time for garlic
(Oct 1, 2012) Acccording to Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy, the old rule said the first two weeks of October were perfect for planting garlic. But not any more.The best time to plant garlic in the North Country is now the last two weeks in October, according to Ivy. [full story]
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Flirting with frost: what to pick, what to protect
(Sep 24, 2012) It's officially fall, and practically speaking, frost advisories put fall chores at the top of a gardener's mind. But what to do? Is it worth the covering tomatoes? Will the winter squash survive a touch of frost? And what about flowers?Cornell Cooperative extension horticulturist Amy Ivy sorts through some of the priorities in her weekly conversation with Martha Foley.(Hints: "maybe" on the tomatoes, "no" on the winters squash's prospects.) [full story]
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A week of local food, and rutabagas, in Essex County
(Sep 20, 2012) It'll be all things rutabaga in Keene on Sunday. The Fifth Annual Great Adirondack Rutabaga Festival begins at 9am on Marcy Fields?the final event of a week-long celebration of local food in Essex County. Last Saturday, the Adirondack History Center Museum and Adirondack Harvest kicked off the festivities with "A Taste of Local" in Elizabethtown. Chefs and culinary artists showcased their favorite appetizers, entrees, desserts or other prepared items featuring local foods....
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Taking stock of garden soil
(Sep 17, 2012) You've planned, planted, watered and weeded. Now, with frost and freeze warnings this past weekend, it's about time to tuck the garden in for the winter. Tidying away the spent tomatoes and bean plants, prepping to plant garlic, whatever your fall list includes, Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy has another important entry. She tells Martha Foley about why soil should be tested every few years, and how to do it. [full story]
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Approaching the end for the gardening season
(Sep 10, 2012) It's been a tough season for flowers and vegetables, and for the gardeners who nurture them. Some things have flourished, it's true: see our All In blog post, "Late summer garden...and my new motto," from Ellen Rocco. But mostly, it's been too dry, really hot, and buggy.Martha Foley talks with Cornell Cooperative Extension's Amy Ivy about cleaning out a dried out flower garden, and looking ahead to next year. [full story]
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As summer slows, late-season farmers markets thrive
(Sep 3, 2012) The days are slowly shortening, and that means cooler temperatures are on the way. Early September is a great time to check out local farmers' markets as the late-summer harvest continues. It's also the season for local food celebrations and harvest festivals.Todd Moe talks with horticulturist Amy Ivy about the joys of the local food scene. Also, September is traditionally the month for lawn care. But it's been dry lately, and Amy has some lawn care tips and reminders. [full...
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Late blight confirmed in St. Lawrence County
(Aug 29, 2012) Tomato and potato growers beware. Cornell Cooperative Extension has confirmed the first case of late blight in St. Lawrence County. [full story]
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An update on late blight and keeping perennial beds neat
(Aug 27, 2012) Late blight was recently confirmed in a few more upstate counties. Todd Moe talks with Amy Ivy, Executive Director/Horticulture Educator at cooperative extension in Clinton and Essex counties, about tips for dealing with the tomato disease. Amy also has some ideas for late-summer perennial garden maintenance. [full story]
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Train makes opening run on Tahawus freight line
(Aug 10, 2012) For the first time in nearly a quarter century, a freight train made the trip this week from North Creek to the Barton garnet mine six miles outside the village A new company hopes to eventually reopen tracks all the way to the old Tahawus mine on the southern edge of the High Peaks. Andy Flynn has our story. [full story]
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Becki Walenz releases new CD as a resource for young...
(Aug 10, 2012) Becki Walenz is a trumpeter and graduate student at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. Her debut CD, which she has just released on the school's MADSTOP Records label, is designed to help young trumpeters learn some of the pieces that are in the standard learning repertoire for the instrument. Joel Hurd tells us more. [full story]
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NY gets mixed marks on cancer prevention
(Aug 10, 2012) The American Cancer Society has given New York State a mixed report card when it comes to cancer prevention. The group says the most glaring error is the lack of investment in anti smoking campaigns.The organization issued its annual report card on the states' cancer prevention measures, from early detection to public education. The report gives New York high grades for breast and cervical cancer early detection programs and for smoke free laws, but the state gets failing...
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Firms add to Saranac Lake biotech cluster
(Aug 10, 2012) A welcome celebration was held Wednesday in Saranac Lake for one of two biotechnology companies that are relocating to the village from Lake Placid. Myriad RBM has 24 employees and plans to add more in its new location: the village?s former office building next to the Saranac River. The move is part of an effort by Saranac Lake officials to create a cluster of biotech companies centered around the Trudeau Institute, a world renowned nonprofit biomedical research center. Chris...
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NY21: Doheny hopes main street business message will...
(Aug 10, 2012) With less than three months to go before the November election, Republican challenger Matt Doheny says he's on track to unseat Democratic congressman Bill Owens from Plattsburgh. Most national pundits have described the race as a toss-up, though one poll released last week by the Democratic Party showed Owens with a 12-point lead.During a visit yesterday to Saranac Lake, the Republican acknowledged that this year's contest has drawn less attention, from the media and from...
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This weekend in the Adirondacks
(Aug 10, 2012) John Warren, of the Adirondack Almanack, joins us Friday mornings with information about local outdoor and back-country conditions. [full story]
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Boathouse case may go to highest NY court
(Aug 10, 2012) A groundbreaking legal case about which government can regulate boathouses isn?t over yet. The Grimditch family of Lake Placid hopes the state?s highest court will review a June 28 appellate court decision that ruled the town of North Elba does have jurisdiction over boathouses on Lake Placid. Previously, an Essex County judge had sided with the Grimditches, saying only the state can regulate boathouses because they?re on navigable waterways, not on land. [full story]
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Natural Selections: Red-backed Salamanders
(Aug 9, 2012) This northern forest species is so common that its biomass would outweigh all the large mammals and birds in its habitat combined. Martha Foley and Dr. Curt Stager look at forest amphibians. [full story]
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Books: "Adirondack Trilogy" series
(Aug 9, 2012) A long-time Adirondack summer resident is finishing up the third book in a series of novels about the history of the region. Tony Holtzman will talk about his Adirondack Trilogy at the Northwoods Inn in Lake Placid on Thursday night at 7 pm. Holtzman first visited the Adirondacks in the early 1950?s, and after retiring from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 2002, he bought a cottage at the Bartlett Carry Club on Upper Saranac Lake.Holtzman?s first novel in the trilogy,...
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Fossilized polar bear jawbone speaks to scientists about...
(Aug 9, 2012) A 130,000 year old jawbone is providing a glimpse into how Polar Bears might react to the earth?s rising temperature, thanks to researchers in Buffalo who recently investigated how polar bears responded to climate change in the past. Daniel Robison of the Innovation Trail reports. [full story]
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State of the Lake: new report investigates water quality...
(Aug 9, 2012) Every few years the Lake Champlain Basin Program publishes a "state of the lake? report, detailing environmental quality in Lake Champlain. This year?s report came out last week. It says that while the overall health of the main lake is good, certain areas, like the Northeast arm and Missisquoi Bay, have higher levels of phosphorus pollution and algae blooms. Sarah Harris spoke with Bill Howland, director of the Basin Program, about the report. [full story]
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NY Governor Cuomo says he won't speak at Democratic...
(Aug 9, 2012) Governor Andrew Cuomo is one of many New York politicians who have chosen to scale back their participation in the national Democratic convention in North Carolina. While the others are Democrats seeking re-election in Congress, Cuomo is eschewing what could have been a prime time speaking slot. [full story]
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Cuomo plans to make gun crime a priority in next session
(Aug 9, 2012) New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Governor Cuomo says curbing gun violence will be a priority in the next legislative session. Cuomo?s a long time advocate of stricter gun control law, but hasn?t pushed the issue as governor. That?s going to change, he says. [full story]
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Doran Bay Model Ship Museum: Bert Cunningham's labor of...
(Aug 8, 2012) It's easy to miss the Doran Bay Model Ship Museum. Just off County Road 2 in Ontario's South Dundas Township, it fills the first floor of a solitary house overlooking an inlet on the St. Lawrence River. The museum opened in September of 2011 to showcase a large private collection of model ships, from the very famous to little-known vessels. Founder Bert Cunningham told Lucy Martin this unexpected hobby grew to the point where sharing it just seemed like the right thing to do....
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Keeping a movie theater quaint, and open
(Aug 8, 2012) A South Glens Falls man opened a small movie theater earlier this summer and says he?s not worried about the film industry?s decision to switch distributing first run features from film to digital. Jerry Aratare says his single-screen Cinematheque shows foreign and first-run movies, though usually a couple of weeks later than the larger movie theaters. The 82-year-old Aratare got his first movie theater job as a projectionist in 1951 in Vermont. He?s opened about a dozen small...
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Cuomo says Article X law strikes necessary balance...
(Aug 8, 2012) While at Fort Drum this week talking about biomass fuel, Governor Andrew Cuomo chimed in on another energy issue, one much more likely to strike nerves in the north country: the state's new Article X law. Joanna Richards reports. [full story]
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The Last Picture Show? The future of small movie...
(Aug 8, 2012) The last decade or so, the North Country has seen a rebirth of its small-town movie theaters. Screens from Tupper Lake to Indian Lake to Ausable Forks have reopened. From Canton to Old Forge, small cinemas are often a big part of the local nightlife, offering a spark of light and glitz. But the movie industry is changing, shifting fast from old-fashioned film projectors to new, high-tech digital systems. As Natasha Haverty reports, the price tag for that conversion is high and...
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Filmmaker returns for a premiere in the Adirondacks
(Aug 8, 2012) Adirondack native Kirk Sullivan will premiere his latest short film at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts this evening.Sullivan?s father, Fred, was also a filmmaker, known for The Beer Drinker?s Guide to Fitness and Filmmaking and Cold River. He passed away unexpectedly in 1996. Kirk Sullivan, now 30, was born and raised in Saranac Lake and now lives in Los Angeles. Tonight?s film, The Come Up is a 10-minute short that Kirk Sullivan describes as a fun action-comedy. He wrapped...
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Adirondack foundation a conduit for Irene relief funds
(Aug 7, 2012) Following last year?s Tropical Storm Irene, a community foundation based in Lake Placid stepped forward to serve as the clearing house for private philanthropy, helping residents and businesses in Keene and Jay devastated by floodwaters from the AuSable River.To date, the Adirondack Community Trust reports that it has received $800,000 in gifts from more than 1,320 donors from across the country. All of that money has been distributed so far, and donations are still rolling...
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Local government review board blasts $47 million Cuomo...
(Aug 7, 2012) A state funded watchdog group is blasting Governor Cuomo for his decision to purchase tens of thousands of acres of Adirondack land, to be added to the Park's forest preserve. The $47-milllion deal was unveiled on Sunday. A group called the Adirondack Park Local Government Review board is calling the decision irresponsible. Brian Mann has details. [full story]
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In the garden: tomato troubles, yellowjackets, and more
(Aug 6, 2012) Continuing hot, dry weather can lead to a range of challenges in the yard and garden. It's perfect weather for tomato troubles, including blossom end rot, early blight and septoria. Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley proper watering is the key to ending blossom end rot. She's also got a warning about stinging insects this time of year. [full story]
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In the garden: what's ready, and what's not
(Jul 30, 2012) So, when is that tomato ready to pick? What about the onions? Green or red peppers? Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy shares ideas on when to pick some favorite garden produce in her weekly chat with Martha Foley. [full story]
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Giant Hogweed is a plant invader that threatens people...
(Jul 18, 2012) The last couple of decades, northern New York has been besieged by invasive plants and animals. The impact on the region's ecosystems has been profound. An invasive fungus called White Nose Syndrome has devastated once-thriving populations of bats. Zebra mussels and other non-native organisms are literally changing the chemistry of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.For the most part, however, the foreign invaders haven't posed a threat to human health. But now,...
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Drought and pestilence = tough days for gardeners
(Jul 16, 2012) The outdoor world is suffering through this hot, dry spell as best it can. Rivers and lakes are low. Forest fire danger is high, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. There's a state-wide ban on burning brush, issued Friday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. (See related story.) And as you drive the roads through the region's hay and corn country, it all looks awfully dry.Home gardeners are also in the height of bug season. Cornell Cooperative Extension...
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To do, and not to do when it's hot and dry
(Jul 9, 2012) With nothing but more dry, hot weather in the forecast, gardeners have an opportunity to clear out weeds that can overcome less hardy vegetables and flowers, and a chance to take a break from mowing the lawn. Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy has a pep talk on weeding in her conversation with Martha Foley today.And there's a caution as well about mowing too much when the lawn is dry. Timing can help. Here's their weekly chat. [full story]
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Beautiful flowers come with a "don't touch" warning
(Jul 2, 2012) Wildflowers are putting on their midsummer show. Roadsides are especially lovely this time of year, with black-eyed susans mixing in among the day lilies and queen anne's lace. But some should come with a big sign "do not touch" around their stems. Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy has a short list of noxious plants. She tells Martha Foley that tops on the list just now is wild parsnip.And she has reminders about the vegetable garden: check your garlic! [full...
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Yellow iris spreads, another "ornamental" invader
(Jun 26, 2012) Not all of the invaders that are hitting the North Country are as gross as Army worms. Many of the plants that are colonizing the region's meadows, streams and wetlands were actually brought here deliberately by gardeners or aquarium owners. They displace native plants and upset ecosystems that have nurtured birds and insects for thousands of years. One of the newest ornamental invaders is the yellow iris. Brian Mann sent this audio postcard after finding a new infestation on...
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Dry weather, pests a challenge in the garden
(Jun 25, 2012) It's late June, and time for a check-up in the garden. Martha Foley talks with Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy about some of the common challenges faced in the vegetable garden. First, it's very dry, despite showers over the weekend. Amy helps prioritize what to water. Second, it's bug season, and there bad bugs, and good ones. [full story]
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Helping stressed-out trees
(Jun 18, 2012) According to Cornell Cooperative Extension's Amy Ivy, it's hard to do a whole lot to "heal" a sick tree, but in her conversation with Martha Foley, she offers some common sense tips on keeping healthy trees strong. There are also ways to slow the progress when a tree is in decline. [full story]
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Big flowers can anchor a garden
(Jun 11, 2012) Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy shares her love of "anchor" perennials: flowers like peonies, baptesia (false indigo), hostas and others that are pretty big, and fairly permanent. Many have foliage that's beautiful all season long. Planting the right flower in the right place can give a garden extra appeal, and give a gardener a reliable performer year after year. [full story]
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June brings bugs to the garden
(Jun 4, 2012) Just as the flowers and vegetables really start to take off, here come the pests! Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley what insects are in season, including lily leaf beetles, rose chafers, leek moths and more. [full story]
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Time for crowd control in the garden
(May 28, 2012) Overcrowding can be a real problem for plants, from the row of young lettuce or carrots, to the patch of well-established perennials. And right now is a good time to take stock and do some strategic thinning-out. Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy shares tips with Martha Foley, including plants, like day lilies and bearded iris, that are OK to divide and move now. [full story]
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Making the most of flower boxes and urns
(May 14, 2012) Boxes and pots offer a great chance for small-scale and perfectly located flower gardening. Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy has tips on how to assemble and maintain successful containers, including how to recycle potting mix from year to year. She talks with Martha Foley. [full story]
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Keeping those hanging flower baskets so colorful
(May 7, 2012) Sunday is Mothers' Day, and maybe you're thinking of one of those hanging flower baskets as a gift. Cornell Cooperative Extension Horticulturist Amy Ivy has some tips for buying and maintaining the "wow" factor for hanging flower baskets. [full story]
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The challenge of growing fruit
(Apr 30, 2012) The North Country climate isn?t great for fruit trees. There are lots of apple orchards on Lake Champlain, particularly, but insuring a good apple harvest can be a challenge for the home gardener.Cornell Cooperative extension horticulturist Amy Ivy has tips on other crops for home-grown fruit: berries. [full story]
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Another way to give seeds a head start
(Apr 23, 2012) The snow and cold rain today are a disappointing sort of counterpoint to this season's early warm spells. True, we need the moisture, but lots of gardeners will be looking closely to see what the consequences are for perennials that have gotten ahead of schedule, or the extra-early seedlings in the vegetable garden. And who ever knew there were so many azaleas and forsythia bushes in the North Country? This year they are all blossoming, it seems: a rare show indeed. What...
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Multiple-bin method solves a compost problem
(Apr 16, 2012) Compost is a prized commodity among gardeners. It seems like there's never enough compost to go around As perennial beds and vegetables plots are prepped for the season.Martha Foley has been making her own compost for years and years, but this spring found things hadn't "worked" over the winter as planned. Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy walked us through her own strategy: two or even three bins. [full story]
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Conditions good for early garden chores
(Apr 9, 2012) Showers today will be welcome for gardeners who've planted spinach and other early season crops. In fact, it's a good time for a lot of early garden chores in the flower garden too. Amy Ivy shares her list with Martha Foley. [full story]
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Timing is trickier than ever for pruning
(Apr 2, 2012) There's a sweet spot, time-wise, for pruning shrubs. And the unusual warmth last month made finding that perfect time trickier than ever. Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy explains when, whys and hows to Martha Foley. She's got tips on the proper tools this week, too. [full story]
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Early days in the garden; be easy on the soil
(Mar 26, 2012) Amy Ivy and Martha Foley talk more about early season gardening chores. This morning, perhaps the very earliest, as Amy shares ways to prepare and preserve your soil. Amy recommends keeping tilling to a minimum. [full story]
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Now is not the time for lawn care
(Mar 19, 2012) A string of unusually warm, even hot, weather this week may bring the green back into many North Country lawns, but horticulturist Amy Ivy says it's simply too early for raking and reseeding, and far too early for feeding the grass.She had plenty of tips, including new restrictions on using phosphorous, in her conversation with Martha Foley this morning. [full story]
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Creating healthier food cultures in schools, communities
(Mar 14, 2012) Amy Cotler is an author, chef and local food advocate, who says it's an exciting time for the locavore movement, but more needs to be done. Cotler is author of the book, The Locavore Way, which focuses on the pleasures of locally grown food. On Monday, she'll give the keynote address at Dig In!, a food and gardening conference at Clarkson University in Potsdam. The event will bring together school staff, educators, parents, business owners, community leaders and health...
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Options for early, early gardening
(Mar 12, 2012) With a warm winter giving way to what seems like an early spring, the urge to get something going in the vegetable garden is blooming early, too. Amy Ivy, horticulturist with the Cornell Cooperative Extension Service of Clinton and Essex counties tells Martha Foley about an easy option. She describes "low tunnels," and how to build and use them for crops that like the cool of early spring. [full story]
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Gardeners: ready, set...prune!
(Mar 5, 2012) Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley it's time to get the pruning saw and clipper out. And she has advice on what to do first. [full story]
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Planning ahead for perennials
(Feb 27, 2012) Martha Foley talks with Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy about planning for perennials. There are options for acquiring new perennials, and some thinking to do before adding them to your flower garden. [full story]
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For gardeners, a warning as spring approaches
(Feb 20, 2012) The equinox is a month away, and the winter has been on the mild side. Even so, Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy sounds a note of caution for gardeners thinking about getting an earlier than usual start on the planting season. And she tells Martha Foley that of the three berry crops favored in the region, strawberries are the easiest choice for last-minute planners. [full story]
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Moths and beetles in your pantry?
(Feb 13, 2012) There are bugs, and then there are worse bugs. Cornell Cooperative Extension?s Amy Ivy talks with Martha Foley about insects you don?t want to share your home with. Meal moths and grain beetles breed in lots of places, in and out of the pantry, in cereal boxes, four sacks, and cookie packages. What to look for, and what to do, in today?s conversation. [full story]
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Winter sends bugs onto the indoor landscape
(Feb 6, 2012) Ladybugs and clusterflies are certainly annoying indoors residents. And a new "leaf-footed" insect, the western conifer seed bug, can be disconcerting. But as Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley, they're not harmful, and not worth attacking with pesticides. (Next week: Moths) [full story]
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USDA releases new gardening zone map
(Jan 30, 2012) The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released the new version of its Plant Hardiness Zone Map. It's an update of a useful tool for gardeners. Clinton and Essex County Cornell Cooperative Extension Service Horticulturist Amy Ivy says it's a "great piece of the gardening puzzle" in the North Country, but not the whole story. She spoke with Todd Moe. [full story]
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Getting a head start with the right seed catalogs
(Jan 23, 2012) January is the beginning of the gardening season for seed catalog fans. The stacks of colorful, glossy pages can set off a fantasy of unrealistic expectations, or can be the foundation of a good plan for the coming season.Amy Ivy, of the Cornell Cooperative Extension Service of Clinton and Essex counties shares thoughts on how a gardener can sort through the possibilities and make good choices for the new year. [full story]
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Ice, cold a burden for trees and shrubs
(Jan 16, 2012) Birches bent double, spireas flattened, evergreens folded up like umbrellas heavy ice and snow put a huge strain on trees and woody shrubs, and temperatures around zero don't help. Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley there's not much to be done. Propping up a stressed branch is a good idea, but be gentle otherwise. [full story]
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Up and down weather not good for the yard and garden
(Jan 9, 2012) There's open ground across much of the North Country. Temperatures are up above freezing one day, and may fall into the teens or single digits the next. It's hard to get a handle on this winter. But one thing is for certain, fluctuating temperatures combined with a lack of snow cover isn't good for the yard or garden. Amy Ivy, horticulturist with the Cornell Cooperative Extension Service of Clinton and Essex County, explains why in her weekly conversation with Martha Foley....
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Post-holiday plant care tips
(Jan 2, 2012) Some post-holiday notes from Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy today. From a new Christmas cactus that's dropped its blossoms, or a 12-foot tree that's dropping its needles, Ivy shared tips with Martha Foley this morning. [full story]
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Winter conditions challenge house plants
(Dec 12, 2011) What may be a lovely snowy scene outdoors can mean dry and drafty conditions indoors, too hot or too cold, with little direct sun. All that's hard on house plants.Cornell Cooperative extension horticulturist Amy Ivy offers Martha Foley some advice on managing the indoor growing environment. [full story]
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Best plants for holiday gifts
(Dec 5, 2011) Flowering plants are at the top of many gift lists. Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley it's a good idea to match the gift with the recipient's green-thumb potential. [full story]
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And lastly...take care of your tools!
(Nov 28, 2011) The forecast calls for a few more days of warmer than usual weather. But December is just around the corner, and parts of the North Country have already had their first foot of heavy snow. Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy shares a list of very mast minute things to do in the yard before winter really sets in. [full story]
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How far should a thorough garden clean-up go?
(Nov 21, 2011) It was another weekend of gardening-friendly weather. Several "bonus" weekends have given gardeners extra time to do an extra-thorough clean-up this year. But how far is too far? And what are the best strategies for fighting next year's pests? Cornell Cooperative extension horticulturist Amy Ivy shares tips with Martha Foley. [full story]
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Balmy weather confusing gardens and gardeners
(Nov 14, 2011) The warm weather continues in the North Country...at least till later this week. Flowers are blooming, the lawn is still growing; what's a gardener to do? Or not do? Plant more garlic? Leave the carrots in the ground? Cornell Cooperative extension horticulturist Amy Ivy compares notes with Martha Foley. [full story]
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In the garden: final clean-up, last call for planting...
(Oct 31, 2011) Much of the northeast and mid Atlantic got a heavy dose of winter this weekend. But in most of the North Country, the weather favored a frenzy of late fall chores. Martha Foley compared notes with Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy on mulching, protecting bare soil, and fall planting. [full story]
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School food director says you can serve healthy, local...
(Oct 28, 2011) At a youth food summit held this week in the North Country, teenagers were encouraged to think about what they eat, and to choose healthy, local options. But some students said those efforts are undermined in their own school cafeterias. Food service workers also got together at the summit. Many worry about the cost of local, natural ingredients, about how to process and cook them, and about whether the students will actually eat healthy meals.Julie Grant met Cynthia Overton...
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High school students gather for food summit
(Oct 27, 2011) Teenagers might be known for eating a lot. But they dont always think about where that food is coming from, or whether its healthy for them. That changed for some students who gathered in SUNY Potsdam's student union this week for the North Country Food Day Youth Summit. The summit was sponsored by GardenShare and the St. Lawrence County Health Initiative. Julie Grant attended, along with two hundred and forty high school students from 30 different schools. [full story]
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Can plants prep for winter when fall is so balmy?
(Oct 24, 2011) It's been a warm fall. Some parts of the region haven't had a real killing frost yet, and some flowers are blooming much longer than usual.That's great for the gardener who's getting a bonus on the season, but what about the plants? How do they usually get ready for winter, and will the warm fall hurt in the long run? Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy talks with Martha Foley. [full story]
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The hows and whys of raised beds
(Oct 17, 2011) Now is the time to make raised beds for planting next year. They can give gardeners a head start on early crops, and solve some drainage problems. Cornell Cooperative extension horticulturist Amy Ive gives Martha Foley the basics on the how-tos and whys. [full story]
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Last call for planting
(Oct 10, 2011) Warm temperatures and sunny skies are an invitation to get outside this holiday weekend. And the timing is right for fall planting. Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy shares her list with Martha Foley: garlic, winter rye as a cover crop, spring bulbs. And maybe a bargain shrub or tree as nurseries clear out for winter. [full story]
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In Keene, the rutabaga rules
(Oct 6, 2011) It'll be all things rutabaga on Sunday in Keene. Not even a tropical storm could keep this Adirondack community from celebrating the obscure vegetable. The 4th-annual Great Adirondack Rutabaga Festival was supposed to be held last month, but flooding forced organizers to put the event on hold until the community could recover. Laurie Davis, Adirondack Harvest coordinator, says the festival, one of only two in the country, was the idea of former Adirondack Harvest board chair...
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Nematodes a growing threat to garlic
(Oct 3, 2011) It's time to think about planting garlic. Garlic is so satisfying. Plant it in the fall, mulch it, and in the spring its green shoots are an early sign that the growing season is coming, like daffodils in the flower garden.But as Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley, there's growing worry for garlic-growers. Garlic bloat nematodes are nothing to panic about, Amy says, but the microscopic worms are turning up in more and more gardens. [full...
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Preview: Food Day Youth Summit in Potsdam
(Oct 3, 2011) High school students and staff from around the region are invited to attend GardenShare's Youth Summit on October 24th at SUNY Potsdam. It's National Food Day, and organizers want young people, and their mentors, to explore issues like healthy eating, sustainable farming and junk food. GardenShare executive director Phil Harnden spoke with Todd Moe. He says the event is free and there's financial aid for schools to help offset the costs of transportation. [full story]
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Crazy for school food from the backyard
(Sep 29, 2011) The end of the growing season hasn't dampened excitement about a school garden project in Canton. Students and teachers at Canton Central School will celebrate the produce from their school garden and local farms with a series of meals and programs this season. Five schools in St. Lawrence County will take part in the state's "Farm to You Fest", an event highlighting local food in schools. Ingredients for today's lunch will be taken from a garden plot behind the high school...
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Satisfying work in the autumn garden
(Sep 26, 2011) There's been scattered frost, but temperatures are still in the warm range, and the growing season isn't over yet for lots of the North Country. Some flowers are still blooming, or blooming again. Weeds are still flourishing. It's a good time to clean up, take stock, move lilies and other bulbs. Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy shares tips with Martha Foley. [full story]
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Dealing with garden leftovers
(Sep 19, 2011) With the growing season winding down, some gardeners have already begun garden cleanup chores. Horticulturist Amy Ivy has some tips on composting and ideas for building a proper compost bin. [full story]
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Growers cleaning up after Irene's "wall of water"
(Sep 5, 2011) Farmers and officials are totaling up the impact of Tropical Storm Irene on New York's farms. (See related story.) Many of Clinton and Essex counties growers lost prime end-of-season crops.In Manhattan, according to the Associated Press, one Hudson Valley grower brought a display of his rotted vegetables to show urban shoppers the consequences of the storm.Cornell University's Horticulture Department (link below) lists one critical concern: Do not use fruits and vegetables that...
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Storm damage in the garden
(Aug 29, 2011) Heavy wind and rain can take a huge toll on the garden. Martha Foley talks with Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy about how to deal with the Hurricane Irene aftermath in the garden. And she says to keep an eye out for signs of late blight, continuing to damage produce in the region. [full story]
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Farmers Under 40: Mangles, milk and other experiments
(Aug 26, 2011) Bali McKentley grew up in Potsdam. Her parents own St. Lawrence nurseries, an iconic, one-of-a-kind provider of cold-hardy edible plants to growers across the country. Bali helps with the family business. But shes also branching out, trying all kinds of agricultural experiments. Sarah Harris visited the nursery and has more. [full story]
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Save your seeds for a head start on next summer
(Aug 22, 2011) By late August, lots of flowers are fading. But before they go, they give gardeners a last bonus: seeds that will be ready to plant for next year, if they're handled right. Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley how. [full story]
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Alan Cowan on growing and selling garlic in Ontario
(Aug 17, 2011) Garlic is one of many crops that grow well in northern New York and much of Ontario. It's gaining in popularity thanks to various garlic festivals and a long-established reputation as a flavor enhancer with medicinal qualities.Alan Cowan's family farm produces garlic, shallots and pumpkins in Ontario's Bruce County, near Lake Huron. For the last dozen years, he's been a vendor at the Perth Garlic Festival. That's a 7-hour-plus drive. But Cowan says it's worthwhile. He...
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Heard Up North: Polyphemus moths, monarchs, and more at...
(Aug 10, 2011) All kinds of creatures make their home in the North Country, including a number of native butterflies. Sarah Harris visited the butterfly house at the Paul Smith's Visitor Interpretive Center (VIC) on a rainy Friday afternoon, talked to educator Sue Grimm, and has today's Heard Up North. [full story]
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Tomato time in the garden
(Aug 8, 2011) It's all about tomatoes in this week's conversation with Cornell Cooperative Extension Horticulturist Amy Ivy. She offers tips on ways to encourage plants to turn their attention from rampant growth to ripening fruit already on the vine, and has news of late blight, which has been confirmed in Burlington, VT. [full story]
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Time for summer "haircuts" in the garden
(Aug 1, 2011) Leggy petunias and vining cucumbers would all benefit from a judicious trim right about now. Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy explains the benefits of summer pruning for vegetables and flowers and give Martha Foley a quick how-to lesson. And...don't forget to fertilize. hanging baskets are getting crowded, and fruits like tomatoes need nourishment to mature and ripen. [full story]
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From the big city to a dirt roadand loving it!
(Jul 27, 2011) Margaret Roach, former editorial director of Martha Stewart Living turned blogger, has done what some urbanites only dream about traded a busy career for life in the country. Roach left New York City and the magazine design world a few years ago for a quieter life filled with two lifelong passions: gardening and writing. Shell give a talk at St. Eustace Church in Lake Placid on Saturday (2-4 pm), titled "Nonstop Plants: a Garden for 365 Days." The event is a fundraiser for the...
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Midsummer stresses for the garden, and the gardener
(Jul 25, 2011) The string of sunny summer weather has been fine for beaches and barbecues. But the dry spell, punctuated by spotty, drenching rains, has been tough on the vegetable patch. Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley about blossom end rot on tomatoes and peppers, and confront the realities of japanese beetles. [full story]
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Farmers Under 40: A farmer and a teacher, too
(Jul 25, 2011) Our Farmers Under 40 series continues throughout the summer. Today we have a profile of Joe Orefice, an assistant professor of forestry at Paul Smith's College. Orefice taught the school's first sustainable community agriculture course this past year. He also owns and operates a small farm, which he uses as a teaching tool. This summer Paul Smith's culinary students visited Joe's farm for a lesson in local meats. Sarah Harris joined them and has our story. [full story]
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Farmers Under 40: A farmer and a teacher, too
(Jul 22, 2011) Our Farmers Under 40 series continues throughout the summer. Today we have a profile of Joe Orefice, an assistant professor of forestry at Paul Smith's College. He taught the school's first sustainable community agriculture course this past year. He also owns and operates a small farm, which he uses as a teaching tool. This summer Paul Smith's culinary students visited Joe's farm for a lesson in local meats. Sarah Harris joined them and has our story. [full story]
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Strategies for dealing with midsummer weeds
(Jul 18, 2011) Before you declare all-out war on weeds this summer, horticulturist Amy Ivy has some tips for the best ways to deal with them. She spoke with Todd Moe. [full story]
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Farmers Under 40: Liberal arts students try their hand...
(Jul 14, 2011) Land grant schools like Cornell University have long specialized in teaching agriculture. But across the country, liberal arts colleges are adding programs about food, farming, and sustainability to their curricula. Theyre not teaching farming per seno classes about pests or crop rotation. Theyre giving farming the full liberal arts treatment, offering courses in philosophy and economics, as well as some work in the field. As Sarah Harris reports, they want students to think...
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Walking back 100 years in Brockville
(Jul 13, 2011) There are many sights worth seeing throughout the Thousand Islands, including something called Fulford Place on the Ontario shore of the St. Lawrence. Completed in 1901, the 35 room, 20,000 square foot Brockville landmark was the summer 'cottage' for a wealthy Canadian family that hosted Prime Ministers and visiting Royalty. At its peak, the property consisted of 15 manicured acres, with a boat house, a luxury steam yacht and gardens designed by renowned landscape architect...
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The importance of a pollinator
(Jul 11, 2011) Plants have sex, too. It turns out, bees sometimes have trouble pollinating thick bushy plants like zucchini and summer squash. The heavy foliage makes it hard for the bees to get the pollen from the male flower over to the female flower. No pollination and the little squashes attached to the female flower won't grow. But gardeners can help! Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy explains the hows and whys in her weekly conversation with Martha Foley. Plus, what...
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Last call for planting
(Jul 4, 2011) Got a little space left in the garden? Cornell Cooperative extension horticulturist Amy Ivy says there's still time just to plant summer crops like bush beans and zucchini. She has advice on pruning tomatoes now, and an update on late blight, which has been confirmed on Long Island. And Amy tells Martha Foley she's starting cosmos and zinnias now, too. [full story]
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Making space in the garden
(Jun 27, 2011) Just like weeding, thinning the vegetable or perennial garden reduces stress on plants. Thinning creates more space and a healthier environment for plants to grow. Horticulturist Amy Ivy, with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Clinton and Essex counties, gives Todd Moe a gardener "pep talk". [full story]
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Time to train-up the tomatoes
(Jun 20, 2011) Trellis, cages, stakes and string... Whatever your preference, it's time to start tending and training the tomato plants. First, you've got to know how a little about the plants themselves. Cornell Cooperative Extension's Amy Ivy shares her favorite methods in her weekly chat with Martha Foley. [full story]
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Getting ahead of the garden pests
(Jun 13, 2011) The bugs are back crawling, flitting and eating their way through treasured plants. Knowing what's doing the damage is half the battle in winning the pest control war. Todd Moe talks with Cornell Cooperative horticulturist Amy Ivy about some tips for finding and identifying the "bad boys" in the garden. [full story]
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TLC for the young garden
(Jun 6, 2011) It's a challenging year, no doubt about it, for gardeners and commercial growers and the plants they're tending. There may be too much water in some places, but not enough in others, after a series of dry, sunny and windy days, and a couple of nights in the 30s. Cornell Cooperative extension horticulturist Amy Ivy has some reminders about garden TLC in her weekly chat with Martha Foley. And they preview workshops on using local food, homegrown or not, starting next week in...
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Salvaging a soggy season
(May 30, 2011) In their weekly conversation on garden matters, Martha Foley and Cooperative Extrension horticulturist Amy Ivy discuss planting in saturated soil, and how to get the best out of a too-wet season. [full story]
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Taking the backyard garden to new heights
(May 26, 2011) A Potsdam couple is growing flowers and vegetables in a garden on the roof of a storage building on their property. The thin-shelled concrete roof includes a thick layer of mulch that supports an ornamental and vegetable garden. The funky Asian-style structure with its turf top looks like something from Hobbiton or Hogwarts. The owners could have installed a garden plot in the nearby hayfield, but found the "green" roof an easier option.Deborah Massell and Jackson Francisco...
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Taking care of transplants
(May 23, 2011) It's time to transplant when the rain stops for a few hours. Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy shares tips on giving tender flowers and vegetables the best chance for success. On the list: dealing with root-bound plants, feeding transplants, and what to look for when buying plants. [full story]
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Crank organ brightens market days
(May 20, 2011) After a long cool Spring, it's a good feeling when things warm up and the farmer's markets re-open.Patrons come for local produce, crafts and baked goods. Lucky Ottawa area shoppers often get a unique bonus: jaunty music with a European flair. Mike Grebler lives in Carlsbad Springs Ontario and takes his crank organ to various local farmer's markets, collecting tips for various charities. He also encourages the young or the young at heart to take a turn cranking out the...
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Row covers keep bugs at bay
(May 16, 2011) Not much outdoor gardening this week...but just in case you can get out to the flower beds, Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy says it's time to pinch back late-blooming perennials. She explains why to Martha Foley, and explains why installing row covers can help keep vegetables pest-free. [full story]
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In the garden: saturated soil, and tips for weed-free...
(May 9, 2011) Flooding over the last two weeks has drenched yards and gardens. Soils are saturated, and thats not good, as Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley. They also have some tips on keeping weeds out of the asparagus patch. [full story]
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Time to plant peas, spinach...and broccoli?
(May 2, 2011) Sunny skies and warm temperatures called, loudly, to gardeners this weekend. It's a great time to divide perennials, to battle quack grass and other invasive weeds, to plant trees and early season crops in the vegetable garden, like peas and spinach. But that's not all. Cornell Cooperative extension horticulturist Amy Ivy had some surprising additions to that list in her talk with Martha Foley this morning: broccoli and its relatives...from seed. [full story]
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Getting a start on the weeds
(Apr 25, 2011) Milder weather brings lots of green to the yard and garden, but not all of it's welcome. Just as perennial flowers are putting out their first growth, so are the perennial weeds. Martha Foley talks with Amy Ivy about common weeds, and why now is the time to tackle them. Plus advice on getting rid of tough invasives like bittersweet and grapevines. [full story]
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New community gardens springing up
(Apr 20, 2011) With the start of another growing season, new community gardens are starting up and others are expanding around the region. Todd Moe talks with Doreen Emery, a garden organizer in the Saratoga Springs area, about starting a new community garden in Greenfield for the first time this year. [full story]
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Plattsburgh community gardens growing
(Apr 11, 2011) Now in its third season, the Plattsburgh Community Garden Group is expanding the number of garden plots at two community gardens this year. All told, there will be more than 50 garden plots available in Plattsburgh. Todd Moe talks with garden organizer Anne Lenox Barlow about opportunities for urban gardeners to grow vegetables for their own benefit. [full story]
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Winter's aftermath: moles, voles and other troubles
(Apr 4, 2011) The first surveys of the lawn and garden after snow-melt usually show just what rodents have been up to over the winter. Piles of dirt mean a mole underground. Tunnels snaking just under the surface of the grass mean voles, or meadow mice, have been active. Cornell Cooperative Extension's Amy Ivy reviews the damage in her weekly conversation with Martha Foley. [full story]
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Sorting through garden seeds
(Mar 28, 2011) Theres still snow on the ground in some parts of North Country, but seeds are on the store shelves. Todd Moe talks with horticulturist Amy Ivy about tips for what to look for. [full story]
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Early spring garden checklist: planning for the new...
(Mar 21, 2011) It's spring! Todd Moe talks with horticulturist Amy Ivy about early spring garden chores. Okay, there's still snow on the ground in some parts of the North Country. But Amy says the garden is awakening. [full story]
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Eating local, even in winter
(Mar 14, 2011) A community dinner in Plattsburgh next Saturday night will showcase local produce, meat and dairy products. Horticulturist Amy Ivy tells us more about the Food from the Farm event. Shes hoping it will energize consumers about buying locally grown food in the late winter months. [full story]
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The joy of home-grown strawberries
(Mar 7, 2011) Todd Moe and horticulturist Amy Ivy take a break from the snowy weather to talk about a favorite garden fruit. Growing strawberries in your own garden is easier than you might think. Amy has some tips for growing strawberries in pots or plots this spring. [full story]
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Starting seeds, part 2
(Feb 28, 2011) How to get a leg up on the growing season. Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy talks to Todd Moe about how to start seeds indoors and what might work best for your 2011 garden plan. [full story]
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Shedding light on starting seeds indoors
(Feb 21, 2011) Forget those freezing temperatures in the forecast for a few moments. Todd Moe and horticulturist Amy Ivy begin a series of conversations about starting seeds indoors. Its a sure sign of spring, right? Amy begins with tips for setting up up the proper lighting. [full story]
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Creating a bit of spring indoors, even in winter
(Feb 14, 2011) Its still too early for serious pruning outdoors. But horticulturist Amy Ivy has some tips for cutting younger branches from spring-flowering trees and forcing them into early bloom indoors, long before the trees outside are beginning to open their buds. [full story]
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A winter 'green thumb: propagating indoor plants
(Feb 7, 2011) Horticulturist Amy Ivy has some tips for propagating indoor plants this month. Its an inexpensive way to increase your indoor garden and prep some seedlings, like geraniums, for spring transplanting outdoors. Amy told Todd Moe that indoor plant propagation is easy, but there are a few rules to follow. [full story]
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The garden in winter: creating color, texture
(Jan 31, 2011) Now is the time to assess mid-winter landscapes. Theres lots of snow out there, but there are ways to add interest to flower beds and garden plots even in winter. Horticulturist Amy Ivy joins Todd Moe to talk about the beauty in the winter garden and tips for planning future winter gardens featuring ornamental grasses, shrubs and perennials. [full story]
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More through the mail: perennials to trees
(Jan 24, 2011) Last week, Amy Ivy had tips about how to make the most of the many offerings found in seed catalogs. This week in her weekly conversation with Martha Foley, the Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist looks at the other mail order possibilities: live plants, from hard-to-find perennials, to common trees. [full story]
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Appreciating the beauty of winter in the yard and garden
(Jan 17, 2011) The first full moon of the year, known to some Native American tribes as the "Moon of the Cold-Exploding Trees," (Wikipedia) is Wednesday. Trees were "popping" in the extreme cold outside Martha Foleys door this morning. And Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy finds beauty in the what the winter season reveals. Heres their conversation. [full story]
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Seed catalogs offer a sunny view of the garden
(Jan 10, 2011) A new year always brings a new stack of seed catalogs to the mailbox. Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy is perusing her collection, looking forward to another year of flowers and vegetables. She has some tips, and some cautions, for the rest of us. [full story]
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Bring on spring with early indoor blossoms
(Jan 3, 2011) "Forcing" plants and bulbs to bloom is an easy way to bring spring fragrance and color into the house, long before the first spring flowers.Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy reviews how to handle the paper whites, amaryllis and other bulbs commonly given for holiday gifts. Martha Foley got both for Christmas. She also got a surprise from her Christmas tree, the very top of a tall blown-down balsam tree. Its blooming, too. Among the lights and ornamments are...
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Whither the Christmas tree?
(Dec 27, 2010) Some families savor their Christmas tree well into January. Some trees are one their way out the door already. And some trees, still alive in their pots, are going...where? When?Cornell Cooperative extension horticulturist Amy Ivy shares tips and warnings with Martha Foley. [full story]
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Sheltering shrubs from the storm, and the salt
(Dec 20, 2010) Sometimes we plant trees and shrubs in the wrong place, even if its for the right reason. By the kitchen window might be just where the snow dumps off the roof, or where the icicles form on the gutter. Or that hedge out by the roadjust in the road salt zone. Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy offers tips on how to help the suffering spireas out, and suggests a better way to divide the yard from a busy road. [full story]
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Tips for soggy spots
(Dec 13, 2010) Its been a wet fall and early winter. That can be a problem for low-lying areas in the yard and garden as cold temperatures set in. The freezing and thawing, and freezing again can be hard on roots and on the soil itself.Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy told Martha Foley there are ways to avoid the problem altogether, and now is the time to make a plan. [full story]
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Indoor flowering plants in winter
(Dec 6, 2010) Martha Foley talks with Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy about the best flowering plants to warm up the house during the winter. [full story]
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Green signs of the season
(Nov 29, 2010) Whether you cut your own tree in the back 40, or do some judicious trimming of the shrub in the backyard, holiday greens are on the agenda. Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy has been making her own wreaths and garlands for years. She shared some tips with Martha Foley. [full story]
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Celebrating a "local" Thanksgiving
(Nov 22, 2010) Thanksgiving can be a great opportunity to savor a real harvest meal, even given the North Countrys growing season. Martha Foley and Cooperative Extensions Amy Ivy inventory the menu possibilities. (And it isnt all root vegetables!) [full story]
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Giving the rake a rest
(Nov 8, 2010) Procrastinators: good new from the turf specialists at Co-operative Extension. You can give the rake a rest. Martha Foley talks with horticulturist Amy Ivy about the yard and garden each Monday. [full story]
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Garden chores move indoors
(Nov 1, 2010) Cooperative extension horticulturist Amy Ivy joins Martha Foley each Monday for a gardening conversation. Today saving leftover seeds for next spring and proper care of amaryllis bulbs. [full story]
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Putting the lawn to bed for the winter
(Oct 25, 2010) Cooperative extension horticulturist Amy Ivy joins Martha Foley each week for a gardening conversation. This weekgetting the lawn ready to winter over and to come back green and healthy in the spring. [full story]
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Getting a start on the 2011 harvest
(Oct 18, 2010) Martha Foley talks with Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy each Monday. This week, its about getting started on next years harvest. [full story]
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"Landless" vegetable patch grows in Ottawa
(Oct 12, 2010) Community Supported, or Shared, Agriculture CSAs for short are growing, spreading even into cities, where garden space is at a premium.Customers typically sign up to buy shares of the seasons production. They get fresh, local produce while growers get improved financial security. Sellers and buyers often enjoy getting to know each other on a personal level too. A landless CSA in Ottawa has just finished its third season. Using a website, social media and word-of-mouth...
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Enjoying the long gardening season
(Oct 11, 2010) Its late in the season for North Country gardeners. And late frost has given vegetables and flowers a reprieve in many areas. Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley what perennials are still colorful, and what the top priorities are for the last days of her flower garden. [full story]
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A workday brings attention to climate change
(Oct 8, 2010) The group 350.org is spearheading a world-wide community workday Sunday. Its called 10.10.10. Volunteers across the region will pick up hammers, shovels and garden tools and join the Global Work Party. Its being called the worlds largest day of practical action to fight the climate crisis. Todd Moe found some SUNY Potsdam students and community volunteers who got ahead of the game last weekend by helping with fall chores at a community garden in Potsdam. [full story]
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Everything early in the garden this year
(Sep 27, 2010) The Associated Press reports New Yorks pumpkin crop came in two weeks early this year. Its just the latest in a string of similar stories from the fields and orchards of the region. From early summer berry crops to the Champlain Valleys famous apples, it seems like everythings been ripening early. Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley its true - 2010 has been a very good year for growing. [full story]
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Compost: completing the circle
(Sep 20, 2010) A compost pile is a handy way to dispose of kitchen waste. It isnt the place to put bones or meat scraps, but if youve got an out of the way corner, piles of potato peels and onion skins can simply go there, out of sight and out of mind. And with some planning, and an easy formula of a little of this, and a little of that, the waste pile becomes a real treasure.Cornell Cooperative extension horticulturist gives Martha Foley some tips in their weekly chat. [full story]
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Weekly Gardening Conversation: Cover crops
(Sep 13, 2010) Its time to rebuild the soil in the garden. Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy talks with Martha Foley about the value of cover crops. [full story]
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Reclaiming the flower garden
(Sep 6, 2010) It isnt that theres nothing left to do in the vegetable garden, but Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy took a break this weekend. She didnt go far. In her weekly conversation about the yard and gardens with Martha Foley, Amy shares a list of things to do to catch up in the flower beds. [full story]
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Cupid comes to the farm
(Sep 6, 2010) Youve heard of speed dating? Some Vermont organic farmers are trying out a slower paced, you could saymore rural, alternative: weed dating. It has nothing to do with smoking marijuana.In speed dating, you spend only a few minutes chatting, then move on in a fast-paced round robin with several potential partners.Weed daters have plenty of time to get acquainted as they move down row after row, pulling weeds.As part of an environment reporting collaboration with Northeast...
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In late August, there's just not much to worry about in...
(Aug 30, 2010) Gardeners are, we hope, enjoying the harvest season these last days of August. Martha Foley runs down the list of the usual chores and worries with Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy, and finds that by now, theres not much point in worrying about the weeds or the pests. One continuing worry...late blight. [full story]
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Nature's way of giving back to the garden
(Aug 23, 2010) Some of what you pull out of the garden this season could be used to help nourish the soil next spring. Compost is simply decomposed organic material. While it may seem mysterious or complicated, horticulturist Amy Ivy told Todd Moe that composting is a very simple and natural process. She shares some tips. [full story]
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Using the garden's bounty to feed those in need
(Aug 16, 2010) Youve eaten, canned and maybe dried vegetables from the garden this summer, and its still producing plenty of fresh produce. Sometimes this extra bounty is wasted, left to rot on the plant or picked and left on the kitchen counter until its too late. Todd Moe talks with horticulturist Amy Ivy about ways to donate excess veggies from the garden to a local food bank, soup kitchen or community center. [full story]
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Get to know good garden bugs
(Aug 9, 2010) Martha Foley and horticulturist Amy Ivy talk about beneficial garden bugs: ladybugs, praying mantis, and other good garden insects provide safe, natural biological solutions to pest control problems in flower and vegetable beds. [full story]
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Keeping tomato plants under control mid-summer
(Aug 2, 2010) The tomato plants in the garden are growing like theyre never going to stop - and if it werent for frost, they probably wouldnt. Martha Foley talks with horticulturalist Amy Ivy of the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Clinton and Essex counties about caring for tomato plants mid-summer, including early blight, late blight and when to pinch off new blossoms and green growth. [full story]
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New opportunities in the late-summer garden
(Jul 26, 2010) Martha Foley talks with horticulturist Amy Ivy about filling those bare spots in the garden. Maybe youve dug up the garlic or finished off the spinach. Amy has ideas for those "opportunities" in the vegetable garden. [full story]
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In the garden: trellises and other structures
(Jul 19, 2010) Its kind of jungle-y in lots of gardens this summer. Hot weather and drenching rains in many parts of the region are fueling what can seem like miles of vines, from beans and cucumbers to clematis and honeysuckle. Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley how trellises and other garden structures can help the garden grow. (send us a picture of your trellis, fence, or pergola: e-mail to martha@ncpr.org) [full story]
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A midsummer cleanup in the flower garden
(Jul 12, 2010) Martha Foley and horticulturist Amy Ivy talk about trimming, pruning and cleanup work in the flower beds. [full story]
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How gardeners respond to summer's varying weather
(Jul 5, 2010) Hazy, hot and humid best describes this weeks weather forecast, and a few scattered showers, too. Martha Foley talks with horticulturist Amy Ivy about how gardeners deal with weather extremes in mid summer heat and rain. [full story]
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Going native in the garden means tracking down the right...
(Jun 29, 2010) Gardeners are sort of like small-scale environmentalists. They create gorgeous little habitats that are often havens for birds and insects.But gardeners can also cause a lot of problems, by using too many chemicals and by importing non-native plants. Theres a movement in the North Country to fill out lush and beautiful gardens with native plants.Supporters say local alternatives are hardier more pest- and drought-resistant. Brian Mann visited a local plant sale in Keene and...
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Late blight vs. early blight, explained
(Jun 28, 2010) Growers are nervous this summer as they hope late blight wont resurface in the North Country. The disease devastated tomato and potato crops across the Northeast last summer. David Sommerstein talks with Amy Ivy, horticulturalist for the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Clinton and Essex counties, for the latest on late blight. She says gardeners are confusing the disease with early blight and other, more common, diseases. [full story]
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In the garden: one old threat, one new one
(Jun 14, 2010) A new threat to the onion family: leek moth. The moths are familiar to gardeners across the border in Ontario and Quebec, but were only reported in this country last summer, in Plattsburgh. In their weekly conversation, Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley what home gardeners should look for. Plus a reminder to dig up and safely dispose of "volunteer" potatoes...growing from the remnants of last year late blight-infected crop. [full story]
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Fighting hunger by the bucket
(Jun 8, 2010) Three hundred "bucket gardens" are being handed out to those in need at food pantries in Jefferson County this week. LaFargeville students, nutrition experts at Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Food Bank of Central New York have teamed up again this year to help increase food security and decrease hunger. Rosalind Cook, with Cornell Cooperation Extension, told Todd Moe that the "garden in a bucket" program began four years ago, and each year they get more ambitious. [full...
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In the garden: already time for a clean-up
(Jun 7, 2010) No rest for the weary gardeners! This time of year, its all about getting things really set for the growing season. The vegetable seeds and transplants go in. The perennials are divided. The mulch goes down. The trellises are back in place, and fences are mended. But its not quite all about anticipation...theres some clean-up to be done, too. Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy has tips on daffodils, tulips and all those volunteers. [full story]
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In the garden: TLC for transplants
(May 31, 2010) Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of the serious vegetable season for many northern gardeners, and the push is on. Flats of flowers and tender tomato plants are coming out, and going in the soil. Some may have waited a little too long in their pots or six-packs. In their weekly conversation, Martha Foley and Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy have tips for easing the transition for transplants. [full story]
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Community gardens as inspiration
(May 24, 2010) Its time to take advantage of the sunny weather and get serious about the vegetable garden, or at least, planning the garden. Todd Moe spoke with horticulturist Amy Ivy who recently found design ideas at Plattsburghs community gardens. [full story]
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To till or not to till
(May 17, 2010) Long, tidy rows of vegetables, separated by neat alleys of bare soil. Could be a picture-perfect gardenunless those neat alleys are kept weed-free by regular tilling. In their weekly conversation about the yard and garden, Martha Foley talks with extension horticulturist Amy Ivy, about when and how to till the garden. As in so many other situations, a good rule is "all things in moderation." [full story]
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Apple growers watch for frost damage
(May 13, 2010) Gardeners and growers off all stripes have been watching the thermometer closely this week, worrying about repeated frost and freeze warnings. Tender vegetables were covered, pots of greenhouse-grown flowers came in. In orchards, though, its harder to protect against frost. Apple growers tended smudge fires or kept the chill air moving with big fans to ward off damage from the cold. Kevin Iungerman monitors orchards in Clinton, Essex, Washington, Saratoga and Albany counties...
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Calling all growers for a project mapping vegetable...
(May 11, 2010) Traditional Arts in Upstate New York is partnering with NCPR on a new project, The Garden Plot, to map and document vegetable and fruit gardens, big and small, this growing season.Its a web-based collaboration with gardeners from across the North Country. Were looking for participants to share photos as the season progresses, as well as information about garden practices, tips, advice, lore, problems and triumphs. (see sign-up link below.)Martha Foley talked with TAUNY...
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Two garden scourges
(May 10, 2010) Martha Foley and horticulturist Amy Ivy talk about two scourges in the garden this week: frost and weeds. [full story]
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In the garden: the cruelest month is too tough for...
(Apr 19, 2010) First its warm and rainy, then its clear, cold and windy. Then, maybe, it snows. Gardeners know how cruel April can be, especially to tender new plants like those strawberries you ordered. Horticulturist Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley shes been getting calls about when its safe to put those transplants in. Not yet, but they DO need care, and she has some useful advice. [full story]
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Prepping perennial beds for the season
(Apr 12, 2010) Its a busy time in the yard and garden preparing for another gardening season. Martha Foley and horticulturist Amy Ivy turn to prep work in the perennial beds. [full story]
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Vegetable gardeners on the look-out for a return of late...
(Apr 5, 2010) It was in the 80s and 90s across the North Country this past weekend. Some eager gardeners were no doubt out in the vegetable patch, planting the earliest of early crops, like spinach and peas. It wont be long till the planting season is underway in earnest. And theres an important question lingering from last year: what about late blight? Horticulturist Amy Ivy assures Martha Foley there are no worries about tomatoes carrying the disease over the winter, but potatoes are...
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Time to prune hydrangeas
(Mar 29, 2010) Most of them, anyway. But not all hydrangeas are the same. Should you cut everything back? Or leave some of last years growth? First, youve got to now what kind of hydrangea youve got. Pee gee? Old-fashioned Annabelle? And then there are the blue hydrangeas. As Amy Ivy tells Martha Foley, the formula is pretty straightforward, but each of these types requires a little different treatment. [full story]
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Our stop-and-go-spring
(Mar 22, 2010) Spring got is official start over the weekend...just as the thermometer fell back to more seasonal levels and snow showers moved across the region. It may seem like a step backwards, after two weeks of sunny, warmer than usual days, but its only to be expected. Horticulturist Amy Ivy commiserated in conversation with Martha Foley this morning, and shared some tips on getting an early start on the vegetable garden. [full story]
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School gardens as outdoor classrooms
(Mar 16, 2010) School gardens are more than a source of local food for the cafeteria. These gardens, planted and tended by students and staff, are being integrated into the educational curriculum to teach children not only about plants, nature and the environment, but other subjects as well. Danielle Pipher, a farm to school educator in Vermont, says gardens can teach kids about history, economics, social studies, math and art. Pipher will lead a workshop on school gardens on March 30th at...
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Heard Up North: tapping the trees
(Mar 10, 2010) Cold nights, warm days, sunshine� chickdees are busy, and the sap is rising. It all adds up to maple syrup season. Whether your operation includes a bulk holding tank and miles of plastic tubing, or just a few buckets hanging off the trees in the backyard, it all starts the same way, with a strategically placed hole in a sugar maple.And it�s today�s Heard Up North, produced by Martha Foley. [full story]
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Signs of spring in the yard and garden
(Mar 8, 2010) Winter can seem long; even snow and winter sports enthusiasts begin to yearn for open ground as the sun gets stronger and stronger in March. And gardeners can start to go a little stir-crazy. This past weekend, the weather gave eager folks a chance to get outdoors. It also prompted an early season to-do list when horticulturist Amy Ivy spoke with Martha Foley this morning.(For info on School and Community Garden Training, a workshop for teachers and community gardeners, at...
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