4-H Gymkhana Horse Show Sunday, June 25, 2017 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Mariah Meadows Stable (5424 W Ridge Rd Spencerport, NY 14559) Save the date for this year's 4-H Gymkhana Horse Show Tara Defendorf-Kuba, tld4@cornell.edu, 585-753-2566 ========================================= Hypertufa Trough Workshop Monday, June 26, 2017 9:30 am - 9:30 am CCE of Monroe County (2449 St Paul Blvd Rochester, New York 14617) Registration is required. Register Here $35, Public/$25, Master Gardener Sharon Hancock, smh47@cornell.edu, 585-753-2550 ========================================= 4-H Career Explorations Conference Tuesday, June 27, 2017 8:00 am - 5:00 pm The 4-H Career Explorations Conference is made up of two programs – University U (for those entering 8th & 9th grade) and Focus for Teens (those entering 10th – 12th grade). Teens choose the grade appropriate program and then Focus participants select three Focus programs they are most interested in exploring.  University U: Participants will be introduced to Cornell’s campus through campus tours and participating in six different departmental workshops that will expose participants to a wide variety of topics.  Focus for Teens: This is a more intense program where participants spend 3 days with a specific Department. Returning Focus for Teens participants should not apply to the same department program they attended in previous years. See program listings for more details.Eligibility: The 4-H Career Explorations Conference is open to all NYS youth in grades 8-12. However, registrations are handled through your local county Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) 4-H program. CCE County Associations have varying policies about participation in 4-H events, and not all counties participate in 4-H Career Explorations. The NYS 4-H Office encourages CCE Associations to invite all teens involved in their programs to participate in Career Ex.Contact the 4-H Office if you are interested in attending $250 plus transportation Tara Defendorf-Kuba, tld4@cornell.edu, 585-753-2566 ========================================= Rochester Urban Agriculture Garden Workshops Wednesday, July 5, 2017 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm NE Neighborhood Service Center (500 Norton St Rochester, NY 14621) April 26 - Extended Season Growing with Cool Weather VegetablesFood garden activities do not start Memorial Day and end with Labor Day. Many cool season vegetables may be grown in March, April, October & November. Learn more about growing ‘on the shoulder’.May 10 - Landscape with Vegetables for Friends, Neighbors and FamilyWhether you are sowing seed or using transplants good variety selections offers up an attractive garden yielding a bounty for the gardener and visual appeal for all who see it.May 17 - Maximizing Your Growing SpaceIntensive use of the space, sometimes called square foot gardening and companion planting along with crop rotation combine to yield a bountiful harvest, including space for edible vine crops.May 24 - Container Growing Vegetables & OrnamentalsEnliven a space visually with container grown ornamentals or select colorful herbs and vegetables that provide food as well as eye appeal.May 31 - Recognizing, Preventing & Managing Weeds: Mulch Strategies, & Integrated Pest ManagementLearn to identify & combat  (or live with) common weed, pests & diseases.June 7 - Safe Fertilizer for a Bountiful HarvestChoosing between fertilizer options, how and when to apply plant nutrients for a good harvest.June 14-  IPM & Pest manageemntIdentify, and live with or compat weeds, pests & diseases, naturally.June 21 - Smart WateringTools & techniques helping you spend less time, effort and water in the food garden.July 12 - Attracting & Nurturing PollinatorsThere are lots of good bugs in the garden. Come to understand the importance of pollinators for a bountiful harvest.July 19-  Berry CropsRaspberries & strawberries are easy to grow & taste incredible when just picked.  Learn how to include these sweet treats into your food garden. These workshops at the NE Neighborhood Service Center are supported in part with a grant from Scotts Miracle Gro. Walter Nelson, wnn1@cornell.edu, 585-753-2557 ========================================= Anyone Can Be a Scientist Monday, July 10, 2017 2:15 pm - 3:00 pm Frederick Douglass Community Library (971 South Ave Rochester, New York 14620) Ever wonder how quicksand works? Join us on July 10th to make your own personal quicksand puddle! Examine the workings and properties of quicksand to learn more about solids, liquids, viscosity, and pressure. Roll up your sleeves and let's get messy! RSVP by emailing Krista at Krista.kogler@hws.eduMore Upcoming Events To Look For:July 17th: Anyone Can an EngineerBuild a boat that can hold 25 pennies without sinking or leaking to learn more about water density, volume, and surface area!July 24th: Anyone Can Be an Athlete Use your athleticism to learn about side-dominance, statistics, and kinesiology!July 31st: Anyone Can Be an Artist Practice your creativity and artistic skills to learn more about primary colors, mixing, painting, and tape-resistance!August 7th: Anyone Can Be a LeaderCompete in teams to complete a challenge before your opponents. Practice your communication, teamwork, and healthy competition skills!August 14th: Anyone Can Be a Doctor Get active to learn more about your heartbeat, circulatory system, and healthy living and exercise!August 21st: Anyone Can Be an Author Write a secret letter using invisible ink to learn more about oxidation, dilution, and organic substances. Free! ========================================= 4-H Expo Friday, July 14, 2017 3:00 pm - 9:00 pm Free Tara Defendorf-Kuba, tld4@cornell.edu, 585-753-2566 ========================================= Hypertufa Trough Workshop Tuesday, July 18, 2017 9:30 am - 9:30 am CCE of Monroe County (2449 St Paul Blvd Rochester, New York 14617) Registration is required. Register Here $35, Public/$25, Master Gardener Sharon Hancock, smh47@cornell.edu, 585-753-2550 ========================================= Rochester Urban Agriculture Garden Workshops Wednesday, July 19, 2017 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm NE Neighborhood Service Center (500 Norton St Rochester, NY 14621) April 26 - Extended Season Growing with Cool Weather VegetablesFood garden activities do not start Memorial Day and end with Labor Day. Many cool season vegetables may be grown in March, April, October & November. Learn more about growing ‘on the shoulder’.May 10 - Landscape with Vegetables for Friends, Neighbors and FamilyWhether you are sowing seed or using transplants good variety selections offers up an attractive garden yielding a bounty for the gardener and visual appeal for all who see it.May 17 - Maximizing Your Growing SpaceIntensive use of the space, sometimes called square foot gardening and companion planting along with crop rotation combine to yield a bountiful harvest, including space for edible vine crops.May 24 - Container Growing Vegetables & OrnamentalsEnliven a space visually with container grown ornamentals or select colorful herbs and vegetables that provide food as well as eye appeal.May 31 - Recognizing, Preventing & Managing Weeds: Mulch Strategies, & Integrated Pest ManagementLearn to identify & combat  (or live with) common weed, pests & diseases.June 7 - Safe Fertilizer for a Bountiful HarvestChoosing between fertilizer options, how and when to apply plant nutrients for a good harvest.June 14-  IPM & Pest manageemntIdentify, and live with or compat weeds, pests & diseases, naturally.June 21 - Smart WateringTools & techniques helping you spend less time, effort and water in the food garden.July 12 - Attracting & Nurturing PollinatorsThere are lots of good bugs in the garden. Come to understand the importance of pollinators for a bountiful harvest.July 19-  Berry CropsRaspberries & strawberries are easy to grow & taste incredible when just picked.  Learn how to include these sweet treats into your food garden. These workshops at the NE Neighborhood Service Center are supported in part with a grant from Scotts Miracle Gro. Walter Nelson, wnn1@cornell.edu, 585-753-2557 ========================================= Great Gardens / Local Food Learning Series Monday, July 31, 2017 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Greece Public Library (2 Vince Tofany Boulevard Greece, NY 14612) Part 1: All about Herbs Monday, July 31, 7:00pm-8:00pmHerbs have a job of making ordinary meals into something special. A bit of this and a pinch of that will convert a pedestrian dinner into a feast. Herbs can turn food for the body into mana for the spirit. Their special colors and fragrances can bring variety and interest to an otherwise bland garden landscape. They belong in the garden planted either by themselves or mixed with other vegies or flowers. In this class, the participants will learn the benefits of herb growing and their use from cooking, medicinal, and healing to beauty. We will also cover the soil conditions for a beautiful and healthy herb garden. The attendees are encouraged to bring their own soil sample from their production plot for FREE pH analyses. A part of the discussion will be area farming as source of local herbs shopping. A ‘Fresh Market Local Food’ guide, including Monroe County Farmers’ Market Guide 2017 will be provided.Part 2: Better Veggies with Companion PlantingMonday, August 14, 7:00pm-8:00pmWhen planting in beds, it seem reasonable to consider mixing different sorts of plants. This approach is closer to the way thigs occur in the natural world as Nature tends to mix things up instead of planting big blocks of just one kind of plant. And many gardeners over the years noticed that, when certain plants are grown near one another, they appear to grow better, yield more or even taste better. These are often called ‘companion plants’. Come and learn how you can enhance a growth and performance of your vegetable favorites with companion plants and how to take care of both during the growing season to maximize your harvest.A part of the discussion will be area farming as source of local food. A ‘Fresh Market Local Food’ guide, including Monroe County Farmers’ Market Guide 2017 will be provided.Instructor Jarmila Haseler is currently employed by CCE of Monroe County as an Agricultural Educator. She taught college-level crop production in the Czech Republic before coming to the US. She owns a home-garden consultant-, design- and installation business “Gardening Roots”. Free Jarmila Haseler, jh954@cornell.edu, (585) 753-2565 ========================================= Great Gardens / Local Food Learning Series Monday, August 14, 2017 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Greece Public Library (2 Vince Tofany Boulevard Greece, NY 14612) Part 1: All about Herbs Monday, July 31, 7:00pm-8:00pmHerbs have a job of making ordinary meals into something special. A bit of this and a pinch of that will convert a pedestrian dinner into a feast. Herbs can turn food for the body into mana for the spirit. Their special colors and fragrances can bring variety and interest to an otherwise bland garden landscape. They belong in the garden planted either by themselves or mixed with other vegies or flowers. In this class, the participants will learn the benefits of herb growing and their use from cooking, medicinal, and healing to beauty. We will also cover the soil conditions for a beautiful and healthy herb garden. The attendees are encouraged to bring their own soil sample from their production plot for FREE pH analyses. A part of the discussion will be area farming as source of local herbs shopping. A ‘Fresh Market Local Food’ guide, including Monroe County Farmers’ Market Guide 2017 will be provided.Part 2: Better Veggies with Companion PlantingMonday, August 14, 7:00pm-8:00pmWhen planting in beds, it seem reasonable to consider mixing different sorts of plants. This approach is closer to the way thigs occur in the natural world as Nature tends to mix things up instead of planting big blocks of just one kind of plant. And many gardeners over the years noticed that, when certain plants are grown near one another, they appear to grow better, yield more or even taste better. These are often called ‘companion plants’. Come and learn how you can enhance a growth and performance of your vegetable favorites with companion plants and how to take care of both during the growing season to maximize your harvest.A part of the discussion will be area farming as source of local food. A ‘Fresh Market Local Food’ guide, including Monroe County Farmers’ Market Guide 2017 will be provided.Instructor Jarmila Haseler is currently employed by CCE of Monroe County as an Agricultural Educator. She taught college-level crop production in the Czech Republic before coming to the US. She owns a home-garden consultant-, design- and installation business “Gardening Roots”. Free Jarmila Haseler, jh954@cornell.edu, (585) 753-2565 ========================================= NYS 4-H Dog Show Saturday, August 19, 2017 9:00 am - 5:00 pm New this year, the NYS 4-H Dog Show will not be held during the NYS Fair.Instead it will be held on this date.We support our 4-H K-9 Kids members as they continue to represent Monroe County fabulously in this event. ========================================= 21st Annual Gathering of Gardeners Saturday, September 9, 2017 8:00 am - 4:00 pm DoubleTree by Hilton (1111 Jefferson Rd Rochester, NY 14623) CCE-Monroe County Master Gardener Volunteers welcome you to attend our 21st Annual “Gathering of Gardeners” symposium. We are gathering on September 9th at our NEW location: DoubleTree (by Hilton) Rochester, 1111 Jefferson Rd., Rochester 14623.Our featured speakers, Janet Macunovich and Steven Nikkila, are nationally known teachers, authors, illustrators and landscape professionals. They will be bringing their years of experience to help us “Make the Most of Change.” Yes, it's time to “hedge our bets”! Come prepared to learn what makes some plants hardy, others hardier, and those that might be willing to be “pushed” to another planting zone. Janet and Steven will also be giving their thoughts on the “best of the best” perennials, trees and shrubs. Hear their tips on the best combinations for seasonal color, forms, textures and foliage within your site requirements. If that is not enough, discussion of a garden's evolving shade profile will top off a day of embracing change in our gardens. Hear their techniques for getting the most from your space by nurturing a delightful shady or woodland garden area. In addition to these speakers, the Master Gardeners will be hosting a parking lot sale that is open to the public throughout the symposium hours (8am–4pm). Specialty vendors will be bringing us their best! The DoubleTree luncheon deli buffet may be pre-ordered with your symposium registration. Join us for the day or you are welcome to stop by and shop with our parking lot plant sale. Symposium guests may take advantage of reduced fee reservations at the DoubleTree. Reservations must be made directly with the hotel at least four weeks in advance using promo code: Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County. A Gathering of GardenersSymposium Schedule8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 8:00 – 9:00 Registration, coffee, auction ticket sales, parking lot sale 9:00 – 9:15 Welcome 9:15 – 10:15 Janet Macunovich -- Evolving Shady Gardens10:15 – 11:00 Break – Auction ticket sales, parking lot sale11:00 – 12:00 Steven Nikkila – Great Plants & Their Companions12:00 – 1:15 Lunch – Last auction ticket sales, parking lot sale 1:15 – 2:15 Janet and Steven – Gardener, Hedge Your Bets 2:15 – 3:00 Auction Results 3:00 – 4:00 Parking Lot Sale Various Walter Nelson, wnn1@cornell.edu, 585-753-2557 ========================================= 4-H Agribusiness Career Conference (ABC Trip) Thursday, October 19, 2017 9:00 am - 4:00 pm The 41st Annual New York State 4-H Agribusiness Career Conference will be held on October 19-20, 2017 at SUNY Cobleskill and local agri-businesses. The conference is co-sponsored by NYS 4-H, the NYS Farm Bureau, and the State University at Cobleskill. This career exploration conference is open to all youth ages 14 and over who wish to become more aware of opportunities with agriculture and also academic requirements for professional positions available in the various agri-business. It will feature mini-tours to farms and operations in the Cobleskill area as well as seminars, guest speakers and guided tours of the SUNY Cobleskill agriculture facilities.Participants and chaperones will be staying at The Inn at Cobleskill, located at the eastern end of town on the north side of Route 7 (behind Burger King). Enclosed is an itinerary for the two days.A participating fee of $95.00 per person (youth and adult) will include all overnight accommodations and meals. (If a participant wishes to come for just one day, that is acceptable, but the cost of the program is the same.)Contact the 4-H Office if you are interested. ========================================= 4-H Halloween Party Friday, October 20, 2017 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm Wegman Lodge (2222 St Paul St Rochester, NY 14621) Join us for an evening of uproarious laughter and ghoulish fun as Monroe County 4-H celebrates this most spooktacular time of year! Please bring a Halloween-themed dish or snack to pass; we will award a prize for the best one! Pizza and drinks will be provided. We will be holding a costume contest, so all youth should wear a costume; adults are invited to wear one as well! Wear or bring a change of clothes that you can run around in, as we will be playing games!RSVP to Monroe County 4-H by October 14th! $5.00 ========================================= 4-H Achievement Night and Dance Friday, November 3, 2017 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm Wegman Lodge (2222 St Paul St Rochester, NY 14621) Join the Monroe County 4-H program to celebrate the successes of our youth! At our Achievement Night celebration, we will award project medals and certificates and enjoy good food and 4-H friends. The event concludes with a youth-friendly DJ so that we can dance the night away! ========================================= 4-H Horse Awards Dinner Friday, November 17, 2017 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Details to follow; time to be determined! =========================================