Grow Your Own Tomatoes and Peppers Class at Cuba Library Tuesday, March 31, 2026 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm Cuba Library, 39 E Main St , Cuba, NY 14727 Join us for a free, two-part gardening series focused on growing healthy, productive tomatoes and peppers at home!These beginner-friendly classes will be held at the Cuba Library and are designed for anyone interested in strengthening their gardening skills, whether you’re just getting started or looking to boost your harvest this year.Class 1: Growing Peppers. Tuesday, March 31, 2026. 6:30 pm.Learn the essentials of successfully growing peppers, including variety selection, planting techniques, soil needs, pest management, and tips for maximizing yield.Class 2: Growing Tomatoes. Wednesday, April 8, 2026. 6:30 pm.Dive into everything you need to know about tomatoes, from choosing the right varieties to pruning, staking, disease prevention, and harvesting for the best flavor.Both sessions are free and open to the public. Attendees will leave with practical knowledge and confidence to grow their own tomatoes and peppers at home.See you in class! Cristian Acosta, cfa34@cornell.edu, 585-268-7644 ext 14 ========================================= Beef Producers Meeting Saturday, April 4, 2026 12:30 pm - 4:30 pm Alfred State College Farm , 1254 State Route 244 , Alfred, NY 14802 the New York Beef Producers Association - Region 4 Annual Meeting is open to all interested beef and dairy producers.Hosted by Region 4 Beef Producers & CCE Allegany CountyAgenda: 12:30 pm - optional tour of Alfred State College livestock facilities.1:00 pm - Lunch - Beef on Weck, pasta salad, chips, brownies and soda/bottled water.2:00 pm - Presentations Tube Feeding 101 - Learn the fundamentals of safely and effectively tube feeding calves with the CCE SWNYDLFC Team’s Dairy Management Specialist, Katie Callero. Participants will review calf biology, equipment needs, and proper feeding techniques, and will have the opportunity to practice hands-on tube placement using a calf model.Early Calf Care Tips - Amy Barkley, Livestock Specialist with SWNYDLFC, will cover the key aspects of calf management from Day 1 through weaning. This session will explore basic calf processing, factors that impact immune function, and essential nutrition requirements to support healthy calf growth.Handling Livestock Safely – All handling systems rely on a few basic components. Lynn Bliven, CCE Allegany County Issue Leader, will lead a discussion on the fundamental aspects of cattle facilities and handling to reduce stress and enhance safety for your unique farm needs.4:00 pm - Business meeting – election of officers, overview of what’s happen in NYBPA, brief discussion on program ideas for 2026/2027.The cost of the program is $22 per person for adults, $5 for youth 10 and under. Pay at the door.Pre-reservations for the meeting requested by March 27th to assist with lunch planning. Please contact Lynn Bliven 585-268-7644 ext. 18 or email lao3@cornell.edu. Payment will be accepted at the door. Membership in the beef producer association is not required to attend. New memberships and renewals will be accepted at the meeting; drawing will be held for 1 free membership or renewal. Lynn Bliven, lao3@cornell.edu, 585-268-7644 ext 18 ========================================= Grow Your Own Tomatoes and Peppers Class at Cuba Library Wednesday, April 8, 2026 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm Cuba Library, 39 E Main St , Cuba, NY 14727 Join us for a free, two-part gardening series focused on growing healthy, productive tomatoes and peppers at home!These beginner-friendly classes will be held at the Cuba Library and are designed for anyone interested in strengthening their gardening skills, whether you’re just getting started or looking to boost your harvest this year.Class 1: Growing Peppers. Tuesday, March 31, 2026. 6:30 pm.Learn the essentials of successfully growing peppers, including variety selection, planting techniques, soil needs, pest management, and tips for maximizing yield.Class 2: Growing Tomatoes. Wednesday, April 8, 2026. 6:30 pm.Dive into everything you need to know about tomatoes, from choosing the right varieties to pruning, staking, disease prevention, and harvesting for the best flavor.Both sessions are free and open to the public. Attendees will leave with practical knowledge and confidence to grow their own tomatoes and peppers at home.See you in class! Cristian Acosta, cfa34@cornell.edu, 585-268-7644 ext 14 ========================================= Air Pruned Raised Beds for Tree Seedling Production Friday, May 8, 2026 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Wild Geese Farm, 8499 Agett Rd , Franklinville, NY 14737 CCE Allegany County in conjunction with the Cornell Small Farms Program will be offering a hands-on workshop on Air Pruned Raised Beds (APRBs). The workshop, hosted at Wild Geese Farm on Friday, May 8, 2026 from 10:00 AM. until Noon, will be held rain or shine.APRBs offer an innovative, scalable approach to tree seedling propagation. By naturally pruning roots through air exposure, this system produces seedlings with stronger root architecture, higher transplant success, and the ability to grow large volumes of bare-root stock in a small footprint—no land ownership required. APRBs are adaptable to both urban and rural contexts and support high-density seedling production for a wide range of species.Participants will learn how to construct an APRB and explore key topics including bed management, growing media, pest management, species selection, seed collection, preservation, germination, and potential markets. Requirements for selling nursery stock in NYS will also be addressed. This workshop is ideal for producers seeking to diversify into a new, efficient tree seedling production system.The session will be led by Connor Youngerman, Agroforestry lead with the Cornell Small Farms Program. There is no charge for the workshop, however pre-registration is required, as participation is capped at 25.To register online: https://reg.cce.cornell.edu/Air_Pruned_Raised_Beds_202If you have any questions about the workshop, please contact Lynn Bliven. ========================================= Grow More Tomatoes and Fewer Leaves Workshop 2026 Saturday, May 9, 2026 10:00 am - 12:00 pm 5435A County Road 48 , Belmont, NY 14813 Do you dream of harvesting baskets full of ripe, juicy tomatoes but end up with more leaves than fruit? You're not alone! Whether you're a first-time gardener or looking to level up your tomato crop, this workshop is for you. Join us to learn proven techniques for growing healthier plants and producing more tomatoes all season long.In this workshop, you’ll learn:Tomato care and maintenance (watering, feeding, pruning, and support)How to keep plants vigorous and productive from planting to harvestSpace-saving strategies to grow more tomatoes in less spacePractical methods inspired by large-scale tomato productionYou’ll also get hands-on practice, get your hands dirty with interactive activities, and head home with tomato plants and materials to kickstart your 2026 tomato garden.Presented by Cristian Acosta, Ag. Educator and Master Gardener Volunteers from Cornell Cooperative Extension Allegany County.Date: Saturday, May 9th, 2026Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pmLocation: CCE Belmont Office. 5435 County Road 48, Belmont, NY 14813. Fee: $10Registration: Download format for registration HERE.  When we receive your registration form, you will receive a confirmation email or text. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with fellow tomato gardeners in your community. 10 Cristian Acosta, cfa34@cornell.edu, 585-268-7644 ext 14 ========================================= Growing Edible Mushrooms at Home Friday, May 22, 2026 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm 5435A County Road 48 , Belmont, NY 14813 Curious about growing your gourmet mushrooms safely and successfully, without expensive equipment? Join us for a hands-on workshop led by Don Gasiewicz, Horticulture/Natural Resource Program Manager from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Wyoming County. This program is being offered to Allegany County participants as well.In this workshop you will learn and practice:Home-grown mushroom cultivation techniquesLog maintenance Inoculate a log with mycelium, producing edible gourmet shiitake mushrooms for yearsYou will be able to take your own shiitake log home!Date: Friday, May 22, 2026.Time: 4:30 pmLocation: CCE Allegany - 5435 County Road 48, Belmont, NY 14813Fee: $30 (All materials are provided, and you take your shiitake log home.)Registration: Registration form HERE. Register and secure your spot! This class is perfect for beginners and hobby growers, with enough detail and resources to support those interested in small commercial production. Cristian Acosta, cfa34@cornell.edu, 585-268-7644 ext 14 =========================================