The homesteading series hosted by Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Tioga County has been a great success, with dozens of folks learning about having a laying chicken flock and raising meat birds, pigs, and sheep and goats.
Just recently, new workshops have been added. They include a maple syruping presentation at a local sugarbush, vermicomposting, growing strawberries and blueberries, and making your own mason bee house.
The maple syrup presentation will be held on March 5, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at SweeTrees, located at 761 Glen Rd. in Berkshire. Learn how you can make maple syrup from your maple trees and see how maple syrup is made commercially.
If you would like to turn kitchen scraps into garden gold, come to the presentation on vermicomposting. Vermicomposting is using worms to break down food scraps into compost and compost tea. What a great way to recycle and your plants will love the worm compost. Vermicomposting will be held March 16, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the CCE Tioga offices located at 56 Main St. in Owego.
Who doesn’t like strawberries and blueberries? Would you like to learn how to grow them in your own backyard or farm? Cornell expert Kaspar Kuehn will show you the right way to grow these tasty berries. The presentation will be held on March 21, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the CCE Tioga offices.
If you would like to have your own hard-working pollinators, consider making a mason bee house. Mason bees are solitary pollinators who are terrific pollinators of our early flowering plants. Being a mason beekeeper is simple and is an enjoyable way to welcome spring. Build your own mason bee house on March 3, from 10 a.m. to noon at the CCE Tioga offices (adults only).
In addition, CCE Tioga will host a presentation by Colleen Wolpert, local butterfly expert, on Caterpillar Gardening. The presentation will be held on March 14, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the CCE Tioga offices. Learn how to attract butterflies using native plants. Plant in the spring, and watch your garden come alive.
New classes and workshops are being added each week. To learn about all the homesteading and gardening classes, visit the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tioga County website at tioga.cce.cornell.edu. All classes are $5 per adult.
