Aug 26 2008 1:15 PM - 3:30 PM
The fourteenth annual Northeast Buckwheat Field Day will held August 26, 2008 at the Gianforte farm in Cazenovia, NY. The location east of Syracuse will be more convenient for those in the area that includes Cortland, Rome, Watertown,and the Leatherstocking region, who have not been able to attend previous field days.
The program will include discussion of different production practices and how they affect crop growth and yield. The major skill a buckwheat grower needs is knowing how to plant. We'll discuss and see the how, when and where that lead to success.
Buckwheat is a useful crop during transition to organic production. With no pesticide and little fertilizer used on conventional buckwheat, many wonder how different organic buckwheat can be.
Elizabeth Dyck from NOFA NY will provide insight into the many distinctions.
For the first time at a buckwheat field day, we'll have a chance to look at harvest equipment.
Pete Gianforte has been successful with the swather and pickup he acquired a few years ago.
Attendees will get a chance to see a swather that cuts buckwheat into windrows, and a pickup head that feeds the windrow into the combine. This system is particularly valuable where the grain matures before the leaves are lost, or where rain can interfere with harvest, or where large acreage needs to be covered.
1:15 Thomas Björkman (Cornell) Crop development so far this season
2:00 Elizabeth Dyck (NOFA-NY) How organic buckwheat different from conventional buckwheat
2:20 Break Drinks and buckwheat snacks
2:45 Pete Gianforte Operation of swather and pickup head for harvesting
3:30 End
There is no charge and no preregistration.
Directions. The farm is at 5886 E Lake Rd. north of Cazenovia.
From points west and from I-81 north or south, go to Interstate I-481 and take the DeWitt exit.
Take Highbridge Rd. (Rt. 92) to Manlius, then veer left onto E Seneca Turnpike (Rt. 173). After
5 miles, make a right onto East Lake Rd. and go a little over a mile.
From the south, take one of the many routes to Cazenovia. On the west end of the village, by the lake, take East Lake Rd north about 6 miles.
From the east and northeast, take one the many routes to Chittenango (NY 5 from the Canastota Thruway exit), then head southwest out of the village on Brinkerhoff Hill Rd (Rt 173). In about a mile, turn south on East Lake Rd. and go a little over a mile.
Watkins Glen