3 West Main Street, Suite 112, Elmsford, NY 10523 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED Cornell Cooperative Extension of Westchester County

2018 Annual Report

2018 Roster Partners and Collaborators

Board of Directors Staff State Office of Parks, Recreation Rye Free Reading Room Environmental Facilities – Recycling and Historic Preservation Rye Nature Center Office, White Plains Ken Almstead, New Rochelle Barbara Sacks, Executive Director New York State Energy Research and Sanford Terrace, Mt. Vernon Westchester County Department of Health, Lee Von Elm, Somers Administration—914-285-4620 Development Authority Scarsdale Public Library White Plains Bill Biles, Hartsdale New York State Pest Management Association Scarsdale School District Westchester County Department of Parks, Ellen Lewis, Larchmont Judy Guglielmo, Finance Administrator New York State Turf and Landscape Scholastic Academy, Yonkers Recreation, and Conservation, Mt. Kisco Association, White Plains Seabury Home, Yorktown Westchester County Department of Troy Lipp, White Plains Martha Mocbeichel, Administrative Assistant/ New York State Turfgrass Association, Albany Sheldrake Environmental Center, Larchmont Planning, Yorktown & White Plains Don Mahaney, Mt. Kisco Nutrition Data Manager Ninth District Federated Garden Clubs of Sherwood House, Yonkers Westchester County Department of Social John Merrell, Rye New York Shiloh Baptist Church, New Rochelle Services, White Plains Mills Ripley, Mt. Kisco Horticulture, Natural Resources, and the Environment NYC Department of Environmental Protection, Silver Lake Community Garden, Westchester County Department of Senior Valhalla Croton-On-Hudson Services, White Plains Vicky Sturner, New Rochelle Program—914-285-4640 NYS IPM Program at Cornell University, Sleepy Hollow Garden Club Westchester County Global Warming Deb Taft. Sleepy Hollow Geneva Somers High School Task Force Greg Twehues, Tarrytown Gerald Giordano, Senior Horticulture Educator NYS Office of the Comptroller, Albany Sony Corporation of America Westchester County Office of Soil and Water Hon. Alfreda Williams, County Legislator Amy Albam, Horticulture Educator/Master Gardener North Castle Public Library Soundview Apartments, New Rochelle Conservation Adam Hughes State Extension Specialist Program Coordinator OPUS: Organization of People Undaunted by Southern Westchester BOCES, Valhalla Westchester County Pest Management Stroke, Hartsdale Springhurst Elementary School, Dobbs Ferry Committee, White Plains The Osborn, Rye St. Christopher’s School, Dobbs Ferry Westchester County Youth Bureau, White Horticulture and the Environment Nutrition and Consumer Sciences Program Ossining Children’s Center St. Denis HeadStart, Yonkers Plains Program Resource Committee 914 285-4630 Ossining Community Garden St. Francis AME Church, Port Chester Westchester Greenhouse, Hartsdale Ossining Farmers Market St. Matthews Episcopal Church Parish House, Westchester Independent Living Center, Park Avenue School, Port Chester Bedford (Program Venue) White Plains Ken Almstead, New Rochelle Dawn Reda, Nutrition Educator/Supervisor Parsons Memorial, Harrison Star of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Ossining Westchester Jewish Community Services, Erna Capetanopoulos, Dobbs Ferry Lucy Diaz, Nutrition Educator Pearls Hawthorne School, Yonkers State University of New York White Plains, Yonkers and Mt. Vernon Tim Kilgallon, Scarsdale Peekskill City School District Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, Westchester-Fairfield Horticultural Society, David Kvinge, White Plains 4-H Youth and Family Development Program Peekskill Garden Club Pocantico Hills Cos Cob, Connecticut Peekskill High School SW BOCES at Carver Center, Port Chester Westchester Turf Supply, Inc., Lincolndale Andrew Messinger, Bedford Hills 914 285-4620 Peekskill Youth Bureau TD Bank, Thornwood Westhab, Mt. Vernon, White Plains, Yonkers Nancy Ross, Mt. Kisco Peekskill Youth Bureau Teatown Lake Reservation, Ossining Westlake Middle School, Thornwood Chris Rubeo, Thornwood Nancy Caswell, Community Educator Pepsico, Purchase Taconic Gardeners Club WestPAC, White Plains Bob Yedowitz, Yonkers Patris Beamon, IT Deskside Support/Community Pepsi Bottling, Somers Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow Farmers Market White Plains Beautification Foundation Pequenakonck Elementary School, North TOP (Transitional Occupation Program), White Plains Department of Public Works Educator/ Salem Yonkers White Plains Gedney Recycling Center Youth and Family Development/4-H Pfizer, Inc. Town of Bedford White Plains Historical Society Program Resource Committee Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site, Town of Cortlandt White Plains Library Sleepy Hollow Town of Dobbs Ferry White Plains School District Robyn Brown, New Rochelle Pleasant View Farm, Brewster Town of Greenburgh White Plains Youth Bureau Pleasantville Children’s Center Town of Lewisboro WILC (Westchester Independent Living Steve Mulligan, North Salem Pleasantville Farmers Market Town of Mt. Pleasant Center), White Plains Emory Nager, North Salem Pleasantville Garden Club Town of North Salem Wilkens Farm, Yorktown (program venue) Jack Robbins, Danbury, CT Pleasantville Public Pool Town of Ossining WL Morse School, Sleepy Hollow Gregoriann Rollins, Purchase Pocantico Conference Center, Sleepy Hollow Town of Somers Working Gardeners of Bronxville Garden Pocantico Hills School, Sleepy Hollow Town of Somers Conservation Board Club Jim Wood, Sleepy Hollow Port Chester Carver Center Town of Yorktown Yonkers Children’s Place Pound Ridge Elementary School Union Free School District of the Tarrytowns, Yonkers City School District Preservation Company, Peekskill Tarrytown Yonkers Community Health Coalition Preston School, West Harrison United Hebrew Geriatric Center, New Rochelle (YCHC) Primrose Elementary School, Lincolndale University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT Yonkers Early Childhood Initiative (ECI) Project Hope, Peekskill Untermeyer Gardens, Yonkers Yonkers Historical Society Pruyn Sanctuary, Saw Mill River Audubon Urban League of Westchester, White Plains Yonkers Municipal Housing Authority Society, Chappaqua Village of Bronxville Pulaski Elementary, Yonkers Village of Chappaqua Yonkers Will Library Putnam/NW BOCES, Yorktown Village of Croton Yorktown Community & Cultural Center Rippowam Cisqua School, Mt. Kisco Village of Elmsford Yorktown Grange, Yorktown Riverside Health, Yonkers Village of Larchmont RJ Bailey Elementary School, Greenburgh Village of Scarsdale Rochambeau Alternative High School, Village of Tuckahoe White Plains Vine School, Yonkers Rosedale Nursery, Hawthorne Vive Program, Yonkers Rotary Club, East Yonkers Ward Acres Community Garden, New Rochelle Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Watershed Agricultural Council, Yorktown Cornell Cooperative Extension is an employer and educator recognized for Soil Testing Laboratory, New Brunswick, NJ Wave Hill, Bronx valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities and Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, West Patent Elementary, Bedford Hills provides equal program and employment opportunities. Please contact CCE Plant Diagnostic Laboratory/Ralph Geiger Westchester County Agriculture and Farmland 3 West Main Street, Suite 112 of Westchester if you have any special needs. Turfgrass Education Center, New Protection Board Elmsford, NY 10523 Brunswick, NJ Westchester Community College 914-285-4620 Rye Farmers Market Westchester County Department of Westchester. cce.cornell.edu

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3 West Main Street, Suite 112, Elmsford, NY

Partners and Collaborators A Message from the Executive Director

Anthony Veteran Park, Greenburgh Dow’s Lane School, Irvington Lewisboro Community Garden Ardsley Public Library Dutchess, Putnam, Westchester Farm Bureau Lewisboro Library As we begin our 104th consecutive year of serving Westchester residents and Bakwin Estate, Ossining (program venue) Edward Williams School, Mt. Vernon Lexington Center for Recovery, Mt Kisco Bedford 2020 Earth Day Family Self Sufficiency (FSS)/Hartley House, Lincoln Towers, New Rochelle businesses, we are grateful for the support of our partners at the County of Bedford Hills Correctional Facility New Rochelle Linden Farm, Pound Ridge (Site Visit) Westchester, local schools and colleges, private industry and the non-profit sector. Our Bedford Road Elementary School, Family Services of Westchester, Mt. Vernon, Literacy Volunteers of Westchester Pleasantville Ossining, White Plains Literacy Zone Adult and Family Education programs continue to evolve as we respond to the changing needs of our community. Bethel Baptist Church, White Plains First Congregational Church of Chappaqua Program, Ossining Bowen Memorial Baptist Church, Mt. Vernon (Program Venue) Longfellow School, Yonkers Bracy Apartments, New Rochelle Friends of Purchase Library Ludington Adult Day Services Center, Sound We have recently been referred to as the “first line of defense in Westchester County Bronxville School District FSSY Homestead (Family Service Society of Shore Hospital, New Rochelle against environmentally and health damaging pest management”. Bylane Farm, Lewisboro Yonkers), Lyndhurst Castle Fern Garden, Tarrytown Calcagno Houses, Yonkers FSW Community Education, Housing sites in Mamaroneck Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Career Achieve, Yonkers New Rochelle, Port Chester, Rye Water Quality, Mamaroneck We do respond to over 1,000 requests a year for help with pest management and now Center for Continuing Education, Yonkers FSW Early Childhood, White Plains Mamaroneck Avenue Elementary School, Chappaqua School District FSW, Slater Center, White Plains White Plains find that we are the “go to” people in Westchester for objective advice to avoid harming Child Care Council of Westchester, Scarsdale George Washington Elementary School, Mariandale on Hudson, Ossining (Program the environment or the people managing pests. City of Mt. Vernon Mohegan Lake Venue) City of New Rochelle Good Counsel Homes, Harrison Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet School, Yonkers City of Peekskill Grace Church, White Plains Meadow Pond Elementary School, South We’ve long known that we are a first line of defense for nutrition-related disease City of Rye Graham Elementary, Mt. Vernon Salem City of White Plains Greenburgh Health Center, White Plains Mohawk Country Day, White Plains prevention and remediation in Westchester, as we educate limited income families City of Yonkers Greenburgh Nature Center, Scarsdale Montessori School 31, Yonkers about preventing and managing nutrition-related diseases, and living a healthier life. Cluster, Yonkers Greenville School, Scarsdale Montrose Veterans Hospital Community Center of Northern Westchester, Greyston Foundation, Yonkers Mount Olivet Baptist Church, Peekskill Katonah Guidance Center of Westchester, Mt. Vernon Mt. Kisco Library We know that we are a first line of defense for many youngsters who might not Concord Road School, Ardsley , Tarrytown Mt. Kisco Food Pantry Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, Hamilton Elementary School, Mt. Vernon Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Mt. Pleasant otherwise be exposed to STEM education and might not otherwise learn to enjoy New Haven, CT Hart’s Brook Park & Preserve, Hartsdale Mt. Vernon School District science, technology and math if not for the experiential way we teach it as a hands-on Connecticut Department of Energy and Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard, North Salem Mt. Vernon Firehouse Community Garden Environmental Protection Hastings Nursery School Mt. Vernon Head Start, Mt. Vernon fun endeavor. Consolidated Edison Hawthorne Elementary School, Hawthorne Mt. Vernon Library, Mt. Vernon Cornell Cooperative Extension of Dutchess Healthy Yonkers Initiative (HYI), Yonkers Municipal Housing Authority, Yonkers County, Millbrook Herb Society of America, NY Unit Murray Avenue School, larchmont Now, we are often told that we are best source of advice and education regarding Cornell Cooperative Extension of Putnam Hilltop Hanover Farm, Yorktown Museum School 25, Yonkers structural pests and pests in the natural outdoor environment. The sheer volume of County, Brewster Hillside Elementary, Hastings-On-Hudson Muscoot Farm, Katonah requests we get each year bears that out. We are happy to be of service for this Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe Hudson River Audubon Society Native Plant Center at Westchester County, Rochester Hudson River Health Center, Peekskill Community College, Valhalla community need, just as we have been for the other community needs over the last 104 Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau Hudson River Museum, Yonkers Nelson Mandela High School, Mt. Vernon years. County, Hempstead Hudson Valley Wool Works, Bedford New Jersey Department of Environmental Cornell Cooperative Extension of New York Huguenot Nursery School, Pelham Protection City, New York Hutchinson Elementary, Pelham New Rochelle Department of Planning One of our most important resources is funding. The “cooperative” in cooperative Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange IBM, Hawthorne & Yorktown New Rochelle Downtown Beautification County, Middletown Irvington Beautification Committee Program extension refers to the cooperation of county, state and federal governments in funding Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rensselaer Issac Young Elementary School, New Rochelle New Rochelle Farmers Market their local extension organizations. It’s a 3-legged stool; if one of the legs is not strong County, Troy Jacob Purdy House, NY State Historic Site, New Rochelle Library Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rockland White Plains New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority in support, the stool collapses. County, Stony Point Jefferson Elementary, New Rochelle New Rochelle School District Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk Jennie’s School, Mt. Kisco New York Botanical Garden, Bronx County, Riverhead Job Star, Westchester Community College, New York Presbyterian Community Garden, We look forward to continuing to serve Westchester residents, businesses, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan Valhalla White Plains governments, schools and non-profits with some additional funding in the future, County, Liberty John C. Hart Memorial Library, Shrub Oak New York School for the Deaf, Valhalla Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins John F. Kennedy Elementary, Port Chester New York State Arborists Association, Albany thanks to the County government. County, Ithaca John Paulding School, Tarrytown New York State Department of Agriculture Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster John Jay Homestead State Historic Site, and Markets, Albany County, Kingston Katonah New York State Department of Education, Cornell University, Ithaca Journal News, White Plains Office of Professions Cornell Urban Horticulture Institute, Ithaca Katonah Elementary School New York State Department of Environmental Cornell Waste Management Institute, Ithaca Kensico School, Valhalla Conservation – Bureau of Pesticides Croton Earth Day, Croton Lakeland Copper Beech Middle School, New York State Department of Environmental Croton Public Library, Croton-on-Hudson Yorktown Conservation – Invasive Species Cross Hill Academy, Yonkers Lanza Family Foundation Coordination Section Cuddy & Feder, White Plains, NY Larchmont Avenue Church, Larchmont New York State Department of Environmental Daniel Webster Magnet School, New Rochelle Larchmont Community Garden Conservation – Urban Forestry Program, Davenport Park Shakespeare Garden, Larchmont Gazette Albany New Rochelle Lasdon Park and Veteran’s Memorial New York State Department of Labor, Dimensions, New Rochelle Arboretum, Somers White Plains Dobbs Ferry Garden Club Lee F. Jackson School, White Plains New York State Department of Taxation & Don Bosco Community Center, Port Chester Lenoir Preserve, Yonkers Finance EAP, White Plains

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Horticulture, the Environment and Natural Resources 2018 Paid Support for Cornell Cooperative Extension OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY •advice on controlling insects and animals that damage plants or threaten public health. • advice to hotels and dormitories about pest control. •collaborative efforts with Cornell and other university experts, government entities and other environmental organizations involving research 19% and environmental remediation projects. • collaborative efforts with Westchester County trade associations involving educational outreach. 3% •1,012 responses to commercial and consumer Ossining Earth Day, 4/21/18 telephone calls for service. 4% Our professional staff of horticulture, pest •1,379 diagnoses completed for email and lab 58% management and arboriculture experts provide sample inquiries for service. a variety of services to the public and to the •183 soil nutrient and pH tests facilitated in 2% “billion dollar green industry” in Westchester. response to inquiries for soil testing service. 1% That industry includes greenhouses, nurseries, •14 Commercial site visits for the Green Industry 13% turf and landscape businesses, tree services, and NYS government agency to satisfy the need for landscape architects, garden supply houses, field diagnostic services. municipal owners of parks and public lands, •1,571 program participants served through and private and public golf courses. Among the commercial/residential presentations and services we provide are: conferences. •22 Research based activities in partnership with •best practices information for the Green Industry the Cornell Waste Management Institute to that protects the environment and helps the Green monitor tick populations in the landscape. Industry stay competitive and viable in Westchester. •1,040,000 internet and hard copy subscribers reached through weekly Journal News articles on •best practices information for consumers that topics concerning horticulture and the protects the environment. environment. •on-site laboratory services to test/analyze soils, •2,500 to 3,500 Green Industry subscribers plants, insects and other pests. reached internationally via CCE •soil test services and pH kits that show whether •Westchester’s contribution to Cornell’s Westchester County $ 576,000.00 19% nutrient/pH changes are needed. commercial turfgrass publication, ShortCUTT. New York State $ 81,497.00 3% •400 Green Industry subscribers reached locally/ •site visits for the Green Industry and the Federal $ 113,081.00 4% horticulture consumer. regionally via CCE Westchester’s 9 pest Program Fees $ 50,000.00 2% •remote services concerning plant culture, pests, •scouting activities for Cornell’s tree/shrub diseases and structural pests via phone, email and publication, Branching Out. Grants, Donations, Other $ 20,000.00 1% snail mail. Cornell University (with NYS funds) $ 374,760.00 13% •training and certification programs for the Green Cornell Faculty and Staff $ 1,716,229.00 58% Industry. •education programs for the horticulture consumer $ 2,931,567.00 100% •advice and assistance to farmers. •growing degree day information for gardeners and the Green Industry. Westchester County’s investment leverages four times the resources brought into our county •advice to landlords, tenants and homeowners about through CCE. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of dollars in volunteer and volunteer partner pest management in multi-family dwellings. time are given to us each year. CCE Educational program at NYSTLA Conference , 1/22/18

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2018 Functional Expenditures Horticulture, the Environment and Natural Resources

CCE Westchester multiplies good 5/19/18-5/20/18: Horticulture staff information booth, Lasdon Park, Arboretum, Somers. environmental stewardship via direct 6/14/18: Urban Forestry Today Webinar Series, “Can We educational delivery and by helping our Enhance the Urban Environment with Non-Native Trees & community with programming generated with Shrubs?”, partner: UMass. our many partners: 6/27/18: “Citizen Science Invasive Species Mapping Challenge” webinar with NYS DEC.

7/12/18: “The Garden as Haven: Finding Resilience and 1/04/18: Urban Forestry Today Webinar Series, “Urban Trees & Renewal in Turbulent Times”, forum, American Horticultural the Law: The Arborist's Perspective”, partner: University of Society of Alexandria, VA with Cornell University. Massachusetts, Amherst. 7/16/18: “Monitoring and Managing Ash Training Workshop”, 1/22/18: 10 educational sessions at the annual “NYSTLA NY/NJ Trail Conference, Mahwah, NJ. Professional Conference and Trade Show” for the New York State 7/17/18: “Monitoring and Managing Ash Training Workshop”, Turf and Landscape Association, White Plains. CCE with Sullivan County. 1/23/18: 2/3/18, Climate Change Science, Communication, and 7/18/18: “Monitoring and Managing Ash Training Workshop” Action Online Course, Cornell University. with the Ecological Research Institute (New Paltz), Catskill. 2/01/18: Urban Forestry Today Webinar Series, “Urban Forests 8/07/18: "Break the Cycle: Integrated Management of Ticks and for Urban Futures: How Trees Create Better Cities”, partner: Mosquitoes" regional conference with NYS IPM program, White UMass. Plains. 2/28/18: “Soak Up the Rain New England” webinar, Guiteras 9/11-10/23/18: "Climate Change Science, Communication and Green Infrastructure project, with US EPA. Action” online course, Cornell University. 3/01/18: “Earthworm Invasions: Impact and Management” 9/12/18: “Timely Tip Pest Alert: Spotted Lanternfly in Yates webinar, New York Invasive Species Research Institute, Cornell and Albany Counties”, CCE Westchester promotion for the University. Green Industry and residents. 3/04/18: Timely Tip Pest Alert: “Earthworm Invasions: Impacts 9/13/18: Urban Forestry Today Webinar Series, “Emerald Ash and Management Video”, The New York Invasive Species Research Borer Update: Impacts on Ash Dynamics in Aftermath Forests”, Institute, Cornell University. partner: UMass. 3/06/18-4/30/18: “Civic Ecology Lab, Urban Environmental 9/13/18: “Herb Society of America NY Unit 70th Annual Herb Education Online Course”, Cornell University. Fair”, Katonah. 3/07/18 - 3/28/18: International Society of Arboriculture 9/27/18: “12th Annual New York Botanical Garden Field Day”, Certification Training for Lower Hudson Valley Residents”, the New York State Turf and Landscape Association at the New partners: CCE Dutchess and CCE Putnam Counties. York Botanical Garden. 3/15/18: Urban Forestry Today Webinar Series, “Real Facts About 9/29/18: “Great American Public Gardens: Successes and Climate Change & Urban Trees: How We Should Prepare?”, Challenges”, Untermeyer Gardens Conservancy symposium, partner: UMass. Yonkers. 3/19/18-3/23/18: “Agricultural Literacy Week” for Westchester 10/4/18: Urban Forestry Today Webinar Series, “The Science of County schools. Fall Leaf Color”, partner: UMass. 3/27/18: “Ecological Design”, Westchester Community College, 10/4/18: “Invasive Plants in Uncertain Times: Achieving More Valhalla. with Less” symposium, Connecticut Invasive Plant Working 3/27/18-3/28/18: “2018 Organics Summit”, partner: New York Group at the UConn, Storrs. State Association for Reduction, Reuse and Recycling, 10/13/18: “Tarrytown Eco Fair”, Tarrytown Environmental Poughkeepsie. Advisory Council, Tarrytown. 4/05/18: Urban Forestry Today Webinar Series, “Planning Ahead 10/08/18: “Timely Tip Pest Alert: Boxwood Blight” a CCE for the Urban Landscape Pests of 2018”, partner: UMass. Westchester promotion for the Green Industry and residents 4/10/18: “Spring Kickoff Meeting 2018: Contracts, Labels and notifying of widespread infection. Neighbor Notification”, the New York State Turf and Landscape, 11/09/18: “Sustainability of Urban Trees in the Urban/ Yonkers. Suburban Landscape” for Con Edison by CCE Westchester in 4/23/18: “Climate Change Displacement”, Cornell University Civic Elmsford. Ecology Lab webinar, Cornell University. 11/15/18: Urban Forestry Today Webinar Series, “Changing 4/25/18: “Effects of Climate Change on Local Trees and Plants”, Urban Tree Canopy Cover in the U.S.”, partner: UMass. Scarsdale Women’s Club 11/28/18: “Getting Ready for the Rain! Integrating and 4/26/18: “Climate Adaptive Design”, Cornell University Civic Implementing Nature-Based Solutions” with US EPA. Ecology Lab webinar, Cornell University. 12/5/18: Urban Forestry Today Webinar Series, “An Intro to GIS 5/3/18: Urban Forestry Today Webinar Series, “All those Urban Applications in Urban Forestry”, partner: UMass. Trees We Plant; How Are They Doing?”, partner: UMass. 12/12/18, “Confronting Climate Change: What to Expect in Our 5/05/18: "I Love My Park Day", Friends of the Old Croton Region” at White Plains. Aqueduct. by the Westchester County Department of Soil and Water 5/17/18: “Interactions of Deer, Earthworms and Invasive Plants Conservation, CCE Westchester, Native Plant Center and the Transform Forest Communities", Bronx River Parkway Watershed Agriculture Council. Reservation Conservancy at Hitchcock Presbyterian Church, Scarsdale.

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Master Gardener Volunteers Program Nutrition and Consumer Sciences

hours to CCE in 2018. Valued at $42.01 per hour, Nutrition and Health – Saving Westchester this work was worth $285,248. They put in an County Medicaid Dollars impressive 1,439 hours in continuing education In addition to the obvious benefits of improved to advance their skills in order to better serve the health and lifestyles of the participants in our public. Valued at $42.01 per hour, this was a classes, there are benefits for the Westchester $60,452 investment in improving the quality of County taxpayers, too. service to Westchester residents. Nearly one-tenth of the Westchester population Among the 30 ongoing Master Gardener projects lives at or below poverty level. Health problems were collaborations with Cornell University related to nutrition are disproportionately high researchers in the completion of a 3-year study among low income individuals. Our target with Cornell Waste Management Institute to population lacks private health insurance and survey the environmental effects of mulching CCE teaches nutrition to youth. relies on taxpayer-funded Medicaid for health leaves in place on lawns. care. That is costly. The annual cost of Medicaid Juliana was ready to make some life changes that in Westchester County is approximately $1.5 Master Gardener Volunteer Susan Lilien teaching Square would have a positive impact on her and her Foot Gardening. The School Garden program brings a Master billion! Gardener mentor to participating schools to help children. Juliana participated in every lesson and took notes. Hart’s Brook Park and Preserve Vegetable them develop a vegetable garden and teach When we look at the costs of healthcare for

Demonstration Garden students about nutrition and food sources. We diseases that are preventable through improved Juliana made several notable changes after CCE has partnered with the Town of Greenburgh have trained over 300 teachers so far and nutrition and physical activity (the components of learning something new each week. After learning Parks Department to create demonstration introduced over 8,500 Westchester children to CCE’s nutrition classes), we can begin to see the the benefits of whole grains and how to read a label, gardens at Hart’s Brook Park and Preserve in school gardening at over 40 schools. A Master link between what CCE does and the potential Juliana switched her bread and cereal at home. She Hartsdale. This project began in 2000 with a Gardener assisted the Tarrytown School District savings to the taxpayers of Westchester County. introduced her children to oatmeal which they had vegetable garden and has expanded throughout the in the development and implementation of a We know that changing people’s behavior can never had before and they liked it! She also switched years to include small fruits, edible flowers, herbs, Butterfly/Pollinator learning garden for hundreds improve their health. Type 2 diabetes, cardio- from white bread and rice to whole grain. She a family garden, and ornamentals. Created and of students at the district’s Peabody Preserve and vascular disease, hypertension, youth obesity, reported these changes the and continued to make maintained by our MGVs for public education, consulted on a bird-friendly garden that is used stroke and certain cancers have all been linked to changes at home that would impact herself and her people can learn how to grow crops to provide for study for 98 fifth graders and is a resource for improper nutrition. children, decided not to spend her money on sugary nutritious food and stretch their food budgets. We the 907 students at Yonkers Pearls Hawthorne beverages anymore. She has been offering water do tours and consulting for community groups that School. MGVs read to over 400 elementary with fresh fruit in it and milk. After the food wish to start their own garden projects, and for students at 8 Westchester schools during budgeting/menu planning class, Juliana realized diverse and low-income youth groups to learn “Agriculture in the Classroom” week, March 19- that she could bake her children healthier snack gardening skills. Vegetables produced at the Hart’s 23, 2018. options and so she did. She baked muffins, oatmeal Brook are donated to food pantries that serve cookies and brownies, and it cost her less than half diverse, low-income residents. In the 2018 season, The popular Home Gardening Lecture Series what she would have spent on snacks. Juliana under challenging conditions, over 1100 pounds of attracted 325 attendees in 2018. The Speakers learned to make low cost one pot meals and told us fresh, organic vegetables were donated. In 2018, Bureau and other Master Gardener speakers that her children enjoyed the chicken stew. our 27 MGVs who work on this project were reached over a hundred at various venues Juliana reported that because she made these awarded the Town of Greenburgh Parks throughout Westchester, including the PROS changes she is now able to purchase both fresh and Department Commissioner’s Community Service program at the Guidance Center of Westchester. frozen vegetables weekly and includes at least two Award for their outstanding contribution and Our MGVs participated in dozens of “Ask the daily into her family meals. She now purchases dedication in enhancing park and recreational Master Gardener” booths at farmer’s markets, healthier foods because she understands how to opportunities in the Town of Greenburgh. Earth Day events and other direct contacts in read a label and what foods and nutrients she is 2018, reaching over 2,630 people directly. looking for and how to prepare these foods. Master Gardener Volunteers Activities Juliana feels happy that she is being a positive role Master Gardener Volunteers donated over 6,790 Our MGVs continue to educate the public at CCE teaches nutrition and physical exercise. model for her children.

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Nutrition and Consumer Sciences Master Gardener Volunteers Program

FFY 2018, Youth results: 110 youth 4/21: Ossining Earth Day participated in our youth programs (separate and 4/22: Bedford 2020 Earth Day apart from adult programs and unrelated to adults 4/28: Croton Earth Day & Scarsdale Planting Day in our EFNEP programs). 4/28: Native Plant Center sale 5/19: Westchester 4-H Showcase at Alfred B. 91% of youth adopt and practice 1 or more food DelBello Muscoot Farm selection behavior(s) consistent with Federal 5/19: and 5/20: Lasdon Plant sale Dietary Guideline recommendations. 5/5: Dobbs Ferry Q&A 85% of Children and youth improve their abilities 9/15: Mount Pleasant Day to choose foods according to Federal Dietary 9/22: Lewisboro Library Fair Recommendations. 9/23: Farm Fest Q&A 61% of youth adopt or improve 1 or more habit (s) 9/29: Eastchester Green Festival or behavior(s) related to physical activity. The Master Gardener program provides Don Bosco Youth Camp Graduates of CCE Nutrition Program. In their own words: Master Gardener Volunteers receiving advanced training educational opportunities for continuing from CCE. education of our MGVs so they can provide the EFNEP CCE Westchester’s Nutrition Education Programs most current information to the public. Topics in Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of actually work. Here are just one of the 2018 Community and Demonstration Gardens at 2018 included structural pest management, insect Westchester’s EFNEP program provides nutrition success stories. Ossining Organic Community Garden, Hart’s Brook identification, site assessment basics, tomato leaf education programs to low income families with Preserve, John Jay Herb Garden, Lenoir Preserve diseases, organic vegetable gardening, invasive children, whose income does not exceed 185% of Juliana is a 32 year old single mother raising three Butterfly Garden, Alfred B. DelBello Muscoot Farm, plant identification, IPM for ticks & mosquitoes, the poverty level. In Westchester, 9.5 % of the young children. She graduated from our EFNEP Sherwood House and Westchester Community environmentally friendly gardens, thinking families are at or below that level. Our target program at JobStar. Upon entry to the program, College Vegetable Garden. Master Gardeners critically about Botany, weeds and lawn care, population includes pregnant women, Head Start Juliana felt it was impossible to feed her children volunteer at many sites, including Stone Barns, species tulips, herbs, tree fruit and small fruit, parents, low income Hispanic parents and other healthy foods daily because she believed that eating John Jay Homestead, Lenoir Preserve, Lasdon Boxwood Blight, growing orchids, and confronting low income families with dependent children in a healthful diet was just too costly. She focused on Arboretum, Native Plant Center, Pruyn Audubon climate change. the household. We teach our nutrition classes in foods that she thought stretched her food dollar such Sanctuary, Sherwood House, and helped educate English and Spanish. In federal fiscal year 2018,, as boxed Macaroni and cheese and hot dogs, canned communities to reduce invasive weeds in public there were 229 families representing 803 people vegetables etc., and was frustrated when she could spaces. reached by direct education, outreach and not afford fresh food. Juliana also said her children 2018 HOME GARDENING LECTURE SERIES marketing activities via adult programs. 99% of are picky eaters and she feels they are not getting all MGVs write a weekly column and other gardening Around the World With Annuals * participants showed improvement in one or of the nutrients they need. She gave them fruit punch articles for the Journal News and other Gannett Wednesday, January 17, 2018 more nutrition practices (plans meals, makes and sugary snacks. publications (circulation: 110,320 in Westchester; Tree Care: Right Tree Right Place* healthy food choices, prepares food without 1,883,661 total). They also write for local Wednesday, February 14, 2018 adding salt, reads nutrition labels or has children community publications. eat breakfast). Other areas of marked Orchids Everywhere Wednesday, March 14, 2018 improvement included increased fruit and MGVs provided education and answered consumer vegetable consumption, improved food safety Birds, Bees and Beautiful Native Plants* gardening questions over the season at Q&A tables Wednesday, April 11, 2018 practices (thawing and storing foods properly) at the following farmer’s markets: Muscoot frequency of being physically active and Essential Perennials for Terraces, Patios and Farm, Ossining, Rye, White Plains and the White Small Spaces* improved food resource management practices Plains Gedney Recycling Center. (comparing food prices and not running out of Wednesday, May 16, 2018 Guided Tour of the Bakwin Estate* food by the end of the month). 89% now MGVs and CCE staff provided education and exercise 30 minutes at least 3 times a week. Wednesday, June 6, 2018 answered consumer gardening questions at the following events: *Landscape Architect Health, Safety and Welfare Adult nutrition class graduation. 4/6: Eastchester Community Garden credit hours were awarded.

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4-H Youth and Family Development 4-H Youth and Family Development

and 7 Master Gardeners visited 24 classrooms in 5 children during the Peekskill Riverfront Green schools throughout the county, reaching 481 portion of Teatown’s Eaglefest. K-9 Kids 4-H club volunteer as stewards to help run students reading “Before We Eat: From Farm to the Taconic Kennel Club Dog Show. Table” so students can learn all the steps from Robocracy 4-H Club participated in the “FIRST Robocracy did “Giving Back to the Planet” by harvest on the farm to our table. Hudson Valley Regional Championship” in collecting used and worn out computers, wiping February and emerged as the Champion. The club out the hard drive data for security purposes, and One of our largest programs is 4-H Incubation & advanced on to the “FIRST Tech East Super refurbishing them to create brand new and Embryology which teaches youngsters about Regional Championship” in mid-March. functional computers they gave to children of all biology, nutrition and the environment while they ages in underserved areas, in order to allow them hatch chick and duck eggs in their classrooms. CCE Robocracy gave STEM outreach afternoon at to engage in robotics and programming in after helps the schools obtain fertilized eggs, trains Traphagen School in Mt. Vernon (50 youth and 20 school enrichment activities. teachers, provides curriculum, and answers parents attended), and the Rabbiteers Club did questions during the hatching process. In 2018, 22 annual Rabbit Day at Muscoot Farm in Katonah Robocracy 4-H Club offered 4 robotics sessions to teachers attended our trainings. 124 schools, 454 (about 250 members of the public came to enjoy 10 participants as part of Spring Robocracy 4-H Club makes working prosthetic hand. classrooms, 10,422 children and 1,544 adults learning about rabbit and guinea pig care, and do a STEM Saturdays and two robotics workshops in craft). August at . Our 4-H Mission Statement is: “4-H connects youth participated with this educational outreach. Also to hands-on learning opportunities that help them participating were 9 4-H members who were able Robocracy 4-H Club led hands-on play with the Westchester 4-H Showcase at Muscoot Farm with grow into competent, caring, contributing to bring newly hatched chicks and ducklings to our NXT robots for children at the White Plains High 46 youth, 6 Leaders and 12 other volunteers members of society” and our 4-H Vision is “a 4-H Showcase in May. School. 200 attendees. participating. Youth brought in 61 entries for world in which youth and adults learn, grow and evaluation. Attendance: over 400. Entries from our work together as catalysts for positive change”. 3 teens from Roosevelt High School attended 10 The PHS Environmental 4-H Club annual Arbor Showcase that qualified to be entered in the NYS Westchester County had 71 4-H club members in hours of training to become Choose Health Action Day Celebration concluded with a tree planting. Fair for evaluation did well, with red and blue 2018. 4-H volunteers donated about 2,372 hours Teens (CHATs) for our Walmart funded 4-H ribbons and two outstanding purple rosettes. while leading the clubs. Valued at $42.01/hour, Healthy Habits. They delivered all 6 sessions of Robocracy 4-H Club created a chapter within the their contributions equal $99,647. Choose Health: Food, Fun, and Fitness to 28 “eNable” program, which connects people who students in one class in Montessori School 31 in have 3D printing skills with persons in need of Through our partnership with Westchester Jewish Yonkers. The teens were delighted to see that they prosthetic hands and arms. They work with Community Services for 4-H STEM projects, we were making a difference in quite a few lives. people to make a prosthesis specifically for them. offer after school programming during “Amazing Youth teaching youth is a 4-H model. So far, they have printed 2 working arms for a Afternoons” and “Off the Street” in Edward young refugee in Turkey who lost both arms in a Williams and Hamilton Elementary Schools in Mt. As part of the “Libraries Rock” Summer Reading bombing in the war, plus a working arm and hand Vernon from November through March. 297 youth and STEM project 4 sessions were held in the Rye for a 12-year-old girl in Connecticut. had hands-on science fun with physics, chemistry, Free Reading Room with between 10 and 12 youth robotics, and biology. 85 students in the 4th grade at each one. The Summer L.I.F.T. program in the Hooves, Beaks and Bills 4-H Club offered an had fun with science enrichment activities to Peekskill Youth Bureau had 63 youth participate information booth and brought chickens and goats strengthen their skills. We offer robotics for the in a light and optics activity. The Northeast STEM to the Ossining Earth Day celebration, brought 5th grade class in Off the Street, and the 6th Starter Academy offers a 2 week summer program goats to the Hilltop Hanover Farm Pancake graders in Amazing Afternoons. The students during which a total of 54 students in the 3rd and Breakfasts and hosted Appleoosa in late October. programmed robots for specific tasks with 4th grades had 80 minutes of STEM activities each volunteer 4-H Hands for one-on-one assistance. day. Muscoot Gang 4-H Club members provide at least Youth leading youth is a 4-H model. 120 volunteer hours each during the year as the Notable accomplishments of 4-H Clubs in 2018 club assists the staff of Muscoot Farm doing farm Agriculture Literacy Week promotes a better chores and during big events such as Meet the understanding and appreciation of agriculture and Peekskill High School Environmental and Baby Animals, Sheep Shearing, Dairy Day, Turkey the food system. In March 2018, 7 4-H Club Gardening 4-H club ran the hands-on activities for Talk, and Pumpkin Picking. members, 1 working farmer, 2 County Legislators, 4-H’er with her rosette won at a statewide competition.

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