Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County

Learn more by emailing Nutrition Director Craig at cl2742@cornell.edu.

All are welcome, and meetings are free!

Illustrations of sweet potatoes, squash, and pie, with text Autumnal cooking class. Sweet potato pie (gluten-free, sugar-free, contains nuts), winter squash soup (nut-free). Thursday, Oct 9, 4:30-5:30 pm, Cornell Cooperative Extension, 615 Willow Ave, Ithaca. To register email cl2742@cornell.edu. The Healthy Eating Support Community meets everyone other Thursday to support the health and eating goals of participants.

The Healthy Eating Support Community is a welcoming, non-judgmental, and trauma-informed space for anyone struggling with making changes to their diet, for whatever reason, with whatever goals.

Next meeting Oct 9 4:30-5:30 pm, making sweet potato pie (gluten free) and winter squash salad.

Class topics include compost basics, options for outdoor composting, how to manage and troubleshoot, how and when to harvest, and the many ways to use finished compost.

A portion of this class will be held OUTDOORS in the compost demo site at CCE-Tompkins. Class held rain or shine.

A person kneels and points to a collection of scrap materials with compost bins in the background and text Outdoor composting class and demonstration, 5:30-7 pm, Thursday, October 9.

Outdoor composting skills can help you to deal with large amounts of leaves, garden debris, food scraps and more in a productive and environmentally-friendly way! The compost will improve your soil and your garden will thrive.

Just $5 per household — sign up at civi.ccetompkins.org/civicrm/even....

Hugelkultur planting mounds add organics too. New perennial plantings also appreciate the soil boost that compost provides.

Build Healthy Soil. Image of a garden bed with layered composting. Message that says: Create healthy, fertile soil starting in the fall.

Fall is an ideal time to build new garden beds, or rehabilitate existing beds by adding compost. Sheet mulching - or lasagna gardening - is an easy, low-cost method of smothering weeds while building soil organic matter. #ecologicalgardenCC

Due to the hands-on nature of the topic, this workshop will be offered in-person only.

This program is valued at $35, however, please pay what you are able. If you cannot afford the $15 materials cost, please contact us, scholarships are available.

Participants will learn about the safety, equipment, and benefits of preserving seasonal foods. The class will also include hands-on demos where participants will get to practice canning.

Rows of applesauce in jars with text Canning Applesauce Food Preservation Class, 5:30-7:30 pm, Tuesday, October 7.

If you've found yourself with too many apples for fresh eating, or if you're just curious about food preservation, join us at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, October 7, for a workshop on how to preserve apples and other seasonal foods at their peak flavor.

ccetompkins.org/events/2025/...

This event includes a presentation by Sameer Ranade, Senior Advisor for Climate Justice, Energy Climate Equity Team at NYSERDA, followed by a Q&A and group discussions. You can attend online or in person, and refreshments will be provided.

On October 1, learn about New York's Draft Energy Plan, a policy outline with recommendations for meeting future energy demands that prioritize an energy system that is reliable, clean, and affordable.

Register online at ccetompkins.org/events/2025/10/01/can-ny-have-affordable-and-clean-energy.

Some cover crops will need to be planted in mid-summer, but you can sow seeds of some cover crops into early fall.

Cover Crops. Image of a garden bed of a cover crop.

Cover crops are an inexpensive and efficient way to rebuild soil fertility and organic matter while protecting your soil from winter damage. There are different cover crops for different purposes such as adding soil nutrients, feeding soil microbes, or keeping weeds at bay. #ecologicalgardenCCE

By planting native plants, we can provide habitat for even the smallest creatures, and by using earth-friendly landscaping practices, we can create a healthy yard and a healthy planet . Join us for the first presentation in our Native Plant Gardening series!

ccetompkins.org/events/2025/...

Afterschool Adventures is open to kids grades 2-5 on Fridays from 2:30-5:00 PM.

Primitive Pursuits also has a special afterschool program at Caroline elementary for grades 1-5 on Tuesdays from 2:00-4:30 PM.

A smiling child in a Primitive Pursuits t-shirt gives a peace sign with one hand.

Learning doesn't have to stop once the school day ends! Register for Primitive Pursuits Afterschool Adventures at 4-H Acres. Our all outdoor all-weather program gives kids what they need to grow and deepen their connection with the world around them. Register at PrimitivePursuits.com/after-school.

The workday will include an overview of this research and a tour of the plot, followed by hands-on-work weeding, mulching and repairing the 10 ft tall deer fence surrounding the site.

Research at this site helps identify crops that grow well in deep shade with minimal inputs. Crops are selected both for their shade tolerance and potential use in value-added maple products such as maple pawpaw ice cream and maple elderberry sparkling wine.

A man standing outdoors and smiling in a forest setting with text Farming in the Woods, Perennial Crops under Shade Learn-and-Do, 3-5 pm, September 16.

The Cornell Maple Program will host a workday in the 1-acre Arnot Agroforestry Research and Demonstration Plot. The plot includes 18 species of woody and herbaceous crops growing under the canopy of a mature maple forest in an active sugarbush.

Sign up online ccetompkins.wufoo.com/forms/farmin....

This is part of the Healthy Eating Support Community — a group that meets every other week for supportive, judgment-free discussions and workshops based around the goals of those who join in.

Image of various desserts with text that is included in the post.

Learn the art of baking gluten-free treats that are so moist and delicious, no one will believe they're gluten-free!

This class will take place at 4:30 pm, Thurs, September 11, as part of the Healthy Eating Support Community — message Nutrition Director Craig at cl2742@cornell.edu to sign up.

Experts from Farmland for a New Generation will answer questions. This event is funded by American Farmland Trust. Sign up at ccetompkins.wufoo.com/forms/z1bpx8...

Close view of a flower sprouting fluffy seeds and text Gather, noble stewards of the earth!

Calling all farmland owners! Interested in leasing your land to a farmer? Join our webinar, 7-8:30 Sept 17, to learn about the benefits, challenges, legalities, tax breaks, and how to find the right farmer for you. We'll also explore cooperative farming options.

You'll learn about light and water requirements, nutrition, how to keep insects away, and what to if you do get some. Bring us your plants and your questions! Note that this is an "office hours" style program and you can come anytime between 4pm and 6pm.

Various houseplant leaves with text Plant Rx Houseplant Clinic, 4-6 pm, Thursday, August 28.

Wondering if you should repot your houseplant? Trying to get your orchid to rebloom? Can't tell what that plant is that you picked up impulsively and don’t know too much about? Come to the free Houseplant Clinic at CCE Tompkins!

ccetompkins.org/events/2025/...

Friends of Salt Point, Friends of Lansing Center Trail, the Tompkins County Environmental Management Council, and others will all be there for a fun afternoon at the lake!

Lansing residents enter Myers Park for free; others should expect a $7 per car entry fee.

Reminder that the Community Sustainability Picnic is this Sunday at Myers Park! There will be free burgers and hot dogs, activities, information from local organizations, and the opportunity to learn more about the Lansing Non-Pipes Alternatives (NPA) program.

If you're curious about how to get your child(ren) involved with 4-H — making friends, learning skills, and picking up new hobbies through clubs, afterschool programs, camps, and more — visit CCETompkins.org/4H.

YouTube video by CCETompkins Learn about the Tompkins County 4 H Youth Fair!

If you missed the Tompkins County 4-H Youth Fair in July, you can still see local youth's work at the Great NY State Fair, Aug 20-Sep 1. Animals, activities, exhibits, & more showing the talents of 4-Hers from across the state. Look for the Tompkins County booth!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMTW...

NOTE: this class will take place outside of Trumansburg, with the location shared with those who register.