CCE Otsego Master Gardeners

CCE Otsego Master Gardeners Master Gardeners are community volunteers with extensive training from Cornell Cooperative Extension in many phases of the science and art of gardening.

Master Gardener Volunteers provide environmentally sound information and encourage individuals, communities, and horticulture professionals to implement horticultural practices that foster land and community stewardship. They educate the surrounding community about:
•Landscapes
•Vegetables
•Fruits
•Herbs
•Houseplants
•Beneficial and harmful insects
•Plant diseases
•Integrated pest management (IPM)


•Wildlife management
•Soils
•Birds
•Composting
•Water conservation
•And much, much more

Call the Master Gardener Helpline at 607-547-2536 ext. 228 for assistance.

September is for SharingSave these dates as we share tomatoes at the Palooza on September 9, and Seeds from our CCE Gard...
09/01/2026

September is for Sharing
Save these dates as we share tomatoes at the Palooza on September 9, and Seeds from our CCE Garden at the Seed Saving on September 15.

Kudos for Family Farm DaysThe sun shone brightly for Family Farm Days to remind us how fortunate we are to live in thes...
08/31/2026

Kudos for Family Farm Days
The sun shone brightly for Family Farm Days to remind us how fortunate we are to live in these beautiful rolling hills surrounded by people who keep agriculture and the economy alive. Huge congratulations to Kelley Doolin and Desiree Keever, the co-coordinators of Family Farm Day and all the CCE staff who've worked for months to bring about this wonderful day

Thank you to all the agricultural enterprises in Schoharie, Otsego, and Delaware County who opened their doors to visitors for Family Farm Days. We met new farmers, veteran farmers, and career changers who shared stories about their work and provided generous samples of their labor.
Kudos to Kelley Doolin and Desiree Keever and all the people at CCE of Schoharie & Otsego, and Delaware Counties who organized to make this event possible. Thank you to the generous sponsors who supported this wonderful event.
“A garden requires patient labor and attention. Plants do not grow merely to satisfy ambitions or to fulfill good intentions. They thrive because someone expended effort on them.”
Liberty Hyde Bailey,
Founder of the College of Agriculture at Cornell
Family Farm Day was a day to recognize and celebrate all those who have expended this effort.
Kelley Doolin and Desiree Keever

CCE Family Farm Day 2026 Co-Coordinators

08/30/2026

Tomato nerds, AKA Tomato Lovers, this one is for you! This week Joe Gardener is talking with Craig LeHoullier, gardener, educator, tomato breeder, and author of Growing Epic Tomatoes and also Growing Vegetables in Straw Bales. Craig has been growing tomatoes for over 40 years. He has discovered some heirloom tomatoes, some thought were lost, named a tomato, Cherokee Purple, and is currently breeding a hybrid between Sun Gold and heirloom, Captain Lucky.
You'll find the talk full of practical wisdom and inspiration.

https://joegardener.com/podcast/484-tomato-season-wrap-up-with-craig-lehoullier/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mSd8Je5LgM

Protecting Yourself from TicksRecommendations from NYS Department of Health:Deer ticks live in shady, moist areas at gro...
08/29/2026

Protecting Yourself from Ticks
Recommendations from NYS Department of Health:
Deer ticks live in shady, moist areas at ground level. They will cling to tall grass, brush and shrubs, usually no more than 18-24 inches off the ground. They also live in lawns and gardens, especially at the edges of woods and around old stone walls. Deer ticks cannot jump or fly, and do not drop onto passing people or animals. They get on humans and animals only by direct contact. Once a tick gets on the skin, it generally climbs upward until it reaches a protected area. Ticks can hitchhike on pets or clothing. Ticks can live indoors for 2 -3 days. However, research from Ohio State found that the Lone Star tick can survive up to three weeks indoors.

In tick-infested areas, your best protection is to avoid contact with soil, leaf litter and vegetation. However, if you garden, hike, camp, hunt, work, or otherwise spend time in the outdoors, you can still protect yourself:
Wear light-colored clothing with a tight weave to spot ticks easily.
Wear enclosed shoes, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck pant legs into socks or boots, and shirt into
https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2825/

Family Farm Fun Day!Saturday, August 29 is THE day. Life is Full of Tough Decisions. But, fear not, every decision you ...
08/28/2026

Family Farm Fun Day!
Saturday, August 29 is THE day. Life is Full of Tough Decisions.
But, fear not, every decision you make with Family Farm Day will be a good one.

Take a tour, go for a ride, watch a demonstration, have a taste, and participate in free hands-on activities for all ages from maple sugaring, fruit and vegetable production, beekeeping, cider pressing, wool processing, and dairy production of milk and cheese.
It's really Family Farm Fun Day!

How to Support BirdsCornell's Lab of Ornithology, a world leader in bird research and information, provides us with seve...
08/27/2026

How to Support Birds
Cornell's Lab of Ornithology, a world leader in bird research and information, provides us with seven simple actions we can take to help birds. Birds are vital parts of our natural world. They keep ecosystems healthy by controlling pests, pollinating plants, and spreading seeds, and they help human life by supporting agriculture and acting as early warnings for environmental changes. Please join us in supporting bird for a healthy world.

https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/seven-simple-actions-to-help-birds/

Expanding Tick HabitatsThe CDC indicates that 31 million people are bitten by ticks each year. Of that number, 476,000 ...
08/26/2026

Expanding Tick Habitats
The CDC indicates that 31 million people are bitten by ticks each year. Of that number, 476,000 will be treated for Lyme Disease. Ticks are expanding their habitats, with Pennsylvania and New York with the greatest amounts, including urban areas.
Not only are the habitats increasing, but there are more ticks and more diseases they are carrying, yet the CDC estimates of Lyme Recall cited show that anywhere from 41% to 85% of Lyme disease patients do not recall a tick bite, nor do they have any outward sign of a tick bite. Because ticks are tiny and their bites are often painless, many people remain completely unaware they were exposed. This lack of memory can make diagnosing tick-borne illnesses harder.

In Otsego County, NY, tick populations are well-established, with three primary species posing health risks to residents and visitors. They thrive in the county's wooded areas, forest edges, and tall grasslands. The established tick species include:
- Blacklegged Ticks (Deer Ticks): The most prevalent tick and the only species that transmits Lyme disease. They are also known to spread anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Powassan virus.
- American Dog Ticks: Larger than deer ticks and reddish-brown in color. They are primarily found in tall grass and lawns, and can carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia.
- Lone Star Ticks: It was confirmed in New York in 1990. Adult females are distinguished by a single white dot on their backs. They can spread ehrlichiosis and trigger alpha-gal syndrome, an allergy to red meat. It is believed they were most likely transported by migratory birds.

Cornell's Pest Management is reaching out to landscape professionals to gather information to help determine what resources pest management professionals might need to protect themselves and the public to protect from tickborne diseases and provide tick control services.

fil:///Users/francinestayter/Downloads/survey_recruitment_flyer.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2026/2026-cdc-data-show-weekly-er-visits-for-tick-bites-higher-than-usual.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/20/magazine/tick-season-lone-star-alpha-gal-syndrome-lyme.html

Wednesday, Sept. 9 - Save the DateThe Otsego Master Gardeners invite you to join us in the CCE Demonstration Garden for...
08/25/2026

Wednesday, Sept. 9 - Save the Date
The Otsego Master Gardeners invite you to join us in the CCE Demonstration Garden for the festive and tasty TOMATO PALOOZSA!

The Year of the HydrangeaHydrangeas are one of the most sought-after shrubs in North America! Known for their nostalgia...
08/23/2026

The Year of the Hydrangea
Hydrangeas are one of the most sought-after shrubs in North America! Known for their nostalgia as well as their modern design appeal, hydrangeas are a perfect fit in the landscape, a container garden, or used as cut flowers. The National Garden Bureau has designated this year the Year of the Hydrangea and is offering a Free Hydrangea Care E-Book. Pay particular attention to the information about pruning and fertilizing at this time of year.

The origin of the word hydrangea comes from the Greek words for water, hydros and jar, angos because some species are quite water thirsty. The hydrangea was first cultivated in Japan but is native to both Asia and the Americas.

mailchi.mp/ngb/ebook-on-hydrangeas

Address

123 Lake Street
Cooperstown, NY
13326

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+16075472536

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