Momentum Issue

Welcome to Barbland Dairy: College connections, dedication and drive are key to thriving dairy

salibalr — Fri, 17 May 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome to Barbland Dairy: College connections, dedication and drive are key to thriving dairy salibalr Fri, 05/17/2024 - 00:00

When Bret Bossard ’02 and Luke Huysman ’03 were students at ��Ƶ, they supplemented their classwork with internships at Barbland Dairy, which began as a potato farm in the 1950s before transitioning to beef and then dairy.

Two decades later, they are co-owners of the farm with two other families, milking 4,000 cows daily and managing 10,000 acres across Central New York. More than 80 employees are part of the enterprise, including a number of Morrisville alumni and interns.

The farm has doubled twice in size since their internship days, after the acquisition of several dairy operations in the region and partnering with White Eagle Dairy of Hamilton, New York.

They’ve modernized the farm, implementing advanced technologies like activity monitors for cows, computerized herd management and precision agriculture tools.

Challenges like market fluctuations, combined with ever-rising costs, impact both small family farms and larger commercial operations. But Bossard, Huysman and their team remain focused on the lessons they learned at ��Ƶ to help meet the current and future needs of the dairy industry.

“Growth of our farm is what has worked to make our farm sustainable for the next generation and for the financial well-being of the business,” Bossard said.

Author

Alaina Potrikus Beckett

A love of agriculture

Walking through the free stall barns at Barbland Farm in Fabius, New York, Bossard explains how connections he made at ��Ƶ have shaped his life and career.

He was drawn to Morrisville’s dairy program because of its class sizes and faculty connections.

“I felt like they knew me. They knew what I needed, and they wanted me to succeed,” said Bossard, who grew up on a farm in Western New York.

A different kind of connection helped create his family. He met his wife, Johanna ’04, when they were freshmen at Morrisville. After earning her bachelor’s degree in equine science, she worked for several years as a horseback riding instructor before pursuing a master’s degree in agricultural education at SUNY Oswego.

“I knew I loved to teach,” she said. “And I want to share my love of agriculture.”

Now in her fourteenth year teaching at Hamilton Central School, her curriculum includes a variety of subjects including mechanics, welding, horticulture, veterinary science, agriscience, and environmental science — a testament to the diversity of careers in agriculture. She is the school’s FFA advisor and was named New York’s Ag Educator of the Year in 2022.

“I’m not teaching kids how to only be farmers,” she said. “I get to teach our youth where their food comes from.”

Their daughters Brynley, 10, and Raegan, 7, spend a lot of time at Barbland, driving tractors with their dad and joining their mom for farm tours. They enjoy showing cows through the Holstein Association and participating in 4-H.

“We love that they are growing up here, learning from what is happening around them,” Johanna Bossard said.

A special kind of team

Co-owner Huysman started his career at Barbland Dairy in high school and continued as he pursued an animal science - dairy degree at Morrisville.

It was a family business: his grandfather was a dairy farmer and Huysman started raising heifers and calves in his parents’ barn as a teenager.

“This is what I wanted to do,” said Huysman, who has taken on the role of crop and machinery manager at Barbland, overseeing the soil health of acres of corn, alfalfa and grasses.

His three daughters, Hatley, Emmy, June and wife, Ashley, are also regulars on the farm. “They make themselves at home in the shop,” he said.

Huysman credits Barbland’s success to the dedication of their employees — many of whom have connections to Morrisville.

“We have some guys who are really good in the shop but really good with the cows too,” he said. “You don’t get that on every farm. They can handle a little bit of everything. And that’s how we make it work.”

And an ongoing connection with Morrisville faculty and students continues to help the farm move forward.

“I know they have a solid background,” Bret Bossard said. “And when you’re looking for people to hire, it’s all about drive.”

A good fit

Logan Martin ’15 and Alex Evans ’20 also started their careers at Barbland as interns and now are part of the full-time team that makes the operation successful.

Martin, an animal science - dairy major, and Evans, an agricultural engineering major, remember their days at ��Ƶ fondly.

“From day one, on the farm, in the barn, learning was always hands-on,” said Martin, who grew up on a small dairy farm in Western New York. “It just felt like a great fit.”

“I don’t like just studying textbooks,” agreed Evans, who grew up on a 70-head dairy farm in Norwich, New York. “We were out in different fields, we were working on equipment, we were always doing something hands-on.”

Their roles at Barbland keep them busy. Martin oversees feed and milk quality and Evans helps maintain equipment.

The management skills they fostered at Morrisville have merged with the technology they use daily to maintain herd and crop health.

It’s all part of precision agriculture that is helping Barbland enhance efficiency and reduce resource usage — like using GPS for accurate field mapping and harvesting, nutrient mass balance to efficiently utilize soil nutrients, sensors for monitoring crop conditions and data analytics to optimize farming practices.

“The basics of managing a herd of cows is the same,” Martin said, “but there’s always something new to learn to improve how it all works.”

“Technology is the future,” Evans said. “We learned some of it in the classroom, but we grew our knowledge on the job.”

Back in the field

The newest addition to the Barbland team, Joel Vollmer ’20 pursued his bachelor’s degree in agricultural business development to learn as much as possible about the industry.

“I always knew I wanted to be involved in farming in some way,” said Vollmer, whose parents are also Morrisville alumni.

His first job after graduation was as a crop consultant with a fertilizer company, serving more than 100 farmers.

“Feeding their crops different nutrients — making sure it isn’t too much for too little,” he said. “Keeping weeds out and making sure the crops stay healthy.”

His Morrisville networking connections brought him to Barbland, where, as assistant crop manager, he can use his soil analysis skills to help determine crop rotation and also spend time in the field.

“Now I’m able to do some field work and also the science and technology side of it that kind of tickles your brain,” he said. “It keeps things interesting, doing something different every day depending on what is needed.”

About the cows

The cows at Barbland and White Eagle Dairies are milked three times and produce about 10 gallons of milk every day. During its life span, each cow will produce enough milk to fill a tanker truck.

Each cow consumes 120 pounds of food every day — enough to fill a 55-gallon drum — and drinks more than 40 gallons of water — enough to fill a bathtub.

Barbland Dairy ships about three tractor-trailer tankers each day — each one holding about 9,000 gallons of milk. Most goes to the Chobani yogurt plant in Otsego County, as well Midland Farms in Albany, the Byrne Dairy processing plant in Syracuse and Cayuga Marketing, a milk co-op in Auburn, New York.

Published date

May 14, 2024

News Type

Not Just a Walk in the Park: Forest ranger shares experience fighting wildfires in Canada

salibalr — Fri, 17 May 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Not Just a Walk in the Park: Forest ranger shares experience fighting wildfires in Canada salibalr Fri, 05/17/2024 - 00:00

Chris Pelrah ’06 and his wife were hiking in the Adirondacks when they came upon a forest ranger heading out to check on a complaint.

“There was some bear activity with people camping in the High Peaks area and the bears were getting into people’s food,” Pelrah said. “I remember the feeling I got — of the ranger helping others — and doing so outdoors. It was an interaction that changed my life.”

He set his sights on becoming a forest ranger for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), leaving behind his career as a scientist solving environmental issues.

“It was a way I could enjoy the outdoors and help others — something I truly love,” said Pelrah, a graduate of ��Ƶ’s associate degree in natural resources conservation and bachelor’s degree in renewable resources management (now named environmental & natural resources management).

It’s a rewarding career and lifestyle for the wilderness first responder whose noble calling takes him on search and rescue missions, has him rendering first aid to injured campers and hikers, preventing and suppressing wild fires, acting as a steward of public land, and as a sworn police officer, enforcing state laws.

Last summer, it took him to Maniwaki, just north of the border into Quebec, where he helped fight fires during a record-breaking wildfire season that ravaged a hopscotch path across Canada and focused the world’s attention on the perils of climate change.

Author

Franci Valenzano

Pelrah had been on the job for only one year when he answered a canvas letter to be part of a 14-day mission to help with the blazes that poured smoke into the United States and crossed the Atlantic into Europe. It is the first time New York State forest rangers had been deployed to Canada since 2005 to help contain wildfires in Quebec.

“I was excited and happy to help when our neighbors to the north needed it,” Pelrah said. “I was also excited to gain experience and improve skills that I could bring back home.”

On June 10, 2023, his 14-member squad of DEC volunteers joined crews in the quest to contain aggressive fires that burned wasteland and trees for thousands of miles.

Due to the terrain, vegetation and elevation in Canada, many fires are fought via helicopters, which dump water collected in buckets from lakes.

Pelrah’s team was among those on the ground. Traveling by helicopter, they were dropped deep into the forest to attack flames and suppress hot spots.

Their view from the skies was immense trees, some 30- to 40-feet, torching into flames. It was a first for Pelrah, who had only suppressed small ground fires in training.

“Your adrenaline is definitely racing,” Pelrah said. In some areas, flames raced through the woods and thick black smoke moved more than 30 miles in a day, prompting frantic evacuations.

His team battled four land fires, none of which involved structures, about 100 miles from villages and 30 miles from the road.

Generally, forest rangers carry a field pack filled with head lamps, a hand saw, medical kit, compass, phone with a GPS app, and whatever is needed for the response — like rope gear and a harness. During their mission in Canada, they carried portable pumps, 100-foot sections of hose and hand tools, all weighing nearly 50 pounds, as well as water and food for their 12-hour shifts.

Using a hose and pump, they extinguished hot spots, dug out areas to stop the fire from spreading and stripped out old growth which could easily catch on fire.

As the first firefighters to engage and attack, they successfully extinguished three of the fires. The fourth, which started as 15,000 acres, crept out of control and forced their evacuation by helicopter.

“It’s pretty grueling, but it is surprising how much you can physically endure,” Pelrah said of the work that often involved battling 90-degree heat with 10- to 15-mile-per-hour winds that left them physically and emotionally drained.

“We built strength off of each other,” Pelrah said. “You watch out for each other. We are all working really hard and maybe you see someone on the line struggling a little, so you help them out knowing you’re going to be struggling and they will be there to help you.”

At night they sorted their gear for the next day. “We had to be ready at all times,” he said of his squad, which slept in a bunkhouse with water and electricity.

The wildfires led to the mobilization of more than 1,500 international firefighters from across the world, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, with help arriving from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Costa Rica, Chile, Spain, Portugal, France and Mexico.

Pelrah’s vast training prepared him for the mission as well as many different scenarios, while testing his physical endurance and ability to respond under pressure.

“Our training is too intensive to have fear,” Pelrah said. “They stress so many things through ranger training that taught us to deal with things so when it’s real, it’s just like practice. You learn so much about how to battle these types of fires. It involves so much critical thinking and leadership skills.”

Those skills are being put to the test with new challenges and pressures that apply to the job of a forest ranger today, namely climate change, which is increasing the frequency of natural disasters, with fires, flood and drought.

At Home

At home, Pelrah’s assigned region, along with two other forest rangers, takes him across 210,000 acres of land managed by the DEC, covering the majority of the New York State towns of Remsen, Forestport and Booneville in Oneida County, and the towns of Webb, Northern Ohio and Northern Russia in Herkimer County. It also includes wilderness, wild forests and state forests, and parts of the Black and Moose rivers.

It wasn’t the career Pelrah started out to pursue. While attending orientation for ��Ƶ’s journalism program, he was drawn to one of Professor William Snyder’s interactive natural resources conservation labs.

“When Professor Snyder told me more about the program, I was sold,” Pelrah said. “It hit home that this is what I wanted to do.”

Snyder has been a driving force in his career.

“Professor Snyder is one of those teachers who I really connected with,” Pelrah said. “He was always pushing you to do better. He was passionate about us learning and that passion was contagious.”

When Snyder posted a Civil Service Exam notice on social media, it piqued Pelrah’s interest.

“I was already thinking about different ways to get out of consulting and I recalled that ranger at the Adirondacks, as well as other experiences, and it just clicked that this is something I needed to pursue,” Pelrah said.

After he graduated with two degrees from ��Ƶ, Pelrah worked as a scientist at Anchor QEA, an environmental consulting firm in Syracuse, New York, working on remediation cleanup projects in places like Onondaga Lake and the Hudson River. He also worked seasonal jobs at the New York State Canal Corporation and as an assistant forest ranger at Stillwater Reservoir in the Adirondacks.

Pelrah took the forest ranger exam in 2019, but his application process was put on hold when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. In the meantime, he was laid off from his remediation job — an additional sign for him to follow his intrinsic nature to help others.

He completed 29 weeks at the Basic School for New York State Forest Rangers, where recruits practice water rescues in rapids, scale cliffsides and train for helicopter hoist operations, and learn a wide range of rescue techniques, including rope rescues and extensive training in wildfire suppression, prescribed burns, water rescues and wildlife protection. Land navigation and search and rescue, and law enforcement techniques were also part of training.

Pelrah traces everything back to ��Ƶ, where he started building his skills in labs and the classroom.

“Morrisville set me up for everything I have done so far in my career,” he said. “I hone those skills every day.

“There was so much hands-on and applying scenarios in the field,” he added. “Morrisville gave me the ability to think outside of the box, to think on my feet, and think about what resources are available and how to apply them.”

“Morrisville set me up for everything I have done so far in my career. I hone those skills every day.

Chris Pelrah, DEC Forest Ranger

He keeps his skills sharp with ongoing DEC training for rescue, first aid and firefighting.

While there is no such thing as a typical day in the career of a forest ranger, it is one of the appeals of the job for Pelrah.

“I get in my vehicle and every day it is something different,” he said.

His job also provides him the opportunity to do public outreach and education, visit schools to talk to students about a forest ranger’s job and teach search and rescue, and wildland fire suppression courses.

Pelrah looks back at his experience last summer as an opportunity to gain new skills and bond with fellow first responders.

“I enjoyed building relationships with coworkers from other regions in the same state so when we respond to an incident together, there is already a foundation of working together,” he said.

The DEC patch Pelrah wears proudly on his shoulder is a daily reminder of his ongoing dedication to sharing his love and enthusiasm as a forest ranger with others.

“I have an opportunity to help people. I get to go to work every day to help protect people and the environment,” he said.

Basic Training

Forest Ranger recruits are required to spend approximately six months in a residential academy setting taking courses and learning the skills as required by the position. Recruits receive the basic school training required of all NYS police officers such as Criminal Procedure Law, Penal Law, Vehicle and Traffic Law, defensive tactics, physical training and wellness. They also receive specialized training in wildland search and rescue, wildland fire, incident management, Wilderness First Responder, swift water rescue and state land protection. Following graduation from the basic school, they go to their permanent field assignments across the state, where they are mentored by senior forest rangers in a monitored field training program for six to eight weeks.

Published date

May 14, 2024

News Type

Coach Whisperer: “Believe in them and what they can do” is the magic behind champion reiner and mentor RE Sears’ success

salibalr — Fri, 17 May 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Coach Whisperer: “Believe in them and what they can do” is the magic behind champion reiner and mentor RE Sears’ success salibalr Fri, 05/17/2024 - 00:00

Country music bounces non-stop off the concrete bleachers in the cavernous Syracuse Coliseum as the show ring gate swings open and the announcer crackles to life.

“Here’s draw number 20, back number 591, Holy Cannoli Katie and RE Sears.”

The chestnut mare jogs into the center of the ring and, with nearly invisible cues from Sears — a tap on the neck, a touch of the spur — spins four times to the left, four to the right.

Author

��Ƶ

A moment to settle and they shift as one into the rest of the pattern: circles at the gallop, flying lead changes, 180-degree pivots and sliding stops. The stops are reining’s signature move, a moment of rapid deceleration when the horse runs at top speed down the length of the arena then lowers its hindquarters to the ground as the front legs pedal for another 10 to 20 feet.

The mare sprays dirt in her wake as she comes to a complete stop. Sears pats her on the neck and scratches under her mane as they leave the arena. Job well done.

It’s a small gesture that’s part of his DNA as horseman, champion reiner, member of the ��Ƶ equine studies faculty, reining coach of the Western equestrian team and — in no small measure — fulfiller of dreams: School for excellence. Aim for perfection. Reward the try.

“All of these kids need someone to believe in them before they can believe in themselves,” Sears said as he finished a coaching session with two of his reining students. He’s trying to stay warm as a second group works in enclosed pens with young horses who aren’t completely convinced about this whole saddle up and be ridden thing.

“I try to point out their success,” he said. “I try to remind them that a few days ago they didn’t think they could do what they’re doing now. Show them the tools, hand them the tools and let them use the tools ... Believe in them and what they can do.”

Sears believed. And 2023 was the sort of year that believed back.

He rode his own Katie to solid placings, and Morrisville’s Hot Cocktail – aka Lola – to three Reserve Championships in the Central New York Reining Horse Association’s Open Division, the category for the most experienced exhibitors, trainers and professional horsemen. He coached Morrisville senior Maggie Herbert to four CNYRHA championships in the Green and Rookie Divisions aboard another college-owned horse, Kicks and Giggles, while junior Amelia Jaworski rode Hot Cocktail to High Point awards and a Reserve Championship in Green Reiner.

Don’t ask Sears to brag about his success in the show pen or on the coaching sidelines. It’s not going to happen. But watch him talking quietly to his riders before they enter the show ring, giving each the pep talk or the calming words they need, and understand completely the how and the why.

“He is the reason why we got as far as we did,” Jaworski said. She’s tacking up her horse for a lesson and nods to the barn and the indoor arena. “We have this great place to ride but it doesn’t work without a great coach ... I get anxious in the ring and he just looks at me and says, ‘Just breathe,’ and I am okay.”

As for Herbert, she said she’s dreamed since she was a child of competing at the All American Quarter Horse Congress. She bonded with Kicks and Giggles as her equine partner — “he recognizes my footsteps when I come in the barn,” she said — and then Sears’ coaching made “my dreams as an 8-year-old” come true. Showing for the first time at the national level, she and Kicks placed third out of 151 horses in the National Reining Horse Association’s Green Level 2 division and 14th out of 107 horses in Rookie Level 2.

“He knows exactly what the horse needs and what we, as riders, need to do to get them to reach their full potential,” Herbert said of her coach and mentor. “He constantly has the answer no matter what you ask. He knows so much, but he doesn’t overwhelm you. He makes sure you are ready for the next step.”

It’s that experience, knowledge and understanding of how his students learn — and giving to each the guidance they need — that makes Sears so good at what he does, said Julie Corey, associate professor of equine studies and a coach with him on the Western intercollegiate team.

“He does it for every student, not just the top riders. Any student that walked in here and asked for his attention would get it — his undivided attention,” Corey said. “He builds their confidence and takes them to another level.”

For Jaworski, that meant teaching her to appreciate the art of taking it slow: “I expect a lot at the beginning, and he’s very good at telling me, ‘One step at a time.’”

For Morrisville junior Jenna Tyson, who Sears coached to the championship of the CNYRHA Green as Grass class, it was recognizing that champions are made in the hours and days they spend preparing. “He helped us to see the bigger picture,” she said. “Not to have to have a perfect run, but to see steady improvement.”

Sears said that approach is something he had to learn when he went from being a few-hours-a-week adjunct at Cazenovia College to full-time faculty at Morrisville.

“Here, I’m here 40 hours a week,” he said — although the kids maintain it’s more like he’s always at the barn — “and I can give them a little bit at a time and let them digest it because it will be there tomorrow if they don’t get it.”

The luxury of time. It’s there in the banter in the arena, the space he gives each horse and rider to find harmony, and the advice he shares as a spin wobbles like a top, the extended lope is perilously close to a cavalry charge, or a circle resembles a slowly deflating football.

“Ride the wall a little more. She’s anticipating,” he told one rider, whose horse has clearly memorized the pattern they’re riding. “Don’t let her make all the decisions completely unchecked on her own,” he told another when the mare in question decided she knows best.

The pride in his riders is so deep, Sears said he can’t even express it in words. The testament is in the trophy case: Five CNYRHA championships; four reserve championships; year-end high point award championships to Herbert and Jaworski; third place at Congress; the CNYRHA high point horse championship to Hot Cocktail and reserve to Kicks and Giggles; and enough belt buckles — the currency of reining — to anchor a pony in a stiff breeze.

He is the reason why we got as far as we did. We have this great place to ride but it doesn’t work without a great coach ... I get anxious in the ring and he just looks at me and says, ‘Just breathe,’ and I am okay.

Amelia Jaworski

In the end, it all comes down to three words, Sears said: “Get out there.” It’s his biggest piece of advice for riding, but listen to the rest and change a few words, and it’s a formula for life. “It might not go as well as you’d like it to go, but you’ll always learn something. You’ll certainly learn more than you will sitting at home and watching a video. Sitting in your saddle will always teach you more than sitting on your couch.”

Published date

May 14, 2024

News Type

A Cut Above the Rest: Wood products technology program building bright futures with hands-on research

salibalr — Fri, 17 May 2024 04:00:00 +0000

A Cut Above the Rest: Wood products technology program building bright futures with hands-on research salibalr Fri, 05/17/2024 - 00:00

When he came to Morrisville as assistant professor of environmental & renewable resources in 2019, Mohammadali Azadfar had a dream — and a plan.

Azadfar — ‘Ali’ to most who know him — was thrilled with the opportunity to teach in the wood products technology and residential construction degree programs. His plan started with fundamental instruction for the students in his classes — and grew beyond measure with the addition of industry research in his courses.

Azadfar came cross-country from Washington State University, where he earned his doctorate in bioenergy and bioproducts engineering. He had years of practical experience in wood products industries and his academic world was heavily centered around research. “I realized [in choosing Morrisville] that if I wanted to work on research, I needed to design my classes with applied research objectives,” he said.

His past research helped fuel a first for air travel. When Alaska Airlines Flight AS-4 took off from Tacoma International Airport in Seattle, Washington, bound for Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 14, 2016, it was the first commercial flight that used wood-based biofuel.

Azadfar was among dozens of engineers, scientists and industry experts whose research had created 20 percent of the plane’s fuel, made from limbs and branches of trees in Northwestern forests. It was part of a project sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington State University and the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance.

Washington State’s loss became Morrisville’s gain in 2019, when Azadfar came to lead the Wood Products Technology Department.

In wood products technology, students become well-practiced in bringing logs into the program’s sawmill, cutting, grading and using an industry-sized kiln to dry lumber and cutting and finishing it for use in construction or furniture-making. In residential construction, they learn the basics of construction, energy systems, sanitation, masonry systems, foundation concepts, and plumbing and surveying.

This year Azadfar’s students are learning to operate a sawmill to develop materials used in furniture manufacturing. At the same time, they’re researching how different woodworking machineries such as planers, saws and sanders alter the surface of a piece of wood, making it easier or harder to hold the glue that sticks different pieces of wood together.

Author

Brian McDowell

Azadfar pointed to a mass of layered maple boards, a cross laminated prototype, on a desk in his office. Each layer is turned perpendicular to the previous one, a process known as cross-lamination. The result is many times stronger than would be a thick plank of the same wood. This kind of manipulation of wood may lead to utilizing low-grade and low-diameter logs for cross-laminated timber production, designing sustainable wood products for railroad ties, ceiling beams and many other wood products.

It’s this kind of hands-on research Azadfar says matches up well with first- and second-year students in a technically based two-year degree program.

“Ali’s approach gives students knowledge beyond the wrench-turning experience,” said Anthony Contento, dean of the School of Agriculture, Business & Technology. “His students walk away understanding more about the industry — the science beyond it,” said Contento, who understands Azadfar’s pursuit of natural sources for energy.

“Ali’s students begin to see applications outside of what most people think of as wood products,” he added.

Azadfar continues to work in research into wood-based biofuels. He said the day will come when biofuels, with zero emissions, replace petroleum-based fuels in planes and other machines.

Gabriel Teeter completed the wood products technology program in 2023 and transferred into the college’s Bachelor of Technology program in technology management. He didn’t think twice when Azadfar offered him a chance to “stay for the scientific stuff,” offering him a work study opportunity in which he could help with research while teaching students machining, the fundamentals of wood — everything he had learned himself.

Teeter plans to open an entrepreneurial business in woodworking near an air-drying lumber mill. The bachelor’s degree program, which serves students from many technical majors, is giving him the background in management and business he’ll need to fulfill his dream.

What he taught me is so great,” Teeter said of Azadfar. “In the second or third semester in the program, you’re learning to operate the sawmill.”

Azadfar said his cross-country move to ��Ƶ, after studying and working at the much larger Washington State, served his love of working with students at the base level of the wood products industry. According to Azadfar, there are only about 34 campuses in the country that have two-year, four-year, or graduate programs related to wood science and products. Morrisville is one of only a few in the Northeast.

Azadfar took a much longer journey in coming to the United States in 2011. A native of Iran, he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees there before deciding that his pursuit of a doctorate degree could best be achieved in the United States. Because Iranian high schools require that students learn two foreign languages, Azadfar took English, focusing on grammar.

His English language training in Iran served him well during his graduate and post doctoral work, which yielded scientific papers, technical reports, patents he co-authored on topics from wood pulp and forest residuals to composite materials, celluloses and lignin, and presentations at national and international conferences.

Azadfar’s wife, Leila, also came to the United States from Iran. They and their 6-year-old son, Sam, live in Syracuse, New York.

Building dreams

Azadfar is not done dreaming about what comes next. He envisions his students doing more advanced research as upper-class students in a bachelor of technology degree program.

On the campus, which is widely known for its applied learning, Azadfar’s students can explore related worlds like the Agricultural and Clean Energy Technology (ACET) Center, a 30,000 square-foot applied learning facility that houses the renewable energy, agricultural engineering and diesel technology programs and includes real-world, state-of-the-art wind, solar, hydro, biofuels and thermal energy labs.

Along with his role in student recruitment, Azadfar is pursuing collaboration opportunities with companies like Stickley Furniture, Bailey Lumber, Johnson Lumber, Cornue Woodworking (located in Nelson, New York), and other industry leaders, some of whom participated in the recent academic review that yielded high marks for the program.

“One thing the review confirmed was that there’s a hunger in the wood industry for our students because of their technical preparation,” Contento said. “Many of our students will work over the summer at companies that will be so impressed with them that they’ll hire them as soon as they graduate.”

Teeter has a similar message, based on his own experience. For students who want hands-on learning with a chance to shape their own futures, “If you’re able to get here, I recommend it,” he said.

Published date

May 14, 2024

News Type

Former Journalism professor leaves indelible mark on journalism program

salibalr — Fri, 17 May 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Former Journalism professor leaves indelible mark on journalism program salibalr Fri, 05/17/2024 - 00:00

As most of you journalism (J-grads) now know, Dan Reeder, 74, former Morrisville journalism professor, died Sept. 20, 2023 from complications of lung cancer. In June, Dan and his wife, Janet, relocated from his beloved Lawrence, Kansas, to Texas, to be closer to their son, Tim.

Remarkably, Dan left an indelible “mark” on the Morrisville journalism program (J-program) in only three short years, 1973-1976. From 1976 on, Dan’s Moville impact was far-reaching as countless J-grads for the next 20 years came to know, respect and admire him when he visited Moville numerous times for journalism events, festivities and then actively participated in promoting the Journalism Department (J-Department) and its students throughout the years!

It is no exaggeration when I fondly say Dan was the brother I never had in my life, beginning during the Moville years and continuing 47 years thereafter. As for the four-some Bandlow/Reeder relationship, an endearing friendship surfaced in 1973, continuing for almost 50 years with visits to Michigan and Kansas, hundreds of phone calls, never-ending snail mail communication and eventually social media.

Maybe most essential in this message to all of you: Janet announced recently that Dan’s devotion and love for Moville’s campus and the J-program will live on forever.

So…I’m “gonna miss ya” big time Reeder. Thanks for being an integral part of mine and Carol’s lives. So…one last time: Go Kansas University (KU), Go Michigan State, and more importantly, Go ��Ƶ.

- Neal Bandlow, ��Ƶ professor and Reeder’s colleague and forever buddy.

Author

��Ƶ

Published date

May 14, 2024

News Type

Anything is Possible: Sought-after trainer helps clients score their life goals

salibalr — Fri, 17 May 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Anything is Possible: Sought-after trainer helps clients score their life goals salibalr Fri, 05/17/2024 - 00:00

Doyen “Dolo” Grant’s past is always present in his professional life.

Hanging on the wall of Dolo’s Fitness — a gym Grant ’09 owns and operates in his hometown of Canarsie, New York — is a dark green ��Ƶ football jersey. When his gym opened in 2019, the former Mustangs football captain and star wide receiver had his No. 9 home uniform, flanked by two action photos, mounted in a customized black frame.

Grant’s cherished Morrisville memorabilia is prominently displayed for everyone to see. It also reminds Grant of the significant role his college experience played in launching his successful entrepreneurial career.

“I knew I wanted to open a gym eventually and I started that mind process at Morrisville,” Grant said. “I wanted to delve into entrepreneurship. I wanted to open up a gym in my neighborhood and have them benefit from all my hard work and the things I learned at Morrisville.”

The 37-year-old Grant channeled his college experience to help build a successful fitness brand that features not only a gym location, but also online classes, private training sessions, specialized workouts, nutrition and dietary assistance, meal planning and prep services.

Author

M.F. Piraino

“I’m a one-stop shop to help you get your body better,” Grant said.

Among his clients are a number of professional athletes, including the NFL’s Christian Wilkins and the NBA’s Nick Richards. In addition to his fitness accomplishments, Grant has also published a motivational quote book, “Life/Fitness/Success: Why Not You? Volume 1,” with some autobiographical content about the first stage of his life journey.

“If people see one good quote that’s going to motivate them and inspire them, they will want to do it,” Grant said.

Grant migrated from Jamaica at the age of 2 with his mother and grandfather. They put down roots in Canarsie, a residential neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where Grant earned the nickname “Dolo,” meaning doing something by yourself or solo. He now resides 10 minutes away from his gym.

The foundation for Grant’s success began at ��Ƶ. With dreams of playing college football and a career in fitness, Grant chose ��Ƶ over a historically black college and university. He believed Morrisville offered a well-rounded education, academically and culturally.

He considered attending an HBCU school, but decided on Morrisville instead. “I ended up taking a ride up to Morrisville. I saw cows and cornfields. I asked my mother, ‘Where are we?’ But I really liked it. I didn’t want to stay in the same environment that I grew up in for 18 years in Canarsie. It was a good change of pace. I embraced that.”

For Grant, ��Ƶ offered a chance to play football as well as study business and fitness management. His favorite class was Professor Kristen Kane’s fitness management class.

“The class was based on actually opening and running a gym, which was suited to everything I wanted to do,” he said. “I loved doing classwork where everything was hands on, including internships.”

He applied skills from a capstone internship, serving as head strength and conditioning coach for the 2009 Mustangs football team, and another at the college’s Wellness Center, training for what he is doing on a daily basis.

“When you work with someone and see how they are affected by this movement or that movement, you apply that to the next person. I learned so much with hands-on experience at Morrisville,” Grant said.

I wanted to open a gym eventually and I started that mind process at Morrisville.

Doyen "Dolo" Grant

He left an indelible mark in the classroom. “He was a vibrant and creative student who brought new ideas to every class and internship he completed,” Kane said. “He is such an inspiring young man with so many achievements. He left a lasting impression on me as a professor.”

Grant, who set a number of weightlifting records during his final years at ��Ƶ, graduated with an Associate in Science degree in sports nutrition & fitness management and a Bachelor of Science degree in human performance & health promotion (now named exercise science).

After graduation in 2009, Grant started his fitness business as a traveling personal trainer. He slowly built a solid reputation and the positive word of mouth made him a highly sought-after trainer. In 2019, Grant achieved his goal of owning his own gym. His clients range in age from 8 to 88.

Devale Ellis, who grew up three blocks from Grant, worked with Grant in the early days, logging 15-to-18-hour days, seven days a week. Ellis, an actor and former wide receiver signed by the Detroit Lions, said his close friend is successful because of his unyielding work ethic and his people skills.

“People don’t train with Dolo just because he’s qualified. People train with Dolo because he actually cares about his clients,” said Ellis, who now resides in Georgia. “Most of his clients become family because Dolo will answer every call and attend every event to ensure his clients know they are supported. You can’t fake that. Dolo’s clients go to him because he is unequivocally genuine.”

Ellis added that Grant leads by example. In 2018, Grant trained for and completed the New York City Marathon to inspire his clients.

“He wanted to prove that change is a mindset,” Ellis said. “He lost over 40 pounds and dedicated the whole journey to the people who say, ‘They can’t.’”

Grant trains all his clients like they are elite athletes.

“Some people may think that’s intimidating, but I solely believe if I can do it, you can try it,” Grant said. “People need to take a leap sometimes. I want them to feel challenged. The workouts are tough but I want the best results. I want them to see the progress, feel the progress.”

Xiomara Trotman is one client who has benefited from Grant’s training philosophy. Working out with Grant inspired Trotman to start his own personal training business.

“Dolo pushes me to be and do my absolute best both inside and outside of the gym,” said Trotman, a seven-year client who now resides in Washington, D.C. “He’s incredibly courageous and he certainly isn’t afraid of standing out or doing things his own way. I know that whenever I visit his gym, I am not only going to get a great workout, but I am going to leave feeling incredibly motivated and inspired as well.”

The phrase “Anything is possible” is written above Grant’s ��Ƶ framed football jersey at his gym. It’s one of many inspirational quotes he lives by and is reflective of everything he has accomplished because of his college experience.

“College helped me learn so much about so many different things, things I still use to this day,” Grant said.

Published date

May 14, 2024

News Type

A Bold Move: ��Ƶ's new black turf goes viral

salibalr — Fri, 17 May 2024 04:00:00 +0000

A Bold Move: ��Ƶ's new black turf goes viral salibalr Fri, 05/17/2024 - 00:00

This past summer, the ��Ƶ Athletics Department decided to make a bold move. Needing to replace the turf playing surface of Drake Field for the first time since 2006, what set the project apart was the installation of a one-of-a-kind black turf.

The move went viral, as the reveal of the new turf instantly captured global attention, with coverage from prestigious sports outlets such as Sports Illustrated and ESPN to global features as far as Mexico and Europe en route to reaching more than 50 million viewers on social media worldwide.

“As we set out to replace our old turf, we wanted to move in a bold, new direction that would give our department and student-athletes a unique identity to rally around,” said Matt Grawrock, ��Ƶ director of athletics. “We wanted a look that reflected the institution and how we have a special campus with an education and opportunities that are different from many schools, embracing the differences that set us apart while providing a focal point for athletics that would distinguish us from our peers.”

With the overall discussion and design beginning in the early months of 2022, the physical process of replacing the old turf surface began in May of 2023 and was completed in early July. It also featured facility upgrades within the stadium’s locker room spaces, as well as new uprights and fencing that showcases the department’s branding.

“We have created a true home-field experience and advantage for our student-athletes,” Grawrock said. “We think they’re one-of-a-kind and we wanted to give them a home venue to match.”

The new design also includes various features for each of the six teams that compete on the field, including white traditional markings for football, red markings for men’s lacrosse, powder blue for women’s lacrosse, lime green for men’s and women’s soccer, and yellow for field hockey.

To pay tribute to the Mustangs’ history, the field showcases lettering along the home sideline of “Drake Field,” named after Athletics Wall of Fame member Robert Drake, who served as Morrisville’s athletics director as well as football, basketball and baseball coach from 1948 to 1978.

Author

��Ƶ

Published date

May 14, 2024

News Type

Mustang Greatness: ��Ƶ honors Athletics Wall of Fame Class of 2023

salibalr — Fri, 17 May 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Mustang Greatness: ��Ƶ honors Athletics Wall of Fame Class of 2023 salibalr Fri, 05/17/2024 - 00:00

From a simple knock at the door to knocking on the door of greatness.

From “arriving with nothing” to leaving with everything.

From honoring previous Mustang legends to now becoming one.

Those were just some of the memorable storylines highlighting the ��Ƶ Athletics Wall of Fame Class of 2023, which honored seven Mustangs:

Ritsuko Sonobe ’00
Brandon Hanks ’14
Lemar Johnson ’14
Shelby (Wood) Rosaschi ’15
Daniel Peckham ’16
Jordan Anderson ’17
Greg Carroll, Athletics Director, 2001-19

This year’s class was honored at a ceremony held during Mustang Weekend, before a capacity crowd consisting of family, friends, and former and current college administrators, coaches, faculty and staff. The night’s speeches from the inductees were filled with wonderful memories and lots of laughs as each fondly recalled their time at Morrisville.

One honoree was very familiar with the ceremony. Carroll, who served as Morrisville’s director of athletics from 2001-2019, returned to campus to now join the fellow Mustang members of the Wall of Fame who he once honored.

As he received his honor, Carroll playfully addressed the guests by reciting from memory the sportsmanship statement read prior to every home contest, before remarking on having the ability to carry out his vision thanks to the support of former Morrisville President Raymond Cross (also in the Wall of Fame), current President David Rogers and his “amazing team.”

“I am humbled by this experience,” said Carroll, whose leadership led to immense student-athlete success in athletics, academics and community service. “The best thing that ever happened to me professionally was the opportunity to become the Athletics Director at Morrisville and I am forever grateful for that.”

Carroll’s time as director saw Morrisville Athletics successfully transition from members of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) to the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), and this year’s induction class also crossed into both ranks.

Author

Eugenio Mercurio

2023 Wall of Fame Inductees

Sonobe had a phenomenal run for the Mustang women’s cross country team, twice earning NJCAA All-American accolades. Sonobe, who owns her own fitness lifestyle business as a certified personal trainer, thanked her parents for allowing her to pursue her education in the United States before acknowledging her teammates and longtime head cross country coach Derek Powers.

“I’m overwhelmed with gratitude to be inducted into the Athletics Wall of Fame,” Sonobe said. “I’m so honored to have my work recognized. I’d like to thank my dearest Coach Powers; none of my accomplishments could have been done without him.”

Anderson was recognized for her outstanding achievements in both women’s basketball and women’s lacrosse. A chance knock on the head lacrosse coach’s door asking if she could try out for the team her sophomore year has opened many doors for Anderson.

“Crazy that a knock on the door has taken me where I am today,” said Anderson, who is now an assistant lacrosse coach at Division II Slippery Rock University following two conference titles and two defensive-player-of-the-year awards as a Mustang.

“It’s surreal right now, this is such an incredible honor,” added Anderson, who also finished her basketball career as the program’s all-time leader in multiple categories. “Know that it’s never about your setbacks or obstacles, but the opportunities you gain and how you respond. I will be forever grateful and appreciative of this honor.”

Hanks was the catalyst for the men’s basketball program’s most historical run, leading the Mustangs to three straight conference championships, three NCAA Division III Tournament appearances, and first-ever trips to the Elite Eight and Sweet Sixteen rounds, respectively. Thanking his former professors who were in attendance as well former teammates who are still his best friends today – “it’s a testament to the genuine people that I met here” – Hanks recalled how he “didn’t have anything” when arriving to campus but Morrisville “set me straight and I’ll always appreciate that.”

Now a police officer in his hometown of Syracuse, New York, Hanks dedicated the honor to his head coach, Joe Smith, for setting the example that still motivates him today. “He could’ve given up on me a long time ago and he didn’t. He’s part of the reason why I do what I do helping youth as a police officer; I will never give up on them because Coach Smith never gave up on me.”

Forever in Mustang lore for his famous “Morrisville Hurdle” that was named a 2014 Geico Play of the Year, Johnson had a prolific run for the football program. A positional switch from defensive back (2010-11) to quarterback (2013-14) proved fruitful, as Johnson blossomed into an All-American, two-time offensive player of the year and the MVP of the program’s first-ever Bowl win.

“Morrisville has a special place in my heart,” said Johnson, who pursued other playing opportunities following graduation. “A lot of times I think about who I would be if I never came back to school, but I came back and now we’re here – hall of famer, it’s really nice. I truly appreciate this award.”

Dominant is the best way to describe the four-year career of Rosaschi. Setting several all-time records for the women’s lacrosse program, Rosaschi earned numerous player-of-the-year and all-star selections while guiding the Mustangs to a conference title and their first bid to the NCAA Tournament. Thanking her parents for their unwavering support and praising Morrisville’s training and sports information staffs, Rosaschi also acknowledged how her time on campus shaped the rest of her life.

“This campus means so much,” said Rosaschi, now a high school head coach while also working at UNC-Wilmington. “I met some of my best friends here, I met my husband here and now we have two beautiful daughters. It was the best four years of my life and I’m so honored to be in this wall of fame class.”

Peckham was one of the most decorated four-year student-athletes ever for the men’s soccer team, collecting All-American, all-star and defensive-player-of-the-year honors. An automotive technology bachelor’s degree graduate and now an auto industry professional in Rochester, New York, Peckham was integral to the program’s dominant stretch that included three conference titles and three appearances and two victories in the NCAA Tournament.

Thanking his parents, family, former coaches and various athletics administrators who were all in attendance, Peckham shared, “It feels like it was just yesterday since I was here. What an absolute journey it’s been to this point. Some of my best memories happened on this campus.”

To read more about each of the honoree’s accomplishments, please visit morrisvillemustangs.com.

Established in 1996, the Athletics Wall of Fame recognizes excellence and tradition by athletes, coaches, administrators and department staff members who have made outstanding contributions to the intercollegiate athletics program, as a joint project of the Morrisville College Alumni Corporation and the Athletics Department.

Published date

May 14, 2024

News Type

Master of Wine: Grad pours her heart into wine industry

salibalr — Tue, 14 May 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Master of Wine: Grad pours her heart into wine industry salibalr Tue, 05/14/2024 - 00:00

Nova Cadamatre’s time at ��Ƶ is etched in her memory. She lived on campus with a roommate before moving to a cozy attic apartment in a house off Route 20 and she appeared in musical theater productions of “Cabaret’’ and “Godspell.’’ The South Carolina transplant recalled the connection she instantly felt with her fellow horticulture classmates.

And then there was the paper on grape diseases she wrote for a plant pathology class. It was pivotal — life-changing, really — as it fueled her interest in and passion for wine and viticulture and set her on her career path.

Flash forward 20 years and Cadamatre, 40, is a rising star in the world of Finger Lakes and California wine. Her horticulture-student-self could not have predicted that; back then, she loved decorative plants and thought she might become a florist.

“That’s what I love about that program,’’ Cadamatre said. “You don’t have to know exactly what you want to do when you come into it. You can grow roses and open a greenhouse or floral shop. I did not enjoy school. I never really felt like I fit in. But I liked the community I found in horticulture. We were all plant nerds.’’

Kelly Hennigan, associate professor of horticulture at ��Ƶ, remembers Cadamatre well and has followed her progression in the field of wine. She recently pulled Cadamatre’s pivotal paper, “Powdery Mildew of Grapes,’’ out of her files.

“When she first came to Morrisville, I don’t think she really knew what she wanted,’’ Hennigan recalled. “She embraced everything: floral design, environmental conservation, pest management. I might have been a little surprised when she told me she was going to major in enology at Cornell.”

“I’m very proud of Nova,’’ Hennigan added. “She’s doing very well for herself.’’

Author

Margaret McCormick

Indeed. Since earning an Associate in Applied Science degree in horticulture in 2003, the former Nova McCune has blazed a wide trail and cemented her name in the world of wine. She’s the first female winemaker in the U.S. to achieve the prestigious “Master of Wine’’ certification and she has been named one of Wine Enthusiast magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40’’ honorees.

Cadamatre is the co-founder of Trestle Thirty One Winery near Geneva, New York. Using grapes grown mostly on Seneca Lake (and some from Keuka Lake), she produces Riesling, the flagship wine of the Finger Lakes, along with Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and dry Rosé. These wines can be sampled at the Trestle Thirty One tasting lounge in Geneva and purchased online.

But that’s just one part of Cadamatre’s extensive wine resume and portfolio. A self-described “bi-coastal winemaker” and a sought-after consultant, she travels to California’s Napa Valley once or twice a month to meet with clients and assist them with land evaluation, vineyard management and winemaking, among other things.

When she’s home, Cadamatre’s focus is the future Trestle Thirty One vineyard, wine production and tasting facility on 12 acres of land a few miles south of Geneva, on the east side of Seneca Lake. She and her husband, Brian, live in Bloomfield, New York, near Canandaigua, where they’re raising two sons. Brian also works in the wine industry and runs the business side of Trestle Thirty One, including business strategy and product costing.

“I’ve been working my butt off for a long time,’’ Cadamatre said with a laugh. “I’ve made a lot of wine over 20 years.’’

The wine industry has long been dominated by men, but women are making inroads and Cadamatre is thrilled to be among the growing community of women winemakers and women-helmed wineries in the Finger Lakes.

Her growth has been measured and steady. She started out as an unpaid intern at several wineries in Pennsylvania, where she was tasked with everything from cellar work to harvesting and pressing grapes. She then served as an apprentice winemaker at Stargazers Vineyard, a farm winery in Coatesville, Pennsylvania.

In 2004, she moved to Ovid, New York, in Seneca County, to serve as an assistant winemaker at Thirsty Owl Wine Company, home of some of the oldest vinifera vines in the Finger Lakes. At the same time, she enrolled in Cornell University’s viticulture and enology bachelor’s degree program, becoming one of its first graduates.

Graduation brought a change of scenery. Cadamatre and her husband moved to California, where she served as a winemaker at several wineries, including the esteemed Beringer, Chateau St. Jean and Chateau Souverain, and later joining Robert Mondavi Winery, owned by Constellation Brands, where she focused on its red wine program and ultimately ended up as director of winemaking for the brand. In 2022, one of the wines she made, the 2019 Estates Cabernet Sauvignon, was named the No. 6 wine in the world by Wine Spectator.

The Cadamatres could have lived and worked happily ever after in Napa, but in 2015, she accepted the position of director of winemaking at Canandaigua Wine Company, which was owned by Constellation Brands at the time. Cadamatre directed a team of four winemakers, developed the 240 Days brand (made with Finger Lakes grapes) and worked on mass-market brands like Widmer and Manischewitz.

That same year, the Cadamatres founded Trestle Thirty One, with the goal of eventually having their own vineyard and production facility. They currently produce about 700 cases of four or five wines each year. For now, the wines are produced at Fox Run Winery on Seneca Lake.

Cadamatre also produces a Finger Lakes dry Riesling under the label Snowshell Vineyards for Naked Wines, an online wine subscription business. Add to that her very own West Coast brand: Fiadh Ruadh (pronounced Fay-ah Roo-ah), a Cabernet Sauvignon made with grapes grown in the Stag’s Leap district of Napa, California. The name, which means “untamed wild red deer,” is a nod to the shared Scottish heritage of her and her husband’s families.

Jon Cupp, president of Thirsty Owl Wine Company, described Cadamatre as a determined student and dedicated employee when they worked together 20 years ago. “She’s a hard worker,’’ Cupp said. “If you’re smart and you have a work ethic and you’re a good person — that’s the most important thing — the sky is the limit in this business. She’s very accomplished.’’

From college and early on, before having kids, I would ask myself, ‘do I want to buy a new pair of shoes, or do I want to plant a vineyard one day?’ That’s the thing with wine: You don’t see a return on investment immediately.

Nova Cadamatre

There’s an old joke in the industry: “How do you make a million dollars in the wine business? Start with two million.’’ Trestle Thirty One was established with a fraction of that — $20,000 from the sale of the Cadamatres’ home in California. They’re taking things one step at a time and funding their dream largely on their own through multiple entrepreneurial projects and revenue streams.

“From college and early on, before having kids, I would ask myself, ‘do I want to buy a new pair of shoes, or do I want to plant a vineyard one day?’ That’s the thing with wine: You don’t see a return on investment immediately,” she said. “As we’ve grown, we put profits back in the business.’’

Since leaving the corporate wine world in 2022, Cadamatre has been pouring her heart into Trestle Thirty One, her priority project. She looks forward to the day they can plant their own vineyard.

“We’ve been waiting for the right time to do the full layout of what the property will look like with a vineyard, tasting room and winery,’’ she said. “We’re trying to be very slow and deliberate so we don’t have to go back and redo things.’’

A small, family-owned winery is a big departure from corporate wine, but Cadamatre is up for the challenges that come with it and excited to put down roots — literally — in the up-and-coming Finger Lakes.

“I think the Finger Lakes community is fantastic because we’re all trying to push things forward here,’’ she said. “It’s a very supportive community. Seeing how far the industry has come since my time at Thirsty Owl is amazing. There are more wineries, and the quality of wine has improved greatly.’’

The name Trestle Thirty One comes from the large railroad trestle that is prominent from the top of the vineyard on Seneca Lake.

The trestle is also the inspiration for the drawing on the front label. Tracts of land in New York State were originally arranged by number and 31 was the number of the future vineyard which Brian and Nova found on the deed once they received it.

Trestle Thirty One tasting lounge is full-bodied experience

The Trestle Thirty One tasting lounge on Exchange Street in downtown Geneva, New York, is an urban oasis away from the traffic and crowds of the Finger Lakes wine trails. Its vibe is sleek and sophisticated: The space is divided into several seating areas with sofas and chairs for small parties to enjoy unhurried tastings. Large paintings by Nova Cadamatre’s mother, artist Linda Williams McCune, decorate the dark grey walls.

Cadamatre said their target audience is people who “know wine and love wine’’ and want to gain more knowledge. “An urban tasting lounge is a very common concept on the west coast, but more unusual out here,’’ she said. “It’s a fun spot where people can hang out with friends and feel like they’re walking into a living room.’’

The tasting lounge is open from April to December. Reservations are suggested and guests should plan on being there for 90 minutes to two hours, especially if they’ll be enjoying food, too. They might even meet the winemaker. There’s also a sip and stay option upstairs: The Loft at Trestle Thirty One is available through Airbnb. It’s within walking distance of restaurants, microbreweries and Seneca Lake.

More information

Nova Cadamatre: novacadamatre.com

Trestle Thirty One Winery: trestle31.com

Published date

May 14, 2024

News Type

Students harvest skills through year-round planting at Four Seasons Farm

salibalr — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Students harvest skills through year-round planting at Four Seasons Farm salibalr Wed, 08/16/2023 - 07:00

Justin Redivivo didn’t set out to work in the agriculture field. He grew up in Canada, completed high school there and came to the United States to join his family and seek employment. He worked at Foxwoods Resorts Casino in Connecticut and attended college briefly to study hospitality. “College wasn’t my thing,’’ he said. He later joined his father on staff at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Vernon, New York, starting out in restaurants before moving on to entertainment, gaming and event positions.

“I always thought I would want to follow in my dad’s footsteps and work in the hospitality and casino business,’’ said Redivivo, 29. “Agriculture was nowhere in any of my plans.’’

Author

Margaret McCormick

When the coronavirus pandemic hit and shuttered Turning Stone for several months, Redivivo took some time for self-reflection. He knew he was interested in sustainable agriculture and zero-waste living. A friend suggested he check out ��Ƶ and its horticulture offerings. After a tour and meetings with several faculty members, he decided to “pull the trigger’’ and start cultivating his future.

The cannabis program drew him in, but Redivivo soon found himself interested in many plants. He was taking classes in business and in aquaculture, and, like many of his classmates, he was spending lots of hands-on time at the Four Seasons Organic Farm. He spent a summer as a farmhand on the one-acre crop farm and got a taste of everything from tilling the land to planting seedlings to harvesting crops and recording data.

“At Morrisville, you get right in the dirt,’’ said Redivivo, who graduated in May with an associate degree in horticulture production and a certification in specialty crops & cannabis production. “You really learn everything, from seed to harvest. It’s nonstop and full of surprises. It has shown me so many things I never would have learned on my own.’’

Redivivo is already reaping rewards from his studies and experiences on the farm: The day after graduation, he started a job as an assistant grower with Green Empire Farms in Oneida, New York. The Canadian-owned company grows hydroponic tomatoes and strawberries and other produce, many under the Sunset label.

The Four Seasons Organic Farm is a cornerstone of ��Ƶ’s Horticulture Department. The farm, established in 2011, earned its USDA organic certification in 2016. It’s an essential, out-of-the-classroom experience that supplies students with roll-up-your-sleeves and get-your-hands-dirty learning through year-round crop production.

The farm lives up to its name: It produces dozens of varieties of vegetables and fruits (and plants) year-round. Spring brings lettuces, arugula and other leafy greens, plus peas and beets, all planted in a high tunnel in the chill of winter. Summer delivers a progression of warm-weather crops, like beans, zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, corn and cucumbers. Fall brings pumpkins, squashes and other winter vegetables.

As the fall semester winds down, students give multiple varieties of poinsettias tender loving care and design evergreen wreaths, which they sell on campus and at the Central New York Regional Market in Syracuse, New York.

"We like to think we offer a well-rounded horticulture experience,'' said Kelly Hennigan, associate professor of horticulture. "Everything is connected. The seasons flow into each other.''

Even in the dead of winter, the farm is a green, living laboratory. In February, Instructional Support Assistant Jonathan Jankowski and a crew of students harvested more than 13 pounds of spinach they planted at the start of the spring semester and supplied to Seneca Dining Hall and the Copper Turret restaurant, a partner of the college.

“That was exciting,’’ said Jankowski, who manages the farm and supervises the students who work on it. “The high tunnels really give us a head start on the growing season.’’

Jankowski ’22 said the farm gives students a taste of everything from the ground up: seeding, transplanting, weeding, watering, pest management — and teaches them things like patience and problem solving.

The farm annually produces about 5,700 pounds of produce, most of which is supplied to campus dining halls. The remainder is sold at a student-run farm stand and donated to Morrisville-area nonprofits, including the Morrisville Food Pantry.

In the summer, it’s not unusual to find a box of free produce from the farm on a bench outside the Morrisville Post Office. The farm also supplies the goods for an on-campus CSA (community-supported agriculture) subscription program for faculty and staff.

But there's more to the farm than planting and harvesting. The brand new Four Seasons Farm Dairy and Specialty Crops Incubator, a collaboration between the departments of ag science, dairy, horticulture and ag business, is equipped with storage space and a commercial kitchen outfitted with stoves, coolers and freezers. The facility will allow students and faculty to take on "value-added'' projects that capitalize on the growing season, such as packaging salad greens, freezing and canning vegetables and developing new products.

"We've never really had a way to package and handle produce,'' Hennigan said. "The facility will provide all kinds of experiences for students, from seed to sale.''

Madison Marsh, 20, of West Edmeston, New York, who will graduate in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in horticulture business management, has blossomed during her time on campus and at the Four Seasons Organic Farm.

She grew up watching her grandmother nurture her perennial gardens and eventually developed her own green thumb working for a couple local florists. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to do when she graduated from high school and then COVID-19 hit. While home with her father during the pandemic and looking for things to keep busy, they built a greenhouse and established a couple flower gardens. “That was really the time I found out what I wanted to do,’’ Marsh said. “I was able to focus without being interrupted.’’

Marsh visited ��Ƶ and was impressed with the greenhouse (at Spader Hall) and the organic farm. When she’s not in a classroom, she’s in the greenhouse tending vegetable seedlings, houseplants and hanging baskets. When the weather permits, she’s outside at the Four Seasons Organic Farm, where many classes are held when the season gets busy.

We’ve never really had a way to package and handle produce, the facility will provide all kinds of experiences for students, from seed to sale.

Kelly Hennigan

Everything Marsh learns in the greenhouse and on the farm is applicable to her fledgling flower farm business, Madi Jo’s Grows. She even earned an award from the nonprofit New York State Flower Industries organization, which gave her seed money to purchase supplies.

“Being in the greenhouse and working on the farm makes me feel like I’m getting closer to my goals every day,’’ Marsh said. “I have been able to start my business already because I chose this program.’’

Published date

August 16, 2023

News Type

Momentum Issue

Welcome to Barbland Dairy: College connections, dedication and drive are key to thriving dairy

A love of agriculture

A special kind of team

A good fit

Back in the field

About the cows

Not Just a Walk in the Park: Forest ranger shares experience fighting wildfires in Canada

At Home

Basic Training

Coach Whisperer: “Believe in them and what they can do” is the magic behind champion reiner and mentor RE Sears’ success

A Cut Above the Rest: Wood products technology program building bright futures with hands-on research

Building dreams

Former Journalism professor leaves indelible mark on journalism program

Anything is Possible: Sought-after trainer helps clients score their life goals

A Bold Move: ������Ƶ's new black turf goes viral

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Students harvest skills through year-round planting at Four Seasons Farm

A Bold Move: ��Ƶ's new black turf goes viral

Mustang Greatness: ��Ƶ honors Athletics Wall of Fame Class of 2023