De Kalb Junction, NY, Mar 01, 2013 — It may not feel like spring outside yet, but it's coming. The days are getting longer, the sun is higher in the sky, and the sap buckets are out.

Jeffrey Jenness of Orebad Sugar Shack in DeKalb Junction says February was a slow month for sugaring. When he spoke with Julie Grant earlier this week, Jenness had only collected a couple hundred gallons of sap. For an operation like his, that's not enough to get the equipment dirty and start making syrup. He's hoping for better days ahead.  Go to full article

Rochester, NY, Feb 18, 2013 — When you hear New York wines, you probably think about the Finger Lakes. Wineries in that region have become world famous for their Rieslings and other white and red wines.

There are four other official wine regions in New York - the Hudson Valley, the shore of Lake Erie, the Niagara Escarpment, and Long Island.

There are also almost 30 wineries in the North Country, and wine aficionados are starting to take notice.  Go to full article

Canton, NY, Feb 14, 2013 — According to the USDA, there are more than 200 regional "Food Hubs" in the US. The USDA says it believes the hubs "offer strong and sound infrastructure support to producers across the country which will also help build a stronger regional food system."

New York recently announced funding for four more across the state, including one in Canton, through its Regional Economic Development Councils. Canton's grant is for $350,000. The details are still in flux, but David Sommerstein spoke with one of the project's organizers, United Helpers CEO Steve Knight, to get a sense of the food hub's vision.

United Helpers is a non-for-profit organization known more for health care than for work on food issues, but it's bought the old Community Bank building, on Main Street in Canton, to house its new for-profit business incubator, Sparx Corp. Sparx, says Knight, is a partner in the food hub project.  Go to full article

Canton, NY, Feb 12, 2013 — The town of Canton is moving forward with zoning changes that would allow chickens and community gardens in residential areas. The Town Council decided Monday to draft two...  Go to full article

Washington, DC, Jan 02, 2013 — Tucked into the fiscal package passed by Congress last night is a nine-month extension of the farm bill. The massive five-year farm bill expired last fall when the House...  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Jan 01, 2013 — Food pantries and soup kitchens say they're reluctantly becoming a permanent part of the nation's safety net for the poor.

In a new report on New York's charitable...  Go to full article

Dec 19, 2012 — This week, we're listening to some of our favorite food stories from NCPR news. Today, rutabaga curling. The farmers market in Ithaca is celebrating its 15th annual...  Go to full article