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NCPR News Staff: Martha Foley
News and Public Affairs Director
Martha Foley joined the staff of WSLU as morning host in 1981, after a stint at The St. Lawrence Plaindealer. She helped found the news department in 1982, and has seen it grow, and shrink, and grow again. "I especially liked the 'grow again' part," she says, "it means working with really talented reporters, telling more and more stories from around the North Country."
Martha has won state and national awards for her reporting and editing. She has encouraged local news at public radio stations across the country as a member and director of Public Radio News Directors, Inc., an organization of over 100 local newsrooms. As a director of PRNDI for six years, she was responsible for The PRNDI Project, an annual training program for young reporters, and NewsWorks, training for station news departments.
Martha grew up on an Adirondack foothill in northeastern Saratoga County. She lives just south of Canton with her husband, boatbuilder Everett Smith, and her teenaged son, Emmett. Favorite pastimes: sitting, looking, and listening. E-mailStories filed by Martha Foley
Deep snow cover in the garden. Photo Michael Loudon, CC, some rights reserved
Good snow cover is good news for gardeners
Plattsburgh, NY, Dec 31, 2012 — After a couple years of sparse snow, and a summer of drought, this week's heavy snow has some real upsides for gardeners. In her weekly conversation with Martha Foley, Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy explains the benefits to perennials and lawns, and has a couple of caveats. Go to full article
Coming into Saraanc Lake on Route 3 in early evening of the first significant snowstorm of the season. Photo: Mark Kurtz
Heavy snowfall brings "real winter"
Dec 27, 2012 — Heavy snow fell through the night and early morning across much of New York State and Vermont in the first major winter storm this season.
The North Country, including parts of the St. Lawrence and Champlain valleys, and the Adirondacks, are expected to see the heaviest snow.
New York Gov. Andrew Governor Cuomo activated the state's Emergency Operations Center last night to monitor the storm's impact.
The National Weather Service has estimated that as much as a foot may have fallen overnight. Visibility is limited, and "severe" snow and ice conditions are reported on many roads and highways. Go to full article
The North Country, including parts of the St. Lawrence and Champlain valleys, and the Adirondacks, are expected to see the heaviest snow.
New York Gov. Andrew Governor Cuomo activated the state's Emergency Operations Center last night to monitor the storm's impact.
The National Weather Service has estimated that as much as a foot may have fallen overnight. Visibility is limited, and "severe" snow and ice conditions are reported on many roads and highways. Go to full article
Poinsettias. Photo: Fernando Cuenca Romero, CC some rights reserved
Plants to brighten the holiday season
Plattsburgh, NY, Dec 17, 2012 — Rows of poinsettias, clusters of cyclamen--favorite seasonal plants are crowding florist shops and supermarkets.
Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy talks with Martha Foley about getting the most from these flowering plants. Go to full article
Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy talks with Martha Foley about getting the most from these flowering plants. Go to full article
Christmas tree farm. Photo: looseends, CC some rights reserved
Tips on Christmas trees
Plattsburgh, NY, Dec 10, 2012 — It's the thick of Christmas tree season. The Associated Press reported this morning that New York tree farms are having a great year, with more people buying their trees from local growers.
That probably means they're getting a fresher tree. But it's always a good idea to check for the freshest tree on the lot. Martha Foley talks with Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy about how to pick the best, and keep it fresh. Go to full article
That probably means they're getting a fresher tree. But it's always a good idea to check for the freshest tree on the lot. Martha Foley talks with Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy about how to pick the best, and keep it fresh. Go to full article
Switchgrass. Photo: eXtension Farm Energy, CC some rights reserved
Emissions a problem in using grass as fuel
Canton, NY, Dec 07, 2012 — North Country farmers working with Cornell Cooperative Extension have been raising switchgrass for years. This region is a good one for growing grass. And there's lots of "marginal" land.
Switchgrass looks like a promising crop...and source of heat. But other research here shows there's a big problem with burning switchgrass pellets for heat: emissions, namely carbon monoxide.
Mike Newtown teaches in the energy technology department at SUNY Canton. He says grass pellets will emit between 1,000 to 15,000 parts per million of carbon monoxide--he says about 35 parts per million of Carbon Monoxide gas would be acceptable.
Working with colleagues at Clarkson University, Newtown's been researching how well switchgrass burns. They found that the pellets can be a good source of heat, measured in British Thermal Units or BTUs--but as it turns out, switchgrass just doesn't burn that well. Not nearly as well as cord wood, to name another native biofuel. Grass, he says, is just different. Go to full article
Switchgrass looks like a promising crop...and source of heat. But other research here shows there's a big problem with burning switchgrass pellets for heat: emissions, namely carbon monoxide.
Mike Newtown teaches in the energy technology department at SUNY Canton. He says grass pellets will emit between 1,000 to 15,000 parts per million of carbon monoxide--he says about 35 parts per million of Carbon Monoxide gas would be acceptable.
Working with colleagues at Clarkson University, Newtown's been researching how well switchgrass burns. They found that the pellets can be a good source of heat, measured in British Thermal Units or BTUs--but as it turns out, switchgrass just doesn't burn that well. Not nearly as well as cord wood, to name another native biofuel. Grass, he says, is just different. Go to full article
Winter Solstice. Photo: Rob Faulkner, CC some rights reserved
An appreciation for the darkest days of the year
Canton, NY, Dec 04, 2012 — Aileen O'Donoghue, who teaches astronomy and physics at St. Lawrence University, loves this time of year, when the sun sets early and rises late. She shares her enthusiasm with Martha Foley, and talks about some of the events of the ext couple of weeks.
The waning crescent moon meets Spica, Saturn and Mercury at sunrise in the next few days. And a winter meteor shower, the Geminids, peaks Dec.13. And then, there's the winter solstice coming up Dec. 21. Go to full article
The waning crescent moon meets Spica, Saturn and Mercury at sunrise in the next few days. And a winter meteor shower, the Geminids, peaks Dec.13. And then, there's the winter solstice coming up Dec. 21. Go to full article
Making a wreath from evergreens. Photo: Steven Coombs, CC some rights reserved
Greening the house for the holidays
Plattsburgh, NY, Dec 03, 2012 — Firs, pines, cedars and spruces: all choices for the evergreens we bring in our homes during the winter holidays. Cooperative Extension horticulturist AmY Ivy sorts through the details of each with Martha Foley. And there's a warning, too: no gathering greens on private property without permission. Go to full article
40-year-old azalea in full bloom for the holidays. Photo: Martha Foley
Flowers for indoors: old favorites, and new
Plattsburgh, NY, Nov 26, 2012 — Snow and cold spell the end of the season for outdoor flowers. But there are ways to get some fresh color and blossoms indoors. Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy has tips on some old standards, and a new twist on one favorite. She talks with Martha Foley. Go to full article
Lime may be good for your lawn, but sprinkling some on in the fall may not be the way to apply it. Photo: Susy Morris, CC some rights reserved
Liming the lawn not as easy, or useful, as it sounds
Plattsburgh, NY, Nov 19, 2012 — The weather is still just fine for lots of outdoor chores. You could still sneak in a little window-washing, or move a few more piles of brush and leaves.
But Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy has one chore you might want to cross off the list: "liming" the lawn. She talks with Martha Foley. Go to full article
But Cooperative Extension horticulturist Amy Ivy has one chore you might want to cross off the list: "liming" the lawn. She talks with Martha Foley. Go to full article
A cycle of freeze and thaw is hard on perennials, which do better with the protection of consistent snow cover. Photo: Marilylle Soveran, CC some rights reserved
See-saw winter temperatures threaten perennials
Plattsburgh, NY, Nov 12, 2012 — Last winter was pretty hard on gardens, and gardeners, used to surviving tough North Country winters.
Two related issues combined to make precious perennials vulnerable: warmer the usual temperatures that see-sawed above and below freezing, and a lack of snow. If this fall's up-and-down weather is a predictor of the coming season, it could be another tough winter.
Cornell Cooperative Extension's Amy Ivy sorts through a complicated problem with Martha Foley. Go to full article
Two related issues combined to make precious perennials vulnerable: warmer the usual temperatures that see-sawed above and below freezing, and a lack of snow. If this fall's up-and-down weather is a predictor of the coming season, it could be another tough winter.
Cornell Cooperative Extension's Amy Ivy sorts through a complicated problem with Martha Foley. Go to full article
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St. Lawrence University, Canton,
New York 13617 • phone: 1-877-388-6277 • email
radio@ncpr.orgNCPR is a proud affiliate of:
NPR • American Public Media • Public Radio International
