Since the 1980s, New York has lost nearly half a million acres of farmland to development, an area equivalent to 4,500 farms. Once farmland is paved over, it's gone forever. We cannot get it back.

But, we can help the family farmers who remain — caring for the land and growing our food.

Please join us at the Harvesting Opportunities in New York 2015 conference, November 4th at the Empire State Plaza in Albany. Participants will discuss how farms benefit communities of all kinds — urban, suburban and rural — and will learn how to work with New York State and other partners to generate support for the permanent protection of our disappearing agricultural land.

Save Farms in Your Community workshops include: Farming in the City & the Country — Land, Economics, & Public Benefits; Eminent Domain: Strengthening Protections for Farmland in Your Community; and Growing Resources for Farmland Conservation Funding.

To learn about our other conference tracks and details of the event, please visit our conference webpage. Register now to reserve your spot at this special event for New York agriculture.

David Haight, Executive Director
American Farmland Trust

On Saturday September 19th under the beautiful warm sky of the Rondout Valley over 1600 people came together to celebrate the 10th Jennie Bell Pie Festival. As you would expect there was pie and a Pie Contest. The Best of Show Pie prize of $250 was awarded to local resident Kara Jacobsen for her Strawberry Rhubarb Pie; it was delicious. Besides pie one of the main attractions of the festival was the Youth Talent Show organized by The Rochester Youth Commission. The 1st Place Prize went to Kajsa Kenney and Lucie Parker for their dance arrangement to "New York, New York." There were free games and prizes for children at booths hosted by local Boy Scout and 4H troops. There was a contest for the best children's game booth decoration and the Rondout Valley Rabbits Plus 4H Club. The event ran from noon to 6 p.m. at Kelder's Farm in Kerhonkson. Much pie was eaten and all appeared to have fun. Music was provided by both DJ Jessica Knapp as well as a number of strolling musicians. There were many vendors and artisans on site ranging from Birds of Prey Rescue, Tree Juice Maple Syrup, and the Hudson Valley Current.

The RVBA wants to thank everyone who attended and we wish to acknowledge the generous contributions of our sponsors — Ellenville Regional Hospital, Ulster Savings Bank, Friends & Family II Restaurant, The Hudson Valley Current, Victoria Gardens, Walmart, 99 Restaurant and Pub, and Kelder's Farm. We also wish to thank all of our fabulous volunteers including those from the Rochester Youth Commission, Bruderhof, Rondout Education Foundation and all of our judges; without your support there would be no festival.

See you next year at the 11th Jennie Bell Pie Festival on Saturday September 17, 2016.

Richard Travers, President
Rondout Valley Business Association

It is not, as the racialists believe, Obama's skin tone that his political opponents don't like. It is his destruction of America. Witness the fact that among Republicans, second in the polls only to the Trumpeting Trump, is Ben Carson, who is, to the eye, blacker than Obama, and their serious choice for president. While contemplating that unexplainable phenomenon, muse, if you will, on what our pure half-white, pure half-black president could have done for race relations if he had embraced both races instead of fomenting conflict wherever he could, and embracing an attorney general, who, in his own words was not going to "prosecute the brothers."

Hank Harwood
Montela

I am very tired of a completely stalled and obstructive Republican House threatening a shutdown of our government whenever they don't get their way. Selling out and obstructing our democracy is not what you were elected to do.

Leave Roe v. Wade alone and do your job.

Todd Wolgamuth Kingston

Do you feel as though you've been taken advantage of by a business owner or landlord? Our Small Claims Court Action Center can help! NYPIRG's Small Claims Court Actions Center can help you recover up to $5,000 through the "People's Court." We can provide you, or a loved one, with top notch counseling and assistance throughout the Small Claims Court process.

Taking on a business owner or landlord in court may seem like a daunting task, but we are here to provide you with the necessary assistance to make the process pain-free for free. Yes, our services are all provided for by student advocates free of charge. This eliminates the hassle of hiring an expensive attorney.

If you know that you've been wronged, we will be there to help in your fight for justice. Unjust things happen every day at the expense of ordinary people. If you feel that you are one of the millions of people being taken advantage of by companies or landlords, please don't hesitate to call us at (845) 257-3085. We will help file your claim, prepare your case, and bring unethical business practices to justice.

Terence Gagstetter, NYPIRG Intern
New Paltz

Regarding the Iran nuclear deal between the United States, European Union, China, Russia and Iran to avoid nuclear confrontation for the foreseeable future: In an earlier letter that I wrote, I emphasized this as a peace deal that could open possibilities of peace and prosperity in Middle East.

I am saddened that not a single Republican signed on or showed interest, not Sen. John McCain, of Arizona, or our congressman, Chris Gibson of Kinderhook. Sixteen Republican candidates for 2016 showed no appetite or conviction for peace. Each one of them want another war in the Middle East as the solution. After two wars, trillions in spending at the expense of many young lives and thousands of soldiers with horrific war injuries, they have learned little.

All the Democratic candidates for 2016 did support the deal. So did the United Nations, most American Jews, most nuclear scientists and world diplomats.

Jesus, Gandhi, Buddha and the Dalai Lama preached peaceful resolution over war. Are there no progressive Republicans in any liberal states like New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Vermont, Connecticut, California, Illinois, Washington or anywhere?

Thomas Koshy
Kingston

Volkswagen has corrupted the American way of life. They say that they are sorry for their ineptitude by their manufacturing faulty measuring devices for the cars sold in the United States.

These items installed in our cars are for our protection. To say that they are sorry does not cut it.

Our citizens that paid good money for their product have been irreparably harmed. The harm has been done and these vehicles will be around forever. They are doing nothing to absolve this problem. I say let us force them to buy back every one at full value. Take back every one in dealers' inventories, meaning that your kids will not be exposed to their lack of ethics and lack of principles at this time.

Jack Arnold
Rock Tavern

Thom Randall's engaging article, "Thurman fall farm tour to showcase rural culture", run in an Adirondacks newspaper, features a charming photo of children in a farm wagon. It seems ridiculous to claim that high officials in the state Department of Environmental Conservation would imagine threatening the countryside resurgence that the story illustrates. But on June 29, my husband and I made a 2-1/2 hour trek up for an official DEC hearing on the agency's ten-year wildlife plan. The receptionist initially refused to admit us, saying that it was a staff meeting, but changed her mind after going into the room to inquire. Everyone else there was either a government official or affiliated with an environmental group.

We were astounded by the closing words of Joe Racette, the Albany DEC official who chaired the meeting and made the final presentation.

Mr. Racette ignored a request from the DEC's official who hosts DEC's public hearings and did not ask the audience for questions or comments. Instead he made a stunning closing pronouncement: "The Department's priority is restoration of large predators." However, he emphasized, "This is not socially acceptable." Instead, he said, "we use... corridors... connectivity... habitat protection... and global warming" considerations to accomplish this.

Except for this last-minute remark, neither the term "large predators," nor wolves or even cougars, were discussed at the hearing.

I've been writing about DEC's documented efforts to restore wolves in New York for five years; yet this is the first such pronouncement that I've heard at a public hearing.

Deception reigns. Wolves are not the gentle puppies displayed by their handlers who have toured the Adirondack region this year. If you would like to learn facts from an international expert about real life wolves, their voracious appetite for deer and farm animals, the diseases that they transmit to people, wolf hybridization, and more, please join us at the Nineteenth Annual National Conference on Private Property Rights on October 17 in Latham. For more information, see our web site www.prfamerica.org or telephone (518) 696-5748.

Carol W. LaGrasse, President
Property Rights Foundation of America
Stony Creek

Have you noticed the "Walkway to Paris" posters, media references, etc.? What does it all mean?

"Paris" refers to the gathering of world leaders in that city, on or around Dec. 1, to try again to tackle climate change. This Paris gathering will succeed only if every country can agree to a substantial carbon-reduction goal within a near-term deadline. That means no longer obeying the will of fossil-fuel plutocrats. It means implementing the message of top scientists, that a worldwide changeover to nontoxic renewable energy is feasible and can be accomplished quickly. Only plutocracy and lack of political will stand in the way.

The "Walkway" part refers to a planned supporting event, to take place on the Walkway Over the Hudson on Friday, Oct. 16, from 1-5 p.m. Many environmental groups are behind it, and there are similar events worldwide. The hope here is to pressure politicians who are going to Paris to get real, and soon.

Time is running out to make the necessary global commitment to stop further disastrous climate change.

Andrew Dalton
Town of Shawangunk

On the eve of the Super Harvest Moon, over 500 people gathered to celebrate our bounty, feast on local food prepared by local chefs, dance with one another to the music of The Shoe String Band and Caller-Fiddler Liz Slade, and shine a bright light on farming in our community. Dozens of kids painted pumpkins and had their faces painted, planted garlic, visited a miniature worm farm, marveled at the display of antique tractors, and built their own race cars for the 3rd running of the Zucchini 500! Folks of all ages learned what's happening with Farm to School, and what RVGA farmers and neighbors are doing to share the bounty through Farm to Food Pantry throughout the county.

There is just one thing to say – THANK YOU! Thank you to ALL who made the event possible and who came and contributed to a magical RVGA Harvest Hoedown. We are immensely grateful to the Town of Marbletown and the Youth & Recreation Commission, for supporting us in holding this year's annual RVGA event at Tongore Park, a jewel in the heart of the Rondout Valley farm belt.

We are very grateful to our sponsors — Ulster County Farm Bureau, Local Economies Project, Graze Farm to Table, Hudson Valley Harvest, Mary Collins Real Estate, Farm Credit East, Michael DeWan Appraisal & Associates, Scenic Hudson, Stone Ridge Wine & Spirits, Stone Ridge Hardware, Bywater Bistro, Ulster Savings Bank, The Williams Lake Project, Rondout Savings Bank, and Vly Farm. And thanks to the many wonderful local businesses and contributors who provided everything from apples to zucchinis.

It was an honor to recognize the contributions of three leaders and we thank them for their efforts and inspiration: the Community Champion Award was given to Family of Woodstock and Michael Berg a leading partner with RVGA on Farm to Food Pantry; the Outstanding Leadership Award was given to Elizabeth Ryan who saved Stone Ridge Orchard and is a pioneering woman in agriculture; and the Distinguished Service Award was given to Nicci Cagan, our own community sparkplug on Farm to School.

This amazing event was brought to life through the hard work and generosity of dozens of volunteers who gave generously of their time and talents. This outpouring of generosity is the lifeblood of RVGA and helps us in our mission to keep local farming strong. Though too numerous to name them all here, special thanks to Bruce Simmons and Joe Hasbrouck for bringing their tractors, Chris Van Damm and Rondout Valley Central School District for allowing us to prep in their kitchen and to our amazing event team: Rosanne Percivalle, Kathy Puffer, Christine Atkinson, Sam Ullman, Ron Van Warmer, Carrie Carson, Maria Reidelbach, Ryan Fitzgerald, John Novi, and Nicci Cagan.

For more information about the 2015 Harvest Hoedown honorees, the Harvest menu, event contributors, RVGA and how you can help, visit www.rondoutvalley.org.

On behalf of all of us at RVGA, we cannot thank you enough!

Deborah DeWan, Executive Director
Rondout Valley Growers Association