HomeMy WebLinkAboutAG Minutes 2015-11-17 Agriculture Committee
Town of Ithaca
Tuesday November 17,2015,6:00 PM
Final Minutes
Members Present: Lisa Ferguson, Gary Ferguson, Russ Wedemeyer, Christianne White, Claire Forrest,
Debbie Teeter, Alan Teeter, Dean Koyanagi.
Others Present: Greg Reynolds (Glenwood Farms), Andy Boerman (Agway), Bill Goodman, Mike Smith.
1. Andy Boerman, Owner/General Manager,Agway:Andy Boerman from Agway was present to show us
products of interest. He grew up in Wayne County, east of Rochester, #2 in state apple production, also
muckland for onions and potatoes. He graduated from Cornell in'91, and fifteen years ago bought the
Agway store when Agway divested it.
Andy reflected that 75% of the small engine/tool repairs they do are fuel-related. Because of the ethanol
in fuel today the fuel is hydroscopic. Water will be found in a can if it sits for any length of time.
Carburetors will corrode, so dump old gas out, and trying fresh fuel often solves a problem. We can use
a stabilizer for chainsaws and lawn mowers, to keep the water in suspension so it can burn off. Run
engines monthly. Lots of hand held equipment is starting to be four-stroke.
Heat tape can be purchased by the foot. Purchase a termination kit. Thermostatically controlled outlets
are available. He recommends a roof and gutter de-icing kit. Winter workhorse thermostats are good
for greenhouses, etc. If you need a heat lamp be sure to buy a ceramic socket. He has a nifty Duraheat
360 degree propane heater. He recommends the pink non-toxic antifreeze. Use air to blow water out
from water tanks, etc. Diatomaceous earth works well on mites...there is food and non-food grades
available. Boric acid is good for wood-chewing insects, especially when mixed with powdered sugar.
It was mentioned that the fish farm in Groton has been converted to a goat and sheep dairy farm with a
rotary parlor.
Mousemagic repels rodents, Deer scram is a good deer repellant. Remay fabric can raise the
temperature 6-8 degrees in spring plantings.
It is hard to find anywhere to do diesel engine repair. Agway does small gasoline engine repairs. Andy
has been a big supporter of 4-H. Debbie Teeter knows of five FFA, Future Farmers of America chapters
in Tompkins County. Andy owns Ithaca Stove Works also, and has four stoves that would be good for
camps or shops...maybe not living room quality, but functional.
2. Persons to be heard: none
3. Member Announcements/Concerns: none
7. Recap of Ithaca Town Board Farm Tour: Tour went well. All 7 current Ithaca Town Board members
and new member Pam Bleiwess visited Laughing Goat, Indian Creek, and Steep Hollow farms. Teeter
Farm had originally been scheduled, but hopes to participate in the future. Their farm runs about a mile
in off the road, they have offered wagon ride tours in past, their property abuts Nelson Eddy's, and
Jamie Baker rents a few of their fields for corn and hay. They have beef cattle.
5. Ithaca Town Board Report/ Updates: The Town is looking to adopt a chicken law. The city is
planning a pilot program to allow 4-H members to have chickens. Claire Forrest attended codes and
ordinances committee because guinea hens are allowed and are currently located across from her. They
are very noisy and would subtract from the ambiance of her pick-your-own raspberry patch. She
delivers berries to Dolce Delight, near her on the corner of West King Road and 96B. It was mentioned
that animals must be 100 feet away from well-heads according to DEC and 200 feet away according to
Tompkins County.
8. Recommendation regarding proposed Sign Law: Bill provided an update on where the proposed law
is in the process and that a recommendation to the Town Board would be helpful. In Ag zones 24
square feet per parcel would be allowed, with no sign larger than 12 square feet. Why not have the Ag
zone signage as a separate section? We need more square footage. If we have highway frontage, then
we need square footage depending on the speed of passing traffic, as commercial zones do. Up to three
off-premise signs would be helpful to lead tourists and visitors off main arterial roads to the farms.
Seasonal signs make sense for us. It was suggested that Russ would draft acceptable language and send
to Mike to distribute to all Committee members to review and comment on before providing to the
Town Board. It would be nice of review of signage could be 'one-stop.'
9. 2016 Business Items: Claire nominated Debbie Teeter to be Chair and Russ to be Vice-Chair for 2016,
Christianne seconded, all in favor.
Debbie moved the proposed meeting schedule for 2016(below), Dean seconded, all in favor.
THE 2016 SCHEDULE IS AS FOLLOWS:
January 26(6:00 p.m.)
March 22 (6:00 p.m.)
July 26(7:00 p.m.)
November 29 (6:00 p.m.)
11. Adjourn: 8:04 pm
Minutes by Christianne White