Planning to spend time on the water this summer? Before you launch, tune in to this episode of 'Extension Out Loud' featuring Megan Cochran, Great Lakes Outreach Coordinator with New York Sea Grant.

In this episode, we discuss key steps to take before you head out, including completing a boating safety course (required in New York for all motorized vessel operators starting January 2025), wearing a life jacket, monitoring the weather and filing a float plan.

The conversation also explores one of the leading factors in fatal boating accidents—alcohol use—and offers guidance on choosing and wearing today's more comfortable life jackets, including inflatable options.

For kayakers, canoeists, and paddleboarders, Cochran highlights added safety considerations such as visibility, carrying a whistle as a sound-signaling device and using navigation lights in low-light conditions.

Links:

NY Sea Grant Safe Boating

NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation boating safety

US Coast Guard Boating Safety

As seed catalogs arrive and garden planning season begins, tomato enthusiasts face an exciting, and potentially overwhelming array of choices. In this episode of 'Extension Out Loud,' Greg Vogel, Assistant Professor at Cornell's School of Integrative Plant Science, guides listeners through the complex world of tomato variety selection, drawing from his cutting-edge research and extensive field experience.

During this episode Vogel discusses:

• · the differences between determinate and indeterminate tomato varieties,
• · how local climate affects variety performance, and proper pruning techniques for maximum yield,
• · breeding methods comparing traditional backyard techniques with modern laboratory approaches.

Whether you're a novice gardener overwhelmed by catalog choices or an experienced grower seeking to optimize your tomato selection, this episode provides the scientific foundation and practical wisdom needed to make informed decisions for a successful growing season.

Listen now to transform your tomato growing experience with insights from one of Cornell's leading vegetable breeding researchers.

For more resources to help you select varieties for your garden visit the Cornell Garden Based Learning web site. For questions related to planning, and growing your garden, contact your local Cornell Cooperative Extension office.