Catherine Wheeler

2 weeks ago | northcountrypublicradio.org | Amy Feiereisel |Catherine Wheeler

On Saturday, people gathered across the United States for thousands of "Hands Off" protests, where demonstrators voiced their anger and frustration towards the Trump Administration for some of its recent actions. Here in the North Country, protests were held in Plattsburgh, Potsdam, Watertown, Massena, Saranac Lake, and Elizabethtown. They drew crowds of between 200 and 500 people. But the largest gathering in the region happened in the small community of Sackets Harbor.

2 weeks ago | northcountrypublicradio.org | Catherine Wheeler

Federal immigration officials arrested two workers from a St. Lawrence County dairy farm in late March. Court documents say agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security went to Flack Farms in Lisbon to inspect employee documentation. Federal agents say they determined that eight people on the farm are unauthorized to be in the U.S. Two of them were taken to the Ogdensburg border patrol station. Both are Mexican citizens and had previously been deported from the US.

3 weeks ago | northcountrypublicradio.org | Catherine Wheeler

Catherine WheelerNorth Country dairy farms are getting caught up in Trump's immigration enforcement There’s a culture of apprehension in dairy country right now. Rumors and reports are swirling about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, visiting farms and taking away workers. "We've been hearing some different things out on the web and amongst the community," a New York State dairy farmer said.

3 weeks ago | northcountrypublicradio.org | Monica Sandreczki |Catherine Wheeler

Looking for a sweet-n-savory snack to tide you over until dinner? Chef Curtiss Hemm shares a versatile recipe for maple spiced walnuts, using fresh thyme and kosher salt. Hemm heads up the Carriage House Cooking School in Peru outside of Plattsburgh. He’s also the executive chef at the View Restaurant in Lake Placid. He shares a seasonal recipe every month using as many ingredients from our North Country growers as possible.

4 weeks ago | northcountrypublicradio.org | Kitty O'Neil |Monica Sandreczki |Catherine Wheeler

This time of year, many farmers in the North Country are starting seeds in their greenhouses or preparing to get seeds in the ground. Maple producers will soon wrap up tapping for sap. Livestock farmers may soon have new lambs and calves to care for. As they prepare for the upcoming season, many farmers are also grappling with how to budget under threats to cut USDA staff and federal farm funding.