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2020 Lake Ontario Winter Fruit School
This all day event provides 2 near-identical programs available on the West and East sides of Rochester on consecutive days. We are featuring an intensive Precision Honeycrisp management school in addition to updates on Labor, Fruit Farm Business Summary, as well as pests and diseases, including European Cherry Fruit Fly.
Winter Fruit School Mail In Registration Form (PDF; 215KB)
Winter Fruit School Lockport Schedule (PDF; 225KB)
Winter Fruit School Farmington Schedule (PDF; 202KB)
Event Details
Date
February 3, 2020
Time
8am Sign In, 8:30am - ~430pm
Location
CCE Niagara in Lockport
4487 Lake Ave
Lockport, NY 14094
Cost
Pre-register by Jan 29 for In Region Growers : $100.00
(addl attendee $35.00 ea.)
farming in Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, Oswego, or Wayne
Enrollee Discount: $65.00
At The Door Price
Register after Jan 29 for In Region Growers : $145.00
Enrollee Discount: $100.00
Pre-register by Jan 29 for Satellite Growers : $335.00
(addl attendee $35.00 ea.)
For those farming outside of the participating counties - Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, Oswego, & Wayne
Enrollee Discount: $300.00
At The Door Price
Register after Jan 29 for Satellite Growers : $380.00
Enrollee Discount: $335.00
Host
Lake Ontario Fruit ProgramKim Hazel
585-798-4265 x 26
email Kim Hazel
Winter Fruit School Lockport

Program will feature:
- NYAA update by Cynthia Haskins
- Labor Update by Paul Baker
- European Cherry Fruit Fly update by Margaret Kelly
- A Live Polling Survey on Black Stem Borer by Art AgnelloSWD & scab updates by Janet van Zoren
- SWD management in blueberry by Esther Kibbe
- An Intro to the Pesticide Decision-making Guide to Preserving Pollinator by Maria Van Dyke
- Fruit Farm Business Summary & Crop Insurance Updates by Mark Wiltberger
- Precision Honeycrisp School featuring presentations by Terence Robinson, Lailiang Chang, Chris Watkins, Kerik Cox, Mario Miranda Sazo, Anna Wallis, Scott Henning, and Craig Kahlke. Topics covered include Precision Crop Load Management with a focus on managing pruning & thinning to optimize cropping & minimize biennial bearing, bloom thinning and the pollen tube growth model as well as post bloom thinning, repeat bloom sprays and prohexadione-CA at pink. Nutrition & sap analysis in concert with predictive bitter pit modeling, fruit rots/diseases, controlling fire blight with Prohex-CA, use of Passive Model for bitter pit prediction, harvest maturity and PGR use and storage will also be discussed.
2.25 DEC Credits in 1A, 10 and 22, have been applied for. CCA credits also available.
For mail in registration use the pdf available above.
Please be sure to identify if you are currently enrolled in the Lake Ontario Fruit Program when you register for the programs as enrollees receive a discount.
Event Details
Date
February 4, 2020
Time
8am Sign In, 8:30am - ~430pm
Location
Finger Lakes Hotel
6108 Loomis Rd
Farmington, NY 14425
Cost
Pre-register by Jan 29 for In Region Growers : $100.00
(addl attendee $35.00 ea.)
farming in Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, Oswego, or Wayne
Enrollee Discount: $65.00
At The Door Price
Register after Jan 29 for In Region Growers : $145.00
Enrollee Discount: $100.00
Pre-register by Jan 29 for Satellite Growers : $335.00
(addl attendee $35.00 ea.)
For those farming outside of the participating counties - Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, Oswego, & Wayne
Enrollee Discount: $300.00
At The Door Price
Register after Jan 29 for Satellite Growers : $380.00
Enrollee Discount: $335.00
Host
Lake Ontario Fruit ProgramKim Hazel
585-798-4265 x 26
email Kim Hazel
Winter Fruit School Farmington

Program will feature:
- NYAA update by Cynthia Haskins
- Labor Update by Paul Baker
- European Cherry Fruit Fly update by Margaret Kelly
- Breakdown of the scab resistance gene Vf by Awais Khan
- Live Polling Survey on Black Stem Borer by Art Agnello
- SWD & scab updates by Janet van Zoeren
- SWD management in blueberry by Esther Kibbe
- An Intro to the Pesticide Decision-making Guide to Preserving Pollinator by Maria Van Dyke
- Fruit Farm Business Summary & Crop Insurance Updates by Mark Wiltberger
- Precision Honeycrisp School featuring presentations by Terence Robinson, Lailiang Chang, Chris Watkins, Kerik Cox, Mario Miranda Sazo, Anna Wallis, Scott Henning, and Craig Kahlke. Topics covered include Precision Crop Load Management with a focus on managing pruning & thinning to optimize cropping & minimize biennial bearing, bloom thinning and the pollen tube growth model as well as post bloom thinning, repeat bloom sprays and prohexadione-CA at pink. Nutrition & sap analysis in concert with predictive bitter pit modeling, fruit rots/diseases, controlling fire blight with Prohex-CA, use of Passive Model for bitter pit prediction, harvest maturity and PGR use and storage will also be discussed.
2.25 DEC Credits in 1A, 10 and 22, have been applied for. CCA credits also available.
For mail in registration use the pdf available above.
Please be sure to identify if you are currently enrolled in the Lake Ontario Fruit Program when you register for the programs as enrollees receive a discount.
Upcoming Events
2026 Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings
April 30, 2026 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meeting 1
Webster, NY
The Twilight Meetings are a series of monthly meetings, where we examine seasonal changes in tree fruit and berry crop phenology, discuss and demonstrate scouting and monitoring for insects and diseases, and provide integrated pest management solutions to maximize the health and productivity of berry and tree fruit plantings.
Please arrive at 6pm for pizza and soda. This year Twilight meetings will begin and end 30minutes earlier than last year!
May 28, 2026 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meeting 2
Oswego, NY
The Twilight Meetings are a series of monthly meetings, where we examine seasonal changes in tree fruit and berry crop phenology, discuss and demonstrate scouting and monitoring for insects and diseases, and provide integrated pest management solutions to maximize the health and productivity of berry and tree fruit plantings.
Please arrive at 6pm for pizza and soda. This year Twilight meetings will begin and end 30minutes earlier than last year!
June 25, 2026 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meeting 3
Medina, NY
The Twilight Meetings are a series of monthly meetings, where we examine seasonal changes in tree fruit and berry crop phenology, discuss and demonstrate scouting and monitoring for insects and diseases, and provide integrated pest management solutions to maximize the health and productivity of berry and tree fruit plantings.
Please arrive at 6pm for pizza and soda. This year Twilight meetings will begin and end 30minutes earlier than last year!
2026 Virtual Orchard Meetup Series
February 27, 2026 : Session 1 - The Impacts of Weather on Pome Fruit Quality and Storability: Lessons Learned
The Impacts of Weather on Pome Fruit Quality and Storability: Lessons from 2025 - The first meetup will be conducted live on Friday, February 27, 2026, at 10:30pm (PST)/1:30pm (EST). The webinar will last 90 minutes. The format will include brief presentations by two SPARC scientists, followed by a packer/grower panel of industry leaders across North America. The meetup will conclude with an open discussion in a very inclusive virtual format. Viewers are invited to share solutions, ask questions, and interact with scientists and panelists. The program is free of charge.
June 11, 2026 : Session 2
Details to follow.
June 18, 2026
Details to follow.
June 25, 2026 : Session 4
Details to follow.
Cornell Fruit Field Day
July 30, 2026
Geneva, NY
Join Cornell researchers in Geneva for Fruit Field Day, returning after 10 years, to tour research plots, learn from experts—including Dr. Terence Robinson with 40+ years in tree fruit research—and explore the latest orchard technologies and practices.
