Lake Ontario Fruit Program Enrollment

Program Areas

  • Food Safety
  • Variety Evaluation
  • Market Development
  • Pest Management
  • Cultural Practices

Enrollment Benefits

  • Telephone / Email Consultations
  • Fruit Newsletter?
  • Direct Mailings
  • Educational Meetings & Conferences
  • In-Field Educational Opportunities
  • On-Farm Research Trials

Enrollee Login

Password:

Log In To Access:

  • Issues of Fruit Newletters
  • Helpful Diagnostic Tool:
      What's wrong with my crop?

From Seed to Success: Turn Your Idea into an Actionable Plan

Do you need a business plan for your farm?  Do you have an idea for a new venture, but aren't sure if it will work? This program is for you!

This course is designed for existing farm businesses or those planning to undertake a new farm business venture. Students will work with their farm's data, and the goal of the class is for participants to have a draft of a written business plan for a specific business venture.  Because this is an on-line course, to participate you must have access to reliable internet and a computer.

During the course, you will learn to:

  • Assess whether or not a business idea is a good fit for you.
  • Develop a marketing strategy to make a profit
  • Use financial tools to evaluate if your business has the potential to be profitable

This online course meets from January 7-March 4, 2025.  All course content is available online so you can work on it at your own pace.  There will be weekly webinars where you can meet other students and interact directly with the instructor on the content.  These webinars will be recorded. 

Questions?  Contact Bonnie Nelsen at bjn2@cornell.edu, or 315-980-9926

Scroll down for details on all 9 sessions.






Event Details

Session 1: The 30,000-foot view, what are you trying to accomplish? What resources do you have?

Date

January 7, 2025

Time

TBA

Location

Webinar

Host

Lake Ontario Fruit Program

Bonnie Nelsen
315-980-9926


Session 1: The 30,000-foot view, what are you trying to accomplish? What resources do you have?



Unit 1: Introduction to Business Planning and the Business Plan (Liz Higgins)

Many farms struggle to write effective business plans because they haven't clearly articulated what they plan to do and how they plan to get there.  In this unit we will help guide you through the process of choosing a viable path so you can move your business idea forward.  An important part of this is project management - doing the work of figuring out how you will acquire and deploy resources to move your farm business venture forward.

At the end of this three-week unit, participants will be able to:

  • Understand the importance of grounding a vision in reality
  • Include time and resource availability into project planning and goal setting
  • Develop a preliminary budget for their enterprise and use it to evaluate a project's viability
  • Understand the difference between internal business planning and external business plans.
  • Identify and use resources for writing a business plan.




Event Details

Session 2: Introduction to Project Management

Date

January 14, 2025

Time

TBA

Location

Webinar

Host

Lake Ontario Fruit Program

Bonnie Nelsen
315-980-9926


Session 2: Introduction to Project Management



Unit 1: Introduction to Business Planning and the Business Plan (Liz Higgins)

Many farms struggle to write effective business plans because they haven't clearly articulated what they plan to do and how they plan to get there.  In this unit we will help guide you through the process of choosing a viable path so you can move your business idea forward.  An important part of this is project management - doing the work of figuring out how you will acquire and deploy resources to move your farm business venture forward.

At the end of this three-week unit, participants will be able to:

  • Understand the importance of grounding a vision in reality
  • Include time and resource availability into project planning and goal setting
  • Develop a preliminary budget for their enterprise and use it to evaluate a project's viability
  • Understand the difference between internal business planning and external business plans.
  • Identify and use resources for writing a business plan.





Event Details

Session 3: How Business Planning Becomes a Business Plan

Date

January 21, 2025

Time

TBA

Location

Webinar

Host

Lake Ontario Fruit Program

Bonnie Nelsen
315-980-9926


Session 3: How Business Planning Becomes a Business Plan



Unit 1: Introduction to Business Planning and the Business Plan (Liz Higgins)

Many farms struggle to write effective business plans because they haven't clearly articulated what they plan to do and how they plan to get there.  In this unit we will help guide you through the process of choosing a viable path so you can move your business idea forward.  An important part of this is project management - doing the work of figuring out how you will acquire and deploy resources to move your farm business venture forward.

At the end of this three-week unit, participants will be able to:

  • Understand the importance of grounding a vision in reality
  • Include time and resource availability into project planning and goal setting
  • Develop a preliminary budget for their enterprise and use it to evaluate a project's viability
  • Understand the difference between internal business planning and external business plans.
  • Identify and use resources for writing a business plan.





Event Details

Session 4: Your Market and Your Competition

Date

January 28, 2025

Time

TBA

Location

Webinar

Host

Lake Ontario Fruit Program

Bonnie Nelsen
315-980-9926


Session 4: Your Market and Your Competition



Unit 2: Developing a Marketing Plan for Your Farm (Bonnie Nelsen)

A well-designed marketing plan is an essential component every farm's overall business strategy and an important part of a business plan.  A marketing plan helps farmers and ranchers identify target customers, understand the current market, build brand identity and awareness, and align your marketing activities with business goals.  An effective marketing plan becomes a roadmap for gaining more customers and improving your farm's success. 

At the end of this three-week unit, participants will be able to:

  • Understand the importance of a good marketing plan
  • List the key components of a marketing plan and its details
  • Develop your own strategic marketing plan 
  • Align your marketing plan with your overall business plan




Event Details

Session 5: Revenue and Product Mix to Achieve Your Goals

Date

February 4, 2025

Time

TBA

Location

Webinar

Host

Lake Ontario Fruit Program

Bonnie Nelsen
315-980-9926


Session 5: Revenue and Product Mix to Achieve Your Goals



Unit 2: Developing a Marketing Plan for Your Farm (Bonnie Nelsen)

A well-designed marketing plan is an essential component every farm's overall business strategy and an important part of a business plan.  A marketing plan helps farmers and ranchers identify target customers, understand the current market, build brand identity and awareness, and align your marketing activities with business goals.  An effective marketing plan becomes a roadmap for gaining more customers and improving your farm's success. 

At the end of this three-week unit, participants will be able to:

  • Understand the importance of a good marketing plan
  • List the key components of a marketing plan and its details
  • Develop your own strategic marketing plan 
  • Align your marketing plan with your overall business plan




Event Details

Session 6: Marketing Plan and Evaluation of Marketing Efforts

Date

February 11, 2025

Time

TBA

Location

Webinar

Host

Lake Ontario Fruit Program

Bonnie Nelsen
315-980-9926


Session 6: Marketing Plan and Evaluation of Marketing Efforts



Unit 2: Developing a Marketing Plan for Your Farm (Bonnie Nelsen)

A well-designed marketing plan is an essential component every farm's overall business strategy and an important part of a business plan.  A marketing plan helps farmers and ranchers identify target customers, understand the current market, build brand identity and awareness, and align your marketing activities with business goals.  An effective marketing plan becomes a roadmap for gaining more customers and improving your farm's success. 

At the end of this three-week unit, participants will be able to:

  • Understand the importance of a good marketing plan
  • List the key components of a marketing plan and its details
  • Develop your own strategic marketing plan 
  • Align your marketing plan with your overall business plan




Event Details

Session 7: The Basics of Financial Statements

Date

February 18, 2025

Time

TBA

Location

Webinar

Host

Lake Ontario Fruit Program

Bonnie Nelsen
315-980-9926


Session 7: The Basics of Financial Statements



Unit 3: Developing a Financial Plan for Your Farm Business (Steve Hadcock)

Your farm's financial information is a powerful tool to assess your performance, evaluate your enterprises and share information with investors and lenders as part of your business plan.  Learn to use this tool more effectively and combine it with other data to make more informed business decisions.

At the end of this three-week unit, participants will be able to:

  • prepare and read farm financial statements
  • make financial projections and develop farm budgets
  • use financial statements and other data to evaluate a farm enterprise
  • project need for credit and make informed borrowing decisions




Event Details

Session 8: Enhancing Confidence in Your Numbers

Date

February 25, 2025

Time

TBA

Location

Webinar

Host

Lake Ontario Fruit Program

Bonnie Nelsen
315-980-9926


Session 8: Enhancing Confidence in Your Numbers



Unit 3: Developing a Financial Plan for Your Farm Business (Steve Hadcock)

Your farm's financial information is a powerful tool to assess your performance, evaluate your enterprises and share information with investors and lenders as part of your business plan.  Learn to use this tool more effectively and combine it with other data to make more informed business decisions.

At the end of this three-week unit, participants will be able to:

  • prepare and read farm financial statements
  • make financial projections and develop farm budgets
  • use financial statements and other data to evaluate a farm enterprise
  • project need for credit and make informed borrowing decisions




Event Details

Session 9: Using Financial Statements and Financial Information to Plan and Evaluate an Enterprise

Date

March 4, 2025

Time

TBA

Location

Webinar

Host

Lake Ontario Fruit Program

Bonnie Nelsen
315-980-9926


Session 9: Using Financial Statements and Financial Information to Plan and Evaluate an Enterprise



Unit 3: Developing a Financial Plan for Your Farm Business (Steve Hadcock)

Your farm's financial information is a powerful tool to assess your performance, evaluate your enterprises and share information with investors and lenders as part of your business plan.  Learn to use this tool more effectively and combine it with other data to make more informed business decisions.

At the end of this three-week unit, participants will be able to:

  • prepare and read farm financial statements
  • make financial projections and develop farm budgets
  • use financial statements and other data to evaluate a farm enterprise
  • project need for credit and make informed borrowing decisions


more crops
Apples

Apples

Apricots

Apricots

Asian Pears

Asian Pears

Blueberries

Blueberries

Cherries

Cherries

Currants

Currants

Gooseberries

Gooseberries

Nectarines

Nectarines

Peaches

Peaches

Pears

Pears

Plums

Plums

Raspberries / Blackberries

Raspberries / Blackberries

Strawberries

Strawberries

Unusual Fruit

Unusual Fruit

more crops

Upcoming Events

Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Course Yates County

December 18, 2024
Penn Yan, NY

Fruit and vegetable growers and others interested in learning about produce safety as well as growers who are covered by the FSMA Produce Safety Rule or who anticipate being covered in the future should consider taking this course.

The PSA Grower Training Course is one way to satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in ยง 112.22(c) that requires 'At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.'

From Seed to Success: Turn Your Idea into an Actionable Plan

January 7, 2025 : Session 1: The 30,000-foot view, what are you trying to accomplish? What resources do you have?

Unit 1: Introduction to Business Planning and the Business Plan (Liz Higgins)

  • Session 1: The 30,000-foot view, what are you trying to accomplish? What resources do you have?

January 14, 2025 : Session 2: Introduction to Project Management

Unit 1: Introduction to Business Planning and the Business Plan (Liz Higgins)

  • Session 2: Introduction to Project Management

January 21, 2025 : Session 3: How Business Planning Becomes a Business Plan

Unit 1: Introduction to Business Planning and the Business Plan (Liz Higgins)

  • Session 3: How Business Planning Becomes a Business Plan

January 28, 2025 : Session 4: Your Market and Your Competition

Unit 2: Developing a Marketing Plan for Your Farm (Bonnie Nelsen)

 Session 4: Your Market and Your Competition


February 4, 2025 : Session 5: Revenue and Product Mix to Achieve Your Goals

Unit 2: Developing a Marketing Plan for Your Farm (Bonnie Nelsen)

  • Session 5:  Revenue and Product Mix to Achieve Your Goals

February 11, 2025 : Session 6: Marketing Plan and Evaluation of Marketing Efforts

Unit 2: Developing a Marketing Plan for Your Farm (Bonnie Nelsen)

  • Session 6: Marketing Plan and Evaluation of Marketing Efforts

February 18, 2025 : Session 7: The Basics of Financial Statements

Unit 3: Developing a Financial Plan for Your Farm Business (Steve Hadcock)

  • Session 7: The Basics of Financial Statements


February 25, 2025 : Session 8: Enhancing Confidence in Your Numbers

Unit 3: Developing a Financial Plan for Your Farm Business (Steve Hadcock)

  • Session 8: Enhancing Confidence in Your Numbers



March 4, 2025 : Session 9: Using Financial Statements and Financial Information to Plan and Evaluate an Enterprise

Unit 3: Developing a Financial Plan for Your Farm Business (Steve Hadcock)

  • Session 9: Using Financial Statements and Financial Information to Plan and Evaluate an Enterprise

Electric Weeding in Organic Perennial Crops

January 14, 2025

Join us for a free webinar on electric weeding in organic perennial crops.

Announcements

Fire blight management survey

Understanding your perspective on fire blight management systems.

Your input on fire blight management systems is crucial for guiding future research efforts - please help us out by completing a quick survey at https://opinion.wsu.edu/AppleManagement/

Hearing your views and experience from the field will be very valuable in making our research and recommendations realistic and actionable. PLUS you will receive an electronic gift card for $25. The survey will only take 20 min of your time.

Your opinions are important to us, even if you did not have issues with fire blight control and antibiotic resistance in your orchard.


Business Updates



Save the Date! - Scroll down for Upcoming Events

Have you missed a meeting recently? Scroll down for available recordings or pdf links or visits our YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/LakeOntarioFruitProgram

2024 Events:

6 Dec - Lake Ontario Fruit Program Advisory Committee Meeting - 10am -2pm, Gates Public Library, register now 

11 Dec - Labor Roadshow VIII - Hudson Valley Community College, $75, Register Now

13 Dec - Labor Roadshow VIII - Jordan Hall, Cornell AgriTech, $75, Register Now

17 Dec - Labor Roadshow VIII additional topics - Webinar, 12pm - 2pm, $75, Register now


18 Dec - Labor Roadshow VIII additional topics - Webinar, 12pm - 2pm,  $75, Register now

2025 Events:



16 Jan - Farm Grant Literacy Workshop - Webinar, 12pm

17 Jan - 27 Feb - Ag Supervisory Leadership Course 104 - Register Now

23 Jan - Farm Grant Literacy Workshop - Webinar, 12pm

30 Jan - Farm Grant Literacy Workshop - Webinar, 12pm

Feb 4-5, 2025 - Western NY Fruit Conference - DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Rochester


13 Feb - Farm Grant Literacy Workshop - Webinar, 12pm

20 Feb - Farm Grant Literacy Workshop - Webinar, 12pm

27 Feb - Farm Grant Literacy Workshop - Webinar, 12pm
7 & 8 May - 2025 Respirator Fit Testing Clinics - CCE Orleans


Webinar Recordings & Additional Meeting Materials

Check out the recordings of some recent webinars and/or conference materials from in person events: Recordings and Playlists are available at https://www.youtube.com/c/LakeOntarioFruitProgram

Recording of Precision Apple Cropload MANagement PACMAN technologies at the 2nd Annual WNY Fruit Grower Tour. https://youtu.be/yE6thvf4z0E

2024 Virtual Orchard Meetup Series - Water Wisdom: 






2024 Winter Fruit Webinars playlist on the NYS IPM Program YouTube Channel


PACMAN Details and Resources, Meeting Recording Links below:




Scaffolds podcast

Many of you probably read Art Agnello's statewide tree fruit updates and recommendations newsletter, "Scaffolds". Dr. Monique Rivera is bringing it back, but in a new audio version. Episode one was recorded this week, and is now available for free online at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/scaffolds


NYS Tree Decline Survey

Your answers could help find the solution to tree decline in the orchard.

Food Safety Virtual Office Hours

Cornell Institute of Food Safety "Virtual Office Hours", Tuesdays Noon to 1pm https://cals.cornell.edu/institute-for-food-safety/resources/virtual-office-hours

Past recorded virtual office hours can be found on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZJs5b7KUuvfcquH3ZtQHo5dSmF2m5MdQ


Pollinator Resouces

Now available Pollinator Resource Links


Meeting Recordings Now Available

Did you miss the recent meeting?  Check and see if we recorded it and added it to our website or Lake Ontario Fruit Program YouTube Channel.

Honeycrisp Meetup recordings available here.

Why are my trees growing so poorly? recording available here.

Additional Recorded Webinars listing with recording and resource link are available at



New Publication on Growing Pawpaws

Are you a fan of pawpaws? These custardy fruits can be hard to come across, so this guide provides information on how to grow your own pawpaw from seed, and how to care for grafted seedlings. Pdf on growing now available.​ https://lof.cce.cornell.edu/submission.php?id=799&crumb=crops|crops|unusual_fruit|crop*50

New Weed Management Technology Survey

Want to move away from herbicide reliance? Are you using novel technologies to manage weeds? We want to know about it to inform our weed science research. A team of weed scientists from University of California Davis, Oregon State University, and Cornell University are asking berry, tree fruit, tree nut, and vine crop growers to take 5 to 10 minutes and answer this short and anonymous survey. Weed Technology Survey link: https://cornell.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bEpfAijoP7puQDP

For more information on this survey please visit http://blogs.cornell.edu/swd1/2020/12/02/new-weed-management-technology/


Pollinator Webinar Series - Summer 2020

The Pollinator Webinar Series presented by Penn State cover bee health and pollination services.



Bloom Pesticides for Pollinator Health

A reference table created by Janet van Zoeren and Anna Wallis, is now available at https://lof.cce.cornell.edu/submission.php?id=711&crumb=pests|pests.