Events - month view
earlier monthsMarch 2018
Candidate Interviews for CCE-LOF Business Managment Position
March 2, 2018
All day (specific TBA)
Newark, NY
We have 2 strong candidates for this critical position. Please join us to hear their seminars, ask questions and evaluate the candidates that could be your future Business Management Fruit Specialist.
Pre-register by February 28, 2018.
Pre-register by February 28, 2018.
2018 Pre-Exam Training & Test to Become A Certified Pesticide Applicator
March 13 - March 19, 2018
Classes - March 13 & 15 from 8am - 12:30pm Test - March 19 from 9am - 12pm
Albion, NY
Pre-Exam Workshop - Pre-register by 26 Feb 2018 with Kim Hazel @ 585-798-4265 ext. 26.
March 13 & 15, 8am-12:30pm
Cost: $50 payable to CCE-Orleans Co.
Certification Exam - to register for exam or if you have questions contact: Justin Schoff @ 607-622-8290.
March 19, 9am-12pm
Cost: $100 payable to DEC
March 13 & 15, 8am-12:30pm
Cost: $50 payable to CCE-Orleans Co.
Certification Exam - to register for exam or if you have questions contact: Justin Schoff @ 607-622-8290.
March 19, 9am-12pm
Cost: $100 payable to DEC
FSMA 7 Hour Grower Training Course - Registration Closed
March 16, 2018
8AM - 5:15PM
Newark, NY
Registration Closed - Course Full
Save the Date: Friday, March 16, 2018
Cost & Registration: $70 per farm, maximum of 2 people/farm.
All of you should be aware of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) signed into federal law by President Obama in 2011. I have been writing about it and offering courses for nearly 2 years. If you are not exempt from the Produce Safety Rule, one of the requirements is to take a 7-hour grower training course.
Click details for more information.
Save the Date: Friday, March 16, 2018
Cost & Registration: $70 per farm, maximum of 2 people/farm.
All of you should be aware of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) signed into federal law by President Obama in 2011. I have been writing about it and offering courses for nearly 2 years. If you are not exempt from the Produce Safety Rule, one of the requirements is to take a 7-hour grower training course.
Click details for more information.
2018 CCE-LOF Spanish Winter Fruit Schools
March 16, 2018 : 2018 CCE - LOF Spanish Fruit School - Wayne
March 17, 2018 : 2018 CCE-LOF Spanish Fruit School - Orleans
March 16, 2018 - Our Lady of Guadalupe - Roman Catholic Church
March 17, 2018 - Orchard Dale Fruit Farm
Pre-register by March 12th
This years Spanish - speaking fruit school program will provide an indepth and current look at orchard horticulture, pests, hard cider, as well as a review of skills for success and management.
March 17, 2018 - Orchard Dale Fruit Farm
Pre-register by March 12th
This years Spanish - speaking fruit school program will provide an indepth and current look at orchard horticulture, pests, hard cider, as well as a review of skills for success and management.
2018 Pruning Workshop of Apple Orchards in Oswego
March 21, 2018
1:30-4pm
Mexico, NY
Modern pruning techniques of young and mature high density plantings, how to correct/improve "bushy" canopies.
Apple Crop Insurance Plan for Information Collection Listening Sessions
March 21, 2018 : Monroe County
March 23, 2018 : Ulster County
Apple Crop Insurance Plan Information Collection
Listening Sessions for Growers, Insurance Co. Staff & Agents
Agralytica of Alexandria, Virginia is conducting a review of the apple insurance plan on behalf of the USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA). As part of the review, Agralytica staff will hold listening sessions with growers, insurance staff and other interested parties in several states. For New York, the sessions will be on March 21 in Rochester and March 23 in Highland. Participants from New England states are also welcome at the Highland session.
Listening Sessions for Growers, Insurance Co. Staff & Agents
Agralytica of Alexandria, Virginia is conducting a review of the apple insurance plan on behalf of the USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA). As part of the review, Agralytica staff will hold listening sessions with growers, insurance staff and other interested parties in several states. For New York, the sessions will be on March 21 in Rochester and March 23 in Highland. Participants from New England states are also welcome at the Highland session.
April 2018
2018 Worker Protection Standard Training & DEC Special Permit Training (Wayne County)
April 4, 2018
8:30 AM - 12:30 PM English Session / 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Spanish Session
Newark, NY
Just like last year, Special Permits (SP) will only be issued for 11 specific pesticide labels and SP trainees will have to pass a test. This will relieve the certified pesticide applicator from "on-site within voice contact" supervision of non-certified pesticide applicators when they are handling federally-restricted-use pesticides for which they hold a Special Permit. The labels that will be covered include Lorsban Advanced, Endigo ZC, Warrior II with Zeon Technology, Agri-Mek SC, Beseige, Gramoxone SL 2.0, Leverage 360, Danitol 2.4EC, Mustang Maxx, Asana XL, and Lannate LV.
Workers requiring general pesticide training/Agricultural Worker Protection Standard Handler training who do not need special permits are welcome to take the class; they will not be tested and will receive a course participation certificate.
Workers requiring general pesticide training/Agricultural Worker Protection Standard Handler training who do not need special permits are welcome to take the class; they will not be tested and will receive a course participation certificate.
Statewide Honeycrisp Sensory Evaluation - Niagara/Orleans & Eastern NY Blocks
April 4, 2018
10 AM - 2 PM
Geneva, NY
Growers and collaborators,
As most of you know, I've been working on a statewide precision harvest management experiment, that is a continuation of Terence Robinson's work with some modifications. It focuses on Honeycrisp within the 3 main production regions of the state, in which all of some of you were involved.
The main goal of this experiment is to develop guidelines for precision harvest management by determining if Honeycrisp orchards can be evaluated at harvest for storage potential using fruit dry matter content, fruit mineral (peel and flesh) content, the DA meter, and piecing together complex block histories and cultural practices.
As most of you know, I've been working on a statewide precision harvest management experiment, that is a continuation of Terence Robinson's work with some modifications. It focuses on Honeycrisp within the 3 main production regions of the state, in which all of some of you were involved.
The main goal of this experiment is to develop guidelines for precision harvest management by determining if Honeycrisp orchards can be evaluated at harvest for storage potential using fruit dry matter content, fruit mineral (peel and flesh) content, the DA meter, and piecing together complex block histories and cultural practices.
2018 Worker Protection Standard Training & DEC Special Permit Training (Orleans County)
April 5, 2018
8:30 AM - 12:00 PM English & Spanish sessions
Albion, NY
Just like last year, Special Permits (SP) will only be issued for 11 specific pesticide labels and SP trainees will have to pass a test. This will relieve the certified pesticide applicator from "on-site within voice contact" supervision of non-certified pesticide applicators when they are handling federally-restricted-use pesticides for which they hold a Special Permit. The labels that will be covered include Lorsban Advanced, Endigo ZC, Warrior II with Zeon Technology, Agri-Mek SC, Beseige, Gramoxone SL 2.0, Leverage 360, Danitol 2.4EC, Mustang Maxx, Asana XL, and Lannate LV.
Workers requiring general pesticide training/Agricultural Worker Protection Standard Handler training who do not need special permits are welcome to take the class; they will not be tested and will receive a course participation certificate.
Workers requiring general pesticide training/Agricultural Worker Protection Standard Handler training who do not need special permits are welcome to take the class; they will not be tested and will receive a course participation certificate.
Statewide Honeycrisp Sensory Evaluation - Wayne County Blocks
April 5, 2018
10 AM - 2 PM
Geneva, NY
Growers and collaborators,
As most of you know, I've been working on a statewide precision harvest management experiment, that is a continuation of Terence Robinson's work with some modifications. It focuses on Honeycrisp within the 3 main production regions of the state, in which all of some of you were involved.
The main goal of this experiment is to develop guidelines for precision harvest management by determining if Honeycrisp orchards can be evaluated at harvest for storage potential using fruit dry matter content, fruit mineral (peel and flesh) content, the DA meter, and piecing together complex block histories and cultural practices.
As most of you know, I've been working on a statewide precision harvest management experiment, that is a continuation of Terence Robinson's work with some modifications. It focuses on Honeycrisp within the 3 main production regions of the state, in which all of some of you were involved.
The main goal of this experiment is to develop guidelines for precision harvest management by determining if Honeycrisp orchards can be evaluated at harvest for storage potential using fruit dry matter content, fruit mineral (peel and flesh) content, the DA meter, and piecing together complex block histories and cultural practices.
May 2018
FSMA 7 Hour Grower Training Course Plus optional 2nd Day Farm Food Safety Plan Writing Workshop
May 2, 2018 : FSMA 7 Hour Grower Training Course
May 3, 2018 : Optional Farm Food Safety Plan Writing Workshop
This program is for fruit and vegetable growers who need Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) certification or GAPs/HGAPs (Good Agricultural Practices/ Harmonized Good Agricultural Practices) training required by buyers (i.e. 3rd-party food safety audits based on a written food safety plan) or if you are just interested in learning about produce safety.
Over the course of the training, certified Produce Safety Alliance trainers will cover content contained in these seven modules:
Over the course of the training, certified Produce Safety Alliance trainers will cover content contained in these seven modules:
- Introduction to Produce Safety
- Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training
- Soil Amendments
- Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and Land Use
- Agricultural Water (Part I: Production Water; Part II: Postharvest Water)
- Postharvest Handling and Sanitation
- How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan
Apples
Apricots
Asian Pears
Blueberries
Cherries
Currants
Gooseberries
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Raspberries / Blackberries
Strawberries
Unusual Fruit
Upcoming Events
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 Terence Robinson with 40+ years in tree fruit research—and explore the latest orchard technologies and practices.