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

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

Events - month view

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May 2024

2024 WNY and Capital Region Virtual Petal Fall Thinning Meeting

May 13, 2024
4pm - 5pm
Virtual

Join CCE-ENYCHP & CCE-LOF program specialist Mike Basedow, Craig Kahlke, and Mario Miranda Sazo for regional phenology updates.  Guest speakers include Jim Eve & Vaughn Gingerich providing additional phenology updates in Wayne County and Dr. Terence Robinson providing thinning recommendation for both regions. 

Western NY 8-12 mm Thinning Meeting

May 22, 2024
4-5pm
Zoom

Join CCE LOF's Craig, Mario, and Janet as they share updates and highlights from WNY orchards.  Additional updates and thinning recommendations will be provided by consultants Jim Eve & Vaughn Gingerich and Cornell's Dr. Terence Robinson.

Bilingual Orchard IPM Training for Farm Employees

May 29, 2024
5:30pm - 8pm
Orchard Dale Fruit Farms
Waterport, NY

Join LOF's Janet van Zoeren and Mario Miranda Sazo and NYS IPM's Anna Wallis. It will feature both educational IPM trainings, along with time for farm employees to socialize and learn from each other

2024 Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings

Event Offers DEC Credits

May 30, 2024 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 2 of 4
6:30pm - 8:30pm
Coulter Farms
Lockport, NY

Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Osatuke, Robert Hadad, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology, pest management, food safety and water quality, at a new location each month.

June 2024

2024 Virtual Orchard Meetup Series 'Water Wisdom: Navigating Tree Fruit Production Through Drought and Deluge'

June 6, 2024 : Trends in Water Availability
7PM (EDT)
Zoom

Our fourth series will focus on "Water Wisdom: Navigating Tree Fruit Production Through Drought and Deluge". Connect with industry leaders across North America, over 20 experts as they discuss this topic in these 90-minute online forums, and more than 1,000 participants. 

2024 Virtual Orchard Meetup Series 'Water Wisdom: Navigating Tree Fruit Production Through Drought and Deluge'

June 13, 2024 : Role of Water in Tree Fruit Physiology & Quality
7PM (EDT)
Zoom

Western NY Hard Cider Tour - Registration Closed- contact Craig at cjk37@cornell.edu - if any spots are still available

June 14, 2024
10am - 3:45pm
Starts at Clarksburg Cider
Lancaster, NY

Join specialists and researchers from CCE and Cornell on tour across WNY to local Cideries and orchards as they discuss production, varieties, agri-entertainment, cider varieties, and current trials.

2024 Virtual Orchard Meetup Series 'Water Wisdom: Navigating Tree Fruit Production Through Drought and Deluge'

June 20, 2024 : Smart Watering: Practices for Irrigation Management
7PM (EDT)
Zoom

Virtual IPM Orchard Scout Training 2

Event Offers DEC Credits

June 25, 2024
1:30 - 3 PM
Zoom - no registration necessary

Join Anna Wallis (NYSIPM Program), Mike Basedow (CCE ENYCHP), and Janet van Zoeren (CCE LOFT) for a second live, virtual training  on scouting of major insect pest of apple orchards.

2024 Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings

Event Offers DEC Credits

June 27, 2024 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 3 of 4
6:30pm-8:30pm
Lakeview Apple Orchards
Penn Yan, NY

Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Osatuke, Robert Hadad, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology, pest management, food safety and water quality, at a new location each month.

2024 Virtual Orchard Meetup Series 'Water Wisdom: Navigating Tree Fruit Production Through Drought and Deluge'

June 27, 2024 : Water Wisdom Unplugged: Panelist Q&A
7PM (EDT)
Zoom

NYS Honeyberry Conference

June 29, 2024
8:30am - 4:30pm
CiTi BOCES
Mexico, NY

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County (CCE Oswego County) and Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest NY (CCE Harvest NY) will be hosting a state-wide conference on a new emerging fruit called Honeyberry, also known as Haskap (Lonicera caerulea).

July 2024

Apple Social

July 16, 2024 : Orleans County - Apple Social
6pm - 9pm
LynOaken Farms Market and Winery
Medina, NY

Apple Social

Please join us at this casual networking event for all apple industry folks from Western NY, proudly sponsored by Valent. There will just a brief introduction of the Lake Ontario Fruit Program, and from each of the four specialists.

AEWR Update & Progressive Discipline Overview Webinar

July 24, 2024
1PM
Free Zoom

Join Seso Labor's in-house H-2A legal team as they provide an update on the new AEWR, as well as an overview of the DOL's recent Progressive Discipline Final Rule.

2024 Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings

Event Offers DEC Credits

July 25, 2024 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 4 of 4
6:30pm - 8:30pm
Simpelaar
Mexico, NY

Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Osatuke, Robert Hadad, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology, pest management, food safety and water quality, at a new location each month.

Apple Social

July 31, 2024 : Wayne County - Apple Social
6pm - 9pm
VanAcker Farms
Williamson, NY

Apple Social

Please join us at this casual networking event for all apple industry folks from Western NY, proudly sponsored by Valent. There will just a brief introduction of the Lake Ontario Fruit Program, and from each of the four specialists.

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

Farm Grant Literacy Workshop

January 16, 2025 : Session 1: Understanding Farm Grant Opportunities

GRANT MONEY FOR YOUR FARM? IT'S POSSIBLE! THIS WORKSHOP WILL SHOW YOU HOW!


January 23, 2025 : Session 2: Identifying Farm Grant Opportunities

GRANT MONEY FOR YOUR FARM? IT'S POSSIBLE! THIS WORKSHOP WILL SHOW YOU HOW!


January 30, 2025 : Session 3: How To Read and Interpret Requests for Proposals (RFPs)

GRANT MONEY FOR YOUR FARM? IT'S POSSIBLE! THIS WORKSHOP WILL SHOW YOU HOW!


February 13, 2025 : Session 4: Panelists

GRANT MONEY FOR YOUR FARM? IT'S POSSIBLE! THIS WORKSHOP WILL SHOW YOU HOW!


February 20, 2025 : Session 5: Panelists

GRANT MONEY FOR YOUR FARM? IT'S POSSIBLE! THIS WORKSHOP WILL SHOW YOU HOW!


February 27, 2025 : Session 6: Panelists

GRANT MONEY FOR YOUR FARM? IT'S POSSIBLE! THIS WORKSHOP WILL SHOW YOU HOW!

Cornell Fruit Winter Webinars

January 17, 2025 : Week 1: Digging into Pruning and Soil Health

Speakers: Mario Miranda Sazo (CCE LOFP) and Dr. Debbie Aller (Cornell CALS) 


January 31, 2025 : Week 2: Cider Apples - Mechanized Harvesting and Sweet Cider Food Safety

Speakers: Dr. Greg Peck (Cornell CALS) and Dr. Randy Worobo (Cornell CALS)


Event Offers DEC Credits

February 14, 2025 : Week 3: The Value of "Eco-Friendly" Marketing - OMRI Certification, Red Tomato, EcoApple, NYS Grown

Speakers: Liz Higgins (CCE ENYCHP), Josh Morgenthau (Fish Kill Farms), Jim Bittner (Bittner-Singer Orchard, and Kevin Clark (Rose Hill Farm)


Event Offers DEC Credits

February 28, 2025 : Week 4: Biopesticides and Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) for Berries

Speaker(s): McKenzie Schessl (Cornell AgriTech) and Samantha Willden (Cornell AgriTech)


Event Offers DEC Credits

March 14, 2025 : Week 5: St. Peachtrick's Day: Stone Fruit Insect and Disease Management

Speakers: Dr. George Sundin (Michigan State University) and Brett Blaauw (University of Georgia)

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

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

2025 Events:


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

17 Jan - Cornell Fruit Winter Webinars: Week 1 - 11am-12:30pm, Free, Register Now

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

31 Jan - Cornell Fruit Winter Webinars: Week 2 - 11am-12:30pm, Free, Register Now!

Feb 4-5, 2025 - Western NY Fruit Conference - Rochester, Register Now!


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

14 Feb - Cornell Winter Fruit Webinars: Week 3 - 11am-12:30pm, Free, Register Now!

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

26 Feb - Advisory Committee Meeting - 10-3pm, Ogden, Free, Register Now!

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

28 Feb - Cornell Winter Fruit Webinars: Week 3 - 11am-12:30pm, Free, Register Now!

13 Mar - DEC Certified Pesticide Applicator License Pre-Exam Training - 12:45-5pm, Wayne CCE, Register Now

14 Mar - Cornell Winter Fruit Webinars: Week 3 - 11am-12:30pm, Free, Register Now!

17 Mar - DEC Certified Pesticide Applicator License Pre-Exam Training - 1-5pm, Wayne CCE, Register Now

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.