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

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  • Issues of Fruit Newletters
  • Helpful Diagnostic Tool:
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2025 Events - year view

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January 2025

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?
3 - 4:30pm
Webinar

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?

Electric Weeding in Organic Perennial Crops

January 14, 2025
2pm
Zoom - Registration Required

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

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

January 14, 2025 : Session 2: Introduction to Project Management
3 - 4:30pm
Webinar

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

  • Session 2: Introduction to Project Management

Farm Grant Literacy Workshop

January 16, 2025 : Session 1: Understanding Farm Grant Opportunities
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Zoom - Registration Required

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
11:00am-12:30pm
Zoom

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

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

January 21, 2025 : Session 3: How Business Planning Becomes a Business Plan
3 - 4:30pm
Webinar

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

  • Session 3: How Business Planning Becomes a Business Plan

Farm Grant Literacy Workshop

January 23, 2025 : Session 2: Identifying Farm Grant Opportunities
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Zoom - Registration Required

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

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

January 28, 2025 : Session 4: Your Market and Your Competition
3 - 4:30pm
Webinar

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

 Session 4: Your Market and Your Competition

Farm Grant Literacy Workshop

January 30, 2025 : Session 3: How To Read and Interpret Requests for Proposals (RFPs)
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Zoom - Registration Required

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

Cornell Fruit Winter Webinars

January 31, 2025 : Week 2: Cider Apples - Mechanized Harvesting and Sweet Cider Food Safety
11:00am-12:30pm
Zoom

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



February 2025

Western NY Fruit Conference

Event Offers DEC Credits

February 4 - February 5, 2025 : Western NY Fruit Conference
1 1/2 days
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Rochester
Rochester, NY

For the 2nd year in a row, we'll be having the Western NY Fruit Conference at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Rochester!  It will be another 1 1/2 day conference. Again, this replaces our traditional "LOF Fruit Schools" and our participation in the Empire Producers Expo in Syracuse. The program will run all day on Tuesday (Feb 4) and Wednesday morning (Feb 5). There will be two Pest Management sessions Tuesday morning, followed by Business and Soil Health afternoon sessions. Wednesday will have 2 morning sessions (Marketing/Fruit Quality and Precision Ag),  ending with lunch at noon.

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

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

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

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

Becker Forum

February 5, 2025
8:30am - 4pm
Jordan Hall
Geneva, NY

Becker Forum will focus on key labor issues and trends.

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

February 11, 2025 : Session 6: Marketing Plan and Evaluation of Marketing Efforts
3 - 4:30pm
Webinar

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

  • Session 6: Marketing Plan and Evaluation of Marketing Efforts

Farm Grant Literacy Workshop

February 13, 2025 : Session 4: Panelists - N/A
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Zoom - Registration Required

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

Cornell Fruit Winter Webinars

Event Offers DEC Credits

February 14, 2025 : Week 3: The Value of "Eco-Friendly" Marketing - OMRI Certification, Red Tomato, EcoApple, NYS Grown
11:00am-12:30pm
Zoom

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

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

February 18, 2025 : Session 7: The Basics of Financial Statements
3 - 4:30pm
Webinar

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

  • Session 7: The Basics of Financial Statements

Farm Grant Literacy Workshop

February 20, 2025 : Session 5: Panelists
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Zoom - Registration Required

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

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

February 25, 2025 : Session 8: Enhancing Confidence in Your Numbers
3 - 4:30pm
Webinar

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

  • Session 8: Enhancing Confidence in Your Numbers


Advisory Committee Meeting - Program & Project Updates

February 26, 2025
10:00am - 3pm
Ogden Town Hall
Spencerport, NY

Advisory Committee Meeting - Program & Project Updates

Please join us for our advisory meeting, join the team as they share their current and future projects and programming. Please pre-register by noon on February 24th.


Farm Grant Literacy Workshop

February 27, 2025 : Session 6: Panelists
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Zoom - Registration Required

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

Introduction to Tree Fruit Production

February 27, 2025
March 6, 2025
March 13, 2025
March 17, 2025
March 20, 2025
March 24, 2025
March 27, 2025
April 3, 2025

6:30pm - 8:30pm
Virtual

Thursdays: February 27 - April 3, with two additional Monday webinars on March 17 and March 24

Tree fruit are an important component of the agricultural and homeowner landscape. This course, which offers eight live webinars for its 2025 offering, trains beginning tree fruit growers in fundamental concepts in orchard planning and management.

Cornell Fruit Winter Webinars

Event Offers DEC Credits

February 28, 2025 : Week 4: Biopesticides and Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) for Berries
11:00am-12:30pm
Zoom

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



March 2025

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

March 4, 2025 : Session 9: Using Financial Statements and Financial Information to Plan and Evaluate an Enterprise
3 - 4:30pm
Webinar

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

2025 Wayne County - DEC Certified Pesticide Applicator License Pre-Exam Training

March 13, 2025 : DEC Certified Applicator Pre-Exam Training Day 1
12:45pm Sign-In; 1pm - 5pm
Wayne County Cornell Cooperative Ext.
Newark, NY

2025 Wayne County - DEC Certified Pesticide Applicator License Pre-Exam Training

This training is only for those with experience and does not qualify for the 30-hour official DEC training - you are exempt from the 30 hour training (and eligible for this coaching session) if you have pesticide application experience, either through working on your own farm or through employment on another farm.

Cornell Fruit Winter Webinars

Event Offers DEC Credits

March 14, 2025 : Week 5: St. Peachtrick's Day: Stone Fruit Insect and Disease Management
11:00am-12:30pm
Zoom

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

2025 Wayne County - DEC Certified Pesticide Applicator License Pre-Exam Training

March 17, 2025 : DEC Certified Applicator Pre-Exam Training Day 2
1pm - 5pm
Wayne County Cornell Cooperative Ext.
Newark, NY

2025 Wayne County - DEC Certified Pesticide Applicator License Pre-Exam Training

This training is only for those with experience and does not qualify for the 30-hour official DEC training - you are exempt from the 30 hour training (and eligible for this coaching session) if you have pesticide application experience, either through working on your own farm or through employment on another farm.

2025 Cornell In-Depth Fruit School - Honeycrisp & Other High Value Apple Cultivars

March 19 - March 20, 2025
Registration 8:30am W 8:45am - 4:30pm; T 8:45am - 3pm
DoubleTree by Hilton
East Syracuse, NY

2025 Cornell In-Depth Fruit School - Honeycrisp & Other High Value Apple Cultivars

Join us for this in depth review of the most successful cultural practices for growing challenging high value apple cultivars.

Hotel Room Block - Low Rates Expiring Soon!  Direct Booking Link: https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/syrdtdt-5dw-9dd06767-e6a3-4266-be8e-816ba353c1cb/ 

  Or call the hotel at 315-432-0200, and tell them the code: CORNELL IN DEPTH WORKSHOP

Online Registration is closed.  Still interested in attending?  Contact Craig Kahlke at 585-735-5448, or cjk37@cornell.edu.

Food Safety Updates: Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water (Subpart E) Update Webinar with Q & A - CANCELLED

March 21, 2025 : Food Safety Updates: Pre-Harvest Agricultural Water (Subpart E) Update Webinar with Q & A -CANCELLED
12-1:30 PM
Zoom

Webinar Cancelled.  Stay tuned for more info.



April 2025

2025 Cornell In-Depth Fruit School Recordings

April 8, 2025
July 31, 2025
: Recording Available for 2025 Cornell In-Depth Fruit School
Now until July 31st

Access to the 2025 Cornell In-Depth Fruit School recordings are now available for purchase. 

2025 Respirator Fit Testing in Wayne County

April 17, 2025
Starts at 9am
Pultneyville Lodge
Pultneyville, NY

A one day clinic for respirator fit testing will be held in Wayne County on April 17th. Please be sure to register by April 7th, as space is limited. 

Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings

Event Offers DEC Credits

April 24, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 1 of 4
6:30 pizza, soda, DEC sign-in; 7-8:30pm Meeting
Blue Barn Cidery
Hilton, NY

Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Stansell, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month.



May 2025

Cornell Western and Northeast NY Pre-Bloom Virtual Meeting

May 1, 2025
12 - 1:30pm
Zoom

Join CCE-ENYCHP and CCE-LOFP specialists this Thursday to review pre-bloom orchard management recommendations for Western and Northeast NY.

Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings

May 29, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 2 of 4
6:30 pizza, soda, DEC sign-in; 7-8:30pm Meeting
Hurd Orchards
Holley, NY

Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Stansell, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month.



June 2025

Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings

June 26, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 3 of 4
6:30 pizza, soda, DEC sign-in; 7-8:30pm Meeting
Cornell Orchards
Ithica, NY

Join specialists Anya Stansell and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month. This meeting will include Spanish Interpretation. Este mes en Español También.



July 2025

3rd Annual Western NY Fruit Growers Tour, Featuring Wayne County

July 31, 2025
All Day
Farms in Wayne County

We are excited to announce the 3rd annual Western New York Fruit Grower Tour, the premier fruit tour of the northeast brought to you by Cornell Cooperative Extension's Lake Ontario Fruit Program and Lake Ontario Ag Consulting, LLC! Located in Wayne County, this orchard field day will highlight new and existing products, chemistries, practices, technologies & equipment that shape the orchard industry today. The Western NY Fruit Grower Tour will again combine two past orchard tour events, the LOF Summer Fruit Tour and the Wayne County Fruit Grower Tour, giving industry members the opportunity to conveniently showcase their product offerings to ONE unified group at ONE time and place! 

Stay tuned for more info as we get into the summer!

Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings

July 31, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 4 of 4
6:30 pizza, soda, DEC sign-in; 7-8:30pm Meeting
Schutt's Apple Mill
Webster, NY

Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Stansell, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month.



August 2025

No Events Scheduled at this Time



September 2025

No Events Scheduled at this Time



October 2025

No Events Scheduled at this Time



November 2025

No Events Scheduled at this Time



December 2025

No Events Scheduled at this Time



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

Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings

Event Offers DEC Credits

April 24, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 1 of 4
Hilton, NY

Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Stansell, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month.


May 29, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 2 of 4
Holley, NY

Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Stansell, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month.


June 26, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 3 of 4
Ithica, NY

Join specialists Anya Stansell and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month. This meeting will include Spanish Interpretation. Este mes en Español También.


July 31, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 4 of 4
Webster, NY

Join specialists Janet Van Zoeren, Anya Stansell, and Anna Wallis for a conversation about fruit and berry phenology and pest management, at a new location each month.

2025 Cornell In-Depth Fruit School Recordings

April 8, 2025
July 31, 2025
: Recording Available for 2025 Cornell In-Depth Fruit School

Access to the 2025 Cornell In-Depth Fruit School recordings are now available for purchase. 

3rd Annual Western NY Fruit Growers Tour, Featuring Wayne County

July 31, 2025

We are excited to announce the 3rd annual Western New York Fruit Grower Tour, the premier fruit tour of the northeast brought to you by Cornell Cooperative Extension's Lake Ontario Fruit Program and Lake Ontario Ag Consulting, LLC! Located in Wayne County, this orchard field day will highlight new and existing products, chemistries, practices, technologies & equipment that shape the orchard industry today. The Western NY Fruit Grower Tour will again combine two past orchard tour events, the LOF Summer Fruit Tour and the Wayne County Fruit Grower Tour, giving industry members the opportunity to conveniently showcase their product offerings to ONE unified group at ONE time and place! 

Stay tuned for more info as we get into the summer!

Announcements

3rd Annual Western NY Fruit Growers Tour, July 31

We are excited to announce the 3rd annual Western New York Fruit Grower Tour, the premier fruit tour of the northeast brought to you by Cornell Cooperative Extension's Lake Ontario Fruit Program and Lake Ontario Ag Consulting, LLC! Located in Wayne County, this orchard field day will highlight new and existing products, chemistries, practices, technologies & equipment that shape the orchard industry today. The Western NY Fruit Grower Tour will again combine two past orchard tour events, the LOF Summer Fruit Tour and the Wayne County Fruit Grower Tour, giving industry members the opportunity to conveniently showcase their product offerings to ONE unified group at ONE time and place!

Stat tunes for more info as we get into the summer!

2025 Cornell Winter Fruit Webinar Recordings

Recordings now available on the NYIPM YouTube Channel 2025 Cornell Winter Webinar playlist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ccj8IT-8eI&list=PLoNb8lODb49u16HwAqx7Y_TS5S3vdkrON

SPARC Survey

Interested in strengthening pome fruit resilience to climate? Check out what 22 scientists from six states are joining forces to accomplish. Learn more and help support this effort by taking a quick survey at https://lof.cce.cornell.edu/submission.php?id=948&crumb=crops|crops|apples|crop*38

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:

29 May - Tree Fruit and Berry Twilight Meeting 2 of 4 - Hurd Orchards - 6:45 DEC Sign-In; 7-8:30PM

26 Jun - Tree Fruit and Berry Twilight Meeting 3 of 4 - Cornell Orchards - 6:45 DEC Sign-In; 7-8:30PM

31 Jul - Tree Fruit and Berry Twilight Meeting 4 of 4 - Schutts Apple Mill - 6:45 DEC Sign-In; 7-8:30PM

31 Jul - 3rd Annual Western NY Fruit Growers Tour - Featuring Wayne County - Stay tuned for more info!


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:




Business Updates



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.