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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April 2025

ENYCH Listed Event

Blind Industry White Wine Tasting Workshop

April 1, 2025 : Blind Industry White Wine Tasting Workshop
9am - 12pm
Tousey Winery
Germantown, NY

Blind Industry White Wine Tasting Workshop

This event is a blind wine tasting for ENY grape industry members to get feedback from fellow growers and Cornell Enologists on unfinished white wines (hybrid, vinifera, etc.)

We respectfully request that only professional winemakers or commercial vineyard owners attend, as space is limited. Limit two wines per winery/vineyard.

Pre-registration is required.  For questions, please contact Jeremy Schuster at jds544@cornell.edu

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.

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
6:45 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.

Petal Fall Thinning Meetings

May 15, 2025 : Wayne County Petal Fall Thinning Meeting
2pm
Cherry Lawn Fruit Farm
Sodus, NY

Join LOF team  members, in Wayne County to hear updates and petal fall thinning recommendations by Terence Robinson.

Petal Fall Thinning Meetings

May 16, 2025 : Orleans County Petal Fall Thinning Meeting
2pm
Lamont Fruit Farms
Waterport, NY

Join LOF team  members, in Orleans County to hear updates and petal fall thinning recommendations by Terence Robinson. 

Western NY Post-Bloom Pest/Disease Management Updates Zoom Meeting

May 22, 2025
4-5::30 PM
Zoom

Western NY Post-Bloom Pest/Disease Management Updates & 8-12 mm Thinning Recommendations Zoom Meeting

    Thursday, May 22, 4-5:30 PM

 

4:00 PM - Welcome, Craig Kahlke, CCE-LOF

4:05:  How Long & What to Spray for Plum Curculio? - Janet van Zoeren, CCE-LOF

4:15:  Disease Management Updates - Dr. Kerik Cox, Cornell University

4:30:  8-12 mm Thinning Recommendations for Western NY - Dr. Terence Robinson, Cornell University

5:15-5:30 - Additional Q & A, if needed

 

No registration necessary, just click on the link during the meeting time:

https://cornell.zoom.us/j/93624363119?pwd=jH7XcktS2cEo0gazYuzyFtqN6otNgI.1&from=addon

Western NY Post-Bloom Pest/Disease Management Updates

May 22, 2025
4 - 5:30pm
Zoom

Join via Zoom this Thursday May 22 for the Western NY  Post-Bloom Pest/Disease Management Updates & 8-12 mm Thinning Recommendations 

Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings

May 29, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 2 of 4
6:45 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

ENYCH Listed Event

Hudson Valley Orchard Weed Management Meeting

Event Offers DEC Credits

June 25, 2025 : Hudson Valley Orchard Weed Management Meeting
1pm - 3pm
Titusville Farm
Poughkeepsie, NY

At this meeting, we will discuss previous research on using mulch for weed management, including the benefits of stacking mulch treatments with an organic herbicide program. We will then discuss the treatments in our field trial, discuss results to date, and get initial reactions from the grower, while viewing the field trial.  We will then discuss the other study objective, using a mechanical weeding system to replace contact herbicide applications, currently underway in the Champlain Valley.

Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings

June 26, 2025 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 3 of 4
6:45 pizza, soda, DEC sign-in; 7-8:30pm Meeting
Cornell Orchards
Ithaca , 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.

ENYCH Listed Event

Workshop: Controlling Listeria in Apple Packinghouses

June 26, 2025 : Workshop: Controlling Listeria in Apple Packinghouses
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Hudson Valley Research Lab and Porpiglia Farms
Highland, NY

Join Cornell University Food Science experts, along with CCE ENYCHP specialists Dan Donahue and Elisabeth Hodgdon for a day-long intensive workshop on managing Listeria in apple packinghouse environments.

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

2026 Cornell Winter Fruit Webinars

January 22, 2026 : Blueberry Pruning and Soil Health to Minimize Pests and Maximize Yield

Week 1: Blueberry Pruning and Soil Health to Minimize Pests and Maximize Yield


January 29, 2026 : Cost of Production for Fruit Crops

Week 2:  Cost of Production for Fruit Crops - A new tool for tree fruit, updates on berry production in NY, and strategies for tracking and using expense data.


February 12, 2026 : Fire Blight Management Updates

Week 3: Fire Blight Management Updates - Pathogen Biology, Defense Inducers, Biopesticides, and Pruning Therapies


February 19, 2026 : Pink and Petal Fall Insecticides - Can We Strike the Right Balance?

Week 4: Pink and Petal Fall Insecticides - Can We Strike the Right Balance? 


March 12, 2026 : Inoculating Orchards with Mycorrhizal Fungi

Week 5: Inoculating Orchards with Mycorrhizal Fungi


March 19, 2026 : St. Peachtrick's Day - Cherry Pruning Strategies and Plum Varieties for the Northeast

Week 6: St. Peachtrick's Day - Cherry Pruning Strategies and Plum Varieties for the Northeast

2026 Winter Fruit Schools

Event Offers DEC Credits

February 4, 2026 : 2026 Winter Fruit School - Niagara County
Lockport, NY

CCE-LOF are excited to bring you a return to LOF's Winter Fruit Schools, in which there will be two nearly identical programs on consecutive days in two locations in LOF's territory. We are in the process of putting together the program, and have garnered key input from our growers, businesses, and other personnel.  Please note registration cost increases after January 27th, Registration Now!  


February 5, 2026 : 2026 Winter Fruit School - Wayne County
Williamson, NY

CCE-LOF are excited to bring you a return to LOF's Winter Fruit Schools, in which there will be two nearly identical programs on consecutive days in two locations in LOF's territory. We are in the process of putting together the program, and have garnered key input from our growers, businesses, and other personnel.  Please note registration cost increases after January 27th, Registration Now!  

2026 Orleans County - DEC Certified Pesticide Applicator License Pre-Exam Training

March 9, 2026 : DEC Certified Applicator Pre-Exam Training Day 1
Albion, NY

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.


March 13, 2026 : DEC Certified Applicator Pre-Exam Training Day 2
Albion, NY

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.

Announcements

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

2026 Events:

for more details click on event title

22 Jan - 2026 Cornell Winter Fruit Webinars: Blueberry Pruning and Soil Health to Minimize Pests and Maximize Yield - 11am - 12:30pm, Online, Register Now! 


4 Feb - LOF Winter Fruit Schools - Sign-in 7:30am, 8:30am-4:30pm, CCE Niagara, Register Now!

5 Feb - LOF Winter Fruit Schools - Sign-in 7:30am, 8:30am-4:30pm, Rootstock Cider & Spirits, Register Now!

12 Feb - 2026 Cornell Winter Fruit Webinars: Fire Blight Management Updates - 11am - 1pm, Online, Register Now!

19 Feb - 2026 Cornell Winter Fruit Webinars: Pink and Petal Fall Insecticides - Can We Strike the Right Balance? - 11am - 12:30pm, Online, Register Now!

23 Feb - Advisory Committee Meeting - Program Updates, Details to follow!

23-25 Feb - NY Farm to School Summit - Saratoga Springs, Register Now!

27 Feb - 2026 International Virtual Orchard Meetup and SPARC - 1:30-3pm, Webinar, Details to follow!

11 Mar - 2026 USDA-SCRI SPARC Heat School - all day, Wenatchee, WA, Details to follow!

12 Mar - 2026 Cornell Winter Fruit Webinars: Inoculating Orchards with Mycorrhizal Fungi - 11am - 12:30pm, Online, Register Now!

19 Mar - 2026 Cornell Winter Fruit Webinars: St. Peachtrick's Day - Cherry Pruning Strategies and Plum Varieties for the Northeast - 11am - 12:30pm, Online, Register Now!

30 July - 2026  Cornell Fruit Field Day, Geneva.  Stay tuned for updates.


In Memory of Robert Brown II

With Deep Sadness, We Honor the Memory of Robert Brown II: A Cherished Friend, an Influential Leader in the Western NY Apple Industry, and a Remarkable Contributor to the Core Mission of CCE (May 23, 1955 -- November 23, 2025) see details https://lof.cce.cornell.edu/submission.php?id=976&crumb=crops|crops|apples|crop*38

NEWA weather stations moving to a new dashboard!

NEWA weather stations purchased through Rainwise (now owned by KestrelMet) are moving to a new dashboard!



NYCAMH Fit Testing Requirements

Considering NYCAMH for your respirator fit testing?

Here are some key facts and helpful tips about medical clearance:

Medical Clearance ? Fit Testing (They are not the same!)

Before you can wear a respirator or be fit tested, OSHA requires a medical evaluation under the Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134). This evaluation must be conducted by a licensed healthcare provider to determine if you are physically able to use a respirator safely.

read details

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

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.