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 2023

Western NY Petal Fall Thinning Meeting

May 12, 2023
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Zoom

Join Dr Terence Robinson as he gives his recommendations for thinning at the 5-6 mm timing.

There is no registration required, simply click the link below on Friday to join.

Event has been recorded and uploading to YouTube.

Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings

Event Offers DEC Credits

May 25, 2023 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 2 of 4
7-8:30pm
Coulter Farms
Lockport, NY

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

June 2023

Fire Blight Informational Webinar Series

June 13, 2023 : Pruning and sanitation strategies to reduce fire blight
7 - 8pm (EST)
Webinar

The team leading the national fire blight SCRI grant "Comprehensive Fire Blight Management for the United States" is hosting a webinar series. This multi-state series will address new research on best management practices for fire blight control. 

ENYCH Listed Event

Apple Grower Listening Session - USDA RMA Crop Insurance

June 28, 2023
10:00am - 12:00pm
Hudson Valley Research Laboratory (Conference Room)
Highland, NY

The Risk Management Agency (RMA) is inviting interested parties to participate in a listening session to discuss the proposed changes to the apple crop insurance program. These proposed changes were published in a Proposed Rule with request for comments on December 16, 2021.

RMA invited public comments on this rule through April 15, 2022. RMA received comments to the Proposed Rule from approximately 200 interested parties. RMA is taking this opportunity to engage with interested parties to clarify the intent of the Proposed Rule before finalizing changes.

USDA-RMA Apple Crop Insurance Listening Sessions

June 29, 2023
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Irondequoit Public Library (Room #115)
Rochester, NY

Background/Purpose

The Risk Management Agency (RMA) is inviting interested parties to participate in a listening session to discuss the proposed changes to the apple crop insurance program. These proposed changes were published in a Proposed Rule with request for comments on December 16, 2021.

Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings

Event Offers DEC Credits

June 29, 2023 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 3 of 4
7-8:30pm
Jordan Hall at Cornell AgriTech
Geneva, NY

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

July 2023

2023 Honeycrisp Peel SAP Analysis

July 7 - July 14, 2023
Estimated Collection Timing: July 7-10 for Geneva and inland sites, July 11-14 for lake sites

In early July we will begin for the third consecutive time a cooperative effort between Cornell extension, growers, consultants, and storage operators to collect Honeycrisp fruitlets statewide to analyze them for mineral nutrient concentrations.  This is part of a statewide extension effort funded by ARDP to evaluate Honeycrisp orchards throughout the state for determination of fruit storage potential and the risk of bitter pit in storage.

ENYCH Listed Event

Small Fruit Opportunities for Small Farms

Event Offers DEC Credits

July 11, 2023
1:00pm - 5:00pm
Cornell Willsboro Research Farm
Willsboro, NY

$10 per farm

Pre register by Monday, July 10th at 9 am

Join us for a field afternoon at the Cornell Willsboro Research Farm and Juniper Hill Farm in Essex County to learn about growing small fruit crops in northern New York. We'll discuss considerations for site selection, varieties, pruning, integrated pest management, marketing, and more. In addition to strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, we'll cover novelty small fruits and nuts for specialty markets and hear from local producers who grow them.

1.75 DEC credits approved in categories 1A, 10, and 22

Rain date: This event will be held at the same time on Thursday, July 13th if thunderstorms and/or significant rain are predicted on the 11th

ENYCH Listed Event

Field Day at Philia Farm

July 13, 2023
4:00pm - 6:00pm
Philia Farm
Johnstown, NY

Tour research plots examining various tillage and no-till strategies supplemented by tarp usage for weed control and nitrogen retention. Early plots with rye were planted to cabbage, and later plots with rye and vetch were planted to winter squash. You will also see how tarps are being used on the small-scale (1 acre) garden level to prepare multiple beds for weed-free direct seeding of crops, and see a field being prepared for vegetable crops with no-till drilled cover crop successions. Event is made possible through generous support of the NY Farm Viability Institute.

Virtual Orchard Meetup - Managing the Uncontrollable

July 13, 2023
7 - 8:30pm (EST)
Online using link below listed speakers

The virtual meetups are titled 'Managing the Uncontrollable': Over the past decade growers have been forced to confront wildly vacillating winter temperatures, uneven and often excessively heavy precipitation events, and extreme temperatures coupled with extended droughts.

ENYCH Listed Event

Air Blast Sprayer Calibration Workshop

Event Offers DEC Credits

July 18, 2023
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Porpiglia Farms
Marlboro, NY

Calibrating pesticide sprayers for best results

University of New Hampshire Extension Field Specialist Emeritus, George Hamilton will demonstrate the importance of and best techniques to calibrate air blast sprayers. Proper calibration will ensure effective, efficient, economical and legal spraying.  Inadequate spray coverage is usually the cause of poor spray efficacy and additional spray applications. Overuse of some sprays results in unhealthy residues and can lead to fines.

Calibration should be done several times each season, or when you incorporate any new equipment or repairs - from the tractor to the nozzle.  Join us for a refresher or send new employees for training.  This workshop is open for any grower that relies on either an airblast sprayer to deliver plant protectants to fruit or vegetable crops or a boom sprayer.  
Please note that locations and times vary for each workshop. This is the July 18th airblast workshop. For simultaneous Spanish translation and boom sprayer calibration, please sign up for the July 19th workshop.

Both workshops will provide audio amplification, handouts and refreshments. 

Tuesday, July 18 - Airblast Sprayer Calibration Workshop
 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm at Porpiglia Farms
71 Porpiglia Drive, Marlboro, NY  12542

ENYCH Listed Event

Champlain Valley Tree Fruit Field Meeting: Chazy Orchards

July 20, 2023
3:00pm - 5:00pm
Intersection of Minkler and Miner Farm Rd in Chazy, Chazy Orchard
Chazy, NY

Join Mike in Chazy on July 20th to hear about some of the on-farm research trials he's conducting in the Champlain Valley this summer. In addition to his discussion of preliminary findings, you will have the opportunity to observe the various field treatments firsthand.  

Pesticide credits in categories 1A, 10, and 22 pending

Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings

Event Offers DEC Credits

July 27, 2023 : Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Twilight Meetings 4 of 4
7-8:30pm
Burnap's Farm Market
Sodus, NY

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

1st Annual Western NY Fruit Grower Tour

July 28, 2023
8:30am - 4:45pm
Wayne County Orchards

NOTE-Pre-registration has closed! At the door cost is $20 per person.


We are excited to announce the first 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! The first of many tours to come, 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 combine two past orchard tour events, the LOF Summer Fruit Tour and the Wayne County Fruitgrower Tour, giving industry members the opportunity to conveniently showcase their product offerings to ONE unified group at ONE time and place!

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

2024 LOF Advisory Committee Meeting - WNY Winter Fruit Conference Topics

December 6, 2024
Rochester, NY

Please join us for our winter advisory meeting, join the team and provide input for the 3rd Annual WNY Tree Fruit Conference on February 4-5 in Rochester. Please pre-register by December 2th.

Save the Date - Western NY Fruit Conference - February 4-5, 2025

Event Offers DEC Credits

February 4 - February 5, 2025 : Western NY Fruit Conference
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. Stay tuned for program and registration info as we get closer.

Announcements

NERME Farm Grant Interest Survey - HMR & Audit/UL

NEED FREE HELP WITH HRM AND AUDIT/ULP COMPLIANCE ON YOUR FARM? IT'S POSSIBLE! Just take click the link and fill out the survey.
https://cornell.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7WFe9dfU4dfct8y

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:

22-23 Oct - Farm & Food Workers Relief Program Application - Online & In Person, Apply Now

6 Dec - Lake Ontario Fruit Program Advisory Committee Meeting - more details to come 

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



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.