Soil Health for Vegetable Growers Workshop

Cornell Cooperative Extension Eastern New York Horticultural Program is hosting a soil health workshop on November 1. Here are the details:

Wednesday, November 1 from 9:30 am - 2:30pm

Whallonsburg Grange, 1610 Route 22, Essex, NY

Cost: $30 per person

Join us for presentations, discussions, and hands-on demonstrations focusing on soil health concepts and best management practices for vegetable growers. Topics include tarping, maintaining soil health in high tunnels, cover cropping, reduced tillage, compost microbiology, and more.

1.75 DEC pesticide recertification credits are available in categories 1A, 10, and 23. Register by October 27. For more information or to request accommodations, contact Elisabeth Hodgdon, eh528@cornell.edu or (518) 650-5323. Register for the workshop here.

Agenda

9:30 am: Welcome & introductions, coffee & refreshments

9:45 am: Soil health concepts and the effects of soil type, cropping system, and management on soil health (Joseph Amsili, Cornell Soil Health Initiative)

10:15 am: Explore the intricate world of the soil food web (John Culpepper and Jennifer Perry, Compost for Good)

11:00 am: Tarping research updates (Crystal Stewart-Courtens, CCE Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Program and Philia Farm)

11:30 am: Cover cropping in reduced tillage systems (Jean-Paul Courtens, Philia Farm)

 12:00 pm: Grower panel and discussion: How we maintain soil health using tarps, reduced tillage, and other practices (Lissa Goldstein, Wild Work Farm; Adam Reed, Tangleroot Farm; TBD)

 12:30: Lunch

 1:00 pm: Maintaining soil health in high tunnels (Jud Reid, CCE Cornell Vegetable Program and Harvest NY)

 1:45 pm: Tying together soil health and climate change resiliency (Kitty O’Neil, CCE North Country Regional Ag Team)

 2:15 pm: Overview of services offered by the Essex County Soil & Water Conservation District and the Lake Champlain Basin Program (Alice Halloran, ECS&WCD and Myra Lawyer, LCBP)

This workshop is sponsored by the Northern NY Agricultural Development Program and the New York Farm Viability Institute.

Join Us for the 2022 Berry Session at the Empire State Producers EXPO

The Empire State Producers EXPO, January 11-13, is right around the corner. Due to the surge in covid cases, the 2022 Berry Session have been moved online. This session is scheduled for Wednesday, January 12, and will run from 8:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. A mix of researchers, growers, and business owners will share their findings over the course of four sessions.

Visit the Producers EXPO website to see registration and pricing information. To register for the Berry Sessions only, fill out the form and pay via PayPal ($55) here.

8:45–10:15 a.m.

The first Berry Session of the day focuses on containerized berry production. Dr. Neil Mattson (Cornell University) will go over the trends in commercially-grown greenhouse strawberries, and their applicability to Northeastern farms. Senior Extension Associate Kathy Demchak (Penn State University) will review her research on container-growing strawberries and caneberries.  

10:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

The second Berry Session reviews blueberry production. Researchers from the United States Department of Agriculture will present on the latest breeding efforts, and Dr. Thierry Bescanon (Rutgers University) will discuss the best approaches to manage weeds in blueberry plantings. Liz Machoff (Empire Drip Supply, and the NYSBGA board president) will explain the principles of water acidification in drip irrigation. The session will close with a meeting hosted by the New York State Berry Growers Association.  

1:30–2:15 p.m.

The third Berry Session is dedicated to the economics and sustainability of berry crop production. Business owner David Duda (Dudas Blues, and an NYSBGA board member) will discuss the role of value-added products in his business. Dr. Kris Park (Cornell University) will review a New York State pricing survey of berry growers, and provide economic insights. Dr. Heather Grab (Cornell University) will share her findings on balancing pollinator care and weed management in strawberries.  

2:45–4:00 p.m

The fourth Berry Session explores lesser-known berries and nut crops that are suitable for the Northeast. Ph.D. Candidate Samantha Bosco (Cornell University) will share her knowledge of nuts as a crop and food source. Dr. Iago Hale (University of New Hampshire) will discuss the characteristics of hardy kiwifruit when grown as a commercial crop. Coming down from Northern NY, Dr. Mike Davis will present on juneberries, and grower Duane Smith will provide a summary of his experience growing honeyberries.

View the rest of the EXPO sessions below.

Join Cornell CCE for a Fall Strawberry Workshop

Wagoner Bees and Produce, 11137 Wayne Rd., Fillmore, NY

October 20, 2021, 5:30–7:30 PM

Come join Cornell CCE Western NY for an on-farm discussion of winter preparation for strawberry beds, and a demonstration of a solar-powered harvester. Bring a dug-up strawberry plant with you for a hands-on diagnostic exercise. 

1.0 DEC credits are available in categories 10, 1a, 21, 22, and 23.

This workshop is FREE to attend! Pre-registration is requested; email Anya Osatuke at aco56@cornell.edu or call/text 607-752-2793 with your name, phone number (if available), and number of attendees.
 
AGENDA
 
5:30 PM | Welcome and Introductions & NYS DEC Credit sign-up –Lynn Bliven, CCE Allegany
 
5:40 PM | Planting Tour and Harvester Demonstration – Deb Wagoner, Wagoner Bees and Produce, Fillmore, NY

Grower-led discussion of weed control techniques including types of plastic mulch and how they are used to prevent weed infestation in strawberry systems. Irrigation scheduling and a labeling system used for cultivar tracking will also be covered.  Demonstration of mechanized strawberry harvester.
 
6:00 PM | Weed Control – Bryan Brown, NYS IPM
Fall weed control options for new and established strawberry plantings. Cultural weed control options for actively fruiting dayneutrals. Brief review of differences in herbicide applications when growing on plasticulture vs. open field.
 
6:30 PM | Fall Troubleshooting – Anya Osatuke, CCE Harvest NY
Review of common late-fall pests, pathogens, and abiotic disorders in June-bearing and dayneutral strawberries. Hands-on diagnosis of strawberry crowns that growers bring to the workshop.
 
7:00 PM | Fertility Management – Anya Osatuke
Comparison of best practices for fertilizing and renovating dayneutrals and June-bearing strawberries. Overview of differences in applying N, P, and K fertilizer between field culture and plasticulture.
 
7:20 PM | Winter Mulch Application – Anya Osatuke
Review of the seasonal factors determining when to apply a winter mulch to a strawberry planting. Overview of seasonal and site factors affecting the timing of winter mulch removal in the spring.
 
7:30PM | Adjourn

Cornell & NYSBGA In-Depth Strawberry Substrate Workshop Sets Growers Up for Success

By Esther Kibbe
Western New York Berry Specialist, Cornell Cooperative Extension

Thirty growers and extension professionals spent three days in February learning about growing strawberries in soil-less (substrate) production systems. The workshop was held in Ithaca and funded by the NYSBGA and organized by the association and Cornell extension and professors.

In-depth lectures in the mornings were followed by greenhouse tours and hands-on activities in the afternoons. The workshop was taught by Dennis Wilson of Delphy, a UK- and Netherlands-based agronomy and education company. His many years of experience working with strawberry substrate growers made him confident in his recommendations of types of containers, substrate mixes, irrigation rates, and fertility protocols.

Dennis noted that almost all strawberry production in the UK has moved to substrate systems, but the fruit-quality improvement means that more than 90 percent of strawberries in the stores are grown in the UK, compared to 50 percent 25 years ago. While converting to substrate production isn’t for everyone, growers in Europe find that in addition to better-quality fruit, they are able to increase yields, harvest efficiency, and attract more labor, compared to soil-bases systems.

Cornell’s horticulture professor Neil Mattson and his team put together a great practical portion for the workshop, using plants and systems set up for graduate student Jonathan Allred’s research on strawberries’ light requirements. Workshop participants practiced measuring “drip” and “drain,” electrical conductivity, pH, and moisture levels in the substrate. There were samples of different types of substrate and media to touch and compare and plants and runners for planting demonstrations—and a chance for growers to try it themselves.

About half of the workshop participants had no experience growing crops in substrate, and the rest had experience ranging from one year to thirty years. All reported that they found the content relevant, and most said they would continue or start growing berries in substrate in the future. One participant commented, “This program was excellent and answered many questions I have been asking for years. Really appreciate the handouts and the clear presentation style, and the time and patience spent on questions.” Participant feedback was extremely positive overall, and most are looking forward to future trainings and tours related to substrate production.

Join Us for a FREE Berry Production Workshop on August 29!

August 29, 2017
5:00–7:00 p.m.
The Berry Patch
15589 NY-22, Stephentown, NY

If you’re unsure whether your berry crops have been affected by SWD, or even if you just want to learn more about growing happy, healthy berries, join us for this exclusive workshop, sponsored by Cornell University and Cornell Cooperative Extension. Bring your own fruit, and test for SWD right here!

Then hear experts from Cornell University and Cornell CCE, New York State IPM, the NYS Berry Growers Association, and more on:

SWD Overview
Exclusion Netting

• Blueberry growing under netting
• Attract-and-kill baited spheres
• High-tunnel raspberries grown in excluded tunne
• Fall raspberries under netting

Weather Station Networks

• What is NEWA?
• How farmers can get their own RainWise weather station
• How applications that are part of weather data can assist farmers
• MesoNet, and how it works with NEWA

Climate Change and Protected Culture

• CICSS as a resource, and helpful tools for berry growers
• Soil health project, including how growers can get involved

Low-Tunnel Strawberry Production

• Overview of day-neutral production system
• Use of low tunnels on a diversified, direct-market farm

Wrap-Up and Q&A

This workshop is FREE to all berry growers, regardless of region or level of experience, so spread the word to your colleagues!

Register here.