Growing food that’s safe to eat should be the priority of every produce farmer. Laura Biasillo, agricultural economic development specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension Broome County, presented “Produce Safety: How We Got Here and Why It Matters” as part of a recent two-day GAPs workshop. “Ei...

Information is a necessity in times of crisis. That is what AmericanHort provided during a live webinar on Monday, March 23. Presenting were the organization’s Craig Regelbrugge, senior vice president of advocacy and research, and Dr. Charlie Hall, chief economist. Regelbrugge dove in first. “The fi...

Agritourism has been one of the best ways for farmers to create additional income. With stay-at-home orders popping up nationwide, though, the people can’t travel. How are farmers handling this? The topic was discussed in the “Managing Agritourism Through the Coronavirus Crisis” roundtable, hosted b...

Spring is a very busy time for farmers of all kinds, but especially those focused on growing crops. Land needs to be prepped and tilled; seeds need to be started; transplants need to be planted. With borders closed and travel essentially off-limits, many in the agricultural industry may see a shorta...

New information was presented by a team of experts from Cornell University for those in the horticultural industry on Friday, April 3. The university is working in tandem with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYSDAM) to ensure growers have accurate, up-to-date information. O...

Want to bring more people to your farm? Want to find a different source of agritainment income? Farms often boast a lot of land and not a lot of traffic. Have you considered hosting a race? According to Running USA, more than 18 million people registered for races in 2017, with 5Ks – the most popula...

DURHAM, NH – Thirty eager-to-learn kiwiberry enthusiasts were welcomed by two experts (University of New Hampshire’s Iago Hale and vineyard manager and research technician Will Hastings) to the 155-acre Woodman Horticultural Research Farm for a hands-on pruning session on Jan. 31. Both men are deepl...

Climate change may be warming things up, but Earth’s core is cooling down. That’s good news for those seeking alternative sources of energy, which can mitigate greenhouse gases and slow climate change. The heat from the earth can be used for heating, either directly or via an energy exchange system....

As hemp production ramps up nationwide, it’s vital to understand the laws managing its cultivation and the latest on cultivation practices. Dr. James DeDecker, director of the Michigan State University Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center, recently spoke on hemp regulation and production. “...

Farmers are often focused on ridding their farms of pest birds. Auditory and visual bird deterrents and exclusionary bird netting are utilized in an attempt to stop pest birds from damaging crops. Some farmers hire falconers to patrol orchards, vineyards and cropland as harvest time approaches. Anot...

Community supported agriculture (CSA) programs have become another means for producers to bring income to the farm as well as lock in markets and a revenue stream. Garrett Ziegler, MSU Extension Community Food Systems Educator, recently spoke on the topic as part of the MSU Extension Beginning Farme...

Local and national news often report worrying cases of foodborne illnesses, and according to Matt Frye with the New York State IPM Program at Cornell, an unknown number of food contamination cases relate to pests. The pests, usually rodents and birds, can contaminate produce with their feces, urine,...

The popularity of high density orchards has led to some new research into the best manner of protecting those trees from spring frosts. Joe Hannan, commercial horticultural specialist with Iowa State Extension, conducted trials in two high density orchards using overhead irrigation sprinklers in a f...

Growers of perennial crops can’t readily practice crop rotation, and the risk from diseases with staying power means not only losing this season’s crop, but could mean lost production for several years. Protecting your investment in these longer-lived vegetables requires diligence. Asparagus and rhu...

It won’t be long before asparagus season is upon us. It is important not to mow off the dead fern growth from last year until about three to four weeks before spears normally start coming up. Mowing off the dead fern too early will result in soil temperatures warming up too soon, causing early spear...