Asparagus is a popular early-season vegetable. There are approximately 200 acres grown on 129 New York farms annually (2007 Census of Ag). The majority is sold for fresh-market, but a small amount (18 acres) goes for processing. Asparagus is available from the beginning of May through mid-June in New York. It is a popular vegetable at farmer's markets, U-pick operations, retail stands and is also grown for wholesale markets.

Commercial asparagus fields are generally planted with one-year old crowns; however, transplants can also be used. Fields take two years to establish, but afterwards can remain in production for 10 to 20 years.  
 

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Allium Leafminer Management Meeting

October 19, 2017
3:15pm- 5:00pm
Goshen, NY

This meeting if free with pre-registration! 1.5 DEC credits are available

Topics will include:  Biology and Host Range of Allium Leafminer, Scouting and Monitoring for Allium Leafminer, Insecticide Efficacy Field Trial Preliminary Results

Contact Ethan at eg572@cornell.edu or 617-455-1893 for more information.

Marketing Your Farm as a Great Place to Work

October 25, 2017
1:00-4:00pm
Essex, NY

Do you have a lot of staff turnover?  Do you want to improve your communication skills with your employees? This workshop is for you.

What is my job? Hiring, training and evaluating farm employees effectively

October 25, 2017
5:00-8:00pm
Essex, NY

How well do your employees understand their jobs?  Everyone wants farm employees who know what to do without being told. Unfortunately, most people you hire or manage can't read minds. This workshop will help you develop effective tools for training and evaluating new employees or employees moving into new positions.

Welcome Jim Meyers: New Viticulture Specialist!

Jim has been working with wine grapes for 10 years, first as a Viticulture Ph.D. student at Cornell then as a Research Associate. Prior to coming to Cornell, Jim studied Chemistry and Biology (B.S. West Chester University of Pennsylvania), Computer Science (M.S. Brown University), and had a successful career as software technology entrepreneur. This background is reflected in his viticultural research which has focused on computational tools for mapping canopy and vineyard variability, quantifying relationships between variability and fruit chemistry, and optimizing efficiency of vineyard operations. As an Extension Associate, Jim will continue some of these research activities while also looking for new projects that provide targeted benefits to appellations in Eastern New York. Jim will kick off his new appointment by visiting growers at their vineyards to gather first hand knowledge of the sites and to discuss vineyard operations, goals, and challenges. Building a complete catalog of vineyards in a territory that runs 300 miles along the Route 9 corridor may take a little while, but Jim feels that the effort will lay a solid foundation for future program activities while also clearly differentiating the needs of each appellation.

White Rot Update

Earlier in June I sent a garlic sample to the diagnostic lab hoping that I was wrong. The sample was covered in small black sclerotia, the size of poppy seeds, and white fungal hyphae crept up the stem. The results, unfortunately, matched the field diagnosis: White Rot. Within a couple days additional calls came from up and down the Hudson Valley as well as one in Western NY with similar suspicions. These samples have also gone to the lab for verification, but it looks like the latest pest to move back into the state is this nasty fungus.