Grapes
Grapes are thought to have been first cultivated more than 7,000 years ago near present-day Iran. New York ranks third in wine and grape production in the U.S. (California and Washington are the top two). The 2012 Census of Agriculture reports that there are about 1200 farms with about 36,000 acres of land dedicated to grape production in New York State. Greater than half of these farms produce grapes on less than 25 acres. Eastern New York, a relative newcomer to commercial grape production, has 650 acres under cultivation. There are four major wine producing regions in New York (Lake Erie, Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley, and Long Island). These areas are officially recognized by the Federal Tax and Trade Bureau. Improvement in cold hardiness of grape cultivars and increased consumer interest in local wine production has allowed wine trails in non-traditional grape regions to flourish (e.g. Lake Champlain Region). A small amount of acreage is even being devoted to table grapes.
The total New York grape crop value was estimated at $52.3 million at the time of the census. Grapes processed into juice accounted for 62% of the total production, with the remaining 36% and 2% going to wine and fresh market respectively.
For more information about grape production, please visit the Cornell Grape website at http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/grape/index.htm.
Relevant Events
Apple Grower Listening Session - USDA RMA Crop Insurance
June 28, 2023
Highland, NY
Small Fruit Opportunities for Small Farms
July 11, 2023
Willsboro, NY
Heritage Wines of the Hudson Valley
Jim Meyers, Viticulture Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
American viticulture and wine culture is rooted in the 19th century northeast. New York, in particular, produced the first commercial wines in the United States at a time when several grape breeding programs were active in the Hudson Valley. Despite this history, your local wine shop is not selling wines made from the old cultivars of New England and New York. Today, most of the products found in the wine shop are made from traditional European cultivars (e.g. Cabernet Franc and Riesling is readily found on shelves), even when grown and produced in New York.
'Early Season Grape Disease Management, Spring 2020' by Katie Gold
Jim Meyers, Viticulture Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Early season grape disease control is critical for season long protection. Most grape pathogens prefer soft, succulent tissues and immature berries. If disease is allowed to take hold during the early season, late season control will become near to impossible at worst, and incredibly challenging (and expensive) at best. Early season disease control pays for itself. Management in the early season in New York primarily focuses on five diseases: phomopsis, black rot, downy mildew, powdery mildew, and anthracnose.
SWD Insecticides Quick Guide 2020
Laura McDermott, Team Leader, Small Fruit and Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
June 2020 - Labeled Insecticides for Control of Spotted Wing Drosophila in New York Berry Crops - Quick Guide
Onion and Seed Corn Maggot Concerns in a Cold, Wet Spring
Crystal Stewart-Courtens, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Last year we saw a lot of problems with root feeding damage from maggots early in the season, which has growers on edge about pest pressure this year. Seed corn maggots can damage a variety of crops, and in previous years have been observed on everything from sunflower shoots in the greenhouse to pea seedlings and onion transplants in the field. Onion maggots are more particular, and will only feed on allium hosts.
Eastern Promises: Appellations and Precision
Jim Meyers, Viticulture Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
NEWA Workshop Program Key Takeaways
ENYCHP hosted a NEWA training workshop in Voorheesville in April 2018. Here are some of the main takeaways from the training.
2018 Eastern New York Fruit & Vegetable Conference Vegetable Presentations
Presentations from the 2018 ENYCHP Eastern New York Fruit & Vegetable Conference held February 20th and 21st for the vegetable sections.
Labeled Insecticides for Control of Spotted Wing Drosophila in New York Berries
A Quick Guide to Labeled Insecticides for Control of Spotted Wing Drosophila in New York Berry Crops
Compiled by Greg Loeb, Laura McDermott, Peter Jentsch, Tess Grasswitz, & Juliet Carroll, Cornell University. Updated regularly.
2017 Grape Disease Control
Anna Wallis, Tree Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Wayne Wilcox has updated his annual Grape Disease Control manifesto. The document is available here.
Eastern NY Grape Industry Growth Prompts Marketing Initiatives,Specialist Hiring
Anne Mills, Field Technician
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Eastern New York grape and wine industry growth is sparking innovative marketing initiatives and the hiring of a new regional grape specialist.
Bird Damage in Tree Fruits
Anne Mills, Field Technician
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Frugivorous birds impose significant costs on tree fruit growers through direct consumption of fruit and
grower efforts to manage birds.We documented factors that influenced tree fruit bird damage from 2012
through 2014 with a coordinated field study in Michigan, New York, and Washington. For sweet cherries,
percent bird damage was higher in 2012 compared to 2013 and 2014, in Michigan and New York
compared toWashington, and in blocks with more edges adjacent to non-sweet cherry land-cover types.
These patterns appeared to be associated with fruit abundance patterns; 2012 was a particularly lowyield
year for tree fruits in Michigan and New York and percent bird damage was high. In addition,
percent bird damage to sweet and tart cherries in Michigan was higher in landscapes with low to
moderate forest cover compared to higher forest cover landscapes. 'Honeycrisp' apple blocks under
utility wires were marginally more likely to have greater bird damage compared to blocks without wires.
We recommend growers prepare bird management plans that consider the spatial distribution of fruit
and non-fruit areas of the farm. Growers should generally expect to invest more in bird management in
low-yield years, in blocks isolated from other blocks of the same crop, and in blocks where trees can
provide entry to the crop for frugivorous birds.
Bird Damage Q&A
Anne Mills, Field Technician
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Is it OK to deploy kestrel nesting boxes in areas where there are red tail hawks?
Yes, we deploy boxes where there are red-tailed hawks. RTHAs are essentially everywhere so we can't avoid areas where they live.
Can a person raise and distribute American kestrels?
There are likely all types of regulations about this type of thing, if it's even possible, given that kestrels are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Installing and Monitoring American Kestrel Nest Boxes in Orchards
Anne Mills, Field Technician
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Installing and Monitoring American Kestrel
Nest Boxes in Orchards by Megan Shave, Michigan State University
Grapevine Nutrition & Vineyard Nutrient Management
Anne Mills, Field Technician
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Department of Horticulture
Cornell University
HVRL Vineyard Update
Anne Mills, Field Technician
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
ViticulturalHorticulturalist
Cornell Hudson Valley Research Lab
2016 Spider Mites and Dry Hot Weather
Anna Wallis, Tree Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Given the hot, dry conditions this season and that vines are showing drought stress, it is extra important to be scouting for spider mites right now. Here is a brief note from Greg Loeb, Cornell Entomology, summarizing the issues and providing recommendations.
2016 Grape Disease Control
Anna Wallis, Tree Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Wayne Wilcox has updated his Grape Disease Control guidelines for the 2016 season. You can access the document here!
2016 NENY & VT Winter Grape School Presentations
Anna Wallis, Tree Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Presentations from the Viticulture sessions of the Northeastern NY & VT Winter Grape School held March 17, 2016 in Lake George.
Fruit School 2016 - Andy Senesac's Vineyard Weed Managemtent Presentation
Jim O'Connell, Small Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Fruit School 2016 - FROST BLANKETS FOR TENDER VINIFERA
Jim O'Connell, Small Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Fruit School 2016 - Grapevine Leaf roller & Grape Mealy bugs
Jim O'Connell, Small Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Fruit School 2016 -GRAPE BERRY MOTH PRESENTATION
Jim O'Connell, Small Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Vineyard Pest Management - Webinar Recording 5/13/15
Anna Wallis, Tree Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Navigating the NYS DEC: How to Get Your Certified Pesticide Applicator License
Jim O'Connell, Small Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
As a grape grower in the Northeast, one of your biggest challenges is combating the insects, diseases, and other pests invading your vineyard. Although you do not need a license to purchase or use some pesticides, obtaining your certified pesticide applicator license will give you access to more materials that you can add to your pest combatting-arsenal.
2015 Grape Disease Control
Anna Wallis, Tree Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Wayne Wilcox has updated his Grape Disease Control guidelines for 2015.
2014 Veraison to Harvest Issue #10 (pdf)
Jim O'Connell, Small Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2014 Veraison to Harvest #10 (pdf)
From Official Disaster to Region of the Year: Just another New York Wine Season (Gerling)
Big Berries Fuel Concord Harvest (Martinson)
Fruit Chemistry Trends: 2010-2014
Radical Leaf Removal around Bloom to Reduce Cluster Compactness in Riesling (Persico & Martinson)
Thanks to Our Funders
The Crew
2014 Veraison to Harvest Issue #7 (pdf)
Jim O'Connell, Small Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2014 Veraison to Harvest #7 (pdf)
Around New York (Martinson, Haggerty, O'Connell, Wise & Tarleton, Walter-Peterson)
2014 Lake Erie Concord Update (Bates)
Harvest at the V&B Lab: Winemaking Activities in Geneva (Gerling)
Fruit Maturation Report 10/07/2014
Class Trip to Long Island (Vanden Heuvel)
2014 Veraison to Harvest Issue #8 (pdf)
Jim O'Connell, Small Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2014 Veraison to Harvest #8 (pdf)
Around New York (Martinson, Haggerty, O'Connell, Wise & Tarleton, Walter-Peterson)
Marquette and Frontenac Plots Harvested at Clayton (Martinson & Particka)
Fruit Maturation Report 10/14/2014
2014 Veraison to Harvest Issue #9 (pdf)
Jim O'Connell, Small Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2014 Veraison to Harvest #9 (pdf)
Around New York (Martinson, Haggerty, O'Connell, Wise & Tarleton, Walter-Peterson)
Towards Green Wines (Chris Gerling)
Fruit Maturation Report 10/21/2014
More on Marquette: Shaded versus Exposed Clusters on the Same Vines (Martinson & Particka)
2014 Veraison to Harvest Issue #6 (pdf)
Jim O'Connell, Small Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2014 Veraison to Harvest #6 (pdf)
https://grapesandwine.cals.cornell.edu/sites/grapesandwine.cals.cornell.edu/files/shared/Veraison-To-Harvest-2014-Issue-6.pdf
In this issue
Around New York (Martinson, Haggerty, O'Connell, Wise & Tarleton, Walter-Peterson)
2014 Lake Erie Concord Update (Bates)
Winery Safety Series: Noise Exposure and Hearing Loss Prevention (Schmitt and Mansfield)
Fruit Maturation Report 9/30/2014
Iron deficiency in Catawba: High pH Soils (Martinson)
2014 Veraison to Harvest Issue #5 (pdf)
Jim O'Connell, Small Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2014 Veraison to Harvest #5 (pdf)
http://grapesandwine.cals.cornell.edu/sites/grapesandwine.cals.cornell.edu/files/shared/Veraison-To-Harvest-2014-Issue-5.pdf
Around New York (Martinson, Haggerty, O'Connell, Wise & Tarleton, Walter-Peterson)
2014 Lake Erie Concord Update (Bates)
Project Focus: Grape Virologists Visit Long Island (Martinson)
Fruit Maturation Report 9/16/2014
Research Vineyard at Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center (Martinson)
2014 Veraison to Harvest Issue #4 (pdf)
Jim O'Connell, Small Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2014 Veraison to Harvest #4 (pdf):
https://grapesandwine.cals.cornell.edu/sites/grapesandwine.cals.cornell.edu/files/shared/Veraison-To-Harvest-2014-Issue-4.pdf
In this issue
Around New York (Martinson, Haggerty, O'Connell, Wise & Tarleton, Walter-Peterson)
2014 Lake Erie Concord Update (Bates)
Introduction to Winery Safety (Schmitt & Mansfield)
Fruit Maturation Report 9/16/2014
Marquette and Frontenac Fruit Composition at Clayton (Particka and Martinson
2014 Veraison to Harvest Issue #3 (pdf)
Jim O'Connell, Small Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2014 Veraison to Harvest #3 (pdf):
https://grapesandwine.cals.cornell.edu/sites/grapesandwine.cals.cornell.edu/files/shared/Veraison-To-Harvest-2014-Issue-3.pdf
In this issue
Around New York (Martinson, Haggerty, O'Connell, Wise & Tarleton, Walter-Peterson)
2014 Lake Erie Concord Update (Bates)
Assessing the 2014 Winemaking Season (Gerling)
Fruit Maturation Report 9/9/2014
Marquette and Frontenac Fruit Composition at Clayton (Particka and Martinson)
2014 Veraison to Harvest Issue #2 (pdf)
Jim O'Connell, Small Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2014 Veraison to Harvest #2 (pdf):
In this issue
Around New York (Martinson, Haggerty, O'Connell, Wise & Tarleton, Walter-Peterson)
2014 Lake Erie Concord Update (Bates)
Understanding and Managing Sour Rot (Wilcox)
Fruit Maturation Report 9/2/2014
Jim O'Connell: Our newest contributor to Veraison to Harvest (Martinson)
Hudson Valley Grapes Program Blog
Jim O'Connell, Small Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
For important updates, and access to more grape information (fruit school talks, fact sheet links, etc.), check out Jims blog: http://blogs.cornell.edu/hudsonvalleygrapes/
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS ANNOUNCES ACTIONS TO ASSIST FARM WINERIES
Jim O'Connell, Small Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball today announced that, due to harsh winter weather conditions, actions have been taken to protect the states farm wineries that were potentially impacted.
Spotted Wing Drosophila Found
Jim O'Connell, Small Fruit and Grape Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Apples
Apricots
Asparagus
Beets
Blueberries
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Cherries
Cucumbers
Dry Beans
Eggplant
Ethnic Vegetables
Garlic
Grapes
Horseradish
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce / Leafy Greens
Melons
Nectarines
Onions
Parsnips
Peaches
Pears
Peas
Peppers
Plums
Potatoes
Pumpkins / Gourds
Radishes
Raspberries / Blackberries
Rhubarb
Rutabaga
Snap Beans
Squash - Summer
Squash- Winter
Strawberries
Sweet Corn
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Turnips
Upcoming Events
Apple Grower Listening Session - USDA RMA Crop Insurance
June 28, 2023
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.
Small Fruit Opportunities for Small Farms
July 11, 2023
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