ENY Orchard Soil Health and Beneficial Fungi Meeting
Event Details
Date
August 15, 2024
Time
3-5pm
Location
Northern Orchards Walker Farm
688 River Rd
Peru, NY 12972
Cost
Free Registration : Free
Host
Eastern New York Commercial HorticultureENY Orchard Soil Health and Beneficial Fungi Meeting

The soils that we grow our trees in play a critical role in the success of our orchard's productivity. Mycorrhizal fungi provide many benefits to the soils, though it is still unclear to what extent inoculating our soils with commercial blends of these fungi may have on the growth of trees during orchard establishment.
Join the members of CCE ENYCHP and the Cornell Soil Health Program for a field meeting on the basics of soil health, the potential benefits of mycorrhizal fungi, and an update on the current project status of our SARE grant on orchard mycorrhizal products.
This meeting is intended for farmworkers, young and beginning orchardists, and experienced orchard managers wanting to learn about the basics of soil health and mycorrhizal fungi within the orchard.
Agenda
3:00 PM - Welcome and Introductions
3:10 PM - The Basics of Orchard Soil Health with Dr. Debbie Aller
3:50 PM - Planning for Climate Resiliency In Orchard Soils with Dr. Kitty O'Neil
4:20 PM - The Basics of Soil Mycorrhizae in New York Apple Orchards with Mike Basedow
5:00 PM - Meeting Concludes

This meeting is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under subaward number LNE23-472R.

Upcoming Events
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January 20, 2026 : Session 2: Liability Insurance
Coverage for the risk that your business will cause harm to someone. Are you having people on your farm or selling a food product? You might need liability insurance. Robert Hadad, Cornell Vegetable Program, Elizabeth Higgins, Eastern NY Commercial Hort Program.
January 27, 2026 : Session 3:Protecting Yourself from Disasters (Crop Insurance, USDA FSA programs and Flood Insurance)
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February 3, 2026 : Session 4: Insuring People (health, life and disability insurance)
Options for health insurance, life insurance and disability insurance, and how they can help farmers and their employees. Maire Ullrich, CCE Orange County and Lucas Smith, Cornell Ag Workforce Development
February 10, 2026 : Session 5: Property Insurance
Insuring your infrastructure, equipment, and livestock from loss. Learn about the types of coverage, and the risks they reduce. Colin Hostetter, Tri-County Ag Team, Desiree Keever, CCE Delaware County and Steve Glick, Kevin Daniels Agency.
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January 21, 2026 : 2026 Greenhouse Growers School
Voorheesville, NY
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2026 Cornell Winter Fruit Webinar Series
January 22, 2026 : Blueberry Pruning and Soil Health to Minimize Pests and Maximize Yield
Week 1: Blueberry Pruning and Soil Health to Minimize Pests and Maximize Yield
January 29, 2026 : Cost of Production for Fruit Crops
Week 2: Cost of Production for Fruit Crops - A new tool for tree fruit, updates on berry production in NY, and strategies for tracking and using expense data
February 12, 2026 : Fire Blight Management Updates
Week 3: Fire Blight Management Updates - Pathogen Biology, Defense Inducers, Biopesticides, and Pruning Therapies
February 19, 2026 : Pink and Petal Fall Insecticides- Can We Strike the Right Balance?
Week 4: Pink and Petal Fall Insecticides - Can We Strike the Right Balance?
March 12, 2026 : Inoculating Orchards with Mycorrhizal Fungi
Week 5: Inoculating Orchards with Mycorrhizal Fungi
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Week 6: St. Peachtrick's Day - Cherry Pruning Strategies and Plum Varieties for the Northeast
