Cauliflower

Recently, orange and purple varieties are becoming more common along with the traditional white forms.
Relevant Events
Assess and Prevent Food Safety Risks in Leafy Greens Production
March 18, 2021
2021 NYS Dry Bean Meeting

March 19, 2021
New Crop Rotation Recommendations for Swede Midge
Christy Hoepting, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program

New Cornell research has demonstrated that brassica crop rotations of 500 ft (down from 3000 ft) and 3 months (down from 3 years) could effectively "crash" a swede midge population when fields are secluded from each other, making crop rotation a much more feasible strategy for small farms. A new fact sheet details the new crop rotation recommendations and provides information on the pest's life cycle, biology, and crop preferences in addition to real-world examples of crop rotation. The crop rotation strategies were developed to serve the needs of small organic farmers, but have utility for conventional farmers as well.
Growing for Wholesale: Grading and Packing Guidelines by Crop

Grading and packing guidelines are now available for 18 commonly grown specialty crops in NYS: romaine lettuce, acorn squash, broccoli crowns, Brussels sprouts, sweet corn, green peppers, cucumbers, green cabbage, red cabbage, savoy cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, green beans, jalapenos, poblanos, Hungarian hot peppers, summer squash, and zucchini.
Growing for Wholesale: Vegetable Grading/Sizing Templates
Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program

To further assist farmers looking to sell into the wholesale markets, the Cornell Vegetable Program has put together some helpful tools. The tools provided here consist of a color photo guide highlighting the grades of some of the most common vegetables grown for wholesale market in WNY. To aid in the visualization of the grading sizes, the templates are available here for you to print off. These are scaled to size and can be used to create sizing templates to be used by workers on the wash and pack lines.
Organic Production Guides
Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program

Organic Production Guides for fruits, vegetables and dairy are available through the NYS Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. They outline general practices for growing vegetable and fruit crops using organic integrated pest management techniques.
Video: Swede Midge

Swede midge is an invasive insect pest that is threatening the viability of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, kohlrabi and turnip production within the Cornell Vegetable Program region and throughout the Northeastern US. This short video will provide you with some general information about this pest and how to scout for it in your Brassicas.
Video: Flea Beetles

Flea beetles are a common vegetable pest affecting peppers, cucurbits, sweet potato, potato, peas, beans, beets, tomato, corn, turnip, pumpkin, melon, eggplant, and others. This short video gives you some general information about this pest.
Cold Storage Chart and Reference Guide to Commercial Vegetable Storage
Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program

Commercial vegetable growers will find a Cold Storage Chart by crop type with temperature and relative humidity recommendations. The maximum number of weeks that the crop can be held under ideal conditions is provided as well.
Adapted from the USDA Bulletin #66, The Commercial Storage of Fruits, Vegetables, and Florist and Nursery Stock, growers will find information on quality, grading, sizes, and packaging, chilling and storage, and post-harvest pathology of vegetables.
Video: Produce Washing Stations - How to Use a Germicidal Bleach

Good Agricultural Practices or GAPs are the steps taken in produce packing areas to reduce microbial contamination. One area where reducing micro contamination is critical is in the washing and cleaning of produce. This video shows you a set of standard operating procedures for using a germicidal bleach in a produce washing station. Learn what supplies are required and how to calculate the amount of germicidal bleach needed to sanitize the water.
Video: Farm Food Safety as if Someone's Life Depended On It
Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program

This video is an overview of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) through on-farm risk assessment. Cornell Cooperative Extension, along with the National GAPs Program and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, has developed and implemented a nationally-recognized training program in GAPs to prepare New York growers for the marketplace's increased vigilance in food safety. You can learn more about that program through this video, as well as updates on the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), and economic information on the implementation of GAPs collected from growers through extensive interviews.
Extending the Harvest Season with Fall Production
Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program

Late season production starts in mid spring. For a successful crop, start with a detailed plan. Designate an area specific for late season production so that management can take place in one spot rather than all over the farm. This will make cultivation, pest management, using row cover, and harvesting more efficient to manage.
Swede Midge Website
Julie Kikkert, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program

As swede midge continues to spread to more farms and gardens across the United States, a comprehensive website is available to aid in the identification and management of this pest of cole crops.


Upcoming Events
Managing Soil Nitrogen in Winter High Tunnels
March 5, 2021
To meet the year-round demand for locally produced food, vegetable farmers have embraced protected agriculture to extend their growing season, improve yields, and enhance crop quality. However, a statewide survey found that after several growing seasons, farmers struggle to maintain productivity due to challenges in long term soil health and fertility management. Cornell Cooperative Extension is exploring practices that high tunnel growers can adopt to better manage soil fertility and improve soil health.
Grab your lunch and join us for a virtual conversation on Friday, March 5, 2021 from 12:00pm - 1:30pm to hear our project updates and research results.
Assess and Prevent Food Safety Risks in Leafy Greens Production
March 18, 2021
This training will provide an overview of possible sources of contamination related to soil amendments, wildlife, water, post-harvest handling, transportation and more. This training will emphasize specific risks that leafy greens growers may experience, identify tangible corrective actions that can be taken, and provide participants the opportunity to work through example scenarios as a group.
2021 NYS Dry Bean Meeting

March 19, 2021
Join the us for the annual Dry Bean Meeting! There will be presentations covering the latest research in NY dry beans. Topic areas include market updates, white mold management, Western bean cutworm and soybean cyst nematode management, herbicide resistance management, dry bean variety testing, and incorporating NY dry beans into schools. This meeting is sponsored by Genesee Valley Bean Company, and Bayer CropScience.