Although sweet potatoes have been grown in New York, they have received much more attention in the last couple of years due to the value of the health benefits it offers. Even though acreage is not normally recorded, we estimate that there are over 200 acres of sweet potatoes being grown throughout NYS. However, due to the long growing season that is required (100 days plus), they are generally produced on raised beds mulched with black plastic. Orange skinned, orange fleshed types are the dominant types grown here, but there are also white skinned, white fleshed and orange skinned, white fleshed varieties grown in the state. Sweet potatoes have also gained popularity with organic producers to replace winter squash production due to the fact that they have almost no disease or insect problems when grown here and can be stored longer then winter squash in many cases. The increase in winter farmer's markets or winter CSA shares has also increased sweet potato production in NY. However, deer and mice can be major vertebrate pests of sweet potatoes. Variety trials, plant density research and the use of floating rowcovers for increased production are being evaluated in the Capital District region of NY.

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CANCELLED: Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) / Harmonized GAPs Farm Food Safety Training

September 26 - September 27, 2017
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Salamanca, NY

This event has been cancelled due to low registration numbers. Farm food safety is common-sense practices organized to assist farmers to improve their skill set to continue to grow safe and healthy food.

Day One of this training will be an educational training on farm food safety principles and practices to provide the background and information for farmers to understand how to minimize the risk of food born disease contamination. Day Two will be for those who want help with writing a farm food safety plan.

Pickle Variety Twilight Meeting

September 26, 2017
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Ransomville, NY

Vegetable growers are invited to tour an on-farm plot of early generation Cornell downy mildew resistant pickle breeding lines. Dr. Michael Mazourek, Professor of Plant Breeding, and lab members, will be on site to walk growers through the plot and review plant selections. All growers that attend will be an integral part of helping make selections for the next generation of pickle varieties released!

Season Extension - Stretching Tomato Season and Winter Greens

October 4, 2017
4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Allegany, NY

What do you need to do to stretch out your high tunnel tomato season or establish a profitable crop of winter greens? Meeting the full season's nutritional demands of tomatoes under organic management is challenging. Juggling diverse succession crops and keeping the tunnel profitable year round adds an extra level of difficulty. 

Produce Donations for Hurricane Relief

The ENY Commercial Horticulture Program is leading an effort to collect pallets of produce to send down to TX and FL for hurricane relief. Feeding American is handling the transportation. "Hard" crops accepted:

• apples
• onions
• cabbage
• potatoes
• winter squash
• any other crop that withstand no refrigeration for a week

Empire State Producers EXPO Proceedings Available

Proceedings from the Empire State Producers EXPO conference from 2011-2017 are available online.