The NYS Dry Bean Meeting will be back online again this year, with 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, dry bean variety testing, and incorporating NY dry beans into schools. This event will be held virtually via Zoom, and 1.5 DEC credits will be available. 

Frustrated with bird control on your farm? Curious about what laser scarecrows are or how to optimize their set up? The University of Rhode Island and Cornell Cooperative Extension have teamed up to share their research and on-farm experiences using the University of Rhode Island laser scarecrow which utilizes a constantly moving green laser beam to scare birds away from fields. This workshop will feature a presentation by Rebecca Nelson Brown and David Brown of the University of Rhode Island about the laser scarecrow and what improvements have been made for 2022. Cornell Cooperative Extension Educators Chuck Bornt and Julie Kikkert will share their experiences testing the devices on New York farms. This online event is FREE!

This workshop will cover the principles and practices of farm food safety for fresh produce farmers. Whether a buyer is asking for you to have a GAPs audit/certification or you just want to learn about improving food safety practices, this workshop is for you.

Topics are broken down into sections covering assessing situations where risk of microbial contamination could and would be a problem. These include land use, appraising adjacent land issues, handling manure/compost, wildlife and domestic animals, water sources/quality, pre-harvest, harvest, and post-harvest operations, wash/pack procedures, facility hygiene and sanitation, and worker training.

Special Permit Training (SPT) for 2022 will be offered again this year in a virtual format. It will be the responsibility of the Supervisor/Certified Pesticide Applicator(s) on each farm to administer the pre-recorded training modules and written exam to their Special Permit trainees.   

Hands-on tunnel production meeting centered on early tomato and flower basket production. Topics include biological and IPM aphid control, tomato fertility management, cultural practices for raising flower baskets, and other IPM topics. Guest speakers are Betsy Lamb of the NYS IPM Program and Jeff Werner. Free to attend! 

Microgreens represent a rapidly growing segment of the food industry. They require only a small production area. Compared to other crops they mature fast and can be harvested soon after seeding. They can be grown year-round and provide farmers with income out of season. In this virtual workshop hosted by CCE Monroe County, speakers from the CCE Cornell Vegetable Program, Johnny's Selected Seeds, the University of Rochester, and SCORE will share their expertise on the subject.