Fruit and Vegetable Workshops

FRUITS AND HERBS

Growing and Harvesting Healing Herbs
Saturday 8:00 AM
Herbs Suitable to small farms are a vital part of community medicine. Healing herbs need to be dried in such a way to preserve medicinal integrity along with the very spirit of the plant. Michael Phillips, author and orchardist, will share soil-building tips, plant specifics, wildcrafting do’s and don’ts, drying techniques, and marketing insights about herb farming.

Pomona’s Secrets: Lesser-Known, Cold-Hardy, Delectable, Pest-Free Fruits
Saturday 1:00 PM
Let Lee Reich, author of Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden and Landscaping with Fruit, introduce you to some fruits, such as pawpaw, medlar, Nanking cherry, and persimmon, that are not well-known but have delectable flavors and are easy to grow. These "secret" fruits of Pomona (Roman Goddess of Fruits) are cold-hardy, laugh off pests, and require little, in some cases no, pruning. And if that's not enough: some of these fruits—hardy kiwi, juneberry, and cornelian cherry, for example—are borne on ornamental plants, perfect for "luscious landscaping" and ripe for organic commercial production.

Pruning and Grafting Techniques for Fruit Trees
Saturday 2:30 PM
Correct and timely pruning is the key to keeping apples, peaches, grapes, blueberries, and other fruiting plants healthy and productive and bearing the tastiest fruits. Lee Reich, author of The Pruning Book, to learn the how and, importantly, the why of pruning these plants in their young, developing stage and then as they mature and bear fruits. We’ll also go over how to bring a neglected, old plant back to its former, luscious glory

Wild Edibles: The Splendor of Little Known Herbs, Weeds, and Foraged Foods
Saturday 4:15 PM
Chef and cookbook author Didi Emmons and herb farmer Eva Sommaripa will discuss twelve extraordinary winter herbs, weeds, and foraged foods that can not only brighten but transform one’s daily food experience while boosting one’s health and the planet’s.  Drawing on extensive experience,  Didi and Eva will expound on the many uses for these delicacies and samples and recipes will be provided. Yum!

Fun with Fungus: Log Cultivation of Shiitake Mushrooms
Sunday 8:00 AM
Organic mushrooms are a great high-value crop. Join Steve and Julie Rockcastle, Green Heron Growers, will address the specifics of laying yard site selection, spawn & log choices, and our harvesting and marketing experiences as well as share their enterprise's viability report for our 4 years of shiitake production.

Growing Hops Commercially in the Northeast
Sunday 9:30 AM
Once booming in the Northeast, hop production slowed to a crawl in the last century as a result of disease and pest pressure. New disease resistant varieties and pest management techniques, however, are helping the industry make a comeback. Steve Miller, Northeast Hop Alliance, and producers will discuss tapping into the rapidly expanding market for hops in New York State. 

VEGETABLES

Advanced Integrated Pest Management
Saturday 8:00 AM
OK- you’re mildly familiar with trap crops, predatory wasps, and using ladybugs for aphid control. This session will help you take your IPM knowledge to the next level. Jud Reid, Robert Hadad, and Abby Seaman, Cornell Vegetable Program, will provide advanced tips and techniques. 

Organic Garlic
Saturday 1:00 PM
From soil preparation to selling the final product, join Jill and Ken Gies, Neppa Hatchery, for a discussion of all things garlic! Accompanied by beautiful photos and helpful handouts, Jill and Ken will cover bed preparation, planting, mulching, weeding, fertilizing, scape removal, water requirements, harvest, and curing. 

Vegetable Variety Roundtable
Saturday 2:30 PM

Out of all the tomatoes you grow, which one is your favorite? Is there a variety of lettuce that you’ve tried every year and never had luck with? We’ll divide into a few groups and discuss our favorite varieties, the banes of our existence, and everything in between. Jud Reid, Cornell Vegetable Program, will facilitate a discussion based on growers’ interests.

No-Till Vegetable Production
Saturday 4:15 PM

Jay Armour, Four Winds Farm, will give an overview of the organic no-till vegetable production system that he has used for 15 years. Lee Reich, popular author and fruit and vegetable grower, will join Jay in discussing this system. Erin Enouen and Sam Zurofsky, Second Wind CSA (and former Four Winds interns), will discuss no-till vegetable production from the perspective of new farmers. 

From the Routine to the Innovative: Practices for Managing Mildews in Cucurbit Crops
Sunday 8:00 AM
Downy mildew has become a serious disease problem for many certified organic farms and can devastate cucumbers, melons, and winter squash plants in a matter of days. Lou lego, Elderberry Pond, had developed an innovative way to completely protect the plants from this disease, and will present his spore exculsion approach and suggest practical extensions of the technique. Meg McGrath, Cornell Cooperative Extension, will discuss other growing tips to help you keep your cucurbits healthy and productive.

Cover Cropping Mixes and Techniques: A Grower Discussion
Sunday 9:30 AM
Cover cropping is a valuable, but underused tool for organic producers. How do you choose the right variety or mix for a particular rotation? Join veteran farmers Jean-Paul Courtens and Jody Bolluyt, Roxbury Farm, for a discussion of cover cropping mixes and techniques.