Never happy with the weather – I’m at the lake and wet and so would like it just a titch warmer.  I’d be in the lake but I suspect it might not be good for the computer.

So what’s happening on the GDD front (oooh, that might be a weather pun)

8/28/20                9/2/20

Champlain                           2023                      2090

Geneva                                 2218                      2309

Riverhead                            2361                      2469

Riverhead might get some rain from Laura but the rest of us are safe, unless the weather changes, which it would never do, right?

Now is a good time to mark trees to watch for particular issues next year and put it in your notes for spring.  😊

Working on BMPs for agritourism – we are finding all sorts of complexities.   I’ll send them out when we have them.

8/27 Lunchtime Webinar (12-1 EST) – Using Biological Control and Pesticides Together to Manage Greenhouse Insect and Mite Pests: Can it be Done?

How to get the Using Biological Control and Pesticides Together to Manage Greenhouse Insect and Mite Pests: Can it be Done? webinar.

If you register now at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5575748117982713616 the recorded webinar will open – no credits of course (they didn’t have NY anyway)

Dr. Raymond Cloyd, Kansas State University, will discuss the fundamentals of integrating pesticides (insecticides, miticides, and fungicides) with biological control agents (parasitoids and predators) to mitigate problems with insect and mite pests.

To register, visit: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5575748117982713616

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing instructions for joining the webinar.

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Fert, Dirt and Squirt – the title alone is enough to recommend this Monitoring pH and EC of Greenhouse Crops book. Download here: https://sites.google.com/view/fertdirtandsquirt/crop-factsheets?authuser=0

Ag and Markets information on the free COVID testing for ag workers in Wayne, Orleans, Genesee, Ulster, and Clinton Counties https://www.morningagclips.com/register-for-free-covid-19-testing-opportunities/

Irrigation Association classes – online this year.  Sessions for Ag and Landscape and Golf https://www.irrigation.org/2020Show/IA_University/Landscape_and_Golf/2020Show/IA_University/Landscape-and-Golf.aspx?hkey=67ed5c01-66e2-479e-b844-3fe01d730b80

Time keeps flying along – and I never seem to catch up with it.  I hope you are all fitting in the appropriate amounts of work and play!

GDD                                       8.21.20                 8.26.20

Champlain                           1920                      2012

Geneva                                 2066                      2193

Riverhead                            2533                      2659

Not much to add to last week’s list of things to look for.

I think I’ll go pick blueberries!

Have a great week!

On August 14, the Governor announced a new initiative on mobile testing in order to reduce the spread of COVID through seasonal workers.  While this might not impact you directly, there is state guidance on prevention and response to COVID-19 on farms that applies to all farms.

It indicates that you should work with your local health department for screening, isolation and quarantine, and housing needs.

I have also heard, but don’t yet completely understand, that farms will be contacted to register for the additional testing.  If you know more than I, please pass along the information.  When I learn more, I will let you know.

Thanks to Liz Higgins from Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture of Cornell Cooperative Extension for this additional information on the NYS COVID mobile farmworker testing initiative I mentioned yesterday.

The initiative is limited to 5 counties – Wayne, Clinton, Genesee, Ulster and Erie.  The DOL and Health Dept will be directly reaching out to farms in those counties with seasonal farm workers to set up testing sites on their farms, farms will register.  Farms outside of those counties can send workers in for testing, but the focused sites will be limited to the 5 counties right now because of limited resources.  I don’t have all the links yet, but when I have the links I will send them to you.

Resources:

Safe Harvest 2020:COVID-19 Office Hours for Agriculture – starting August 25 at 4:00 pm EST – to ask questions on managing and protecting the farm workforce

https://agworkforce.cals.cornell.edu/category/coronavirus/

NYS Guidance document:

https://agriculture.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/05/agm-doh_covid19_cleaningfarm.pdf

Farmworker prevention tips:

https://agriculture.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/05/dol-doh-agm_farmworkerpreventiontips.pdf

Farm Operator Checklist:

https://agriculture.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/05/agm-doh-dol_covid19_operatorchecklist.pdf

NY Farm Bureau information on the updates – https://www.nyfb.org/news/covid-19-updates/ag-labor-resources

CDC Guidance – https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-agricultural-workers.html

Perhaps because I am living in Ithaca and listening to Cornell and other local colleges plan for fall reopening and listening to the news of other colleges closing after only a short time because the COVID numbers pick up, I am considering the effects of increasing virus levels on your businesses.  Unlike horticultural businesses that had to close in the spring, you have time (a little anyway) to plan.

So, while endeavoring not to sound like your mother scolding you or a harbinger of doom and gloom, I have 2 questions.

1. If I came to your farm tomorrow and asked to see your safety plan (because anyone can ask for it), would you be able to show it to me?
2. If the infection numbers rise in the fall and we go backwards through the Phases, including closing businesses, how would you sell trees?  What else would this affect in your business?

I don’t have answers for the second question but it is worth a discussion.  Can you switch to pre-cut and a farm stand sort of operation?  Can you have a ‘curb-side’ pickup system?

I am on a team working on agritourism guidelines based on NYS guidelines but also hopefully providing suggestions that will work for you.  I know many of you have agritourism activities

https://forward.ny.gov/phase-four-industries – scroll to Low-risk Outdoor Arts and Entertainment to find the guidelines that need to be affirmed and the safety plan.

I’ll be sending out the best management practices we come up with when they are ready.

All this makes scouting and shearing seem like a lot more fun, right?

Have a great week!

Happy Monday – we had some rain so it is happy!

High Tunnel workshop in Warsaw NY – August 18, 2020 from 6:30-7:30.  Call Don Gasiewicz at 585 786-2251 ext 113 to register.

Excellent resource on agritourism – feel free to continue sending me things that you do.  You’ll be hearing more from me on BMPs

http://tioga.cce.cornell.edu/for-farmers/agritourism

And NYS requirements for low-risk outdoor arts and entertainment – which includes agritourism.  This is another safety plan that you will need in place if you have agritourism activities at your farm.

Summary guidelines – https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/lowriskoutdoorartandentertainmentsummary.pdf

Detailed guidelines that must be read and affirmed –https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/Lowriskoutdoorartsandentertainment-MasterGuidance.pdf

Safety plan template – https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/NYS_BusinessReopeningSafetyPlanTemplate.pdf

Hydroponic lettuce seems to be popping up in my email (not literally or I would be eating more salads!) Dealing with calcium deficiency in hydroponic lettuce – https://www.greenhousegrower.com/production/vegetables-production/is-your-lettuce-crop-starving-for-calcium/

On-line greenhouse training from the University of Florida – a series of different courses – 4 weeks each 4-6 hours a week in English and Spanish – at $199 each..  The newest is on Hydroponic Vegetable Production Nov-Dec, but there are also courses on disease and weed management.  For more information, go to https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/

Want to know which masks work best?  Well, the one that you will leave on, but also Duke did a study (small but interesting) on the effects of different types of masks.  https://hartfordhealthcare.org/about-us/news-press/news-detail?articleid=27691&publicId=395

What to do if you think you find a spotted lanternfly?  There’s a new reporting form here https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/a08d60f6522043f5bd04229e00acdd63 And an excellent IPM blog post with  lots of SLF information at https://blogs.cornell.edu/nysipm/