At this time of the year, we should always be keeping an eye on the weather in the week ahead, and the shift toward warmer temperatures this week means that we may be seeing the first signs of green tissue on trees in many sites in Vermont. Green tip indicates the beginning of the growing season, and is an important biofix for apple scab models. Keep checking your trees daily and note the date when 50% of buds on ‘McIntosh’ have opened enough to see green tissue from the side. That date should be used in NEWA to mark your biofix for apple scab ascospore maturity. For the UVM Horticulture Farm in South Burlington, that was today.

Potential for apple scab infection increases with temperatures as more ascospores mature to be released in rain events. In the early season. Not many spores are mature, and if you had good scab control last year, i.e., no visible lesions all season, then the small percentage of mature spores in a low inoculum situation may give you some early season breathing room. But if you did have a problem with scab last year, or a neighboring orchard harbors substantial inoculum, you should be ready early in the season to protect your trees. Copper is the standard, first spray of the year in virtually all orchard, as it helps to reduce fire blight inoculum and is a moderate fungicide against scab that can cover the first infection event for that disease.

But copper is a tricky material- it must be on the plant and not washed-off by the time fire blight cankers are oozing with the onset of warm weather, but if applied too late, copper ions on developing buds can cause fruit russeting. I would plan on applying copper to any orchard that had any amount of fire blight last year and which is showing green tissue or at least solid silver tip as soon as you have a suitable spray window. If possible, I would plan on applying copper to any orchard, period, that is between silver tip and half-inch green in the next 7-10 days. There is a pile of materials out there and for all intents and purposes for this delayed dormant spray any of them are effective as long as you are applying a good full rate of copper ions. The standard dry materials like Champ, C-O-C-S, Cuprofix, Kocide, etc. will give you the best bang for the buck here, and I would apply the full label rate for any of them and thoroughly spray the whole orchard. The only caveat I offer is if phenology advances rapidly before you can get out there and the trees are at 1/2” green tip, in that case, I would apply a low to middle rate. After 1/2” green tip, unless you don’t care about fruit finish (e.g., cider fruit), I would avoid copper.

This isn’t a bad time to get oil on, either, but the rate should be 2% by volume and coverage absolutely thorough to soak overwintering mite eggs, scale, and aphids. If time is of the essence, focus on copper first.

There is still time to do some sanitation in the orchard by flail mowing leaves and fine brush, and/or applying a coarse urea spray (44 lb feed grade urea in 100 gal water applied per acre, directed at the leaf litter) to speed decomposition and reduce apple scab inoculum.

Keep an eye on NEWA regularly as we enter into the 2024 season. I am seeing some stations that are offline- please contact me if you need help maintaining yours. Up-to-date spray tables may be found in the New England Tree Fruit Management Guide available online at netreefruit.org and shortly in hard copy format.

__

Terence Bradshaw (he/him)
Associate Professor, Specialty Crops
Interim Chair
Department of Plant and Soil Science
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

University of Vermont
117/210 – Jeffords Hall | 63 Carrigan Dr
Burlington, VT 05405

(802) 922-2591 | tbradsha
https://go.uvm.edu/pssbradshaw

Information for commercial orchard and vineyard managers in Vermont and beyond:

UVM Fruit Website | UVM Fruit Blog
Horticulture Research and Education Center
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A grower in Northern New Hampshire is retiring and selling his full line of commercial cider pressing equipment, including:

· Greefa apple sorter with outfeed tables

· Tew apple washer with infeed conveyor

· Oesco Sanifeed with conveyor

· 18" Oesco stainless table rack press (upgraded), with new cloths

· 250 gallon stainless bulk tank with compressor & agitator

· Single door dairy case with new compressor

· 5 nozzle stainless siphon filler

· 2 transfer pumps

· All hoses, fittings, and electrical switches

See the listing for pictures and contact information:

https://vermont.craigslist.org/grd/d/whitefield-cider-equipment/7714410477.html

Where trade names or commercial products are used for identification, no discrimination is intended and no endorsement is implied. Always read the label before using any pesticide. The label is the legal document for the product use. Disregard any information in this message if it is in conflict with the label.

The UVM Tree Fruit and Viticulture Program is supported by the University of Vermont Agriculture Experiment Station, UVM Extension, USDA NIFA E-IPM Program, and USDA Risk Management Agency.

UVM Extension helps individuals and communities put research-based knowledge to work. University of Vermont Extension, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status.

I hope it’s not another nail biter of a season, but this ‘winter’ has many of us concerned about early bud break and spring frost risk on vines, again, for many. I want to highlight this webinar offered on 9:00-12:00 AM Thursday, March 14 by Michigan State University Extension Grape program that should be of interest to many. It is free to attend but you must preregister. https://www.canr.msu.edu/events/prepare-for-potential-late-winter-freeze-and-early-spring-frost-risks-in-michigan-vineyards?utm_source=cc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=extensiondigests. Find the registration link at the bottom.

As far as any wisdom I have to offer, I am afraid it’s not a lot as it comes to magic fixes as we enter what could be an early bud break. I have had some growers ask me about spray-on frost/freeze inhibitors like RedOx or Agro-K KDL and I just don’t have good independent, consistent, science-based recommendations for their use. That said, if we are seeing frost / freeze conditions that could affect sensitive budded out or deacclimated vines, a couple hundred dollars may be cheap insurance for a product that may not work. At this point, vines should still be hardy down below 0°F based on the Cornell Climate Smart Farming model, so we still have some time before we get too concerned. Note- since many may run over to that model, please keep in mind that models can be erroneously inaccurate based on input parameters. I do not trust the rapid deacclimation that the model shows in thew next week, as I cannot replicate it in any past weather scenarios. I think the model is showing a couple of warmer days coming up and setting a trend based on them, but that is not what the long-range forecast says. Either way, get your pruning done.

On the note of pruning, one practice that we know can delay bud break is to long prune. This works if you are spur pruning, where a longer spur of 4-6 extra buds is left which delays the bud break of basal buds on the spur. It’s likely too late to long prune anything you pruned in winter, and if you do long prune, you will still need to trim those spurs down to 1-2 buds at shoot thinning time.

Good luck out there, and let’s hope the spring comes in like a nice, gentle lamb.

-Terry

Where trade names or commercial products are used for identification, no discrimination is intended and no endorsement is implied. Always read the label before using any pesticide. The label is the legal document for the product use. Disregard any information in this message if it is in conflict with the label.

The UVM Tree Fruit and Viticulture Program is supported by the University of Vermont Agriculture Experiment Station, UVM Extension, USDA NIFA E-IPM Program, and USDA Risk Management Agency.

UVM Extension helps individuals and communities put research-based knowledge to work. University of Vermont Extension, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status.

I need this information by the end of the day Thursday, 2/29!!!

Good evening:

https://go.uvm.edu/23freezedamage

I will be testifying Friday afternoon on VT House Bill H.813 that would provide funds to tree fruit growers affected by the May 18, 2023 freeze event. As written, the bill is restricted to tree fruit (mainly apple) growers, yet the grape growers have recently testified on the impact of the freeze to their industry. As a public Extension employee, I will be presenting data that does not advocate for legislation but rather informs legislators so they may take the best course of action in crafting policy.

I need good, accurate data to make my testimony effective.

https://go.uvm.edu/23freezedamage

Please complete this survey- even if you have already given me this data in any other prior survey- so that I may have the most accurate information available. It is really simple, and completely anonymous.

Thank you. I hope this will be productive and will inform the legislation appropriately.

https://go.uvm.edu/23freezedamage

Terry

Sending this on behalf of the Duttons and the industry overall. The VT House Agriculture Committee is taking testimony Thursday on a bill to provide financial relief to farmers affected by last year’s freeze. Please se the information below if you’d like to participate. -TB

Hello, fellow apple growers of Vermont,

I am emailing you to encourage you to step forward and give witness testimony for the frost that affected our apple crop last May. We lost between 80-90% of our apple crop on our farm in Windham county. Bill H.813, or the Tree Fruit Farmer Assistance Program, is going to be reviewed by the House Committee on Agriculture tomorrow at 2:45 pm; testimony will be given by Casey Darrow (Green Mountain Orchards), Simon Renault (Scott Farm) and Joseph Dutton (Dutton Berry Farm). The committee is open to testimony, again on Thursday at 1:00 pm; if any of you are available to testify I encourage you to. You can attend in person or on zoom. For further information on how you can testify, email SLary.

In case you are not aware Bill H.813 (An act relating to establishing the Tree Fruit Farmer Assistance Program) was put forth by Rep. Arrison of Weathersfield, and Rep. Mrowicki of Putney, (Anthony of Barre City, Burke of Brattleboro, Chase of Chester, Hooper of Burlington, Ode of Burlington, Patt of Worcester, Rice of Dorset, Sibilia of Dover, and Surprenant of Barnard) on the 16th of January. If this bill is passed, farmers will be able to submit an application and be eligible to receive aid for lost revenue from our apple crops.

Thank you all for reading this, and thank you to everyone who is working towards getting this bill passed or any other aid that will help us after this loss.

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.813 2024 Page 1 of 3

House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry Agenda

Lily Dutton, on behalf of Dutton Berry Farm

Where trade names or commercial products are used for identification, no discrimination is intended and no endorsement is implied. Always read the label before using any pesticide. The label is the legal document for the product use. Disregard any information in this message if it is in conflict with the label.

The UVM Tree Fruit and Viticulture Program is supported by the University of Vermont Agriculture Experiment Station, UVM Extension, USDA NIFA E-IPM Program, and USDA Risk Management Agency.

UVM Extension helps individuals and communities put research-based knowledge to work. University of Vermont Extension, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status.

Registration is now open for pesticide applicator meetings provided by the University of Vermont Extension Pesticide Safety Education Program. Approved credits by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets and may be applied to all New England participants under cooperative agreement.

• March 19: Agricultural Pesticide Applicator Meeting updates on pest management and pesticide safety practices in agriculture for certified applicators (virtual via Zoom)
• April 9: Initial Pesticide Certification Meeting review of the Northeast CORE Manual followed by the Vermont Pesticide Applicator CORE Exam for new applicators (in-person)

See below for details.

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Agricultural Pesticide Applicator Meeting

March 19, 2024

9am-1:30pm Virtual via Zoom

Please register at: https://go.uvm.edu/vtaa24. Registration fee is $30. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Updates on pest management and pesticide safety practices in agriculture for certified applicators. Agenda will include Regulatory Updates, Rodenticide Use Standards, Vermont Pollinator Rule FAQs and Best Practices, Avoiding Herbicide Resistance in Weed Management, Worker Protection Standards Review, Respirator Safety & Fit Testing.

This program will provide Vermont and New York recertification credits. In order to receive credits you must log in individually and answer poll questions during the meeting. Those seeking NY credit must submit a copy of their applicator ID by March 15 and check-in for roll call prior to start of meeting.

Visit sarah.kingsley

Sponsored by UVM Extension Pesticide Safety Education Program and Vermont Agency of Agriculture

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. University of Vermont Extension, Burlington, Vermont. University of Vermont Extension, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status. Any reference to commercial products, trade names, or brand names is for information only, and no endorsement or approval is intended.

***************************

Initial Pesticide Certification Meeting

April 9, 2024

9am-4pm

In-Person Interactive Sites: Rutland, Brattleboro, St. Johnsbury, Burlington

Please register at: https://go.uvm.edu/core24. Registration fee is $40. After April 1, Late Registration is $60.

Review of the Northeast CORE Manual and inserts followed by the Vermont Pesticide Applicator CORE Exam for new applicators. This review is for anyone in the state of Vermont who uses, supervises, recommends, or sells pesticides and/or trains Worker Protection Standard pesticide handlers/agricultural workers.

This program does not provide recertification credits. It is necessary to study the CORE manual and regulations before the review to have all the knowledge necessary to pass the exam. A passing score of 75% is required. CORE manuals and required inserts (pdf downloads) must be obtained in advance from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets at https://go.uvm.edu/vaafm-manuals

Visit sarah.kingsley

Sponsored by UVM Extension Pesticide Safety Education Program and Vermont Agency of Agriculture

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. University of Vermont Extension, Burlington, Vermont. University of Vermont Extension, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status. Any reference to commercial products, trade names, or brand names is for information only, and no endorsement or approval is intended.

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Since 2002, more than 100 farmers, producers and people dedicated to supporting Vermont’s working landscape have been inducted into the Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame! Each new year brings new nominations throughout Vermont’s Agricultual landscape. Nominations do not carry over from previous years if not selected, but we invite you to resubmit nominations again this year if compelled.

You may nominate one individual per category. Nominations will be accepted until 5pm Friday March 8th.

Please submit between 500/1000 words regarding your nomination and keep in mind that the judging panel may not be familiar with the nominee.

There are 3 categories:

Emerging Leader: This category highlights those who are stepping up to become the next generation of agricultural leaders in Vermont. Age 40 or younger (born after June 1, 1984), these individuals demonstrate a deep commitment to Vermont’s working landscape and are poised to lead our Ag community into the future. They are remarkable for their service, youthful energy, and dedication to Vermont agriculture.

Ag Innovator: Those in consideration for this category have demonstrated a fresh and forward-thinking approach to agriculture. They are making or have made a significant, positive impact on Vermont, in areas such as but not limited to: growing the local economy, promoting stewardship and conservation, improving community health and nutrition, developing new tools and practices, and using alternative models in business and land ownership. They are notable for their unique perspective and unconventional approach. (Age is not a factor for consideration in this category.)

Lifetime Achievement: This category recognizes those who have made a significant contribution to the advancement, improvement, or development of Vermont agriculture over the course of their long career. Nominees shall have played an active role in Vermont agriculture for at least thirty years.

The Vermont Ag Hall of Fame organizing committee encourages nominations from and of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.

Good afternoon:

https://forms.office.com/r/iNJXAT2t8e

There is a lot of discussion around pollinator health and protection happening at several levels around the state. In order to answer any questions that I expect may come my way, I have pulled together a very quick, short survey for apple producers. This will not be used for any publications and data are collected anonymously, I just want to make sure I answer correctly as a representative for the industry. This should take 1-2 minutes, you can have it done before lunch break is over and you get back to pruning.

https://forms.office.com/r/iNJXAT2t8e

Thanks,

Terry

Just a reminder, the Northeast Extension Fruit Consortium Winter Sessions are in full swing.

Details are below:

1. January 24 – "New Options for Chemical Thinning" – Dr. John Cline, University of Guelph
2. January 31 – "Strawberry Breeding and Cultivar Update" – Dr. Beatrice Amyotte, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
3. February 7 – "Use, Efficacy and Cost of Reflective Ground Cover in the Orchard" – Dr. Macarena Farcuh, University of Maryland
4. March 6 – "Mass Trapping for Japanese Beetle" – Dr. Jaime Pinero, University of Massachusetts
5. March 13 – "How to Effectively Engage with the Press" – Dr. Jessica McBride, University of Connecticut
6. March 20 – "BioControl, Forecast Models and Apple Scab – Finding the Sweet Spot" – Dr. Kerik Cox, Ms. Liga Astra

Use this link for registration and more information. Registration for each session is required.

The 2024 Vermont Tree Fruit Growers Association and UVM Fruit Program Annual Meeting will be Live and In-Person on February, 14, 2024 in Middlebury, VT. Online registration is live at this link: https://go.uvm.edu/24uvmvtfgamtg.

The Meeting Agenda as well as a registration/membership form for those who want to pay by mail/check are available at https://go.uvm.edu/24uvmvtfgaagenda.

Please register at your earliest convenience, meeting registration is $10 less per person of purchased before February 4. This helps us plan for lunch and coffee hour and gives a better sense of planning for the meeting overall.

*** To request a disability-related or any other accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Terence Bradshaw at (802)-922-2591 by 2/7/2024 so we may assist you.***

Registration questions should go to James Bove: jbovevt

Program questions please email me: tbradsha

-Terry

Where trade names or commercial products are used for identification, no discrimination is intended and no endorsement is implied. Always read the label before using any pesticide. The label is the legal document for the product use. Disregard any information in this message if it is in conflict with the label.

The UVM Tree Fruit and Viticulture Program is supported by the University of Vermont Agriculture Experiment Station, UVM Extension, USDA NIFA E-IPM Program, and USDA Risk Management Agency.

UVM Extension helps individuals and communities put research-based knowledge to work. University of Vermont Extension, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status.