The “Farm Succession Planning Webinar Series” is for farmers to learn about key issues, tools and resources to help them make informed decisions and take action steps towards transferring their farm to the next generation of their family or a non-family successor. Farmers will learn from professionals who can help in the process and from other farmers. Topics include retirement, financial, and estate planning, taxes, legal entities, and determining goals for retirement, business transitions, and your land. All generations, including family and non-family members, who may play a role in your farms future are encouraged to attend.

This series is organized by info for more information.

The New England Fruit Consortium, made up of Extension partners from throughout the region, is hosting an educational webinar series this winter. Topics include: apple thinning; strawberry cultivars; reflective mulches; Japanese beetle management; public relations for farmers; and advanced apple scab management.

Sessions are still shaping up, but the listing and registration information can be found at:
https://ag.umass.edu/fruit/news-events/northeast-extension-fruit-consortium

Please mark your calendars and preregister for any sessions of interest to you.

Please consider attending and sharing information about the Vermont Agency of Agriculture virtual listening session on Monday, 12/18

Vermont Agency of Agriculture holding virtual Listening Session 12/18

When: Monday, 12/18 from 12:30 – 2pm (drop in/out as needed)

Where: Virtual – please register here to receive link

Who: All producers, processors and agricultural-adjacent organizations are encouraged and welcome to attend; legislators have been invited to attend as well

Structure: Agency of Agriculture staff will facilitate conversations around: The 2023 growing season/flooding; needs and priorities for business viability; feedback and input for Agency presence and programming; other items as they arise

Future opportunities: This virtual session is part of a pilot series of opportunities for the Vermont Agency of Agriculture to be more accessible to the agricultural communities and hear their needs, priorities, experiences and feedback. The session on December 18th will be followed by 9 in-person sessions across the state in Jan – March of 2024, co-hosted with some of our non-profit and Natural Resource Conservation District partners. Learn more here!

Can’t make it or want to give feedback? Use this form to share your thoughts, priorities and/or input on how these opportunities could and should be shaped in the future

Questions or feedback? Please reach out to Sarah McIlvennie directly at sarah.mcilvennie or 802-261-5866

Thanks,

Abbey

Abbey Willard (she/her)

Agricultural Development Division Director | Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets

116 State St., Montpelier Vermont 05620 | http://agriculture.vermont.gov

Tel:802-272-2885 |

Access Flooding Disaster Response and Recovery Resources for Agriculture.

Sign up to receive our weekly Ag Development e-newsletter updates on marketing opportunity, events and grants!

In the past year, the UVM Fruit Program completed a redesign of its website as part of the UVM Commercial Horticulture site reorganization. The funding for that work is wrapping up and we will report changes in grower satisfaction in our final project grant report. Please complete this short survey at your earliest convenience:

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

In a twist of institutional planned obsolescence, please ignore the odd urls on the site that begin with legacy.drup2.uvm.edu, as the university overall is in the process of a full site redesign. That will affect top-level content (the UVM banner and search boxes at the top) but our site should remain unchanged after they complete that work.

Thanks so much and we wish everyone happy and restful holiday season.

Best,

Terry

Wednesday, Dec. 13: Business Planning for Agritourism Enterprises
with Lisa Chase and Zachary Smith of University of Vermont Extension

Business planning is critical for any type of enterprise, and agritourism is no exception. Hosted by Vermont Fresh Network and University of Vermont Extension, this webinar will cover key steps for business planning and introduce you to a new online tool. In this webinar, we’ll provide a general overview of business planning for agritourism, and we’ll share resources and next steps. For farms in Vermont, we’ll let you know how to receive one-on-one support and guidance for your agritourism business plan. We’ll also discuss an online training series open to all that will take place in February and March for those who would like to develop a business plan this winter with guidance from Extension business planning experts. To request a disability-related accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Amber Hunt at 802-656-7530 or Amber.Hunt so we may assist you.
Register here

We’ll be posting the videos of the last two webinars, and will be sharing those with you all.

-Tara

Tara Pereira (she/her)

Vermont Fresh Network

Executive Director

tara

o:802-434-2000

c:802-999-6137

www.vermontfresh.net

www.diginvt.com

Want to discover new food and farm adventures? Visit diginvt.com for events, trails, place profiles, and feature articles!

DigInVT is a program managed by the Vermont Fresh Network

Good morning:

I was hearing from some growers earlier this week, was called separately by another, and saw for myself when I was looking over the UVM orchard yesterday some concerning issues with fruit quality that I ascribe to a ‘hormone / stress mess’ in some situations. Many of us are seeing frost rings, the rusted bands around fruit caused by cell damage from the May 18 freeze event. In many cases, as those fruit size up, this damaged skin tissue won’t be able to expand and we can expect a fair amount of fruit splitting as a result. That’s not unexpected.

Of another level of concern are issues I am seeing with ripening and sizing fruit. I have been hearing talk of and have been seeing myself fruit that just doesn’t seem to be sizing well, especially given low crop load and more than ample moisture. Now, I am seeing increased preharvest fruit drop and weirdly uneven ripening. For example, we have Liberty fruit in the UVM orchard that are dropping prematurely while showing signs of over ripeness- deep red color, waxy skin, soft flesh- but are flavorless. This was on August 16, and we normally harvest out Liberty six weeks from now.

My hypothesis regarding what’s going on is that we are seeing the results of a hormonal confusion in trees and fruit this year. In spring, developing seeds in the blossom’s ovary excrete hormones that signal the tree to develop a fruit to protect them. Upon inspection of the fruit buds in the days following the freeze, any damage was assumed to result in lost fruit. However, many fruit did form, and some buds that may not have shown damage may have still sustained it. As we approach harvest, we are seeing that many fruit are showing poorly-developed seeds, tissue damage around the core, or even no seeds at all. I believe that this poor or damaged seed development is behind the paradoxical poor fruit sizing and preharvest fruit drop. I also expect this drop to continue as trees have since the freeze been subject to a number of other stressors, including air pollution from the Canadian wildfires and the unceasing rain.

This brings up the question about applying Retain to reduce apple drop and improve fruit quality this season. ReTain is a plant growth regulator that slows ethylene production in fruit and thus delays harvest and fruit drop. It should be applied 7-30 days prior to harvest, based on the need and maturity of the fruit. But the trees aren’t responding normally to anything this year. Furthermore, the ReTain label states to not apply to trees that are “nutrient, water, insect, or disease stressed.” And it’s expensive, in a year when many of us are needing to reduce costs in the orchard.

Here’s my advice- if you have a ‘normal’ to light crop, but enough fruit that you expect 200+ bushels per acre, then you might consider using ReTain. It won’t be worth saving a crop of straggler fruit that are hard to find, and it won’t stop a dropping crop from continuing to drop. And if trees are showing real signs of stress, especially in wet orchards, I wouldn’t expect much for the money you’ll be spending. As I said before, the normal suite of plant hormones that regulate fruiting seems to be out of whack this year, and another hormonal nudge, which is basically what you’re doing when you apply PGRs, may provide similarly unpredictable results.

Good luck out there,

Terry

UVM’s new Commercial Horticulture website has officially launched, and some major changes have been made to the site’s format and organization. If you have any difficulty finding the information that you are looking for, feel free to contact Lily Carr (lacarr@uvm.edu), the editor of the new website, and she will promptly answer any questions or concerns.

The new URL for the website is: https://www.uvm.edu/extension/commercial.

Thank you,

Terry

As the calendar flips to August, it’s time to wrap up field activities in preparation for harvest in Vermont orchards and vineyards.

Foliar nutrient analysis – It is the time in the growing season to collect leaf samples in apples and petioles in grapes for analysis. Apple leaf samples are usually collected between July 15 – Aug. 15. Grape petiole samples may be collected at bloom or veraison, and comparisons between years or blocks should be based on the same time of collection. Veraison samples are a couple of weeks out for most vineyards. Samples should be collected separately for each cultivar or block. For apples, collect 50 leaves from the middle of this years’ terminal growth- not too old nor too young- from throughout the block and the tree canopy. In each vineyard sample, a random collection of 75-100 petioles should be collected from throughout the planting. Petioles should be collected from the most recent fully expanded leaf on the shoot, not across from the fruit cluster as is collected for a bloom sample. Just remove the whole leaf and snip the petiole (the leaf ‘stem’) off with your pruners.

Gently wash each sample in water with a drop of dish detergent, then rinse fully and place in an open-top paper bag to dry. The best analytical lab for grape petiole analysis that will provide recommendation for next year’s nutrient inputs is Dairy One, which is associated with the Cornell Nutrient Analysis Laboratory. Video- Taking a Foliar Sample: Vineyards and Orchards Taking a Foliar Sample: Vineyards and Orchards (University of Minnesota)

The UVM Agriculture and Environmental Testing Lab can provide analysis, but at this time their output does not generate fertility recommendations. The following are potential options of labs for analysis. It is recommended that you contact the lab for instructions and costs before samples are sent. Plus, it is important to confirm that they will send recommendations along with the analysis.

(1) Dairy One: https://dairyone.com/services/forage-laboratory-services/plant-tissue-analysis/
(2) University of Maine Analytical Lab: http://anlab.umesci.maine.edu/

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.

Important information from the VT Agency of Agriculture. Be safe out there, it sounds like another round of nasty weather is coming this afternoon.-TB

Dear Produce Growers,

As the response to this week’s devastating flooding continues, we hope that you and your families are safe. Our hearts and minds are with you during this time and will continue to be throughout the arduous recovery process. If you need immediate support, please contact Vermont 211 by calling 2-1-1 or texting your zip code to 898211.

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets has published a AGR.FloodResponse.

Several growers have contacted us with questions about handling produce and produce fields after recent flooding. The guidance below represents the Agency’s best recommendations at this time. If you have questions about how a crop or field may be affected by flooding, please contact the AGR.Produce or 802-622-4412.

Crops Affected by Flooding

Under U.S. law, crops where the edible portion of the plant has contacted flood waters are considered adulterated and cannot be sold for human consumption. Because floodwaters may contain sewage, chemicals, heavy metals, pathogens, or other contaminants, these crops must be discarded, destroyed, or tilled into the soil.

Flooding occurs when water outside of a grower’s control flows into or overflows a field. Pooled water after rainfall alone is not considered flooding. For more information, please see the following U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) resources and guidance:

• Resources for Human and Animal Food Producers Affected by Flooding
• Evaluating the Safety of Flood-affected Food Crops for Human Consumption

Evaluating the Safety of Crops and Fields

While any crop where the edible portion of the plant has contacted flood waters should be discarded, growers may be able to keep crops where the edible portion of the plant has not yet formed, such as immature potatoes. These crops should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis after reviewing FDA guidance.

There is no set timeline for when growers can safely replant after flood waters have receded. Growers should review the FDA guidance and follow these general principles: wait until the soil is fully dry before reworking; implement a waiting period before replanting to allow pathogens in the soil to die off over time; and clean and sanitize tools and equipment that contacted flood waters before using them to replant or harvest. A typical waiting period before replanting may be 30–60 days depending on the crop, weather and soil conditions, and the type and extent of contamination in the soil.

Growers should generally avoid replanting crops that are commonly eaten raw with an edible portion of the crop that grows in the ground (such as radishes) or directly on the soil surface (such as lettuce) unless a longer waiting period is adopted (e.g., 60 days or more). Field cultivation, compost applications, and the use of cover crops may help accelerate pathogen die off in previously flooded fields. Plastic mulch may also be used to limit contact between the soil and replanted crops.

Documenting Damage and Losses

Vermont will be working with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on a disaster declaration. Once it is safe to do so, please document any damage or crop losses, then reach out to your Farm Service (FSA) County Office. If you have questions about documenting crop loss, call the FSA State Office at 802-658-2803.

Farm First

We recognize that recovery from this emergency will take significant time, energy, and resources. Farmers and their families can contact Farm Firstfor access to resources including technical, legal, or financial assistance as well as to a counselor or trained peer.   

Please know that we are here to support you and your farm during this challenging growing season. Contact us with any questions at AGR.Produce, 802-622-4412, or 802-261-5866.

Sincerely,

The Vermont Produce Program Team

Yikes! This has been quite a week. Even the drier sites in northwest Vermont have seen a couple of inches of rain in the past week, and the worst- apparently my town of Calais- saw over nine and a half inches in the past two days. Southern Vermont is especially hard-hit, and Roads are a mess all over the place. UVM Extension is pulling together a growing list of Disaster & Flood Recovery Resources at: https://www.uvm.edu/extension/disaster-resources. Please let me know if I can help with accessing any resources you may need, whether for your farm or family, we’re in this together. And be safe- my heart is with all of us around the state as we navigate this mess.

As for crop management, disease management is key. Most orchards and vineyards (this is a combined bulletin) would have no fungicide coverage after the recent weather, and we are headed into more wetness. Make sure to cover- tomorrow looks good, generally- with a broad-spectrum material. For apples, consider the summer rots and any scab that would be around from spring, that means captan plus topsin (FRAC 1) / strobilurins (11) / DMI (3)fungicides. Rotate those FRAC codes to minimize resistance. Apple maggot are at threshold in many orchards, so consider treating if your traps have more than an average on one per unbaited or five for baited traps per ten acre block.

For grapes, same story- I’m seeing a lot of disease around the state: black rot, Phomopsis, downy mildew, and botrytis is just around the corner. Keep covered with your most effective materials and be sure to consider downy and botrytis specifically through these storms and extended wetting period, and consider removing symptomatic leaves as you see them. New England Small Fruit Management Guide, Grapes.

I now this season has seen some reduced outreach from my end, but I am handling individual questions all the time. The complications of a bloomtime freeze, May-June drought, July floods, and who knows what’s next make this a really challenging year to make statewide recommendations. Give me a shout if you ever need to. Email always best, but my phone works. (802)922-2591.

Take care out there, 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.