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| Crop Update - 5/31/2007 | |||
| Back to the Lake Erie Regional Grape Program Home Page | |||
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UPCOMING EVENTS REMINDER:
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| Grape Integrated Pest Management | Tim Weigle |
On-line Grape Guidelines
For those of you who have tried to access the on-line version of the 2007 New York and Pennsylvania Pest Management Guidelines for Grapes you undoubtedly noticed they are currently not available. I spoke with the web folks at PMEP who are housing the guidelines and was told that he domain name has expired due to a clerical error and the guidelines should be back on line shortly.
You can also get a hard copy of the guidelines from your county extension office or directly from PMEP by contacting Liz Powers of the Pest Management Education Program (PMEP) at Cornell University through any of the following methods.
Phone at (607) 255-7282
Fax at (607) 255-7311
E-mail at patorder@cornell.edu
I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused but hopefully it will be a short-lived interruption in service.
Insects
We have been monitoring pheromone traps in the Westfield area and have
gotten much higher catches of male grape
berry moth this spring than the last few. We are going to be putting
out more traps across the belt in cooperation with a project with Greg
Loeb, Department of Entomology at Geneva, to see if we can come up with
a better way to correlate trap catches with damage potential in the vineyard.
We are also using Malaise traps to see just what is flying from the woods into the vineyard during different times of year. The primary goal is to capture female grape berry moth in order to determine whether they are mated prior to flying into the vineyard. Since this is a passive trap (it is basically a tent with sides only on the ends and a piece of fabric in the middle) that funnels flying insects up and into a collection cup we are able to see what other insect pests of grapes are showing up.
Interestingly, we are seeing a large number of potato leafhopper in the traps. Remember that the potato leafhopper does not over winter in our area but returns each year on storm fronts that move up from the south. This pest is typically not a problem in Labrusca grapes but can cause significant damage if ignored in some of the hybrid and Vinifera varieties. Yellowing and cupping of the leaf margin is a good indicator of potato leafhopper as it injects a toxin into the leaf during feeding.
We are also seeing a large number of grape leafhopper in the collection jars. It has been a number of years since we have seen a problem with grape leafhopper in the belt but the warm weather we have experienced this spring seems to have all manners of insect populations building.
Scout vineyards during the prebloom period for leafhopper feeding on sucker or lower canopy leaves (feeding from grape leafhopper will be yellow dots between the veins where they have sucked out the contents of the cell). Past experiences have shown us that if we have active leafhopper feeding this early in the season an application of insecticide with the immediate post bloom spray is justified. While you are out looking for leafhopper it would also pay to look at clusters to see if there is any webbing from grape berry moth or red banded leafroller.
| Grape Farm Business Management | Barry Shaffer |
Cracks in the Food Supply?
I've been growing more and more concerned with the state of the US food supply over the last few months. The list of concerns seems to be growing every month-spinach, peanut butter, contaminated pet food, unexplained honeybee losses, high corn prices, etc.
While I'm happy for the grain growers that seem to have the world by the tail, I'm afraid that we can go only so far with ethanol and biodiesel produced domestically. I think we will really be stressing the system to grow more than 10% of our fuel with conventional techniques.
I think that consumers are going to be asking more questions about the source of their foodstuffs. This may turn out to be a strong point for our grape industry but I'd urge every grower and harvester to bring in a clean product to the processors!
One other advantage our growers have is that we aren't dependent on irrigation water! While Australian farmers are grappling with a multi-year drought, many West Coast farmers face the possibility of less snow melt supplying irrigation water in the future. I would imagine that low value crops would be the first cut off and that grapes may have enough water, it is likely to go up in price and squeeze profit margins down the road.
Most grape growers I talk to are also concerned about whether they will have enough casual labor to get their grapes pruned and tied after harvest this year. I do hope that Congress addresses the immigration issue and has some kind of agricultural guest worker program included. If you feel the same way, please write your US Senators and Representative and explain what effects your business will suffer if labor is scarce.
Growers should try to build some robustness in their operations such as cross-training so that no one person is the only one that knows a certain job such as mechanical harvester operator. Continue to produce a wholesome, clean crop of grapes and make this industry a proud part of the US food system.
| Update from North East, PA | Bryan Hed |
| Here is a brief update on Concord vine development from the North East PA lab: |
| Weather: Total rainfall for May at our location is 2.7”. This is barely half of our 11 year average, making for a relatively dry start to the season. We have accumulated 315 growing degree days since April 1, nearly half of which we accumulated over the past 8 days. Temperatures look to remain well above average for at least the next week, moving us quickly toward bloom. Wind speeds will remain in the single digits through Saturday June 2. Rain is forecast for parts of Friday and Saturday but does not appear to be widespread or to be able to generate lengthy wetting periods. The lake temperature is currently around 55 F. Heavier rainfall is forecast to occur early next week. |
| Phenology: Concord and Niagara shoots have tripled in length over the past week and are generally in the 10-14” range here by the lake (longer farther inland). This means that protective fungicide sprays applied just one week ago are only protecting a third of your vines (at best) at this point. |
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Diseases: Speaking of inoculum, a recent survey of a handful of several hand pruned Concord and Niagara vineyards that were hard hit with black rot last year revealed an average of about 60 black rot “hot spots” per acre (a “hot spot” is an old cluster with black rot mummies in the trellis). Even though weathering, mechanical harvesting, and dormant pruning typically remove the vast majority (95-99 %?) of the infected mummies from the trellis before the following season, it still leaves a sizeable number of potent inoculum sources in the trellis. Machine and minimally pruned vineyards (or vineyards that were not pruned at all) would be expected to harbor even more black rot “hot spots” on average, than hand pruned vineyards. Mummies dropped to the ground present far less risk than mummies in the trellis. Keep this in mind when conducting your campaign against black rot this year, especially if the weather should turn wet during the fast approaching fruit susceptibility period. As for downy mildew, we are at or have passed the 5-6 leaf stage when the downy mildew pathogen becomes active. Wet weather later this week could generate our first downy mildew infection periods. We have had 4 powdery mildew primary infection periods since bud burst and will likely stack up more over the weekend. |
| Weather Facts | Tim Weigle and Edith Byrne |
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| The weather proverb from the Farmer's Almanac this week is: |
| Warm and nice, but the lake's still like ice . . . |
Sustainable Viticulture Workbook Project
We continue to hear from growers and are still asking for more volunteers to go through the workbook, answering the questions that pertain to them (and let us know what questions do not pertain to their operation)! Please let us know if you are interested by emailing Edith (emb35@cornell.edu or grape@netsync.net)! We would love to hear from you.
Update - We have met with growers from Chautauqua, Niagara, Cattaraugus Counties in New York and several growers from PA. for this project which is a cooperative effort of growers, processors, the Finger Lakes Regional Grape Program, Long Island Grape Program and the Lake Erie Regional Grape Program.
Going over the questions in the workbook typically takes about 90 minutes. Depending on your operation and the type of grapes you are growing doesn't make any difference either - we are interested in everyone's input, no matter how many acres you have. Once you have completed the first phase of going through the workbook and answering the questions scaled from 1 (best practice) to 4 (should look at this practice to see if it can be improved), a follow-up visit is scheduled with a member of the SWCD from your county (they have the money to help with cost sharing) to discuss how you might be able to move the practices that received a rating of 4 to a rating closer to 1 - this is the Action Plan meeting.
The workbook questions are painless, self-reflective and the comments made by growers' are very positive - including how going over the questions makes them think about their total operation, or how they might be able to do or think about something differently, etc.
We have appointments set up with more growers through the month for both the workbook portion and Action Plan meetings... If you are interested in working with us on this project please send Edith an email or give her a call at 716.672.6830 so she can schedule an appointment with you.
Editors Note: For those who are looking at ways to promote New York agriculture, agriculture in general, or would just like to see some of the innovations their fellow farmers have come up with to help stay profitable and competitive, this documentary seems to just the ticket.
New York Agriculture Documentary to Air Statewide on PBS during May & June
A new PBS documentary, "The Performers: Taking Center Stage in New York Agriculture" will air on all nine New York Public Television Stations with a potential audience of more than 18 million people.
| PBS Schedule by date & region: | |
|---|---|
| May | |
| WPBS (Watertown) | Tuesday, May 15 at 10 pm and Sunday, May 20 at 2 pm |
| WMHT (Capital District) | Thursday, May 17 at 9 pm |
| WCNY (Syracuse) | Monday, May 21 at 9 pm |
| WXXI (Rochester) | Saturday, May 26 at 6 pm |
| WSKG (Binghamton) | Thursday, May 31 at 8 pm |
| June | |
| WNED (Buffalo) | Wednesday, June 13 at 10 pm |
| WNET (New York City) | Sunday, June 17 at 2 pm |
| WLIW (Long Island) | Tuesday, June 26 at midnight |
| WCFE (Plattsburgh) | in June TBA |
This one-hour documentary examines agriculture today and the variety of products being produced on New York State farms, plus cutting edge technology that will keep agriculture competitive in a global economy. Hosted by Liz Ayers, WCNY's vice president of Television and Media Services, the documentary takes viewers on a journey across the state to capture New York's bounty and explore the impact of 21st century farmers.
"This is agriculture like you've never seen it before, with high-tech equipment that drives us to the future," said Ayers, "It's an entertaining way to discover what is going on backstage in today's agribusiness." Meet these farm families and discover how they embrace yesterday's traditions along with today's innovations.
This special features the following farms:
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Intergrow Greenhouses in Albion (Orleans County) growing hydroponic tomatoes and peppers
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Satur Farms, Cutchogue (Suffolk County) with its gourmet vegetables
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Indian Ladder Farms, Voorheesville (Albany County) with its use of experimental tunnels to extend growing seasons
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Evans Farmhouse Creamery, Norwich (Chenango County) an organic dairy
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Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars, Hammondsport (Steuben County), wine-making
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Ivy Acres, Baiting Hollow (Suffolk County) specializing in supplying bedding plants throughout the Northeast
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Patterson Farms, Auburn (Cayuga County) focusing on technological changes at a traditional dairy farm
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Ridgeline Farms, Clymer (Chautauqua County), a dairy farm using methane gas to generate electricity
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Plainville Farms, Plainville (Onondaga County), using organic feed in raising turkeys - the largest turkey farm in the state
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Roxbury Farm, Kinderhook (Columbia County), focusing on agri-tourism
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Reeves Farm, Baldwinsville (Onondaga County) selling local produce to major grocers
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ESF Willow Plantation, Tully (Onondaga County) growing willow trees to be used as fuel
The New York State Agricultural Society suggested the idea for the documentary and contributed toward its production. The film received accolades from many of the more than 500 people in attendance at a premiere screening at the Society's 175th Annual Meeting in Syracuse in January 2007. "One of the Society's goals is to promote a better understanding of the state's agricultural industry and its importance in the lives of all New Yorkers," comments documentary committee chair Bob Bitz, "This documentary meets that goal and will help many recognize the contribution made by the state's agriculture to healthy food, a safe environment and sustainable resources."
DVDs of this educational program, "The Performers: Taking Center Stage in New York Agriculture" are available from WCNY. To order, contact Joyce Hamlin at 315-453-2424, Ext 270 or e-mail joyce_hamlin@wcny.org. The price for a DVD is $19.99, plus shipping and handling.
Lake Erie Regional Grape Program Extension Team Members:
| Andy Muza | Extension Agent, Erie County, PA Cooperative Extension | (814) 825-0900 |
| Barry Shaffer | Area Extension Farm Business Management Educator | (716) 679-3185 |
| Tim Weigle | Sr. Area Extension Educator, Grape IPM | (716) 672-6830 |
| For
any questions or comments on the format of this update please contact Tim Weigle at: timweigl@netsync.net |
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The Lake Erie Regional Grape Program Website is maintained by the NYS Grape IPM Program |
| 412 E. Main Street, Fredonia, N.Y. 14063 | Telephone: 716-672-5296 | E-mail: Webmaster |