Pruning fruit trees is an important horticultural practice that promotes proper tree vigor and canopy architecture for optimal fruit production. Generally the best time for dormant pruning pome fruit in the northeast is January through early March. Stone fruit, with the exception of sweet cherry, may be safely pruned as late as the delayed dormant and early bloom periods.
Fruit Crops Edition
Seasonal updates on diseases, insects, weeds impacting tree fruit and small fruit (blueberry, cranberry, and wine grape). Fruit Pest Alerts are also available via this category feed.
Subscriptions are available via EMAIL and RSS.
Food Safety for Blueberry Growers Virtual Program March 16, 2021
To register for the program, go to rutgersonfarmfoodsafety.eventbrite.com. The closing date to register is Tuesday, March 2nd
10:00-10:30 Microbial Life and Biofilms
10:30-11:00 FSMA PSR Inspection Update
11:05-11:50 Building a One-Way Street: Backflow Prevention
11:50-12:15 Cleaning and Disinfection- What have we learned from Covid-19?
Harmonized Audit Training
With a new Harmonized Audit taking affect May 1 this is your last chance to hear about the changes. The training from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm will cover each question in the Audit and discuss the changes. Closing date for the March 2nd training is Friday, February 26th. Go the RutgersOnFarmFoodSafety.Eventbrite.com to register. After the closing date each participant will receive login information.
VGANJ 2021 CORE Session: New Jersey Private Pesticide Applicators in a Virtual COVID World…
2021 NJ Ag/VGANJ Convention Virtual Educational Sessions – Wed
Please join in via the following links for Wednesday’s sessions.
Access for all morning sessions begins at 9am Wed Feb 23 here: https://go.rutgers.edu/vdh6okge with presentations beginning at 9:15am.
Like Monday and Tuesday, once you’ve logged in you will be directed to ‘breakout rooms’ for each of the morning sessions. When the Wednesday morning sessions end, please return to the main room for a ‘Tribute to New Jersey Farmers’ by Vegetable Growers Association president John Banscher beginning at noon.
All links are also available for every session at vganj.com/schedule or direct link to the agenda page here https://go.rutgers.edu/yw2aminv. NOTE that the morning sessions are all through the same link, but afternoon sessions each have a unique Zoom link that will be seen directly next to the agenda for that session.
This is the program and links for Wednesday’s sessions:
2021 NJ Ag/VGANJ Virtual Convention – Educational Sessions Agenda
Wed Feb 24, 2021 – 9:15am-11:45am
Access ALL MORNING sessions HERE
https://go.rutgers.edu/vdh6okge
Soil Health/Cover Crops
9:30-10:00am-Soil Health 101
10:00-10:30am-Soil Organisms, Their Functions & How to Increase Beneficial Microbes in the Soil
10:45-11:15am-The Great Debate – Residue Management Pros & Cons
11:15-11:45am-Cover Crop Selections for Vegetable Crop Production
Creating Value-Added Products & Services to Increase Profits
9:15-9:30am-Welcome & Intro
9:30-10:00am-Growing Beer & Agritourism at the Bullock Farm
10:00-10:30am-Snapping Turtle Farm – Direct Marketing Ideas for a Changing Consumer Landscape
10:45-11:15am-On-Farm Cold Press Juices & Other Value-Added Products on the Marchese Family Farm
11:15-11:45am-Creating Value Added Products at the Rutgers Food Innovation Center
11:45am-Bringing it All Together Roundtable
Food Safety
9:15-9:40am-Welcome & What’s New from Industry
9:40-10:10am-Produce Safety Research Update
10:10-10:40am-Navigating Food Safety in the Pick Your Own Patch
10:40-11:10am-Postharvest Priorities to Reduce Produce Safety Risks
11:10-11:40am-Audit & Inspection Updates
VGANJ Tribute to New Jersey Farmers
John Banscher, President
Join VGANJ President John Banscher in a celebration of all New Jersey’s
farmers recognizing your essential work throughout the 2020 pandemic.
please return to main session room after breakout sessions end
https://go.rutgers.edu/vdh6okge
Access AFTERNOON sessions individually
Wed Feb 24, 2021 – 1:15pm-3:45pm
Pesticide credit sessions require logging in within 10 minutes of start and remaining through the entire session
to be eligible for credits.
Small Fruit
https://go.rutgers.edu/igyafi17
1:15-1:30pm-Welcome & Intro
1:30-2:00pm-What Affects the Flavor of Strawberries & Can You Do Anything About It?
2:00-2:30pm-A Decade After Spotted-wing Drosophila Invasion in the USA: Lessons Learned
2:45-3:15pm-Double Cropping Raspberries
3:15-3:45pm-Strawberry Diseases New & Old
Creative Marketing/Agritourism
https://go.rutgers.edu/vdh6okge
1:15-1:30pm-Welcome & Intro
1:30-2:00pm-Challenges and Opportunities in Urban Farmers’ Markets
2:00-2:30pm-Utilizing Social Media for Great Customer Service
2:45-3:15pm-Expanding My Farmers Market in 2020 – Creative Marketing in Tough Times
3:15-3:45pm-Innovative Marketing Interviews with New Farmers
3:45pm- Roundtable Q&A/Adjourn
Blueberry
https://go.rutgers.edu/gjhj4ufi
1:15-1:30pm-Welcome & Intro
1:30-1:55pm- Green Drop in the Draper blueberry variety, research conclusions
1:55-2:25pm-Pest Management Highlights from 2020 – The Year in Review
2:25-2:50pm-Modern methods of blueberry virus detection
2:50-3:15pm-Update on Black Shadow Management
3:15-3:45pm- Searching for novel repellents to manage spotted-wing drosophila
2021 NJ Ag/VGANJ Convention Virtual Educational Sessions – Tues
Day 1 is in the books. Tomorrow we start again. Please join in via the following links.
Access for all morning sessions begins at 9am Tues Feb 23 here: https://go.rutgers.edu/iexg7ly5
Like Monday, once you’ve logged in you will be directed to ‘breakout rooms’ for each of the morning sessions. While you’re waiting please listen to a few welcoming remarks from our Interim Executive Dean Dr. Laura Lawson, Director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension Brian Schilling, NJDA Secretary Douglas Fisher, and Vegetable Growers Association president John Banscher, as well as some instructions and housekeeping rules. The program sessions will begin at 9:15am.
All links are also available for every session at vganj.com/schedule or the direct link to the agenda page is https://go.rutgers.edu/yw2aminv. NOTE that the morning sessions are all through the same link, but afternoon sessions each have a unique Zoom link that will be seen directly next to the agenda for that session.
If neither of those options work, here is the agenda and links for Tueday’s sessions:
2021 NJ Ag/VGANJ Virtual Convention – Educational Sessions Agenda
Tues Feb 23, 2021 – 9:15am-11:45am
Access ALL MORNING sessions HERE
https://go.rutgers.edu/iexg7ly5
Organic Production
9:15-9:30am-Welcome & Intro
9:30-10:00am-Soil Health & Organic Sweetpotato Production
10:00-10:30am-Managing Allium Leaf Miner for Organic Onions
10:30-10:45am-What’s New from Industry/Break
10:45-11:15am-Satisfying the Sulfur Needs of Crops
11:15-11:45am-Balancing Safety and Nutrition in Organic Foods
New Orchard Establishment I
9:15-9:30am-Welcome & Intro
9:30-10:00am-Overview of Resources Available to New Tree Fruit Growers in New Jersey
10:00-10:30am-Orchard Site Selection and Pre-Plant Preparation
10:30-10:45am-Web Soil Survey – An Efficient Tool to Understand Native Properties of the Soil
10:45-11:15am-Orchard Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Basics
11:15-11:45am-Orchard Management in the Early Years – Principles & Practices
Hemp
9:15-9:30am-Welcome & Intro
9:30-10:00am-Rutgers First Hemp Trials – Observations & Future Direction
10:00-10:30am-Marketing Considerations for Industrial Hemp Production in NJ
10:30-10:50am-Laboratory Services for the Hemp Industry in New Jersey
10:50-11:15am-Hemp Diseases in NJ – What We Know
11:15-11:45am-Hemp Production in NJ – Challenges & Opportunities (Panel Discussion)
2021 NJ Ag/VGANJ Virtual Convention – Educational Sessions Agenda
Tues Feb 23, 2021 – 12:00pm-1:00pm
Access AFTERNOON sessions individually
Pesticide credit sessions require logging in within 10 minutes of start and remaining through the entire session
to be eligible for credits.
Pesticide Regulatory Review for Pesticide Applicators, Businesses,
and Agricultural Employers
https://go.rutgers.edu/cl0zmui7
(1 hour for 2 CORE credits)
Pat Hastings
A thorough review of regulatory requirements for pesticide applicator certification, recertification, and licensing
in New Jersey, including administrative changes to license renewal processes.
Tues Feb 23, 2021 – 1:00pm-3:45pm
Weed Control
https://go.rutgers.edu/p4yk2e17
(pesticide recertification credits: 4 Cat 1A; 4 Cat 10; 4 PP2)
1:15-1:30pm-Welcome & Intro
1:30-2:00pm-Weed Management Update for Row crops
2:00-2:30pm-Electrical Weeders & Potential Use in Specialty Crops
2:30-2:45pm-What’s New from Industry/Break
2:45-3:15pm-Taking Advantage of Plant Weaknesses for Improved Weed Control
3:15-3:45pm-Weed Management Update for Vine Crops
New Orchard Establishment II
https://go.rutgers.edu/iexg7ly5
1:15-1:30pm-Welcome & Intro
1:30-2:00pm-Panel Discussion-Growers’ Perspectives on Delving into Tree Fruit Production
2:00-2:30pm-Organic Apple Production – Is it Feasible in NJ?
2:30-2:45pm-What’s New from Industry/Break
2:45-3:15pm-Economics of Tree Fruit Production
3:15pm-Q&A/Adjourn
Specialty Crops
https://go.rutgers.edu/rxr924oy
(pesticide recertification credits: 1 CORE)
1:15-1:30pm-Welcome & Intro
1:30-2:00pm-Using Demographic Information to Identify Specialty Crop Markets
2:00-2:30pm-African Marigolds for Fall Markets
2:30-2:45pm-What’s New from Industry/Break
2:45-3:15pm-New Crops – RU Hot Peppers & More
3:15-3:45pm-Pesticide Safety & Regulatory Update for 2021
NJ Dept Health
Training Required for Farmers/Market Managers