Jamie Banks` Article, March 2015

Agricultural News
Serving Suffolk County Agricultural and Horticultural Industries
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Agricultural News
ISSN 1089-4411
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423 Griffing Avenue, Suite 100, Riverhead, NY 11901-3071.
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Cornell Cooperative Extension is an employer and educator
recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and
Individuals with Disabilities and provides equal program and
employment opportunities.
President of the Board of Directors
Maureen Fiorello
Agricultural Program Advisory Committee
Michael McInerny, Chair
Joe Campanelli
Deborah Green
Dawn Haight
Mary Howe
Jeff Keil
Robert Nolan
Matt Pendleton
Jean Schmitt Anson
Christine Tobin
Melville
Dix Hills
Hampton Bays
Southampton
Coram
Huntington
Brookhaven
Jamesport
Yaphank
Southold
Agricultural Program Staff
Dale D. Moyer
Agriculture Program Director
Marie Boulier
Structural Pest & Public Health Educator
Irene Tsontakis-Bradley
Research Assistant
Marie Camenares
IPM Pest Management Technician
Nora J. Catlin, PhD
Floriculture Specialist
Dan Gilrein
Entomology Specialist
Thomas Kowalsick
Horticulture Consultant
Sandra Menasha
Vegetable/Potato Specialist
Laurie McBride
Agricultural Stewardship Technician
Kevin Sanwald
Agricultural Stewardship Technician
Andrew Senesac, PhD
Weed Science Specialist
Robin Simmen
Community Horticulture Specialist
Lucille Siracusano
Research Assistant
Elizabeth Tarleton
Research Assistant
Mina Vescera
Nursery / Landscape Specialist
Sandra Vultaggio
Horticulture Consultant
Alice Williams
Horticulture Consultant
Alice Wise
Viticulture Specialist
Rebecca J. Wiseman Agricultural Stewardship Coordinator
Tamson Yeh, PhD
Pest Management /Turf Specialist
Faruque Zaman, PhD
Entomology Program Associate
Support Staff
Linda Holm
Sarah Osborn
Sr. Agriculture Administrative Assistant
Ag Stewardship Administrative Assistant
“Every effort has been made to provide correct, complete, and
up-to-date pesticide recommendations. Nevertheless, changes
in pesticide regulations occur constantly, and human errors are
still possible. These recommendations are not a substitute for
pesticide labeling. Please read the label before applying any
pesticide.”
2
November 2014
November 2014
An Overview of the Long Island Tree Fruit IPM – 2014 Report . . . . 4
Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Can Electric Equipment Revolutionize Landscape Maintenance?. . 12
Common Blue Violet: A Garden Thug
That Escapes Its Boundaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Cornell University’s Annual Economic Outlook Conference to be
Held on December 9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
From The Director’s Desk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
FSMA Proposed Rule For Produce Safety. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
How Are State and Municipal Regulations Affecting You? . . . . . . 18
Margery Daughtrey to be Honored for Outstanding
Accomplishments in Extension and Outreach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Online Courses Offered for Aspiring, New,
and Experienced Farmers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Ornamental Producers – Please Complete the IR4 Survey. . . . . . . 20
Save The Dates for the Upcoming Winter Meetings!. . . . . . . . . . . 21
Slugs and Snails in Agricultural and
Commercial Landscape Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Soil Health Campaign Turns Two . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Suffolk County’s Soil & Water Conservation District
celebrated its 50th Anniversary on September 18, 2014.. . . . . . . . 21
The Cornell Gardeners Celebrate 10 Years Of Volunteering At
Cornell’s LIHREC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
The Trading Post. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Use Of Volunteer Labor At For-Profit Businesses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Weed Scientists Uproot Common “Superweed” Myths . . . . . . . . . 9
Xerces Pollinator Conservation Short Course for Long Island’s
Agricultural Community. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
On The Cover
Cabbage field at Wells Farm, Sound Avene, Riverhead.
Photo by Dale Moyer.
Advertisers
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Henry Leuthardt Nursery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Island Bio Greens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Islip's Composting Facility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Long Island Arboricultural Association. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Long Island Cauliflower Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Long Island Farm Bureau. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Romanski Farm Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Romanski Irrigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Town of Smithtown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Cornell Cooperative Extension is funded in part by Suffolk County
through the office of the County Executive and the County Legislature.
AGRICULTURAL NEWS
From The Director’s Desk
Dale D. Moyer, Agriculture Program Director, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County
Highlighting A Staff Member- Nora Catlin
Nora Catlin, our Floriculture and Greenhouse Specialist,
started working for Cornell Cooperative Extension in
the summer of 2005. Prior to coming to Suffolk County,
Nora received her PhD in Plant Pathology from the University of Massachusetts.
With the merger of Suffolk County Agricultural News and Long Island Horticulture News in 2012, she became a
co-editor of Agricultural News. Actually,
Nora is the working editor of the publication while I’m the supervising editor,
which means she does most of the work.
In addition to doing a great job of editing
Agricultural News, she manages the distribution of the e-newsletters Northeast
Greenhouse Notes, and is a major contributor to e-Gro Alert, an e-newsletter
created by Floriculture Specialists from
several universities. Internet content of
these publications is also posted on the
Floriculture Program web page <http://
ccesuffolk.org/floriculture-program/>, and
Facebook page <https://www.facebook.
com/LIGreenhouse>. In 2013, she coauthored a fact sheet on downy mildew
in garden impatiens.
Nora organizes several extension activities each year
including an annual Long Island Greenhouse and Floriculture Conference and Trade Show, the Floriculture
Session of the annual Long Island Agricultural Forum,
and open houses that highlight the annual plant and
poinsettia cultivar trials. She has also been instrumental in organizing and conducting Worker Protection
Standard (WPS) Mock Inspection trainings. In addition
to organized educational programs and materials, she
provides information and recommendations on an individual basis on topics such as crop production, pest and
disease management, business management, environmental issues, and regulatory issues.
Nora conducts applied research and demonstrations
at the Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center (LIHREC) and on commercial sites to assist
growers and industry personnel with various aspects of
greenhouse and floriculture production. Her main areas
of focus include demonstration trials of annual plant,
annual shade-plant, and poinsettia varieties and applied research that investigates various aspects of crop
production. Some recent projects include researching
practices to reduce nutrient leaching from containergrown plants, assisting growers in the adoption of
bio-control and studying cultural strategies for disease
management.
Nora’s office is at our main building on Griffing Ave.,
Riverhead. However, during the spring and summer
months you’ll often find her at the Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center on Sound Ave.,
Riverhead or in a commercial greenhouse. If you have a
question on floriculture or greenhouse production, she
can be reached at 631-727-7850, ext 214 or emailed at
<[email protected]>.
Suffolk County Agricultural
Stewardship Program
Ten years ago a task force, appointed by the Suffolk
County Legislature, released a report titled “A Strategy
to Develop and Implement the Suffolk County Agricultural Stewardship Program”. The task force membership included representatives from Cornell Cooperative
Extension, Soil and Water Conservation District, Long
Island Farm Bureau, farmers, and other agencies and
Serving Suffolk County Agricultural and Horticultural Industries
(continued on page 8)
November 2014
3
An Overview of the Long Island
Tree Fruit IPM – 2014 Report
Faruque Zaman, Laurie McBride, and Dan Gilrein, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County
Long Island has approximately 324 acres of tree fruit or- insecticides Avaunt and Assail. Our relatively small orchards owned by 14 growers. Tree fruits are important chard size surrounded by long forest borders and mulcrops of Long Island agriculture. Knowing the pest sta- tiple cultivars within blocks presents challenges for PC
tus is key for a successful pest management operation control on LI farms. Similar to 2013, tarnished plant bug
in any agriculture production. Production of good qual- damage (TPB) was low in apples (0.56%) and peaches
ity fruits and economic sustainability of orchards largely (0.68%) in 2014, down from 1.28% and 2.04% for apdepends on timely control of the pests. In 2014, twelve ples and peaches, respectively, in 2012. Timely weed
apple and five peach orchards
were selected under a tree fruit
integrated pest management
project run by the Entomology
and Agricultural Stewardship
Program of Cornell Cooperative Extension, Suffolk County
(CCE-SC). Growers were provided season-long weekly pest
monitoring and pest management recommendations by
staff from Cornell Cooperative
Extension of Suffolk County,
NYSAES at Geneva, and Cornell University’s Hudson Valley
Lab. In 2014, a total of 17,500
apples and 10,500 peaches
were inspected for insect related fruit damage throughout
the growing season (500 fruits/
sample checked from 10 interior and 10 border trees). Codling
moth, plum curculio, tarnished
Tree fruit growers on Long Island are using insect pheromone mating disruption techplant bug, European apple saw- niques for controlling fruit damage (photo: Faruque Zaman).
fly, oriental fruit moth and stink
bug were the most significant
insect pests in pome and stone fruits on Long Island. management was recommended for reducing TPB
These insects were responsible for about 4.82% apple damage in fruits. No insecticide application was needed.
and 1.97% peach damage.
European apple sawfly was not a noticeable problem in
2011 (only 0.11% damage), but in 2012 some orchards
In 2014, codling moth was the most damaging pest in
had up to 2% damage (average 0.32%). In 2014, about
Long Island apples causing 2.28% fruit damage. How0.32% fruit damage was found in apples, down from
ever as high as 15% codling moth (CM) damage was
0.41% in 2013. Stink bug damage was very low, less
found in one orchard. Overall plum curculio (PC) infestathan 0.15% apples and 0.10% peaches were found
tion was 1.5% in 2014, much lower than 2013 (3.86%),
showing some kind of injury (including brown marmo2012 (2.89%) and 2011 (>15%). Long Island fruit growrated stink bug, green stink bug, and brown stink bug).
ers made significant progress in plum curculio control
Most damage was in exterior rows near forest borders.
primarily by early detection services provided by Cornell
Similar levels of damage were observed in 2012 and
Cooperative Extension staff and timely use of effective
2013. Damage was not attributed to any particular stink
4
November 2014
AGRICULTURAL NEWS
for purchase of mating disruption materials will be available
for the 2015 season. Although
not seen in high numbers, fruit
growers should be watchful for
some emerging pests in the
coming years. We have seen
a few incidences of dogwood
borer, pear psylla, apple midge,
and ambrosia beetle damage in
some orchards.
Overall, insect damage in tree
fruits was less than 4% in Long
Island orchards. Slightly higher
damage was observed in rows
near the forest borders. In the
past two years, fruit damage
from insect infestations was
significantly reduced, largely
because of frequent pest monitoring and timely management.
Cornell faculty, extension educators, and students have visited L.I. fruit farms as part of
CCE-SC Entomologists and Ag2014 PWT meeting (photo: Faruque Zaman).
ricultural Stewardship staff will
continue working with the Long
bug species. Despite severe cold weather in the past Island tree fruit growers. For more information on tree
winter, we have seen an increased brown marmorated fruit pest management please contact the Long Island
stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) population in traps as Horticultural Research and Extension Center at 3059
well as reports from local homeowners. This shows Sound Avenue, Riverhead, NY 11901 or call Faruque
the insect is now well established and overwintering Zaman at 631-727-3595. We would like to thank particiin eastern Long Island and we suspect it responsible pating orchard owners and NYS Agriculture and Marfor some of the stink bug damage seen in tree fruits. kets for supporting the tree fruit IPM project funded by
Three BMSB and four green stink bug (Chinavia halaris) USDA Specialty Crops Block Grant program. ●
adults were found in apples during the fruit scouting
period. Oriental fruit moth (OFM) damage was low,
just 0.21% in apples and 0.15% in peaches. In 2014,
ISLIP’S COMPOSTING FACILITY
many growers (67% tree fruit acreage) on Long Island
used pheromone mating disruption techniques for con• Compost analyses are
on Railroad Avenue
available upon request.
trolling OFM, CM, and peach tree borers in tree fruits.
in Ronkonkoma has
Since 2013, we have seen an upswing of OFM and CM
• Price is $12/cubic yard
damage in the region. Although codling moth has not
(loaded).
recently been a threat for pome fruit on LI, there was
• Delivery of bulk orders
noticeable damage in two locations during late summay be arranged.
mer and early fall in 2013 and damage has increased in
• Wood Mulch also
these locations in 2014. Growers are encouraged to use
available at $5/yard.
mating disruption techniques for controlling lepidoptera
pests in tree fruit. Cost sharing benefit from CCE-SC
High Grade
Screened
Yard Waste
Compost
Call 467-3337 for further information.
Serving Suffolk County Agricultural and Horticultural Industries
November 2014
5
Common Blue Violet:
A Garden Thug That Escapes Its Boundaries
Andy Senesac, Weed Science Specialist, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County
Common blue violet, (Viola sororia) is a low growing perennial native to the eastern half of the United States.
Violets have been planted as landscape bedding plants
for many years. There is no doubt that violets are attractive with their dark green heart shaped leaves and the
blue-white irregular shaped flowers. If only they stayed
where we put them! Violets are one of a handful of
ornamentals that regularly escape the artificial boundaries in which we try to confine them. Other plants in this
category include Pennisetum (fountain grass), gooseneck loosestrife
and the biggest
thug of all: running bamboo. In
order for a popular ornamental to
become a garden
thug, it needs to
have some special adaptations
that allow it to
thrive in a variety
of growing conditions. Common
blue violet fits
the bill in three
ways:
special
seed production,
tolerance of poor
soil
conditions
and inherent tolerance to many
postemergence
herbicides.
Violets produce seed in two ways. Some seed is produced conventionally: after the flower has opened and
been pollinated the seed develops within three pods
on leafless stalks. The other method of seed development is through cleistogamy, which is the production
of flowers that do not open, and are self-fertilized in
the bud. In other words, the seeds begin to develop
in the flower buds even before they emerge from the
soil. This adaptation allows the plant to be mowed often with little impact on seed reproduction. Many of
the seedlings produced from cleistogamous flowers
begin germination directly under the ‘mother’ plant.
6
November 2014
This adaption allows for the seedlings to be protected
from sprays and mowing as forms of control. The next
time you encounter established violets in a lawn, take
a peek under the leaves. Most likely you will see many
small violet seedlings.
Secondly, violets can grow in soil conditions that are
unfavorable for healthy turfgrass growth. Compacted,
low fertility and shady areas favor violets over most
turf. To combat violets, correct the conditions as much
as possible to allow for greater turf ground cover.
Thirdly, most of
the currently registered turf herbicides are only
partially
effective in controlling
common violet.
We conducted
a study in which
an array of herbicides registered
in New York
were applied to
established violet plants. The
treatments were
applied in late
summer
and
evaluated for the
rest of the fall
season and the
following spring.
(see table). There
were some treatments which appeared to be effective in the fall. However, when we evaluated them the following spring,
many of the plants that were injured were able to recover and re-emerge.
Managing common violets in turf efficiently involves
scouting for them early each spring. If a few have escaped from nearby landscape beds, then that is the
time to dig them out and repair the bare turf patch. Having this weed in a large section of turf indicates that the
soil conditions probably need amending and that the
lawn needs attention on a regular basis. ●
AGRICULTURAL NEWS
Right: Mature violet seed
about to be dispersed.
Left: Common blue violet has
become a turf weed from nearby
landscape beds.
Common Blue Violet Control with Herbicides.
Location: Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center
A. Senesac
Percent Control
Common Blue Violet Viola sororia
1 week after treatment
(WAT)
3 WAT
5 WAT
31 WAT
Untreated
0
0
0
0
Banvel
Dicamba
45
60
70
33
Garlon
Triclopyr
53
68
73
37
Basagran
Bentazon
35
33
43
18
Tenacity
Mesotrione
20
43
82
0
Trade Name
Chemical Name
Untreated
Pylex
Topramezone
15
37
38
0
Squareone
Quinclorac+carfentrazone
33
40
48
27
Powerzone
MCPA, mecopropp-P,dicamba,carfentrazone
42
53
30
0
Speedzone
2,4-D, mecopropp-P,dicamba,carfentrazone
18
50
Manor (Mansion)
Metsulfuron
27
30
23
30
0
55
Credit
glyphosate original
22
62
42
50
Sedgehammer
Halosulfuron
22
10
30
18
Fisher’s LSD 0.05
13
18
25
34
All weeds were well established in quart containers and growing outdoors at treatment. Treatments applied on 9-11-13. Last
evaluation, April 17, 2014. All treatments were applied at standard labeled use rates.
Serving Suffolk County Agricultural and Horticultural Industries
November 2014
7
From The Director’s Desk
(continued from page 3)
organizations. The primary goal of the task force report
was to develop a strategy to lower nutrients and pesticide loading to the groundwater and surface waters of
Suffolk County while maintaining a strong, viable agricultural industry. Although progress has been made
with the establishment of the Agricultural Stewardship Program, due to lack of funding and the development of best management practices not all goals have
been reached. Once again a similar group is reviewing
the strategy developed 10 years ago and revising and
updating the report. A final report is expected in nine
months. It is hoped that the working group will come
up with ways to properly fund the Suffolk County Agricultural Stewardship Program over the next five to ten
years.
Water Reporting Requirement
It was a dry year, so irrigation was in order this year.
Don’t forget to record the estimated amount of water
you used this year. Most of you are required to submit an annual report to New York State Department
of Environmental Conservation by March 31st of the
following year. For more information about the regulation visit the DEC website at <http://www.dec.ny.gov/
lands/86747.html> or contact Richard Kruzansky in the
Bureau of Water Resources Management, DEC at 518402-8182. To obtain the water reporting form visit the
DEC website at <http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/water_
pdf/wwrag.pdf> or contact Linda at the Cornell Extension office at 727-7850, ext 341.
Mark your Calendar for the Winter Meetings
The Managing Landscapes Sustainably Conference will
be held November 13th in Ronkonkoma. This conference will be followed by the 34th Annual Long Island
Agricultural Forum to be held January 8 and 9, 2015;
the Long Island Greenhouse & Floriculture Conference,
January 20, 2015; and the Long Island Horticulture Conference, January 22, 2015. Brochures for each meeting
will be mailed to you sometime in the late fall and early
winter. For more information check out our website at
<http://ccesuffolk.org/> or contact Linda Holm at 631727-7850, Ext 341 or <[email protected]>. ●
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8
November 2014
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For more information, watch our video at FarmCreditEast.com/Taxes.
AGRICULTURAL NEWS
Weed Scientists Uproot Common “Superweed” Myths
On October 8, 2014 the Weed Science Society of
America (WSSA) issued a new fact sheet to uproot
common misconceptions about “superweeds” – a
catchall term used by many to describe weeds resistant to herbicides. The paper explores the truth behind
two widespread fallacies.
Fallacy 1: Superweeds are a product of
rampant gene transfer from genetically
modified field crops. The truth:
WSSA scientists say gene transfer from some crops to
certain weed species can happen, but it has not been
a factor in the development of herbicide resistance
across large acreages. The true culprit, they say, is
overreliance on a single class of herbicides, resulting
in selection for weeds that can survive the products in
that class.
“Resistance to pesticides is not new or unique to
weeds,” says Brad Hanson, Ph.D., a member of WSSA
and Cooperative Extension Weed Specialist at the University of California at Davis. “Overuse of any compound class, whether antibiotic, antimicrobial, insecticide, fungicide or herbicide, has the potential to lead
to reduced effectiveness. Although weeds resistant to
herbicides were first reported more than a half century
ago, integrated weed management strategies that included more tillage, more hand weeding and multiple
herbicides kept them in check to a large degree. Today, however, it has become common in some cropping systems for farmers to repeatedly use a single
class of herbicides to the exclusion of other weed control methods, and this has led to the growing problem
with herbicide-resistant weeds.”
Fallacy 2: Superweeds have supercharged
abilities to muscle out competing plants in
new and more aggressive ways. The truth:
Scientists say the key to keeping weeds from causing
dramatic changes in crop production is to adopt effective management strategies.
According to Andrew Kniss, Ph.D., WSSA board member and University of Wyoming faculty member, “Nearly any weed species can be economically devastating
if left uncontrolled. It is important to incorporate a variety of weed management practices and not rely exclusively on herbicides for weed control. Monitoring weed
populations is also important. Early recognition of resistant populations and rapid intervention can help reduce
the impact these weeds have.”
The full WSSA paper on superweeds is posted online at <http://wssa.net/weed/wssa-fact-sheets>. The
same website contains a variety of best management
practices recommended by WSSA to combat herbicide
resistance – from proactive steps to reduce the number of weed seeds in the soil to the use of well-established cultural practices to suppress weeds through
crop competition.
About the Weed Science Society of America - The
Weed Science Society of America, a nonprofit scientific society, was founded in 1956 to encourage and
promote the development of knowledge concerning weeds and their impact on the environment. The
Society promotes research, education and extension
outreach activities related to weeds, provides sciencebased information to the public and policy makers,
fosters awareness of weeds and their impact on managed and natural ecosystems, and promotes cooperation among weed science organizations across the nation and around the world. For more information, visit
<www.wssa.net>. ●
Many believe today’s herbicide-resistant superweeds
exhibit properties unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. But WSSA scientists say bully-like weed behavior isn’t new. In the absence of herbicides, resistant
weeds are no more competitive or ecologically damaging than their non-resistant relatives.
All weeds – herbicide resistant or not – can outcompete other more desirable plants for water, nutrients,
sunlight and space. They grow by leaps and bounds
and can be prolific seed producers. A single Palmer
amaranth plant, for example, can produce hundreds of
thousands of seeds.
Serving Suffolk County Agricultural and Horticultural Industries
Mid-January
to Mid-June
www.greenislanddistributors.com
November 2014
9
Slugs and Snails in Agricultural and
Commercial Landscape Settings
Dan Gilrein, Extension Entomologist, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County
For such slow creatures, it seems remarkable that
slugs and snails could possibly get around as well as
they do, much less be serious pests. “Illegal giant
snails threatening America” was an alarming New York
Post headline news article in late August this year1, reporting a dealer cited for selling destructive giant African land snails to buyers on Long Island and in several
other states. This particular species (which grows to
over 6.5”) will consume stucco and plaster (it has a
high requirement for lime), to say nothing of hundreds
of kinds of plants. ‘Killer slug’ (Arion vulgaris) is the
ominous sobriquet applied to another damaging species spreading through Europe and possibly here in the
US. These dramatic examples illustrate how the current trade situation facilitates spread of pests like slugs
and snails with remarkably limited capacity to travel on
their own, and how they can become unexpectedly bad
problems in their new homes.
Most growers and landscape professionals are familiar with slugs in general, but we actually have several
common species here. Some were introduced from
Europe, including the gray garden slug, spotted garden
slug, and the banded slug. The marsh slug is a native
species. These can all be pests in gardens and farms
with a wide host range that can include both live and
dead plant material, dead (and sometimes live) insects,
animal droppings, and fungi. I have even seen fungus
gnats trapped on sticky cards consumed by slugs (the
slugs are not trapped by the sticky material). Gray garden slug varies in color from cream with gray spots to
dark brown with dark spots and produces a milky slime,
unlike many other slugs. It can reach about 2” long
when mature. Banded slugs are pale gray with a black
or dark brown stripe running along the side of the mantle (a skin flap which partially covers the back) and the
body, below which runs a yellow or orange stripe. This
species can also reach about 2”. Spotted garden slugs
are the largest, up to 7”, with a brown background color and numerous dark spots. The marsh slug is smaller
than the others (to 1”) and varies from brown-black to
brown or gray. Its mantle is more centered on the back.
Depending upon the species, they may live from one to
several years and can reproduce without mating.
Snails are rarely pests on Long Island, though one invasive species, the grove or brown-lipped snail (Cepaea
nemoralis) is established in some areas where it becomes a pest climbing onto nursery plants to be sold.
Although it will feed on some plants, so far no injury
to ornamentals has been observed in areas where it is
established on Long Island.
Slugs and snails possess rasping-type mouthparts
used to file or chew away tissue. This can result in a
kind of skeletonization leaving tougher fibers behind, or
in holes or excavated areas in tender leaves, flowers,
berries or stems. Very soft growth may be entirely con-
1New York Post, August 29, 2014. Accessed 10/13/2014 at <http://nypost.com/2014/08/29/illegal-giant-snails-threatening-america/>.
10
November 2014
AGRICULTURAL NEWS
Slug damage on daylily.
sumed. Damage can be difficult to distinguish from that
caused by insects, so check for tell-tale slime residue or
trails, which often remain behind. During the growing
season inspect plants with a flashlight at night or during
overcast, wet weather when these creatures are typically active. Check refuges under clods, stones or foilcovered shingles placed over holes. I found many slugs
in the hollow, clay base of a birdbath stand; a shaded,
overturned clay pot may provide a similar cool refuge.
Watch for their egg masses, which look like clusters
of clear or whitish, small, round pearls. In agricultural
situations, slugs tend to be more troublesome in perennial plantings like alfalfa, mulched beds (like strawberries), no-till situations, or following clover-based fallow periods. They can be pests in established garden
beds, high tunnels, greenhouses, and in outdoor annual
crops along hedgerows near forest areas. Populations
may build in very wet years and eggs are usually resistant to desiccation. Slugs and snails have many natural enemies (birds and other vertebrates, some ground
beetles, and others), but they’re not always effective in
keeping populations down.
We have very few choices for snail and slug control.
Currently our main options include two sprayable products: Mesurol 75-W for ornamental plants and nonbearing fruit and nut trees and vines growing in nurseries and greenhouses and mature ornamental plantings
and Lannate LV under a 2ee label in New York State to
control slugs in commercial field corn and soybeans.
Several commercial and home-garden baits contain
metaldehyde, iron phosphate, or sodium ferric EDTA.
Some bait formulations include spinosad, the active
ingredient found in Conserve, Entrust, and Blackhawk
that extends uses for pests like earwigs, cutworms,
sowbugs and pillbugs. Metaldehyde bait labels have
recently dropped many use sites, including some field
and vegetable crops, ornamental plantings, turf, ground
covers, and around building foundations. Avoid use of
metaldehyde products around pets. Iron (ferric) phosphate materials are cleared for use in organic production. At least two home garden bait products registered
in NY contain orthoboric acid or sulfur as the active ingredient. Baits generally work best applied in evening
or after a light rain.
More information on slugs can be found in the NYS
IPM Factsheets at <http://www.nysipm.cornell.edu/
factsheets/berries/> ●
Tom
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November 2014
11
Can Electric Equipment Revolutionize Landscape Maintenance?
Jamie Banks, Ph.D., MS, Executive Director, Quiet Communities
I first met Dan Mabe in April 2013 on the UCLA campus. Mabe is founder of the American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA), a training and certification group for electric landscape maintenance equipment and gas-free
“Green Zones.” I direct a nonprofit organization, Quiet
Communities (Lincoln, Massachusetts), which aims to
bring communities and industry together to achieve
cleaner, quieter and healthier environments.
University and Wellesley College, the town of Lincoln
and the Ecological Landscaping Alliance (Massachusetts), Suffolk County and Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
in New York, and other public agencies. Continuing
education credits for this were offered by the Massachusetts Landscape and Nursery Association, Northeast Organic Farmers Association and Massachusetts
Association of Landscape Professionals.
I had traveled from Boston to meet Dan at an electric
equipment demonstration for the facilities maintenance crew at the UCLA campus in Los Angeles. I was
impressed with the electric equipment’s performance
and battery life, and clearly so was the crew. I thought
then we could be on the verge of an electric revolution in landscape maintenance. After talking, Dan and I
realized our organizations shared a common goal. We
decided to collaborate.
The events focused on educating people about the
health and environmental impacts of gas-powered
maintenance and demonstrating a selection of innovative, high-performance, cordless electric equipment,
existing as well as emerging prototypes. Thanks to
advances in battery technology, brushless motors and
controllers, cleaner, quieter and healthier alternatives
to gas-based engines are available today, and only getting better.
We had two objectives: to show that we no
longer need to rely solely on gas and to explain the important health and environmental
benefits of integrating electric into outdoor
maintenance. The demonstrations included
a full line of mowers, blowers, trimmers,
hedge trimmers, edgers and saws from several manufacturers, including Mean Green
Mowers and The Greenstation. “This equipment can really start to make a difference in
the quality of the environments around our
schools, neighborhoods, commercial areas
and parks,” says Mabe.
Reasons to reduce reliance on gas
Mean Green Mowers Commercial Stand On Mower Model.
In June, Quiet Communities, with the participation of
AGZA and Mean Green Mowers (Hamilton, Ohio), held
its first series of educational and electric equipment
demonstration events. Mean Green Mowers is currently the leading manufacturer of commercial-grade,
cordless equipment in the US. The events were cosponsored with the sustainability departments at Tufts
12
November 2014
The landscape maintenance industry has
grown dramatically over the past 20 to 30
years. Urban areas and suburbs have expanded. With a steady rise in two-income
households, fewer people have the time to
do their own maintenance work on a routine basis. Tasks once done manually are
now done with power equipment. Finally, there has
been a shift in aesthetics that has little tolerance for
any level of debris. These trends are feeding a dense
concentration of gas-powered maintenance companies
in many communities. Hundreds of cities, towns and
citizen groups across the country are concerned and
moving to enact restrictions.
AGRICULTURAL NEWS
The benefits of electric
The commercial electric equipment on the
market today includes a full range of mowers, from push, self-propelled, stand up
and ride on mowers to blowers, trimmers,
hedge trimmers, edgers and chain saws.
Lithium battery technology has improved
to the point where it is now possible to
get eight hours of operation on one charge
for some mowers and close to an hour
for homeowner models. The performance
is comparable to gas. Less maintenance
is required and it is all component-based.
Demonstration of Stand On Electric Mower
“When people have the chance to try out
the equipment, they realize that what we
ments, like schools, hospitals, luxury properties, parks
are saying is true. It is exciting to watch skepticism
and municipalities. With increasing visibility and user
change to enthusiasm,” says Mabe.
experience, adoption of electric-powered equipment is
Landscape maintenance companies have three good expected to accelerate.
reasons to go electric: economics, environment and
Education, training and certification will be essential to
health. AGZA estimates for a single commercial-grade
the adoption of electric technology. This is where Quiet
electric leaf blower, a busy contractor can expect a reCommunities and AGZA can both play important roles.
turn on investment as early as 12 months. After that,
“For maintenance companies, operating and maintainthe savings that come from eliminating gas and oil alone
ing electric equipment is much simpler, but it is not the
range from $800 to $1,600 per year. If you include mainsame as for gas equipment,” says Mabe. “It requires
tenance costs, the savings become even greater. “We
training and practice for workers to understand where
are seeing these savings validated by our clients, not
electric works best and how to properly operate and
only for the blowers and mowers, but other hand-held
maintain the equipment. This is AGZA’s mission.”
electric equipment as well,” says Mabe. “The immediate fuel savings can help finance the higher upfront cost As for future events, Quiet Communities hopes to host
of the equipment,” he adds. At the same time, going many more around the country.
electric reduces fuel consumption and emissions, solid
and toxic waste and reduces risks to worker health. By
working with electric equipment, companies have an Reprinted with permission from Turf magazine’s webopportunity to differentiate themselves in an intensely site, www.turfmagazine.com. For more information,
competitive market that is trending more towards eco- please visit the website or< www.LawnSite.com>.
friendly products and services.
Jamie Banks, Ph.D., MS is executive director of Quiet Communities. She has an extensive background in
How will electric grow?
health outcomes and economics, environmental beThe era of electric landscape maintenance is in its inhavior and policy. Banks earned her Ph.D. in social polifancy. It has a long way to go before it becomes maincy/health economics (University of Kent, U.K.), and her
stream. Moving from gas- to electric-powered equipmasters’ degrees in clinical evaluative sciences (Dartment will require industry to change the way it operates
mouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire) and
and this is where the challenge lies. As for other inInterdisciplinary Sciences (Massachusetts Institute of
dustries, technology adoption always starts slow with
Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts). ●
the early adopters. These will be properties and communities that place a premium on clean, quiet environ-
Serving Suffolk County Agricultural and Horticultural Industries
November 2014
13
FSMA Proposed Rule For Produce Safety
Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and
Holding of Produce for Human Consumption
Based on FDA’s outreach efforts and public comments, the FDA is proposing revisions to its proposed rule on
produce safety that are more flexible and less burdensome in key areas.
Commenting
The FDA is accepting comments for 75 days after the publication date. The FDA published the original proposed
rule on January 16, 2013, and the comment period closed on November 22, 2013; no additional comments are
being accepted on the original proposed rule. The FDA will accept comments on the revised provisions while
continuing to review comments already received on the original proposed rule. The comment period opens September 29, 2014 until December 15, 2014. Electronic comments can be submitted at:
<http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=FDA-2011-N-0921-0973>. Handwritten comments can be
mailed to: Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm.
1061, Rockville, MD 20852
At a Glance - Summary of Key Revisions
1. Water quality standard and testing more flexible
• The FDA is proposing various revisions to the
microbial standard for water that is directly
applied during the growing of produce (other than
sprouts). The agency is updating the microbial
quality standard to reflect data that supports
the 2012 Environmental Protection Agency
recreational water quality criteria.
• Farmers with agricultural water that does not
initially meet the proposed microbial standard
would have additional means by which they
could meet the standard and then be able to use
the water. These options include establishing a
sufficient interval of days between last irrigation
and harvest to allow time for potentially dangerous
microbes to die off. They could also apply an
interval of days between harvest and the end
of storage using appropriate microbial die-off
or removal rates, provided there is adequate
supporting data. And there is an option to calculate
and apply appropriate pathogen removal rates for
activities such as commercial washing.
-- A number of commenters felt that the
FDA should allow for microbial die-off that
occurs naturally in the field before the crop
is harvested. This provision provides that
flexibility. However, any of these options would
have to provide the same level of public health
protection and not increase the likelihood that
the covered produce will be adulterated. 14
November 2014
• Recognizing that water sources have different
levels of contamination risk, the FDA is proposing
a tiered and more targeted approach to testing
each source of untreated water that will be less
burdensome on farmers while still protective of
public health. The revisions reduce how often the
water is tested, with the frequency depending on
the water source (i.e. surface or ground water) and
on the results of prior tests.
2. Manure strategy to be further studied
• The FDA is removing the nine-month proposed
minimum-time interval between the application
of untreated biological soil amendments of
animal origin (including raw manure) and crop
harvesting. The agency is deferring its decision
on an appropriate time interval until it pursues
certain actions. These include conducting a risk
assessment and extensive research to strengthen
scientific support for any future proposal, working
with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other
stakeholders.
• At this time, the FDA does not intend to take
exception to farmers complying with the USDA’s
National Organic Program standards, which call for
a 120-day interval between the application of raw
manure for crops in contact with the soil and 90
days for crops not in contact with the soil.
• The FDA is proposing to eliminate the previously
proposed 45-day minimum application interval
for compost (also known as humus), including
composted manures. Properly treated and handled
AGRICULTURAL NEWS
endangered species in violation of the Endangered
Species Act. There were concerns expressed that
growers would interpret the original proposed
rule in ways that would harm wildlife, including
taking measures to exclude animals from outdoor
growing areas or destroying animal habitats. This
clarification is intended to relieve those concerns.
compost is safer than raw manure from a public
health standpoint and this change to the proposal
would help facilitate its use while still providing an
appropriate level of public health protection.
3. Covered farms better defined
• The FDA is proposing that farms or farm mixedtype facilities with an average annual monetary
value of produce sales of $25,000 or less will not
be covered. The original proposed rule defined
that monetary threshold in terms of all food sales.
The FDA is also proposing corresponding changes
to the definitions of “very small business”
and “small business” to base those monetary
thresholds on produce sales rather than food
sales. The monetary threshold for the qualified
exemption with modified requirements, however,
would not change because that exemption is
defined by statute.
• The definition of “farm” would be revised; a
farm would no longer be required to register as
a food facility merely because it packs or holds
raw agricultural commodities grown on another
farm under a different ownership. The FDA is
proposing that such activities would be subject to
the produce safety rule rather than the preventive
controls rule for human food.
Compliance Dates
• Very small businesses, those with more than
$25,000 but no more than $250,000 in annual
produce sales, would have four years after
the rule’s effective date to comply with most
provisions.
• Small businesses, those with more than $250,000
but no more than $500,000 in produce sales,
would have three years after the rule’s effective
date to comply with most provisions. • All other farms would have two years after the
effective date to comply with most provisions. • The compliance dates for water quality standards,
and related testing and recordkeeping provisions
would be an additional two years beyond the
compliance dates for the rest of the final rule. ●
4. Withdrawal of qualified exemptions process further clarified
• The proposed revisions would establish
procedures to guide the FDA in withdrawing an
exemption for a farm for food safety reasons as
specified in the proposed regulation:
-- The FDA may consider one or more other
actions to protect public health prior to
withdrawal, such as a warning letter, recall,
administrative detention, or seizure and
injunction.
-- The FDA must notify the farm of the
circumstances that jeopardize the exemption,
provide an opportunity for the farm to respond,
and consider actions taken by the farm to
address the issues raised by the agency.
• The revisions also provide procedures for
reinstating a withdrawn exemption.

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










5. Clarifying provisions on wild animals
• The FDA states in the proposed revisions that
the proposed produce regulation does not
authorize or require farms to take actions that
would constitute the “taking” of a threatened or
Serving Suffolk County Agricultural and Horticultural Industries



November 2014
15
Xerces Pollinator Conservation
Short Course for Long Island’s
Agricultural Community
November 18, 2014 • 9:00am – 4:30pm
Cornell Cooperative Extension Building
423 Griffing Ave., Riverhead NY 11901
2nd Floor Meeting Room
NYSDEC Pesticide Credits (5), ISA, LACES,
CCA, CNLP Credits offered
Registration $25/person
Refreshments, Lunch and Attracting Native
Pollinators Reference Book Provided
Limited Seating – Register Early
For more information, please contact:
Polly Weigand, Senior Soil District Technician
Suffolk County Soil and Water Conservation District
631-852-3289 or <[email protected]>
Long Island
Cauliflower Association
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16
November 2014
Use Of Volunteer Labor At
For-Profit Businesses
Here is a statement from Nicole Willis, Senior Associate Director, Public Policy Department, New York Farm
Bureau. She writes about the issue of using volunteer
labor. Ms. Willis wants to emphasize that she is not
a lawyer and therefore is not providing legal advice.
Businesses should consult their own lawyer with any
questions.
Recently, a California winery incurred a substantial fine
for using volunteer labor in their tasting room. Unfortunately, this practice is not permitted as for-profit/businesses cannot have volunteers doing their work. As
defined in New York Labor Law – “(f) as a volunteer,
learner or apprentice by a corporation, unincorporated
association, community chest, fund or foundation organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable
or educational purposes, no part of the net earnings of
which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder
or individual.”
Essentially any work that is done in coordination with a
business must consider that person an employee and
as such, follow minimum wage laws for them.
Under the FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) it is also
outlined clearly that volunteers are important for the
sectors to religious, charitable, civic, humanitarian, or
similar nonprofit organizations, but outside of that, an
employer must pay minimum wage.
The basis behind this is that a business/for-profit organization, could easily take advantage of a “volunteer”
and have them doing work that others are being paid
for. It is also a complication to have a volunteer doing
work that is going to make your business a profit (using
their work for free and then being able to charge for
what they produce). As I said above, religious, charitable, civic, humanitarian and similar nonprofit organizations CAN use volunteers (with the basis being that
they do not monetarily profit from the work done by a
volunteer).
There are NOT any allowances or exemptions for the
agricultural industry.
That being said, NYFB has tried in past years to establish a “training/volunteer/intern” type of program with
the Department of Labor & legislature. The closest
thus far being an internship program. However, with
the structure of the labor laws it proves to be a bit more
complicated than initially anticipated. We will continue
to push this issue though and attempt to gain some
traction with a workable internship program. ●
AGRICULTURAL NEWS
Serving Suffolk County Agricultural and Horticultural Industries
November 2014
17
Margery Daughtrey to be Honored for Outstanding
Accomplishments in Extension and Outreach
Margery Daughtrey, Plant Pathologist at Cornell University’s Long
Island Horticultural Research & Extension Center is the 2014 recipient of the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life
Sciences (CALS) Outstanding Accomplishments in Extension/Outreach Award.
This award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated leadership in developing a highly innovative and responsive extension/
outreach program that addresses stakeholder needs. The awards
committee cited Margery’s tireless dedication to ornamental plant
growers, especially the greenhouse industry. They also recognized Margery’s relevant and productive applied research program
and her outstanding record of responsiveness to the growers.
This award signifies Cornell University’s appreciation of Margery’s
commitment to sustaining CALS’s land-grant mission, and recognizes her accomplishments contributing to the realization of CALS
vision: “Leading science and education toward a resilient future.”
Margery will receive this award on November 10, at Cornell’s main
campus in Ithaca. ●
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18
November 2014
How Are State and
Municipal Regulations
Affecting You? The University of Connecticut (UConn) Zwick Center
for Food and Resource Policy is interested in finding
out your views on state and municipal regulations that
affect farming activities and profitability. This survey
should take approximately 15 minutes of your time,
and your participation is very important. Your responses will be anonymous, and your name or contact information is not requested. The results of this survey will
be developed into a report which will be shared with
Northeast agricultural leaders and policy makers at the
state and local levels. Your participation in this important survey is appreciated.
To participate, click the following link to be taken to
the survey site administered by UConn: <http://www.
zwickcenter.uconn.edu/survey.php>.
If you have any questions about this study, you may
contact Dr. Benjamin Campbell at <ben.campbell@
uconn.edu> or Dr. Adam Rabinowitz at <[email protected]>.
AGRICULTURAL NEWS
The Cornell Gardeners Celebrate 10 Years Of
Volunteering At Cornell’s LIHREC
This fall the Cornell Gardeners celebrated 10 years of
volunteering at Cornell University’s Long Island Horticultural Research & Extension Center (LIHREC). Approximately 60 members, alumni and guests met for
garden tours and a pot-luck lunch. The Cornell Gardeners invited the staff members of the LIHREC to lunch
as a small way to thank them for their hospitality and
kindness over the years.
The Cornell Gardeners officially began on Saturday, August 21, 2004. This is the date that the first ornamental
display gardens were planted at the LIHREC in Riverhead. The year before, in 2003, the president of the Perennial Plant Association (PPA), Joe Kunkel, asked the
LIHREC if they would like to participate in a new program offered by the PPA. They wanted to install a new
perennial garden in a public location to support their
mission of education for herbaceous perennial plants.
At the time, the LIHREC had no display gardens of any
kind.
In 2011, thanks to a grant from the Friends of Long
Island Horticulture, a vegetable demonstration garden
was planted and called the Victory Garden. The organization has more than 40 active members and there are
still 4 members who have continuously participated for
the past 10 years: Diane Henry-Vanisko, Ken Mohring,
Eleanor Polashock, and Bill Wolkoff.
The Cornell Gardeners meet at the LIHREC every
Tuesday morning from 9:00 am until noon all year long.
Anyone who is interested in volunteering their time to
weeding, planting, designing, and garden work is welcome to come. ●
When the project was approved by the staff members
at the LIHREC in 2003, the director, Dr. Mark Bridgen,
worked with renowned landscape designer from the
United Kingdom, Adrian Bloom. Together they planned
the locations, the sizes, and the shapes of the gardens.
The gardens were prepared in the spring of 2003 by the
members of the field staff of the LIHREC; the ground
was cultivated, fertilizer was applied, and organic matter was incorporated. Ellen Talmage was the local Long
Island contact person who acted as a liaison between
the LIHREC and the PPA. Ellen, along with Suffolk
County Extension Specialist, Caroline Kiang, organized
donations of perennial plants from numerous wholesale growers and also organized more than 50 volunteers from the Suffolk County Master Gardeners.
On the day of the planting event, more than 1,400 plants
were available for the project. All of these plants were
donated by local businesses and individuals. Once Mr.
Bloom positioned the plants in their final locations, the
volunteers did the work of planting them. The gardens
expanded after 2004 into a large L-shaped display garden along the northwest corner of the property. Members of the Long Island Dahlia Society joined the volunteers and planted 4 large beds of dahlias. As an identity
began to develop, the volunteers identified themselves
as the “Cornell Gardeners” and they outlined by-laws.
Serving Suffolk County Agricultural and Horticultural Industries
IBG - “BIG on Plant health”
ISLAND
BIO-GREENS
A Long Island leader
in the distribution of
wholesale professional organic product supplies to the
turf and agricultural
markets, proudly
announces these
very same services
to homeowners and
their turf and garden
areas.
ORGANICALLY
trained and certified
Representing over 12 manufacturers
to bring you the best in:
• Soil Amendments • Microbials
• Plant Stimulants • Plant Nutrients
• Pest Control • Seed • Lime
• Fertilizers • Compost
Delivering natural, agronomic
solutions direct
1556 West Main Street. Riverhead, NY 11901
(Corner of Kroemer Avenue)
[email protected]
Ken Kraus 631-680-1600 or Gary Baumann 631-902-4242
www.islandbiogreens.com
November 2014
19
Online Courses Offered
for Aspiring, New, and
Experienced Farmers
These interactive 5-7-week courses are led by experienced educators and farmers and connect you to the
information and people you need to start a successful
farm business or diversify your farm. You can take a
single course or start at the beginning and work your
way through the courses in order.
Registration for the 2014-2015 season is now open.
See the list of courses below that will be offered this
fall and winter. Visit <http://nebeginningfarmers.org/
online-courses/> to learn more or to register.
November
BF 122: Berry Production – Getting Started with Growing and Marketing
Cornell University’s
Annual Economic Outlook
Conference to be Held on
December 9
The annual Agribusiness Economic Outlook Conference will be held on December 9 on the Cornell
University campus in Ithaca NY. At this conference,
New York agricultural leaders will learn about the
short-and long-term outlook for agriculture and agricultural products. Breakout sessions concentrate
on dairy, grains and feed, and horticultural products
(fruits, vegetables, wine, and ornamentals).
For more information, visit: <http://dyson.cornell.edu/outreach/ag_outlook_conference.
php#conference>. At this site you can also view
presentations and videos from the 2013 conference, as well as the New York Economic Handbook.
January
BF 102: Markets and Profits – Exploring the Feasibility
of Your Farming Ideas
BF 104: Financial Records – Keeping and Analyzing Records to Track Your Profitability
BF 120: Veggie Farming – From Planning to Planting
BF 140: Small-scale Organic Grain Production – Is it
Right for Your Farm?
BF 203: Holistic Financial Planning – Building Profit into
the Picture
February
BF 121: Veggie Farming – From Season-Long Care to
Market
March
BF 103: Taking Care of Business – Understanding the
Business, Regulatory, and Tax Implications of Your
Farm
20
November 2014
Ornamental Producers –
Please Complete
the IR4 Survey
IR4 Ornamental Horticulture Program needs your
input to help to prioritize pest, disease, weed, and
plant growth regulator (PGR) research. Please complete the survey found at the link below. By providing information, you can help ensure that your biggest challenges are addressed by research and you
can shape the IR4 program’s two-year plan that will
ultimately benefit our industry.
The survey can be completed online and should
take no more than five to seven minutes to complete: <http://ir4.rutgers.edu/Ornamental/Survey/
index.cfm>.
The IR4 Ornamental Program focuses on greenhouse, nursery, landscape, Christmas tree and forestry producers. The primary objectives of the program are to facilitate new product registrations and
to place new diseases, insects and weeds, as well
as new crops, on already registered ornamental
horticulture product labels. For more information,
visit: <http://ir4.rutgers.edu/ornamentals.html>.
AGRICULTURAL NEWS
Suffolk County’s Soil & Water Conservation District
celebrated its 50th Anniversary on September 18, 2014.
Save The Dates for the
ROMANSKI FARM SERVICES
Upcoming Winter Meetings! Riley Avenue, Calverton • 631-727-7668
January 8-9 – Long Island Ag Forum
January 20 – Long Island Greenhouse & Floriculture
Conference
January 22 – Long Island Horticulture Conference
For more information, watch future issues of this publication
and your mail. Or, contact Linda Holm at Cornell Cooperative
Extension, 631-727-7850 x341 or <[email protected]>.
LIAA
LONG ISLAND ARBORICULTURAL
Long
Island Arboricultural
Association
ASSOCIATION,
INC.
A not-for-profit, educational and scientific organization
Promoting Better Appreciation and Care of
Shade Trees better
and Shrubs
on Long Island and
Promoting
appreciation
care of
Greenshrubs
-- President
shadeDeborah
trees and
on Long Island
PO Box 565, Farmingdale, NY 11735
516-454-6550
Celeste
Richards - President
www.longislandarborists.org
• [email protected]
PO
Box 327, Huntington
Station, NY 11746
A not-for-profit, educational
and scientific organization
631-415-4535
www.longislandarborists.org
[email protected]
Serving Suffolk County Agricultural and Horticultural Industries
Deer Fencing
Supplies, Service
and Installation
Custom Lime, Fertilizer Spreading
Plowing • Discing • Deep Tillage
Sub-Soiling down to 30 inches
q•r
Small Grain Seeding
Seeding of:
Cover Crop • Pastures • Polo Fields
q•r
Fields Mowed
q•r
Overgrown Farm Fields Reclaimed
November 2014
21
50 Years Ago
(Reprinted from the October 1964 Suffolk County Farm News)
Cauliflower Auction In 51st Year
Editors Note – Cauliflower growers and others who sell produce through either the Riverhead or Southold auctions are familiar with the colorful activity and the fast and effective marketing that goes on as described in this
story.
Long Island’s first cauliflower auction was held under a
tree outside the office of the L.I. Cauliflower Association, on Hallet Street, Riverhead, on a fall day in 1913.
The auctioneer stood on a box, in the center of a ring of
buyers, who bought the day’s cutting, packed in barrels
which had been carted to town in farm wagons.
Surviving two world wars, the great
depression, and the conversion of
great areas of Suffolk County farmland into housing and plant sites,
the auction opened September 14
for the 51st consecutive season. Located for some years in a modern
auction plant locally known simply
as “the block” on Rte. 58 two miles
northeast of Riverhead village and
the original site, it has a companion
site in Southold. This opened September 28th.
At both plants, farm truckloads
of freshly cut cauliflower, leaves
trimmed to expose the snow-white
heads, field packed 12 heads to a
crate, enter the block in two parallel
lines. Similar to a traffic “island” between these lanes is the buyers’ platform. At one end
of the platform is the elevated “pulpit” where the auctioneer holds forth and the auction manager tabulates
sales and keeps an eye on proceedings.
Bids, always based on so much per crate (but which
apply to an entire load), are never spoken, but are signaled, by a gesture, a nod of the head, a wink, even
by the removal of a pipe from a buyer’s mouth. The
auctioneer’s rapid-fire, sing-song chant is made up of
a call for bids: “Who’ll start at $2”; and a verbal record
of the progress of the bidding: “I have $2.25 - $2.25,
who’ll give me $2.30?” and a final announcement of
the sale: “Sold, for $2.75 to John Doe”, all spoken with
such speed that it is intelligible only to the buyers and
seasoned observers.
22
November 2014
Sales are made at an average of one every 30 seconds,
with the action alternating from one line to another. After his load has been sold, the farmer drives his truck
to the adjoining yard, there, the crates are moved into
waiting trailer trucks which carry them, often under refrigeration, not only to New York and other nearby centers, but on long hauls to Chicago,
Kansas City, New Orleans, Miami,
and on rare occasions, to Denver,
Houston, and Canadian cities.
Most of the buyers represent either chain store organizations or
produce houses that serve chains,
independent groceries, hotels and
restaurants.
The cauliflower shipping (and harvesting) season begins in early
September, and continues normally until the middle of December. In
some years, it has been cut short
by a severe freeze in November or
early December. However, cauliflower can take considerable frost,
and the flavor actually improves as
the weather becomes cooler.
The auction, which normally receives between 500,000
and 1 million crates of cauliflower, depending upon the
acreage and growing conditions, is the oldest auction in
the Northeast and probably the largest. It also handles
cabbage, Brussels sprouts and other fall produce, but
in much smaller volume; in June, it receives and sells
strawberries and peas. Competitive selling and buying
tends to keep quality standards and financial returns
up; it also relieves the farmers of credit risk, since the
sponsoring Long Island Cauliflower Association guarantees payment to the growers. The Association itself
is a farmer owned organization, which dates back to
1901, and is the senior farm product marketing agency
on Long Island. ●
AGRICULTURAL NEWS
Calendar of Events
November 4-5. Northeast Greenhouse Conference &
Expo. Springfield, MA. Visit <http://www.negreenhouse.org>.
November 13. Managing Landscapes Sustainably Conference. Clarion Hotel, Ronkonkoma, NY. Contact Linda
Holm at Cornell Cooperative Extension, 631-727-7850
x341 or <[email protected]>.
November 18. Xerces Pollinator Conservation Short
Course for Long Island’s Agricultural Community.
Cornell Cooperative Extension Education Center, 423
Griffing Ave., Riverhead, NY. Contact Polly Weigand,
Suffolk County Soil & Water Conservation District, 631852-3289 or <[email protected]>.
January 8-9. Long Island Ag Forum. Suffolk County
Community College, Riverhead, NY. Contact Linda
Holm at Cornell Cooperative Extension, 631-727-7850
x341 or <[email protected]>.
January 20. Long Island Greenhouse & Floriculture
Conference. Hyatt Place, Riverhead, NY. Contact Linda
Holm at Cornell Cooperative Extension, 631-727-7850
x341 or <[email protected]>.
January 22. Long Island Horticulture Conference. Clarion Hotel and Conference Center. Ronkonkoma, NY.
Contact Linda Holm at Cornell Cooperative Extension,
631-727-7850 x341 or <[email protected]>.
The Trading Post
FOR SALE
New Holland 282 wire baler, always inside, $1,250. Webster 6 ton
fertilizer body, motor, auger, cover,
$150. 631-566-4107. (b14-11)
1968 Ford F600 8yd Dump Truck,
330 Medium Duty V8 Engine,
40,000 mi, $2,800. Great running,
road-worthy condition. Less than
400 miles/yr., on-farm/supplies
pick-up. Engine, chassis, brakes,
brake-lines, clutch, transmission,
PTO, piston, heater, exhaust, electrical, dependable, working order.
631-271-2045, [email protected] (b14-10)
3 pt – 6 ft disc, excellent blades
and bearings - $400. Call 631-4720530. (b14-10)
850 Ford tractor, rebuilt motor;
Ford cultivator, 3 pt bed maker 72”;
PTO generator; 6’ box blade; cement blocks for benches; 21 x 64
greenhouse; parting out Farmall C.
Contact: 631-805-5559. (b14-10)
WANTED
Preserve Your Heritage. I have a
museum dedicated to local agriculture. I wish to purchase tools of the
past. All items labeled with owner,
make of item, year, name of farm,
and town. Ronald Bush. 631-4720530 (X10-10)
SERVICES
Custom Plowing & Discing. Pastures seeded and farm consultant,
Tom Romanski. 631-727-7668.
(X97-10)
Winemaking Consultant: Vineyard or winery of interest to you?
My services are informative and
cost effective. Tom Payette, 540672-0387, <www.winemakingconsultant.com> (b14-11)
Bushhog Services - Overgrown
fields and lots mowed. Heavy brush
in woodland selectively mowed.
Tom Romanski. 631- 727-7668.
(X97-10)
Position Available
Farm Manager position on a new
34 acre organic farm on the North
Fork of Long Island. Forward your
resume to <10milefarm@gmail.
com> or contact Peter at 516-4033434. (b14-10)
50 Years Ago…
(Reprinted from the July 1964 issue of Suffolk County Farm News)
Copter Potato Spraying
Given Trial
Spraying of potatoes by helicopter was given a trial on
Long Island this year. Through arrangements made by
G.L.F., the helicopter spray service provided by New
Jersey Helicopter Airways, Inc., was used on about
1000 acres scattered on a number of farms throughout Suffolk County. A combination of insecticides and
fungicides as selected by the farmer to be used on his
fields are diluted in water and applied at 3 to 5 gallons
of spray per acre.
Several fields were watched closely by the staff of the
Suffolk County Extension Service and the Long Island
Vegetable Research Farm to determine effectiveness
of helicopter spraying as compared to conventional
ground application. ●
TRADING POST - Classified Ads
Agricultural News subscribers may use up to 40 words free in the Trading Post.
Trading Post ads will be run for two months and then canceled unless the office
is otherwise notified. Contact Linda Holm, 631-727-7850 x 341.
PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY
Category:_____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Name:_______________________________________________________
Business Name:_______________________________________________
Address:_____________________________________________________
Telephone: (________) __________________________________________
Return this form to:
Cornell Cooperative Extension - Suffolk County
423 Griffing Avenue, Suite 100, Riverhead, NY 11901-3071
Attn. Agricultural News Trading Post
Serving Suffolk County Agricultural and Horticultural Industries
November 2014
23
Taking A Personal Interest
The mainstay of Farm Family has always been the personal service we provide to our clients. Our
knowledge and experience have given us a unique perspective in the agriculture and business communities.
We have always been committed to bringing quality products and service to you, your business and your
family — and that commitment won’t change.
QSA VINCENT C. DALEY, CLU, ChFC
GENERAL AGENT
ISLIP TERRACE
AQUEBOGUE
QSA Vincent C. Daley, CLU, ChFC
Camille Bunicci
Michael McCord
(631) 277-7770
George K. Formes
James P. Kowalsick
(631) 722-4100
EAST QUOGUE
Timothy S. Purdy, LUTCF
(631) 821-2200
James N. Agals
Michael McCrain
(631) 288-4454
Scott Kelly, CFP®, ChFC, CASL
(631) 228-4501
CALVERTON
Eric Kirk
(631) 727-7767
SHOREHAM
HOLBROOK
George R. Grossmann, LUTCF
(631) 439-4650
MILLER PLACE
Kevin J. Cantwell, CFP®, LUTCF
(631) 744-3350
FF-258 (308)
24
November 2014
AGRICULTURAL NEWS