Northeast

‘Perfect conditions’ for growing peaches seen in New Jersey

New Jersey’s locally grown peaches are now available in supermarkets, community farmers markets and on farms, and New Jersey peach producers are celebrating a near-perfect growing season. This is one of the best Jersey-peach seasons in... more »

Cornell engineers, plant scientists pursue app to predict size of fall grape crops

Engineers and plant scientists from Cornell University are attempting to develop an inexpensive option for New York’s grape growers to predict how many tons of grapes will be harvested from their vineyards in the fall. ... more »

Applying compost in apple orchards could reduce need for synthetic fertilizer

As the saying goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. But what’s the key to growing a quality apple? Apple trees need access to important nutrients, which come from the soil. However, soil is... more »

UMaine researchers study how changing rainfall patterns could affect strawberries

University of Maine researchers are studying how changes in rainfall patterns caused by climate change could affect strawberries in the Northeast. Principal investigator Rachel Schattman, an assistant professor of sustainable agriculture, and her research team... more »

New Jersey peach growers focus on thinning to produce large fruit

Fruit thinning is a labor intensive practice for peach growers in New Jersey. It is an expensive practice done mostly by hand, but a necessary cost because it is so important to produce large fruit... more »

Mother, Marine son take over blueberry farm nestled in city

What do a retired music professor and a retiring U.S. Marine have in common? Why, a blueberry farm, of course. Mother and son, Nancy Cornish and Stephen Cornish, and his wife Sonya, went into business... more »

European Cherry Fruit Fly quarantine includes Monroe and Wayne counties, NY

Effective May 11, 2021, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets expanded the European cherry fruit fly quarantine to include all of Monroe County and... more »

Grant expands Cornell Farmworker Program efforts

As COVID-19 bore down on New York state, the Cornell Farmworker Program used mobile phone technology to provide rapid guidance and clear health information in multiple languages to the state’s farmworkers. Now, new federal funding will expand... more »