New England Vegetable & Fruit 2015 New England Vegetable & Fruit Conference and Trade Show December 15, 16, and 17, 2015 Radisson Hotel Manchester, New Hampshire Proceedings 2015 2015 New England Vegetable & Fruit Conference and Trade Show December 15, 16, and 17, 2015 Radisson Hotel Manchester Manchester, NH Sponsored by the Cooperative Extension Systems of: University of Connecticut University of Massachusetts University of New Hampshire University of Rhode Island University of Vermont Cornell University Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners’ Association and New England Vegetable & Berry Growers’ Association and Massachusetts Fruit Growers’ Association U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating General Chair Proceedings Jude Boucher Becky Sideman Program Chair CCA/CEU Recertification Sonia Schloemann Mark Hutchinson Publicity Secretary MacKenzie White & Faye Cragin Andy Radin Registration Farmer-to-Farmer Mark Hutton Sandy Arnold Treasurer Media Specialist Lisa McKeag Faye Cragin Trade Show Manager Evaluations Brian Aldrich Vern Grubinger Local Arrangements Travel Amy Ouellette Rich Bonanno Pesticide Recertification Local Foods Coordinator George Hamilton Jiff Martin Members at Large and Moderators Chuck Bornt Duane Greene Skip Paul Rebecca Brown David Handley Matt Pellerin Heather Bryant Chip Hardy Al Rose Katie Campbell-Nelson Ann Hazelrigg Hilary Sandler Jon Clements Tori Lee Jackson Eric Sideman Mary Concklin Rob Johanson Kerri Stenovitch Heather Faubert Laura McDermott Kim Stoner Paul Gove Stacia Monahan Dave Tuttle Jim Ward Table of Contents Blueberry I Winter Moth: Detection & Management – Heather Faubert ....................................................1 Finding Revenue in Your Blueberry Business – Dan Welch .....................................................3 Weed Control & Fertility in Organic Blueberry Production – Bernadine Strik ........................6 Invest in Pollination for Success with Highbush Blueberries – Emily May ............................10 Innovations in Blueberry Product Marketing – Theresa Gaffney .............................................12 Tree Fruit I Improving Branching of Apple Trees from Nursery to Orchard – Win Cowgill .....................15 Climate Change - A Review – Glen Koehler...........................................................................19 Getting the Upper Hand on Fire Blight – Kari Peter...............................................................24 Harvista for Precision Harvest – Mark Boyer ..........................................................................28 Specialty & Ethnic Crops Brussels Sprouts: Variety Choice and Whether to Top – Becky Sideman ...............................29 Growing Ginger in the Northeast – Sue Decker ......................................................................32 All About Asparagus & More – Walter Czajkowski & Michael Zigmont ...............................34 Innovative Ideas for Small Acreage Working Smarter, Not Harder with Innovative Tools at Pleasant Valley Farm – Paul Arnold ..............................................................................................................................36 Cost Effective Ways to Maximize Fertility Options – Derek Christianson ...........................37 Innovative Production & Harvest Systems – Dave Hambleton ...............................................42 Geothermal, Hi Tech Bubble Roof & New Generation Wood Boiler for Greenhouses – Sandy Dietz ..............................................................................................................................46 Bicycle Tractor & Implements – Tim Cooke ...........................................................................49 Foot Operated Electric Cultivation & Harvest Barge – Rob Rock...........................................51 Food Safety Applied Research for Improved Post-Harvest Produce Washing – Amanda Kinchla .............53 Food Safety Considerations for Packing Sheds – Robert Hadad ............................................56 Winter Growing Season Extension Options for Your Farm – Chris Lent ..........................................................60 Winter Insects, Diseases & Rotations in High Tunnels – Judson Reid ...................................61 Frozen Ground Summary from 24 Top Winter Growers in US/Canada – Sandy Arnold and Michael Kilpatrick ...................................................................................................................64 i Brambles The Basics of Growing Brambles – David Handley ................................................................67 Nutrient Management in Brambles – Bernadine Strik .............................................................70 Trellising Options for Raspberries & Blackberries in Cold Climates – Marvin Pritts ............74 Primocane Fruiting Blackberries – Bernadine Strik ................................................................76 Blueberry II Post-Harvest Care to Enhance Blueberry Crop Value – Craig Kahlke ...................................80 Blueberry Varieties for New England Farmers – Aaron Libby ...............................................81 Improving Spray Deposition in Blueberries – George Hamilton ............................................82 Superfruit! Understanding the Health Benefits of Blueberries – Diane McKay .....................84 Manage Blueberry Fertility Through Your Trickle System – Trevor Hardy ..........................87 Harvest, Handling & Storage Harvest Practices at Nature's Route Farm – Kent Coates ........................................................89 Vegetable Storage for Winter CSA Sales – Laura Tangerini..................................................93 Harvest & Handling Small Volumes of Diverse Crops – Josh Volk .......................................95 Tree Fruit II Validation of the MaluSim Carbohydrate Model – Greg Peck ...............................................98 Profits on Small Acreage $100,000 per Acre on a Small Farm – Jean-Martin Fortier....................................................99 On-Farm Trials by Farmers Designing and Assessing Results of On-Farm Trials – Iago Hale & Becky Sideman ...........100 Our On-Farm Trial to Test a Berry Production System – David Marchant ..........................102 Stone Fruit Are You a Gambler? ProGibb to Reduce Peach Flower Bud Density – Win Cowgill .........104 Bacterial Diseases of Stone Fruit: Spots & Cankers – Kari Peter .........................................107 Brown Rot: Best Management Practices & Fungicide Resistance Management – Guido Schnabel ......................................................................................................................109 Growing Peaches in Michigan: How We Do It & What Keeps Us Up At Night – Bill Shane ...............................................................................................................................111 Varieties, Horticultural Practices, & Challenges – Win Cowgill, Ben Clark, Andre Tougas, Sandie Barden, Bill Shane .....................................................................................................114 ii Mechanical Weed Control Small Scale Cultivation in Diverse Crops – Josh Volk ..........................................................118 Mulching & Weed Management – Eric Gallandt..................................................................121 Mostly Successful Stale Seed Bedding – Tim Taylor ............................................................123 Brassicas/Leafy Greens What's Bugging My Brassicas & Managing Cole Crop Pests – Dan Gilrein ........................125 Exploring Chinese Broccoli Cultivars – Skip Paul ................................................................130 Producing Healthy Brassicas Spring Through Fall with Biocontrols & Rotation – Andrew Knafel .......................................................................................................................133 Twelve Months of Consistent Greens Production – Michael Kilpatrick ...............................135 Growing Greens in Vermont for Profit – Ben Dana ..............................................................139 Strawberry I – Day Neutral Workshop Nutrition & Plant Management – Laura McDermott ............................................................140 Growing Day Neutrals at Farm To You – David Pike...........................................................142 Cucurbit Vine Crops Strategies for Managing Multiple Pathogens on Pumpkins – Margaret McGrath ................144 Pollination of Pumpkin & Winter Squash - Thanks to Bumble Bees! – Kim Stoner ............150 Calabaza Squash and Personal-Sized Watermelons - Two High Value Specialty Crops – Abigail Maynard ....................................................................................................................152 Use of Interspecific Hybrids in Squash for Fresh Market, Processing, & Grafting Rootstocks for Melons – Brent Loy .......................................................................................157 Strawberry II – June-Bearing Workshop After PYO: Mechanical Harvest Aids – Cathy Karonis ........................................................160 Living with Black Root Rot – Marvin Pritts .........................................................................163 Strawberry Viruses: Why Worry? – John Lewis ...................................................................166 Weed Focus: Managing Persistent Problems – David Handley ............................................169