Two farm tours and a workshop in March will showcase season extension vegetable production, including the results of research funded by the farmer-driven with funding support from the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program serving Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. The tours, organized by Cornell Cooperative Extension, will visit growers known for their success with winter season production of fresh produce.
A Monday, March 5 tour at Pleasant Valley Farm, owned by Paul and Sandy Arnold in Argyle, NY, will be available by pre-registration only. Paul, Sandy and Kim Arnold will talk with tour visitors about how they grow winter vegetables with little to no heat in their high tunnels. The Arnolds have been selling winter-grown produce at markets since 2006. They have used low tunnels since 1993. Visitors will see tunnels in full production. Tour organizer Amy Ivy, a regional vegetable specialist with the Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture Program, says, “The Arnolds run one of the best known winter growing operations in New York State.”
Space is limited for the free March 5 tour; preference will be given to commercial growers and would-be growers in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. Register at https://enych.cce.cornell.edu/event.php?id=904 or contact Amy Ivy at [email protected], 518-570-5991.
On Saturday, March 24, Ivy will lead a “Growing Vegetables to Sell in Northern New York” workshop for those already commercially growing vegetables and those considering expanding their vegetable production to commercial scale. She will focus on growing vegetables in the spring and fall seasons in spite of the cold climate of Northern New York. The discussion will include using high and low tunnels and row covers.
This free 10 am to 12 pm workshop will be held at Colwell’s Farm Market and Garden Center in Glenfield, NY. Registration is required by March 21. Signup online at https://reg.cce.cornell.edu/GrowingVegetables_223 or contact Mellissa Spence at Cornell Cooperative Extension Lewis County at [email protected], 315-376-5270.
Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Senate and administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
