Tiny Parasite Wreaks Havoc on New York Bee Supply

A column from state Sen. Patty Ritchie:

Bees, both wild and managed, play a key role in our state’s agriculture industry, helping crops of all kinds thrive.  

However, these powerful pollinators are under attack by parasitic mites.

The varroa mite – a tiny parasite that attacks honeybees – has infected 90 percent of the bee colonies surveyed this year. As a result, agriculture could see up to $500 million in potential losses. The top crops that are dependent on healthy and abundant pollinators are apples, pumpkins and tomatoes. 

In addition, managed bee colonies in Upstate New York have lost up to 70 percent of their bees over the last few years because of disease, pesticides and loss of habitat, according to a recent state study. Once the mites take hold, potentially deadly viruses spread throughout the colony, which could wipe the colony out.   

Experts say that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to keep this mite from spreading. The varroa mite thrives off weakened bee colonies and when one colony dies, nearby hives will take honey from the weakened bees, which causes the mites to spread at a rapid rate.

The destruction of bee colonies is starting to reach alarming levels. In an effort to combat this problem, I’m pleased to have been able to secure $290,000 over the past two years in state funding for various programs at Cornell University, aimed at conducting vital research and disease testing to protect our state’s bee population.  

As chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I will continue to work to support programs and spearhead initiatives designed to preserve our state’s pollinators and help keep this key sector of the state’s economy “buzzing” for years to come.

It's National Pumpkin Day!!

This is certainly the right time to be celebrating the pumpkin.

The National Day Calendar says today, Oct. 26, is National Pumpkin Day. Nowadays, people seem obsessed with pumpkin. "We cannot wait for the big November holiday for pumpkin pie. No siree, we need pumpkin ev-ery-thing! Bars, cookies, coffee, cheesecake, pasta and oatmeal," according to the National Day Calendar website.

"Pumpkin Chunkin,’ pumpkin patches, festivals, bake-offs and television specials. Let’s not forget jack-o-lantern carving, too! This fruit grabs American’s attention," the website states.

The pumpkin is native to North American and the National Day Calendar website states the oldest evidence of pumpkin-related seeds dates back to somewhere between 7000 and 5500 BC to seeds found in Mexico.
 
The word pumpkin originates from the word pepon, which means “large melon” in Greek.

Making a Corn Maze is A Lot of Work

2008 corn maze at Abbott Farms in Lysander.

Here is a story I wrote for our monthly ag magazine, Empire Farm & Dairy:

By DEBRA J. GROOM
Empire Farm & Dairy
 
Corn mazes are scary, challenging and mind-blowing.
 
But most of all, they’re fun. And they’re becoming a greater part of the landscape for fall festivals at parks, farm stands and other agritourism ventures.
 
Just how, though, do you carve intricate designs into a field of corn?
 
At Abbott Farms in Lysander, just northwest of Syracuse, a corn maze has been a popular part of visitors’ stops there since 2006, according to farm production manager Michael Blair.
 
“We try to change it up from year to year,” he said, noting the different designs the maze has taken on in past years. “In 2008, we had our Abbott Farms logo on it. Then another year, we did the Giffords’ logo (the ice cream sold at Abbott Farms). One year we had a circle design with an apple in the middle.”
 
This year, the maze simply will be a square design with a cancer research ribbon in the middle. Blair said business owner Warren Abbott was planning to have a 5K run at the farm in late September in support of cancer research at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse; thus, the ribbon in the maze was a good choice this year.
 
So just how do you get those intricate lines and curves carved into a cornfield?
 
Blair says there are many ways to do it.

n Precision Mazes. This is a Missouri company started by Rob Stouffer, a businessman who saw the growth of corn mazes and developed a business to help. Abbott Farms has used Precision Mazes for the past few years.
 
Blair said the company has specialized equipment with a GPS on board that will cut out the maze design.
 
“He goes out in the field with reference points, uses the GPS, and the machine practically drives itself,” Blair said. “It’s a professional, high-quality product.”
 
Carving a maze out of the corn generally costs $3,500 to $5,500, Stouffer said.

n Grids. Blair said farmers also can go out in their fields in the spring as the corn begins growing and put in grids for the maze design they want. These grids normally require string lines that are set up to mark areas to be cut later. When it’s time, the farmer can use either weed killer to kill the unneeded corn or can mow it.
 
“This is very elaborate and takes a lot of time,” Blair said.
 
n Mowing. Blair said farmers also can wait for their corn to grow a bit and then simply go out and mow the areas for the maze.
 
“Some poor soul on a lawnmower goes out and drives around in circles,” he said.
 
Stouffer been turning cornfields into corn mazes since 2001. He did three mazes that first year in Missouri and estimates he now has done more than 1,000.
 
“We’re in 30 different states, Canada and Mexico,” he said. “Many we’re back to do on a yearly basis.”
 
This is true of Abbott Farms, which Stouffer called “a wonderful place” that owner Warren Abbott puts a lot of time and care into to give visitors a wonderful total experience.
 
Farmers normally charge admission — from $5 to $7 — to their corn mazes. Blair said the Abbott maze makes money for the farm.
 
“All of our mazes are custom designed,” Blair said. “They are a part of the American culture, and we have a role in creating them all over the country.”
 
The biggest maze he has done is 28 acres, a size he called a bit too big. The smallest is 2 acres, and the average size is 6 to 10, he said.
 
The Abbott Farms corn maze will be open for the business’s fall festival, which is Saturdays and Sunday through Columbus Day weekend and Monday on Columbus Day. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.


If you are interested in more stories like this, subscribe to Empire Farm & Dairy magazine. Send $50 for one year or $75 for two years to Empire Farm & Dairy, 260 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601.

Ontario Orchards Fall Jamboree Today and Tomorrow

Get out to Ontario Orchards today and tomorrow for the Fall Jamboree.

Ontario Orchards -- the Farm Stand with Everything

It's fall at Ontario Orchards when pumpkins and apples are in. Photo by Lisa Hollenbeck

By Debra J. Groom

A stroll through the Ontario Orchards store in Oswego Town shows all that is great about agriculture.

The Ouellette family transformed a chicken and pig farm that started on 132 acres back in 1952 and grew it into one of the most diverse farming enterprises in Central New York. In fact, it’s a one-stop shop, a place folks can visit year round (every day but Christmas) to buy just about everything they need.

And that everything, by the way, is pretty much all local. Can you say fresh?

“Customers are amazed at the selection, the variety and the completeness of the store,” said owner Dennis Ouellette. “They can come here any day and find something they need.”

The farm today is run by Dennis, his wife June and their daughters, Kathy and Laurie. Dennis, at 67, still is at the farm or store most days tending to one thing or another.

But back in 1952, when Dennis was just 6, his parents Dennis and Estelle had the chicken and pig operation, along with the acres and acres of fruit trees in Sterling that took in the cool moist breezes from nearby Lake Ontario.

Dennis remembers as a young boy selling apples and strawberries on a roadside stand atn state Routes 104 and 104A. “This planted a seed,” he said. “How about U-pick apples for $1 a bushel. At this time it became apparent retail sales were more profitable than wholesale and processing.”

The Ouellettes set up retail operations in Fulton, Watertown, Ogdensburg and across the road from the current store on Route 104. Soon, they expanded into the Regional Market in Syracuse. Then the farm extended its sales to Long Island during the fall and Christmas seasons.

“The New York City market was more profit,” Dennis Ouellette said. “It meant prepping during the week and traveling to New York Friday after school and returning Saturday evening.”

The Ouellettes have always had a strict business plan – they want to expand to provide their produce to as many people as possible, but they also remember not to overextend or overexpand.

This was quite evident after June and Dennis married in 1965, after realizing in their senior year at Hannibal High School that they “would become more than friends,” Dennis said.

The beginning of the present-day Ontario Orchards came after the marriage, when Dennis and June decided to offer more than just apples. They got into producing other fruits, vegetables and Christmas trees.

They added a Fall Jamboree and U-pick operation. This, Dennis said, not only helped with profits, but brought people out to the farm so they could see the operation and learn a little about where their food comes from.

On 35 acres, the Ouellettes grow corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, beans, squash and pumpkins. They have 30 acres of Christmas trees. About 90 acres are apples.

After the old two-stall horse barn was converted into the present-day store in 1966, Ontario Orchards sold not only its own vegetables, fruits and trees, but also brought in product from other nearby locales.

Dennis Ouellette said he gets nursery products from local and out-of-state growers and also grows many varieties in Ontario Orchards own nursery behind the farm market.

He sells Tender Loving Compost, made from cow manure on the Fessenden Family Dairy Farm in King Ferry, Cayuga County. He gets parsnips from a farmer in Port Byron. He sells New Hope Mills pancake products from Cayuga County. Honey comes from Snow Valley Honey Farms in Hannibal.

New York maple syrup in his store comes from Croghan, in the state’s largest maple-producing county, Lewis County. All onions and potatoes come straight from the rich, black muck of Oswego County.

Ontario Orchards presses cider yearround. Photo by Lisa Hollenbeck

He sells Hinerwadel’s salt potatoes, Dinosaur BBQ sauce and Hofmann franks and coneys from Onondaga County, Croghan bologna from Lewis County, Grandma Brown’s baked beans from Mexico, Sillman Jams from Dickinson Center, Franklin County, Turkey Joints from Nora’s Candy Shop and olives from Williams’ Homegrown Garlic, both from Rome, Oneida County, Morgia’s pasta and sauce originally from Watertown, Buck’s Seasoning from Mallory in Oswego County and Italian sauces from Canale’s in Oswego.

Even his refrigerated case has local products, such as cheese from various places like Macadam from St. Lawrence County, Heluva in Sodus, Wayne County and Yancey’s Fancy in Genesee County,  Hudson Farms eggs from Elbridge, Onondaga County and milk from Hudson Dairy in Fulton.

The farm store also has a full bakery, an outgrowth of pies made in June’s home kitchen and sold at the retail sites in the early years.

“David and George (two farm workers) came to work on the farm on weekends and said ‘how bout you make some apple pies with those drops?’” Ouellette said of the apples that drop to the ground.

He said June began making the pies and others delivered them to the retail sites. The customers loved them.

“Then one day, a deer jumped out in front of us and all the pies went all through the car,” Ouellette said. That was when the full bakery in the farm stand was born.

“The expansion of the farm, farm market, cider mill, bakery and nursery was a direct result from the increases in customers,” Ouellette said.

Dennis credits many of the new ideas at Ontario Orchards to his daughters and other employees.

“Not only did the two girls, but also the very young staff had a lot of new energy and ideas,” he said. “And with this in mind, what was the horse barn in 1966 has become one of North America’s most complete family-owned farms and farm markets.”

And while many farm markets are open only in the summer and fall when the crops are harvested, Ontario Orchards is open year round. This was an unheard of idea a few years ago – but Ouellette said it works at Ontario Orchards.

“Our variety allows us to be open seven days a week,” he said. “We really don’t have a season here.”

The store is open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m .in the winter, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the spring and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in summer.

“And we press our own cider 12 months a year,” Ouellette said.

In addition to expanding the hours, Ouellette said he has always thought “outside the box” on how to improve the business and bring in more customers.

He knows he can’t make a living off the person who might drive up from Syracuse once a year to visit Ontario Orchards. He needs to draw repeat customers in throughout the year – who them that the store is more than just a place to come get apples.

“Advertising and promotions at specific times of the seasons has extended the customer base out 100 miles,” he said. “Each season is a whole new energized season and each time you have a new season, you come up with a new idea.”

What he wants to do more of in the future is product sampling. He began a couple of years ago with cheese, but is tinkering with offering other products for people to try. He might even have some cooking demos to show people how to prepare things he sells.

For example, he mentioned parsnips, a root vegetable that many people think of as a white carrot. He said people will look at them at the store, sometimes pick them up, but put them back because they aren’t sure what to do with them.

Ouelette said he also plans to improve the facilities, work on upgrading the website (tasteofcny.com) and growing the ever-popular Fall Jamboree.

“There are not many of us that are this complete,” Ouellette said. “In this day and age, everyone wants local, fresh, homegrown, completeness.”

A fourth generation, Dennis and June’s grandchildren Taylor and Nichole, now are involved in the business, so it looks as though Ontario Orchards will be serving its customers for a long time to come.

“Entrepreneurship and self employment is great, but a very difficult challenge,” Ouellette said. “Fortunately adjustments are made and met. Ontario Orchards wants to extend its many thanks for everyone’s support and ideas. The three generations – Dennis and June, Laurie and Kathy and Taylor and Nichole, look forward to being a part of your lives and the community.”

Ritchie Says Fall Means Apples and Pumpkins

A column from state Sen. Patricia Ritchie:

To many people, fall is more than just a change in the weather. 

It’s everything from apple picking and fresh cider to homemade pumpkin pie and taking a drive to see the change in colors.  Here in Upstate New York, we’re lucky to have an abundance of fall flavors and activities right in our backyard. 

This year, there’s no shortage of fall fun — and food — to be had.

A highlight this fall is one of the best apple crops in recent years.  Following last year’s warm spring and early frost that led to less than ideal conditions for apple growers, this year’s orchards are full of fruit that is crisp, flavorful and ready for picking.

New York State is home to more than 650 apple orchards — in fact, the Central and Northern New York regions boast more than a dozen places where you can pick your own.

For a full list of apple growers who sell directly to the public, visit www.nyapplecountry.com.  There, you’ll find not only a listing of orchards in our area, but also information on apple varieties, recipes, a history of New York State apples and so much more.

Along with apples, nothing says fall like a patch full of pumpkins.  Here in New York State there are an estimated 1,400 growers who produce roughly 50,000 tons of pumpkins annually.

Most of these pumpkins are for decorative use with a smaller number designated as “pie pumpkins.”  One of the most popular places pumpkins are popping up?  Craft beer.  With everything from pumpkin ales to Oktoberfest beverages, it’s estimated that eighty-four percent of people who drink craft beer, choose their drink depending on the season. 

As chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I’m working hard to make sure New York’s farm industry continues to grow — producing not only your favorite foods, but also the new businesses and jobs our state depends upon.

This year,  the state budget included key elements from my “Grown in New York” plan, including restored funding for vital marketing and research programs from apples to dairy and maple.

In addition, the Senate and Assembly also lent their support to my innovative new plan that connects state prisons, hospitals and agencies directly with New York farmers to boost purchases of locally produced foods, bringing better nutrition and boosting farmers’ bottom lines.

This year, I also sponsored new legislation that boosts production and sales of cider products by New York farmers, modeled on successful measures that have helped propel New York’s farm winery, distillery and craft brewing sectors.

With the season only lasting several short months, we have to make the most of fall while it lasts (and before the snow starts falling!). 

One of the best places to find everything the season has to offer is your local farmers market.  While many markets have closed for the season, there are a number that will still be open in the weeks to come.

Go to http://www.nyfarmersmarket.com/farmers-market-profiles/markets/markets.html to find a list of farmers markets in your area of the state. There also is a list of winter markets at this site.

Best wishes for a happy — and healthy — fall! 

It's Pumpkin Time in Central New York

Logan Hilbert, 1, of North Syracuse during his first pumpkin patch visit to Behling's Orchard in Mexico.

It's pumpkin time and farms across Oswego County have plenty of the orange fruits to buy.

But how the crops fared varies on where in the county a farm is located.

For instance, Will Ruby of Mexico said his half acre or so "look good" and the weather was great for raising pumpkins.

But Josephine Godfrey, of Godfrey's Last Stand on Route 264 near Phoenix, said the pumpkins her family planted early in June didn't do well.

"It was the wet weather," she said. "We planted, they started blossoming and then we were getting a lot of rain."

She said the pumpkins the family planted later, in early July, did much better. She said the farm will have enough pumpkins for its customers, but won't be able to ship any to any other locations.

"We have about half a crop," she said of the 4 1/2 acres planted with pumpkins.

Ruby said he planted his pumpkins late (beginning of June) so they are just turning orange in the field now.

Pumpkins are huge sellers this time of year the closer Halloween gets on the calendar. Most people throughout the region use them for either autumn decorations or carve them to make spooky adornments for their windows at Halloween time.

As pumpkin are grown lying flat in a field, they can be harmed by too much rain or not enough rain. Too much rain and either they won't develop when first planted or they will be subject to mildew or rot nearer harvest time.

Cornell Cooperative Extension says on its website that another concern for growers are several different viruses which can cause plants to not produce fruit at all or results in poor fruit quality (size or color). Striped cucumber beetles and squash bugs remain the main insect pests.

New York state ranks amongst the top three states (Illinois and Pennsylvania are the other two) in pumpkin production in the country with more than 6,800 acres of pumpkins produced with an estimated value of $24 million each year.

Nearly all of these are for fresh market use for either decorating or eating. The pumpkin industry is highly variable with fruit ranging from quarter pound to several hundred pounds each.

Pumpkins are grown throughout New York state and are marketed through roadside stands, nursery centers and farmers markets and are also important in areas that have lots of agritourism. Included in this group are also other fall ornamentals such as gourds and ornamental squash.