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 Eat Your Veggies Day!!

Vegetables at a local farmers' market

Anyone with a mother probably grew up hearing "eat your vegetables."

Well, today is the day to actually listen to mom. It's National Eat Your Vegetables Day."

According to the National Day Calendar website, June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month, so National Eat Your Vegetables Day is one more opportunity to remind everyone about this important part of a healthy diet.

"As part of a main meal or as a snack, vegetables can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. Each vegetable has it's own nutritional content through generally they contain little protein or fat and varying proportions of vitamins like A, K, B6, provitamins, dietary minerals and carbohydrates. They also contain phytochemicals and some vegetables also contain fiber, which is important for gastrointestinal function."

"It is recommend by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines for Americans, to consume 3 to 5 servings of vegetables a day. For most vegetables, one serving equals about 1/2 to 1 cup eaten either raw or cooked."

There are a lot of wonderful vegetables grown fresh right here in New York state. Many are in farmstands, farmers' markets and grocery stores now and others will begin showing up as the growing season progresses. 

So get out there and  buy some local vegetables. You can't get fresher than that!!

 

Which High Tunnel Crop Brings in the Most Money?

From the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program:

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program has released the results of a project evaluating the economic potential of the non-traditional tunnel crops.

Tomatoes are the more popular crop grown in the high tunnel structures that allow farmers to plant earlier in the year and harvest later into the fall. 

To help growers diversify their crop rotation to improve production, income and soil health, the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program funded trials of crops less commonly grown in high tunnels. The trials were planted at the Cornell Willsboro Research Farm in Willsboro, NY.

If growers can successfully use high tunnels to grow crops more commonly planted in fields they have the potential to produce food crops that appeal to a broader market audience. Diversifying the types of crops grown also helps increase disease and pest protection in the tunnel environment, explains project leader Amy Ivy, a Regional Vegetable and Berry Specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension.

The project also included a survey of fresh market prices for the non-traditional crops. The gross value per square foot planted of the crops was estimated at:
.. Cucumbers, using two types of trellising practices: $5.63-$7.08.
.. Ginger, with a unit price of $16.00 per pound: $5.79
.. Basil, with two plantings: $4.52
.. Green beans, with two plantings: $4.32
.. Zucchini, with two plantings: $2.24.

For comparison, the average gross value of tomatoes is $7.50.

While it is clear that tomatoes are still the best gross value choice for a summer crop for growers with high tunnels in the Northern NY climate, growers can add the data from this project into the factors they consider for evaluating options for diversifying their crops and rotation, says Cornell Willsboro Research Farm Manager Michael Davis.

For example, ginger may not return as much per square foot as tomatoes, but it has a much lower labor requirement, and it does not share the same diseases as tomatoes. 

Green beans may not be feasible as a primary tunnel crop, but because they have such a short season they can be useful for filling a gap between other crops, and basil is an excellent economic option for high tunnels, points out Cornell University NYS Vegetable Extension Specialist Judson Reid.

Final harvest date for the cucumbers, basil, green beans and zucchini was Oct. 16; for the ginger Nov. 21.

Ivy notes the trial results have encouraged growers to consider training cucumbers to grow on a single vertical line in the high tunnel which used less labor and produced a 20 percent higher yield compared with the traditional raised mesh trellising.

Trials underway in 2015 include evaluating opportunities to increase ginger and basil crop yields and exploring summer lettuce production in tunnels.

The complete Advancing Season Extension with Non-Traditional High Tunnel Crops report is in the Local Foods section of the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program website at www.nnyagdev.org           

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is a farmer-driven research and technical assistance program serving Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties. 

Funding for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program is supported by the New York State Senate and is administered through the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Farmers Involved in Farm Aid

This is cool.

Go to https://twitter.com/antonucciprosea/status/378205577236602880/photo/1 to see a great photo on Twitter. This is what farming is all about -- real fresh food.

Tomato Blight Hits Long Island

Go to http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/07/29/tomato-blight-returns-to-long-island-farmers-worry-crop-may-be-lost/ to see the story.

Do You Know Where Your Tomatoes Come From?

Check out this story and question and answer section by http://billmoyers.com/2012/07/20/do-you-know-where-your-tomatoes-come-from/?fb_action_ids=10151509023671892&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_ref=.Ued0_ZoxLOc.like&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map={%2210151509023671892%22%3A10150962548132196}&action_type_map={%2210151509023671892%22%3A%22og.likes%22}&action_ref_map={%2210151509023671892%22%3A%22.Ued0_ZoxLOc.like%22} clicking on this link.

Cornell Plant Pathologists Battle Late Blight in New Jersey

Late blight can be devastating to crops, especially tomatoes and potatoes.

Go to http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2013/07/mercer_case_of_late_blight_worries_local_farmers_hints_of_potential_economic_impacts.html

_of_potential_economic_impacts.html to see the story of what Cornell University professors are doing to help eradicate this problem.