CCE Cornell Vegetable Program

15/07/2026

Join us! Register today!

10/03/2026

At this event, CVP Specialist Elizabeth Buck will share results from her on-farm asparagus variety trial, including a comparison of disease susceptibility, heavy soil tolerance, and harvest timing between cultivar. Plus you'll get to hear from WNY local grower, Paul Fenton of Fenton's Produce!

In partnership with the CCE Cornell Vegetable Program, join us for an informative afternoon learning about growing asparagus! We will be joined by experts from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Agribusiness and Michigan State University, as well as industry representatives and experienced growers.

Register today at http://tiny.cc/asparagus-intensive-2026

12/01/2026

The CCE Cornell Vegetable Program is hiring two full-time Vegetable Field Research Technicians—one based in Albion, NY and the other in Batavia, NY. Both positions will begin in June. See more details on the opening and learn how to apply at CVP.CCE.CORNELL.EDU.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Wayne County, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, Cornell Cooperative Extension Oswego County, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cattaraugus County, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ontario County, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Yates County, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Steuben County, Cornell University Cooperative Extension - Allegany County, Seneca County Cornell Cooperative Extension

24/11/2025

Christy Hoepting found her calling in the muck soils of Ontario, where she saw how applied research could solve real grower challenges. Today, as a vegetable specialist with CCE’s Cornell Vegetable Program, she’s a trusted partner to New York’s muck onion growers — translating research into practical, field-ready solutions that keep a multigenerational industry strong.

Read her Faces of Extension profile at https://cals.cornell.edu/news/2025/11/faces-of-extension-christy-hoepting

07/08/2025

Join us for hands-on soil health field day! This event is for small-scale and urban growers, gardeners and farmers, with a focus on best practices for building soil health and cover cropping, and is a part of the 2025 Soil Health and Climate Resilience Field Days. It will offer valuable insights and hands-on demonstrations to enhance soil health. Space is limited! Pre-registration required. https://cvp.cce.cornell.edu/event.php?id=2082

Hosted by CCE Harvest New York and CCE Cornell Vegetable Program, New York Soil Health, Monroe County Soil & Water Conservation District, Taproot Collective, Urban Agriculture Working Group, Foodlink and more.

27/05/2025

Check out these impressive asparagus stalks grown at Fenton's Produce in Batavia! 🌿

CCE of Genesee is proud to have Extension Specialists from the CCE Cornell Vegetable Program, working on exciting vegetable variety trials right here in Genesee County with our local farmers and producers. Cornell Vegetable Extension Specialist, Elizabeth Buck, is leading on-farm trials of asparagus varieties at Fenton's Produce.

Some varieties featured include:
🟣 Purple Passion — Known for its attractive purple spears with a mild, nutty flavor that’s sweeter than most asparagus varieties.
🟢 Eclipse — An early-season, high-yielding hybrid producing thick, tender spears, delivering a superior eating experience.
🟣 Erasmus — The world’s first 100% male hybrid purple asparagus, offering excellent quality spears with yields 2-3 times higher than other purple varieties.

Stay tuned as we watch these varieties grow and support local agriculture innovation in Genesee County!

15/05/2025

Video series newly released! Laser Scarecrows to Deter Birds in Sweet Corn: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMxaHBxUI9qYns9abcnnoCI_2pCx8jcaF&si=KfTsUqHdDPYF1-PC Laser scarecrows are a tool to aid in the management of birds in agricultural crops. If you are considering the use of a laser scarecrow on your farm, this 7-part series integrates a grower perspective with background and tips from research conducted by Julie Kikkert of CCE Cornell Vegetable Program. Video produced by Mike Femia of Cornell Cooperative Extension.

A written fact sheet from this project Laser Scarecrows to Deter Birds in Sweet Corn and Other High-Value Agricultural Crops is also available athttps://rvpadmin.cce.cornell.edu/uploads/doc_1193.pdf

Research support was provided by the New York Farm Viability Institute Project FVI 20 048 and USDA AMS Specialty Crop Multi-State Program Award AM190200###XG001. Funding for this project was made possible by a grant/cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agriculture Marketing Service. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.

31/03/2025

Urban gardeners -- Don't miss out on this great opportunity!

Resilient and successful gardens begin with healthy and safe soil! Community Gardens Soil Testing Program accepting applications!

CCE Harvest NY, in partnership with the NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets and the Cornell Soil Health Lab, is offering eligible, food-producing gardens in New York State the opportunity to send soil samples for testing without charge.

The soil test will analyze samples for heavy metals and nutrient levels. Test results help gardeners make appropriate plans to produce high quality fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Technical support and education for participating growers will be provided by the CCE Harvest NY team. Learn more about the 2025 Community Gardens Soil Testing Program: https://harvestny.cce.cornell.edu/submission.php?id=171&crumb=urban_agriculture|7

25/09/2024

We're super excited about our Oct. 2 seed raising, cleaning, and saving event in Buffalo! Register to join the fun! https://bit.ly/3XspRUa

09/09/2024

Cornell Cooperative Extension has partnered with dozens of urban farms across New York State to demonstrate and evaluate sustainable pest management strategies. Together with farmers, we found success using control methods that prevent or reduce crop losses through exclusion strategies, crop timing, host resistance, the introduction of beneficial organisms, and more. Regardless of management strategy used, common requirements for success include a knowledge of the pest and disease complex, preventative deployment and commitment to the process. We've developed a set of factsheets with case studies highlighting pest management techniques that New York urban farms have found valuable.

• Disease Resistant Crop Varieties:https://harvestny.cce.cornell.edu/uploads/doc_245.pdf
• Row Covers:https://harvestny.cce.cornell.edu/uploads/doc_243.pdf
• Releasing Natural Enemies:https://harvestny.cce.cornell.edu/uploads/doc_242.pdf
• Brassica Break:https://harvestny.cce.cornell.edu/uploads/doc_244.pdf

https://cvp.cce.cornell.edu/submission.php?id=936&crumb=pests|pests

New York Urban Farms Sustainable Pest Management Factsheet Series from Cornell Vegetable Program of Cornell Cooperative Extension a component of Cornell University.