Cornell Floriculture Field Day Set to Meet Next Month
Cornell University’s 10th annual Floriculture Field Day will take place July 24, 2012 at the Cornell campus in Ithaca, NY.
The morning program will center on a theme of diversification and responding to changing consumer values to maintain operation profitability. Debbie Hamrick, director of specialty crops at the North Carolina Farm Bureau Federation will present the keynote address “America’s Horticultural Renaissance: Increasing sales in light of changing consumer values.”
There also will be a panel discussion with three greenhouse operations that have made their own diversification efforts.
Deborah Sweeton of Techni-Growers Greenhouses will detail the benefits of getting her community involved in American in Bloom. Then, the morning program will conclude with disease and pest updates.
Lunch and the afternoon program will take place outdoors at the Blue Grass Lane annual and perennial trials facility. There will be guided tours of the trials or or attendees can view the flower beds on their own. The afternoon will conclude with an ice cream social and announcement of the container design contest winners. Organizers also are still looking for participants in the Kathy Pufahl Container Design competition, which takes place in conjunction with Field Day. The $25 entry fee is a direct donation to IBD research at Mt. Sinai Hospital, to help ensure a bright future for Kathy’s daughter and others like her, who have Crohn’s disease. Over the past 8 years the contest has raised nearly $10,000.
Attendees also may be interested in attending the IPM hands-on workshop on July 23, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The workshop will begin with a diagnostic session to evaluate your disease, insect, weed and nutritional issues. This will be followed by hands-on sessions which will explore: root rots including newer treatments and traditional fungicides, common beneficial insects and mites that can be used to control greenhouse pests, and media myth-busters (learn more about additives to soilless potting mixes).
More information and online registration are available at: www.greenhouse.cornell.edu.
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