2022 Under the Vines (Kiwiberry) Field Day @ University of New Hampshire – September 16, 2022

Posted on August 31, 2022 by Evan Elford

Re-post via UNH

Under the Vines is an opportunity for current and future commercial producers, value-added processors, nursery owners, and the public to visit the experiment station’s vineyards and farm, learn about current research and breeding activities, and share their knowledge, questions, and perspectives. 

Plant breeder Iago Hale, associate professor of specialty crop improvement, will discuss the station’s kiwiberry research and breeding program. Attendees will tour the vineyard, learn about research and breeding updates, and have an opportunity to ask questions. The vineyard has fruit on vines and is nearing harvest. The UNH kiwiberry research and breeding program was established in 2013. In the first research project of its kind, Dr. Hale aims to develop improved, economically viable kiwiberry varieties for small farms in the northeast.

Experiment station researcher Becky Sideman, extension professor of sustainable horticulture production, will also discuss the station’s seedless table grape and hydrangea research, which are intended to benefit regional growers interested in growing table grapes for local markets and hydrangea for cut flowers. Attendees will tour the grape vineyard and hydrangea plantings, learn about the latest research and information about both crops, and have an opportunity to ask questions. 

The field day is free and open to the public. The focus of the event is on research for commercial growers.  For directions to the Woodman Horticultural Research Farm, visit: https://colsa.unh.edu/facility/woodman-horticultural-research-farm

Ample parking at the farm is free. 

Location Details and Event Time: September 16, 2022 | 3:00 – 5:00pm; 70 SPINNEY LN, DURHAM, NH 03824-4714, United States

Schedule:

3:00-3:30 Hydrangeas for cut flowers in NH – see 16 varieties in the landscape, and learn about their performance as cut flowers.

3:30-4:00 Table grapes for NH – learn about varieties that do well here, the pros/cons of different training systems, and see 7 new varieties planted last year and starting to fruit. And, we’ll have samples of all varieties available for you to taste!

4:00-5:00 Kiwiberries in NH – tour the kiwiberry vineyard, and learn about research and breeding updates.

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CMHA Ontario launches suicide prevention program to support farmers

Posted on August 30, 2022 by Sean Westerveld

Farmers experience chronic stress more than the general population. Yet farmers are less likely to seek mental health support — sometimes with devastating consequences.

To help, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Ontario has launched the Guardian Network, a volunteer suicide prevention network which supports Ontario’s farming community. A Guardian is an individual, over the age of 18, who is likely to be in contact with farmers through their work, volunteer activities, or their place in their community and has successfully completed The Guardian Network training program. Guardians are equipped with strategies and tools to identify the signs of mental distress, react to farmers at-risk, and connect individuals with appropriate mental health and crisis resources.

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Ginseng Crop Update – August 26, 2022

Posted on August 26, 2022 by Sean Westerveld

Other than localized damage from summer storms, weather conditions to this point of the season have been ideal for ginseng production with seasonable temperatures and only timely rains, which is in contrast to the excessive rains last year. The biggest issue growers are dealing with is left-over root phytophthora issues from last year. Alternaria is a constant battle, but outbreaks of disease are often a result of poor spray coverage, lack of timely fungicide application, or improper choice of fungicide. No major insect issues have been reported over the past few weeks.

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Lavender Crop Update – Late Summer Tasks – August 26, 2022

Posted on August 26, 2022 by Sean Westerveld

Lavender bloom is long finished, and most growers are wrapping up distillation for the year. Here are some things to consider at this time of year:

Pruning

If you have not pruned already, August is a good time to prune lavender to get plants back into a rounded shape and to ensure plants are dense, which will improve winter survival. Pruning beyond Labour Day is not recommended in Ontario since it will encourage new growth that may be more tender going into the winter and may open up the canopy allowing cold air to penetrate more deeply into plants.

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2023 ONHops BrewOff Registration Now Open!

Posted on August 25, 2022 by Evan Elford

Celebrating 10 Years of Ontario-Hopped Craft Beer at the OFVC!

The ONHops BrewOff (OHBO) is back at the OFVC! This year we’re celebrating 10 years of friendly competition highlighting Ontario grown hops and Ontario craft beer! Formally “The Great Ontario-Hopped Craft Beer Competition”, OHBO was conceived to bring together Ontario hop producers and the most significant end-user of the crop, the Ontario brewing industry. The goals are to:

  • Create a credible venue for hop growers and brewers to work together and encourage commerce.
  • Introduce the next generation of Ontario brewers to the hop growing community.
  • Promote the use of Ontario-grown hops.

In honour of our milestone, we are returning to the inaugural 2013 beer style: BJCP 21A American IPA. Here’s the description from the BJCP Style Guidelines: 

“A decidedly hoppy and bitter, moderately strong, pale American ale. The balance is hop-forward, with a clean fermentation profile, dryish finish, and clean, supporting malt allowing a creative range of hop character to shine through… A prominent to intense hop aroma often featuring American or New World hop characteristics, such as citrus, floral, pine, resin, spice, tropical fruit, stone fruit, berry, or melon. Low to medium-low clean, grainy maltiness supports the hop presentation.”

Continuing in 2023 – Closed Judging and Public Event:

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Essential Oil Yield of Lavender Cultivars

Posted on August 19, 2022 by Sean Westerveld

By: Jason Carter, Summer Research Assistant, OMAFRA and Sean Westerveld, Ginseng and Herbs Specialist, OMAFRA

There are many different lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and lavandin (L. x intermedia) cultivars that can be grown in Ontario. When choosing which cultivars to grow, lavender growers do not always consider (or have access to) the potential oil yield of the cultivars. Instead, they think of overall flower characteristics more than yield. 

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