Field Day -- Native Pollinators in Massachusetts
New England Vegetable & Fruit Conference, December 17, 18, 18, 2013, Manchester, NH. For more information, visit the NEVFC website, http://newneglandvfc.org
Field Day -- Native Pollinators in Massachusetts, October 2, 2013, Lakeville-Middleboro, MA. See below for more information/
Great weather is facilitating harvest. We just need a couple more weeks, but long-range forecasts show a coastal storm developing early next week, so keep moving although fruit maturity is not progressing rapidly.
I would like to remind everyone to keep an eye out for Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) and report any suspects to me. This is the time of the year we usually start to pick up some observations, and in fact, just last week there were three reported from Worcester and Hampshire Counties. Two were from a Worcester County orchard (but not in the orchard) and Hampshire County was the first official observation there. Look at stopbmsb.org to help identify BMSB and look-alikes. Here is a picture of one of the BMSB's caught last week.
This will be the last Healthy Fruit for 2013. We hope it has helped you grow a quality and profitable tree fruit crop in 2013. We'll be back next spring, but in the meantime, don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any comments or questions. You can also visit the UMass Fruit Advisor to keep up with us. Have a good winter. JC
Apple fruit maturity report for September 24, 2013
Note: most all observations from UMass Cold Spring Orchard (unless otherwise noted), Belchertown, MA and prepared by Jon Clements
| Date | Variety | Drop |
Diameter (inches) |
% Red Color |
Firmness (lbs.) |
Brix |
Starch Index |
Comments |
| 9/24 | Rogers McIntosh | some |
3.3 |
70 |
12.9 |
11.9 |
6.5 (6-7) |
too late for picking McIntosh for long-term CA storage; last call for picking McIntosh for short-term or immediate sales; significant drop observed on some strains |
| 9/24 | Macoun | few |
3.35 |
70 |
14.5 |
11 |
3.9 (3-4) |
likely ReTained; still not at their peak, but acceptable to pick |
| 9/24 | Liberty | nil |
2.95 |
95 |
20 |
12.1 |
3.5 |
barely ready to start harvest, best to wait until this weekend then pick rapidly |
| 9/24 | Empire | nil | 3.0 |
70 |
17 |
11 |
4.5 (3-5.5) |
barely ready to start harvest, but now anytime over next week |
| 9/24 | Delicious | none |
3.0 |
95+ |
17.4 |
10.8 |
2.5 (2-3.4) |
need another week (FWIW) |
| 9/24 | Golden Delicious | none |
2.9 |
NA |
16.2 |
12 |
4.5 (4-5) |
Gibson strain; still green in appearance; really need another 5 days |
| 9/24 | Morning Mist Fuji | none |
3.2 |
90 |
14.7 |
13.5 |
5.5 (4-7) |
a new, earlier-maturing Fuji strain; just ready to harvest, could use multiple picks; 2nd-leaf trees |
| 9/24 | Rubinstar Jonagold | nil |
3.4 |
65 |
16.1 |
12.8 |
5.5 (4-7) |
barely ready for 1st pick, will improve this week |
The Native Pollinators in Agriculture Project, in conjunction with in-state partners, is hosting a field day in southeast Massachusetts for growers, conservation and business partners, and media representatives where we will be spotlighting the “free” services that native pollinators provide to fresh fruit and vegetable growers and open space land managers.
Many Massachusetts grown fruits and vegetables depend on bees for pollination, including cranberries, apples, melons, squash, cucumbers, strawberries and blueberries. With recent declines of managed bee populations, the importance of native bees and other pollinators is ever increasing. By supplementing the work of honey bees, native pollinators help to increase yields for many crops. Nationwide, native bees pollinate crops worth an estimated $3 billion each year. The field day will showcase both the research and practical applications of providing habitat suitable to native pollinators in agricultural settings.
The field day begins at 8:00 am on October 2nd at Ocean Spray Cranberries headquarters in Lakeville-Middleboro, MA. Following opening remarks from our hosts and NPIA project leaders and a presentation on “Why Pollinators matter,” we will travel by bus to a number of field sites to examine pollinator habitat and see native pollinators in action. At these sites we will be sharing information about the “free” pollination services that native pollinators provide and the native plants and wildflowers that provide valuable habitat for these beneficial insects. The tour will continue with stops at a cranberry harvest site, the UMass Cranberry Research Station, as well as a stop to view rights-of-ways that are being managed to enhance pollinator habitat. Field tour includes Standish Bog Company, Plymouth, AD Makepeace Company, Wareham, and the UMass Cranberry Research Station. The field tour will conclude at 4:00 pm.
NPIA’s goals for the National Field Day in Massachusetts are to facilitate networking opportunities amongst multiple stakeholders in the growing region, introducing them to initiatives that are already in place, while allowing them to gather information; identify priorities; and engage partners and policy makers on the need to address pollination challenges. Native Pollinators in Agriculture’s priorities include working collaboratively and proactively with agricultural leaders and growers and service providers and partners to establish and protect native pollinator habitat and increasing populations of native and managed pollinators while improving profitability, food security, and biodiversity.
To register for the field day, send an email to Lindsay Grossman at lgrossman@agpollinators.org.
UMass Fruit Advisor: http://umassfruit.com
UMass Fruit Notes: http:umassfruitnotes.com
Scaffolds Fruit Journal: http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/scafolds/
Network for Environment and Weather Applications (NEWA): http://newa.cornell.edu
Follow me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/jmcextman) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/jmcextman)
UMass Vegetable & Fruit IPM Network (on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/umassipmteam)
2013 New England Tree Fruit Management Guide (http://fruit.umext.umass.edu/2013netfmg/)
This is the last Healthy Fruit for 2013. As always feel free to get in touch with any member of the UMass Fruit Team (http://extension.umass.edu/fruitadvisor/team-members) if you have questions or comments.
