UVM Extension Commercial Horticulture

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UVM Extension Commercial Horticulture

Resources for fruit and vegetable producers in Vermont and beyond. New crops and new ways of growing and harvesting crops are being explored and adopted.

The Agricultural Engineering Program of UVM Extension is dedicated to enhancing Vermont’s food systems through analysis, design, evaluation and adoption of infrastructure, technology and equipment that meet the needs of food producers and processors. Vermont’s food systems are experiencing increased localization, value addition, diversification, extension of growing season and increased market dem

and. Regional processing of crops to value-added food products is on the rise. Consumers are demanding nutritious, safe, and locally-sourced foods through-out the year requiring a focus on extended growing season and improved storage mechanisms. This is happening at a time when energy is expensive and environmental impact is increasingly important. As a result, the agricultural landscape and the people who work in it are changing and adapting. The dynamic nature of the food system demands technical assistance in several areas including engineering. Farmers and processors with specific technical needs and research & development ideas related to Vermont food systems are encouraged to contact us.

05/24/2026

How big of a load is a new high tunnel kit? Well, this is a 7x18’ car hauler trailer loaded with a 34x120’ . Not pictured are doors and louvers that were in the truck and exhaust fans that came via freight.

05/12/2026

Join our hosts Peggy Willey and John Benjamin, owners of Wild Hill Organics, a certified organic farm and VVBGA members, to learn about blueberry production and customer relations in 42 years of the blueberry business. Specialists from UVM Extension will join us for a discussion of insect pest and disease management, and hands-on observations of wild bee pollinators in blueberries plus an update on recent pollinator research in Vermont.

FOUR DECADES OF ORGANIC BLUEBERRY PRODUCTION AND PYO

Wild Hill Organics
1181 Wild Hill Road, Fairlee, VT 05045
Tuesday May 19, 4:00-6:30

Pesticide applicator credits available: 1 credit for categories 1A, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Certified Crop Adviser Credits pending.

This event is supported by the Transition to Organic Partnership Program and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture.

05/05/2026

SAVE THE DATE and join us at this season's VVBGA Monthly on-farm workshop series.

Tuesday May 19- 4 to 6:30pm - Blueberry check in at Wild Hill Organics, Fairlee

Tuesday June 23- 4 to 6:30pm - Strawberries, tunnel tomatoes and marketing at Fully Belly Farm, Monkton

Thursday July 23 - 4 to 6:30pm- Soil health and pollinator strategies on organic veg farms at The Farm Upstream, Jericho

Wednesday August 5 - 1-3pm- Vermont Herb Growers’ Initiative workshop at Zack Woods Herb Farm, Hyde Park. For more details about the Initiative and this event visit their website.

Tuesday August 25 - 4-6:30pm- Reduced Tillage, Insect Scouting, and NRCS practices on a small-scale diversified vegetable and cut flower farm at Stone's Throw Farmstead, Shrewbury

Wednesday September 23 - 4-6:30pm- Interseeding, Living Mulches and Cover Cropping Equipment at Hurricane Flats, South Royalton

October 21, 2026- 3:30-6pm - Root crops (harvest, storage and marketing) and electric tractor, High Meadows Farm, Putney

05/04/2026

Planning for Orchard Success
Pest, Pollinator, and Crop Management Decision Making

Join the Vermont Apples and the UVM Extension at these hands-on field meetings at two of Vermont’s many beautiful apple orchards. We will discuss topics related to commercial tree fruit, such as integrated pest and pollinator management, pest and disease updates, and thinning. This event is free and geared to commercial growers and people that work with them. Light snacks will be provided.

At each location the following CEUs will be available: Pesticide applicator credits available: 1 credit for categories 1A, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Certified Crop Adviser CEUs available: pending.

Friday, May 8, 2026
4:00 − 6:30 p.m.
Mad Tom Orchard
2615 Mad Tom Road
East Dorset, VT 05253

Registration is not required, but helpful for any unexpected announcements regarding the meetings. Let us know if you plan to attend by registering online at https://go.uvm.edu/orchard, or by contacting Laura Johnson at [email protected] or 802-656-4827.

05/01/2026

Planning for Orchard Success
Pest, Pollinator, and Crop Management Decision Making

Join the Vermont Tree Fruit Growers Association and the University of Vermont Extension at these hands-on field meetings at two of Vermont’s many beautiful apple orchards. We will discuss topics related to commercial tree fruit, such as integrated pest and pollinator management, pest and disease updates, and thinning. This event is free and geared to commercial growers and people that work with them. Light snacks will be provided.

At each location the following CEUs will be available: Pesticide applicator credits available: 1 credit for categories 1A, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Certified Crop Adviser CEUs available: pending.

Thursday, May 7, 2026
4:00 − 6:30 p.m.
2481 West Street
Brookfield, VT 05036

Registration is not required, but helpful for any unexpected announcements regarding the meetings. Let us know if you plan to attend by registering online at https://go.uvm.edu/orchard, or by contacting Laura Johnson at [email protected] or 802-656-4827.

04/29/2026

Join us at noon today for the the final VVBGA webinar of the season.
Wednesday 4/29, 12-1 pm.

Plastic mulches in vegetable production: sources, alternatives, pros and cons. This webinar includes an overview of petroleum-based plastic mulch, bioplastics terminology, the differences between bio-based, compostable, and soil-biodegradable materials, label interpretation, performance comparisons, and non-plastic alternatives.

Speakers: Byron Garcia, Biomimicry Consultant, Natural Designs LLC, Shuresh Ghimire, Associate Extension Educator, UConn

The webinars are free, but you must register here to receive a link to join (this link works for all webinars).
https://go.uvm.edu/2026-vvbga-webinars

04/20/2026

Improving soil health doesn’t need to be expensive or laborious. This webinar focuses on practices that make economic and efficient sense for soil health improvements. This webinar is supported by Vermont Agricultural Clean Water Initiative Program (AgCWIP). Speaker: David Weisberger, University of Rhode Island Extension.

04/13/2026

Join us for an informal, not-recorded discussion to share perspectives on economic concerns and related management decisions during this period economic uncertainty.

How are rising fuel, fertilizer and other costs affecting your thinking about the coming season?

Are you considering raising prices, or changing your production plans?

How do you think customers will react to higher prices?

Will local food gain some advantage due to higher commodity food prices and shipping costs?

This webinar is meant to support growers as they think through what can be difficult decisions.

04/07/2026

Enterprise budgets are a tool to help understand all the costs and returns associated with an individual crop. That data can inform decisions aimed at improving profitability.

Vern Grubinger, UVM Extension vegetable and berry specialist will show examples of "fillable" tunnel enterprise budget spreadsheets, and then he’ll demonstrate a new on-line budgeting and benchmarking tool for high tunnel crops, funded by the Vermont Working Lands Enterprise Initiative.

Georgia McDougall, Greenhouse Manager at Intervale Community Farm in Burlington will describe how she has used enterprise budgets to compare the profitability of various tunnel crops, what was learned, and how that affected management practices.

04/03/2026

Come learn about FSA and NRCS Programs! Next Thursday, April 9th from 10am to 2pm we are hosting an event in Morrisville to share information about Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) programs.

Curious about what's available? Curious about what steps to take to get access to these programs? Questions about NRCS and FSA programs in general? Come to learn more from FSA and NRCS staff, hear about the experience from an area farmer and their NRCS Conservation Planner, and get support on-the-spot in filling out necessary paperwork to be eligible for funding. This event is free, but registration is required (link below).

The event runs from 10am to 2pm. Filling out paperwork (1 – 2pm) is optional.

Lunch will be provided.

Register at: https://go.uvm.edu/fsa-nrcs

Check out the registration link for additional locations.

Address

Bennington, VT

Telephone

+18024477582

Website

http://go.uvm.edu/ageng, https://www.uvm.edu/extension/commercial-horticulture

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