Cornell Recommendations for U-Pick Operational Changes due to COVID-19

Esther Kibbe, WNY Berry Specialist
Harvest New York

April 29, 2020
Cornell Recommendations for U-Pick Operational Changes due to COVID-19

Many growers who allow customers to come and pick their own vegetables and fruits have been concerned about how that will work in this time of social distancing and closed businesses. At this time, the state has not prohibited U-Pick or on-farm sales. Cornell has just released a document outlining best practices and ideas for growers who choose to allow the public on their farms.

Topics include:

  • Alternatives to U-Pick
  • Communicating with Customers
  • Check-in Process and Picking Containers
  • Planning for Physical Distancing while Picking
  • Weighing Produce and Handling Payments
  • Cleaning and Sanitizing Surfaces
  • Protecting Employees and Family Members when Interacting with the Public

Read the Best Management Practices for U-Pick Farms During the COVID-19 Pandemic If you have any questions, contact Esther Kibbe.




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April 28, 2024
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
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Join us for a log inoculation party and Community Mushroom Educator (CME) reunion at the Randall's Island Urban Farm with past and prospective CMEs. We will be inoculating local tree species with shiitake and oyster spawn as part of a larger research project with the Randall's Island Park Alliance Urban Farm and Cornell Cooperative Extension. 

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Field Guide: Arthropod Pests of NYC Vegetables

Arthropod Pests of NYC Vegetables aims to help urban farmers and gardeners find, identify, and understand the most common and important insects and other arthropod pests found in New York City farms and gardens. Some of these pests are rarely mentioned in other guides but are common in NYC. The guide emphasizes scouting tips, including how to identify pests by the damage they leave behind, even when you can't find the insect itself.

This guide was created as a collaboration between Cornell Cooperative Extension's Harvest New York team and the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program.