Cultivating Vegetable Knowledge at the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention

If you want to be up-to-date on vegetable production and pest management issues, don't miss the vegetable program at the Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention on Feb. 20-21.

The Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention is coming up on February 20th and 21st at Brock University in St. Catharines. There's an excellent vegetable program planned that will include speakers of interest to fresh market and processing vegetable growers alike.

The general field vegetable session runs on February 20. Topics will include updates on European corn borer control, fertility research on specialty vegetables, and irrigation information. The session will also feature Seth Jacobs, of Slack Hollow Farm in New York, discussing how he produces vegetables year round by including high-tunnels in his operation.

The vine crops session is the morning of February 21. Speakers will focus on improving your soil with cover crops, weed management, and pollination. Dr. Meg McGrath of Cornell University, will provide an update on controlling powdery mildew and other vine crop diseases.

In the afternoon of the 21st is the Tomato & Pepper session. The program includes a weed management update with Dr. Darren Robinson of Ridgetown College, the latest information on nitrogen fertilization of peppers from Dr. Laura Van Eerd of Ridgetown College, and a look at high tunnel vegetable production with Dr. Matt Kleinhenz of Ohio State University. A virologist from the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Dr. Marc Fuchs, will discuss cucumber mosaic virus and its aphid vectors.

For a full program, visit the conference website at www.ofvc.ca. The conference includes sessions on fruits and vegetables, organic crop production, marketing, traceability, on-farm food safety, and more. There is also a large trade show and the famous "Taste of Niagara Food & Wine Gala".

The preregistration deadline is February 14. Preregistration gets you lunch tickets and admission to the gala.

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