Cornell’s Floriculture Field Day scheduled for July 19

Cornell University’s 9th Annual Floriculture Field Day will be held July 19, in Ithaca, NY. The morning program will center on a marketing theme with presentations on creative ways companies have found to wholesale, retail and direct market their products.
Todd Lighthouse will talk about the good and bad of selling at Farmers’ Markets as well as how he uses the organic niche to market his products.  Anna Steinkraus will provide tips and tricks for how she sells through her on-farm market. Finally Lloyd Traven and Stephanie Whitehouse of Peace Tree Farm will provide marketing strategies that wholesalers can use; plus learn why Peace Tree doesn’t rely on retailers to connect with the end consumer.
During the afternoon attendees will hear about hot new annuals and view the annual and perennial trials at the Bluegrass Lane trial facility. Attendees will be able to walk the trial beds at their leisure or join informal guided tours. Also, participants can enter their container designs into the 8th Annual Kathy Pufahl Memorial Container Design Competition.
Field day participants also have the opportunity to attend the 4th Annual IPM In-Depth Handson Workshop to be held the previous day. The on-campus workshop will cover greenhouse viruses and their control, whiteflies and diagnosing nutrient disorders. Participants will also be able to bring in their sick plants so that a team of experts, including fellow growers, will diagnose the problems.