Cornell Orchards
About
Cornell Orchards, founded in 1910, supports 10 to 15 research projects each year. Currently there are 22 acres of apples, grapes, stone fruits and berries in active research, including one certified organic acre.
Our mission is to provide high-quality ecosystems for world class perennial fruit crop research and hands-on teaching.
Research project highlights
Ground-nesting bees to enhance pollination
Develop the protocols and best practices for propagating ground-nesting bees to diversify pollinators in agricultural landscapes, and enhance food security through resilient and sustainable bee management.
Project website and community science project
Researchers: Bryan Danforth, Jordan Kueneman
Weed control in perennial crops
Evaluate the performance of novel weed control technology, including electric weeders and vision-guided spray systems, to enhance the sustainability of fruit, berry, and grape production.
Researcher: Lynn Sosnoskie
Improve wine grape production systems
Improve both the environmental and economic sustainability of wine grape production systems in cool climates through vine and soil research.
Researcher: Justine Vanden Heuvel
Fruit production systems
Develop fruit production systems that facilitate the long-term economic and environmental viability of commercial tree-fruit growers, with a particular focus on hard cider production.
Researcher: Greg Peck
Berry crops
Develop sustainable production methods for berry crops, including the use of high and low tunnels for season extension in colder climates.
Researcher: Marvin Pritts
Storage life of apples
Maintain quality and nutrition of apples during storage, especially of new and emerging varieties, using new postharvest technologies such as dynamic controlled atmosphere storage.
Researcher: Chris Watkins
Tree root biology
Promote sustainable landscapes through a better understanding of tree root biology and provide a teaching resource for below-ground processes in plants.
Researcher: Taryn Bauerle
Metabolism in apples and grapes
Understand how the metabolism in apples and grapes responds to carbon and nitrogen, and provide guidelines for fertilizer applications in orchards and vineyards.
Researcher: Lailiang Cheng
Teaching
A living laboratory
The orchards also serve as a living laboratory to hundreds of Cornell students every year, giving future generations of growers and researchers hands-on experience with virtually all aspects of fruit production. Teaching focus areas include pomology (growing apples, pears and other fruit), viticulture (growing grapes), enology (making wine), orchard management, and agricultural engineering.
Outreach
Community engagement
The Orchards are currently closed to visitors due to COVID-19. But usually, more than a 1,000 schoolchildren visit the Orchards each fall to taste apples, see how cider is made, and learn where fruit comes from. Hundreds of visitors, including fruit growers and professionals from local wineries and cideries, visit Cornell Orchards each year for special events.
Research
Fruit production
Additional plantings include peaches, cherries and pears, novelty fruits such as hardy kiwis and pawpaws, chestnuts, and of course a plethora of old and new apple varieties. Several apple trees at the Orchards are over 100 years old and still thriving. Students, faculty and staff appreciate the farm-fresh apples and other fruit, grown right next to campus and served at Cornell Dining locations and other eateries on campus.
Resources for Cornell Researchers
Find detailed information for each Cornell AES research farm. Cornell login is required.
Contact
Address
Cornell Orchards
709 Dryden Road (Rt. 366)
Ithaca, NY 14850
General inquiries:
607-255-4542
orchards [at] cornell.edu (orchards[at]cornell[dot]edu)
Cornell Orchards Staff
Farm Manager, Cornell Orchards
Cornell AES
Graduate Student
School of Integrative Plant Science
Horticulture Section
- (607) 882-1823
- jso43 [at] cornell.edu
Orchard Worker, Cornell Orchards
Cornell AES
- epa26 [at] cornell.edu
Field Assistant, Cornell Orchards
Cornell AES
- mjm264 [at] cornell.edu