Cornell Orchards

Red apples on a tree
Ruby Frost apples are ready for harvest at the Cornell Orchards in Ithaca. Photo: Anja Timm

About

Cornell Orchards provides high-quality ecosystems for world-class perennial fruit crop research on its 78 acres in Ithaca and Lansing, New York. Each year, the orchards support 10 to 15 active research projects, with 22 acres dedicated to apples, grapes, stone fruits, berries, and chestnuts – including one certified organic acre. Facilities include controlled atmosphere storage rooms and a large multi-purpose fruit science lab to support a broad array of research and teaching interests. 

About 16 Cornell courses rely on the Orchards every year, to bring their students' classroom studies to life through hands-on learning.

1910

Year the Cornell Ithaca Orchards were founded

~50

Apple varieties at the orchards

~13

Active research projects annually

Research project highlights

vineyard

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

Automation and Robotics

Develop AI-enabled automated and robotic solutions for various farming operations in orchards and vineyards including self-navigation and guidance, robotic harvesting, pruning and flower/fruitlet thinning, autonomous bin hauling and nutrient management.

Researcher: Manoj Karkee

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

Tree 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

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: Yosef Al Shoffe 

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

Management

Modern orchard practices

Utilizing best practices and modern equipment ensures the orchard is working at peak efficiency:

  • Tracked sprayers reduce soil compaction
  • Sweepers clear fallen fruit and debris
  • Hedgers improve efficacy while maximizing sunlight
  • Self-propelled elevated picking platforms reduce the use of unwieldy ladders for a multitude of tasks

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 fruit physiology, pomology (growing apples, pears and other fruit), viticulture (growing grapes), enology (making wine), orchard management, and agricultural engineering.

Related story:
Cultivating future agricultural leaders at Cornell Orchards

Research

Fruit production

Additional plantings include plums, peaches, cherries, pears, hardy kiwis, many species of berry, 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.

Large equipment - a tracked sprayer - at the Orchards
A group of student pose for a photo holding a container of grapes.
A researcher moves a container of apples on a tractor.

Resources for Cornell Researchers

Find detailed information for each Cornell AES research farm. Cornell login is required.

Resources for Cornell Researchers
Fruit, vegetables, flowers, trees, specialty crops

Contact

Address

Cornell Orchards locations:

  • 709 Dryden Road (Rt. 366)
    Ithaca, NY 14850
  • 178 Sweazey Road
    Lansing, NY 14882 

General inquiries:
607-255-4542
orchards [at] cornell.edu (orchards[at]cornell[dot]edu)

people at the Cornell Orchards
Apple Field Day at the Cornell Orchards in Ithaca. Photo: Jenn Thomas-Murphy

Cornell Orchards Staff

John (Jay) Owens

Farm Manager, Cornell Orchards

Cornell AES

Graduate Student

School of Integrative Plant Science

Horticulture Section

John (Jay) Owens
Eric Anderson

Orchard Worker, Cornell Orchards

Cornell AES

Eric Anderson
  • epa26 [at] cornell.edu