Creating Communication: Building a Basis for Extension Work with Locally Grown Commercial Cut Flower Operations

The number of commercial cut flower farms in NYS increases from 405-610 from 2017 – 2022, largely because of an increase in open field farming of cut flowers. The rapid increase in operations, particularly as many seem to be beginning farmers, leads to an increased need for CCE faculty to have expertise in cut flower production and marketing. The objective of this internship is to collect information from Central New York (CNY) cut flower farmers that will inform CCE programming for cut flower growers and serve as the background for cut flower production resources available to growers throughout NYS. This can be achieved through observation of sales at Farmers’ Markets and other points of sale, direct interviews of growers and evaluation of existing resources to determine where gaps exist.

Roles and responsibilities 

• Review existing research and resources for Cut Flower Farmers for the Cornell Cutflower webpage and identify gaps/additional resources.
• Visit Central New York (CNY) farmer's markets and document the varieties of flowers and prices of bouquets offered throughout the season
• Create a database of CNY cut flower farmers
  • Create a survey document to use with CNY cut flower farmers in conjunction with mentors
  • Topics to include: species/cultivars grown, disease and insect pests on flowers, sale price/stem, production practices, challenges.
• Visit CNY cut flower farms to conduct survey and document the operations, and Farmers Markets and other points of sale to evaluate sales
  • Contact farmers and arrange visits
  • Collect data
  • Create videos/photo collections of cut flower growers and farms
  • Collate data to be used for cut flower fact sheets
  • Present project and results at cut flower grower programs if timing allows

Qualifications and previous coursework

This opportunity is available to non-graduating students in Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

• Interest in plant production, economics of flower production, and common pests in cut flower crops
• Ability to work outside in a variety of conditions
• Good communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Ability to do independent work
• A driver's license is required as driving on behalf of the summer project will be required

Learning outcomes 

• Understanding of the process of production and marketing of locally grown commercial cut flowers, including species, pests, and pricing/marketing methods
• Practice in the collection and analysis of data
• Experience in communication with and to others (surveys and presentations)