Pumpkin Pollination Field Visit
Hello Pumpkin/Squash Farmers in East Central Ontario,Farms at Work is pleased to invite you to Buckhorn Berry Farm to see a large nesting aggregation of squash bees and to observe the bee on pumpkins. Pumpkins, squashes, and zucchinis are crops that have an easy-to-manage highly efficient native pollinator associated with them. This pollinator, the squash bee (Peponapis pruinosa) specializes in these crops and it forages on nothing else. We will learn how to identify the squash bee and discuss its behaviour, its importance to Cucurbit crops, and how it is affected by various farm management techniques such as cultivation, crop rotation, and insecticide use. Farm owner, Sam McLean, pollination biologist, Susan Chan, and OMAF minor crop pest control product specialist, Jim Chaput, will be on hand to lead the field tour and answer questions. Date: Wednesday, Aug 21, 2013 (weather permitting) Time: 9-11 am (squash bees are early risers that quit work at noon!) Place: Buckhorn Berry Farm, 3055 Berrie Rd, RR#1 Lakefield, ON K0L 2H0 RSVP required. Please let us know by the evening of Monday August 19th if you will be attending. Space is limited to 10 farmers. |