by Catie Joyce-Bulay
The Walla Walla Valley of Eastern Washington, home to long sunny growing days, an arid climate and soils enriched by Ice Age flood deposits, is best known for its wine grapes and wheat. Many other crops grow beautifully in its fertile soil as well, and a group of local farmers is working on promoting them, through their co-op, Walla Walla Grown. [Read more…]
by Sally Colby
Jennifer Moss practically grew up in a greenhouse, but didn’t even dabble in gardening until she returned to the family business after college. As a fourth-generation family member at Moss Greenhouses and Plantscaping, her late return is probably due to a rule Jennifer’s father had for his children who wanted to come back to the family business. [Read more…]
by Tamara Scully
At the Young Farmers Conference 2017, Kelly Mulville, of Paicines Ranch near San Jose, CA, addressed the benefits of merging livestock and crop cultivation with the goal of enhancing soil health, reducing disease and pest pressures, increasing the ability to farm without irrigation, enhancing carbon sequestration, and producing healthy food. [Read more…]
by Sally Colby
Roba Farms is a diverse operation, with a portion of the business dedicated to growing trees for the landscape trade, evergreens and Christmas trees. The Pennsylvania farm also has a U-Pick orchard and numerous fall attractions that draw thousands of visitors every year. [Read more…]
by Tamara Scully
Is there a better way to grow tree fruit than the traditional orchard management practice — an herbicide strip in the tree row and mowed grass alleys? David Granatstein, Sustainable Agriculture Specialist, Washington State University (WSU) Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, has researched a variety of methods of orchard floor weed control, some of which may hold promise for enhancing tree health, fruit quality and economic returns. [Read more…]
Like business plans, marketing strategies provide a pathway to selling the product or service you have dedicated so much time and effort into developing. Getting your product to those audiences that fit the best profile for your product is the reason why you started the business in the first place. The question is how effectively you are delivering that message to the public? [Read more…]
by Elizabeth A. Tomlin
If you’re a greenhouse owner or manager, and you don’t know about e-GRO (Electronic Grower Resources Online), then you’re in for a pleasant surprise. [Read more…]
by Tamara Scully
Seeds treated with antimicrobial or antifungal chemicals are often planted to help growers combat seed-borne diseases. If seed-borne diseases do occur, there may be treatment options to treat disease in the field. But once in the field, seed-borne diseases can spread via other routes of infection, and preventing inoculum from infected seeds is key. [Read more…]
by Melissa Piper Nelson
New cultivars, pesticide treatments and beneficial insects are proving to be invaluable tools for commercial vegetable growers, but best management practices, both in the field and in the greenhouse/high tunnel, remain a producer’s strong defense system against plant diseases. [Read more…]
by Bill and Mary Weaver
“Swede midge can become economically devastating to Brassica crops after a lag time of 6 to 7 years following the first report of its occurrence in a region,” explained Christy Hoepting in a recent fast-paced, highly informative presentation at the Great Lakes Fruit and Vegetable Growers Convention. [Read more…]