Marsha Gray, executive director of the CTPB, presented up-to-date information on national promotion board activities at the summer meeting of the Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Growers Association. Photo by Sally Colby

Christmas Tree Promotion Board update

by Sally Colby

No one had trouble selling Christmas trees last year, but Marsha Gray, executive director (more…)

by Courtney Llewellyn

Whether it’s computer chips or clay pots, the supply chain for a wide variety of goods – and even services – continues to see massive upheaval. Amidst demand issues, there is also a transformation of the digital ecosystem occurring. Advances in technology, shifts in consumer behavior and the “Amazon effect” have all majorly altered logistics (more…)

by Courtney Llewellyn

Schools are back in session, and that means students are in classrooms – either physical or virtual in autumn 2021. It’s a great time to get involved with your local schools via Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC). (more…)

“Watering is one of the main factors that affects how your crop is going to grow. Always irrigating at the right time, at the right place, and using the right amount of water” is key to improving water use and plant health in the greenhouse or container nursery setting, (more…)

As I was digging out some large tree stumps with my backhoe, my thoughts migrated to what the early pioneers must have experienced in clearing land for farming. I reflected on the past – windmills or hand pumps used to move water, wood for fuel, candles or oil lamps for light, and horses and wagons to transport people and produce to market. (more…)

Farmers have always had to deal with unpredictable weather. Erratic weather patterns are increasingly occurring, and dealing with the weather is simply getting more confounding as climate change becomes a day-to-day reality. (more…)

When most of us begin our flower journey we start with the easy, tender annuals such as cosmos and zinnias. They grow profusely and produce many branches. When I started I didn’t know better than to cut at the natural juncture of branches. (more…)

One of the most intriguing demonstrations at this year’s AmericanHort Cultivate Expo was from Dr. Krishna Nemali, Ph.D., assistant professor of controlled environment agriculture at Purdue University. He showed how floriculture and nursery growers, using nothing more than the cameras on their smartphones, can measure plant nitrogen status. (more…)

In my last column, I wrote about a process that turns waste hop biomass into nanofibers. Good news! Another group of scientists have learned how to turn hazelnut shells into a potential renewable energy source. Isn’t science neat? (more…)

With re-opening your business and acclimating to your specific pandemic-related regulations, an important factor to take into account is keeping your customers informed by signaling your intentions. (more…)