After a year in which virtual gatherings reigned supreme, vendors and visitors were welcomed back to the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Ohio for Cultivate‘21.
The premier event for the entire horticulture industry took place in person this year July 10 – 13. (more…)
Sprague’s includes 10,000 square feet of retail and growing space under glass along with 15 40-by-80-foot hoop houses. Customers can select from a wide variety of annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees. Photo courtesy of Sprague’s Nursery and Garden Center
by Sally Colby
Sprague’s Nursery and Garden Center has seen plenty of changes since it was established in the 1940s. (more…)
Cara and Marcus Meadows-Smith and Grandma Joy gather the grapes during harvest at Great Bear Vineyard in Yolo County. Photo courtesy of Deborah Ford
by Courtney Llewellyn
Marcus and Jenny Meadows-Smith have been on a journey that may be worthy of a novel. (more…)
The Hottenroths grow Bing and Montmorency cherries, available as either U-pick or ready to purchase in the farm store. Photo courtesy of Gibbsville Orchard
by Sally Colby
When the Hottenroth family bought an orchard, no one knew how to grow fruit. The family purchased the Sheboygan Falls, WI, orchard (more…)
The farm has evolved a lot of the years. Jim Kessinger said production of the pumpkin patch has grown and increased at a steep rate, as has the expansion of the number of seasonal employees and equipment. Photo courtesy of Plumper Pumpkin Patch
by Aliya Hall
When Jim Kessinger was a child growing up in Kansas, (more…)
Monitor plants for signs of insect damage, uneven watering and physical damage throughout the growing stages. Photo by Sally Colby
by Sally Colby
Growers who devote growing space to poinsettias have a considerable investment in personnel and labor until the crop is finished. (more…)
by Sally Colby
Malabar spinach, red okra, bottle gourd, bitter melon and stevia may not be standard farmers market fare, but Allison Akbay has developed a strong customer following for specialty vegetables. At the Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention, held virtually this year, Akbay shared what she has learned about marketing specialty produce. (more…)
by Courtney Llewellyn
Corn mazes and pumpkin patches are hallmarks of autumn agritourism front, but there are those who want to go a step further and offer a spooky experience – a haunted attraction. The question is how do you host a haunt without falling into tired tropes and corny clichés? (more…)
by Sally Colby
Scouting for greenhouse pests is one of the most critical tasks for greenhouse operators. It can mean the difference between catching a problem in time or total crop loss.
Dr. Luis Canas, associate professor of entomology at Ohio State University, said it’s useful for growers to review the greenhouse layout and create a series of stops where scouters make routine checks. (more…)
Dr. Alexander Chan
by Sonja Heyck-Merlin
Dr. Alex Chan, a mental and behavioral health specialist with University of Maryland Extension, recently gave a presentation titled “Tips for Successful Family Meetings” for the Mid-Atlantic Women in Agriculture Program. (more…)
According to Moulton Farm General Manager Jeff Mills, Moulton’s customers are looking forward to being able to visit the farm without their masks. Photo courtesy of Moulton Farm
by Enrico Villamaino
The world is finally emerging from the exasperating asterisk that was 2020. Reflecting on what they had to do to get by, agricultural producers (more…)
Japanese beetle damage may not appear until later in the summer, but they begin laying their eggs in July. Now is the time to prevent them. Photo courtesy of David Cappaert, Bugwood.org
by Courtney Llewellyn
If you’ve seen the movie “The Mummy,” you know scarab beetles can cause a lot of damage. (more…)
