When All Good News Is Not Good News
The clerk handed me the receipt and pointed to instructions at the bottom. “Please fill out our customer survey,” she said, “but only if you have good things to say about our store. We don’t want to hear any negative comments,” she quipped, and then quickly added, “Remember – if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all!” (more…)
The battle never ends. Growers, across regions and soil types and seasons, are constantly fighting against all the elements to produce healthy (and profitable) crops. They contend against the weather, insects, changing consumer tastes, diseases and more, always hopeful for a good harvest. Luckily, there is an army of scientists marching right alongside them, always striving to make the process easier. (more…)
by Courtney Llewellyn
Autumn harvest may seem like a small goal on far horizon, but there is already one crop that’s gaining attention – the pumpkin.
The National Garden Bureau has declared 2019 “The Year of the Pumpkin,” and for good reason. “The long term trend is an increase in sales” of pumpkins, said Jamie Hoffman, the founder, president and breeder of Outstanding Seed Company LLC. “People are spending more on Halloween every year. You can see how the popularity is growing in the offerings of farm markets and websites.” (more…)
by Sally Colby
The results of a nationwide survey of organic farmers to identify research priorities didn’t hold any surprises. Mark Schonbeck, research associate at the Organic Farming Research Foundation, said organic farmers listed soil health, fertility and nutrient management as top priorities. (more…)
by Elizabeth A. Tomlin
Editor’s note: This is Part 2 of a three-part series on agritourism. Information comes from a six-part webinar by Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Schoharie, Otsego, Sullivan and Ulster Counties, hosted by Delaware County CCE, and sponsored by the Northeast Extension Risk Management Education.
“How risky do you want to go?” asked Mariane Kiraly, Delaware County CCE Senior Resource Educator/ Farm Business Management.
Inviting the public onto your property to tour your agricultural business and participate in farm activities incurs risk. How much responsibility do you need to take if someone gets injured? (more…)
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Could wholesale help your fruit and vegetable farm sell more? Michigan State University Extension offered “Wholesale for Beginning Farmers” as a webinar recently. Jae Gerhart, a Michigan State Extension agent specializing in community food systems, presented. (more…)
There’s no better way to avoid potential plant problems than to know when and how they might occur, and to be ready for them so that they do not cause severe problems. (more…)
by Catie Joyce-Bulay
“When will the asparagus be ready?” This is a question Sharon Schmatt, owner of Ol’ Timers Asparagus, hears a lot this time of year as locals anticipate the first available fresh vegetable of the season, a sure sign that spring has arrived in Eastern Washington’s Walla Walla Valley. (more…)
by Aliya Hall
Oregon State University has specialists available for a variety of subjects, and one of its areas of expertise is irrigation. Each Extension agent brings their own focus, from irrigating wine grapes to the policies that surround irrigation. (more…)
by Courtney Llewellyn
Months aren’t necessarily the way farmers and growers measure their years. They tend to focus more on seasons – specifically, planting season and harvest season. These are two times of the year that extra hands may be needed at many agricultural operations, and so seasonal workers are sought out and hired. (more…)
by Aliya Hall
EUGENE, OR – Eleven years ago, Linda Perrine left the tech world and a career with NASA to buy a neglected 32-acre farm. She turned the farm, which she named Honor Earth Farm, into an orchard where she produces organic Casina and Willamette hazelnuts. (more…)
by Sally Colby
According to the FDA, the Produce Safety Rule is a set of science-based minimum standards for the safe growing, harvesting, packing and holding of fruits and vegetables grown for human consumption. The rule is part of the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
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