What do consumers want — what will consumers buy? We are all aware that large amounts of dollars go into researching the buying habits of food shoppers. While studies show the local food movement (direct sales) is still trending upward, one consumer watch group identifies a mega-shift toward healthy...

Approximately 45 miles northeast of Syracuse, NY is a small city called Rome that is home to the multi-faceted Wagner Farms. Owner Ronald Wagner has spent more than 20 years modifying his crops, acreage and overall business strategy to create optimal efficiencies and profitability. Continual adjustm...

Ask Dave Jackson and Holly Laubach about the most important trait for a kiwi, and they’ll answer in one word — taste. That’s the reason these dedicated growers have concentrated on developing the best-tasting hardy kiwi from the start. Kiwi Korners, Dave and Holly’s 40-acre central Pennsylvania farm...

Punctuality and growing are not exactly friends. Ours is an industry that runs on the weather, not the clock. We can’t punch out at 5 p.m., and we can’t pep talk our produce into growing at a more consistent or reliable speed. Most customers understand this in theory, but they don’t always appreciat...

CULLEN, VA — “This was kind of the last piece of the puzzle,” said Charlotte County Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent Bob Jones, visiting one of the twice-weekly auctions at the new Southside Produce Auction facility. The auction began in 2012, but its foundation was laid with a seri...

After going through the arduous process of working through the complex issues that often occur with multi-generational family farms, Matt and Mary Harsh are adamant about planning for the future. “Everything was sorted out by late 2010,” said Matt, explaining the farm that had been in the family sin...

“Plants are healthiest when grown in their ideal environment. The majority of the landscape plants and trees are planted too deep, not watered properly, improperly fertilized and over-mulched,” said Randy Zondag, commercial horticulturist and director of Ohio State University Extension. “Pest proble...

“Studying the new food trends is fun,” said Penn State Extension Educator Heather Mikulas at the recent Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Growers Conference. “Big food conglomerates invest a lot of money in research, and fortunately, a lot of their findings can be applied to small producers as well.”...

We have become a nation quite adept at uploading, downloading, creating and sharing photos, videos and even mini-movies. Visual images are powerful advertising and promotional tools when used to create customer buzz, share your farm story or document a product’s journey from seed to sale. As we have...

The secrets for success for Red Fire Farm, which grows certified organic vegetables on two farms in Montague and Granby, MA, is perseverance and cultivating great workers — as well as great vegetables. Farm owners Ryan and Sarah Voiland grow vegetables for four summer and five winter farmer’s market...

LEXINGTON PARK, MD — Most winters, the fields at Even’ Star Farm are a riot of different shades of green, full as they are with the winter crops Brett Grohsgal grows for his CSA and wholesale customers. This year was a different story. Southern Maryland’s coldest winter in 30 years — following a coo...

The 265-acre farm Jeff and Nonie Morris purchased in 2004 included about 40 acres of well-established blueberry bushes, but the Morrises, who had no previous experience growing blueberries, decided to start from scratch. “It took a lot of work,” said Nonie, explaining that Jeff cleared the existing ...

Apex Orchards in Shelburne, MA is known for the distinctively tasty quality of their apples. Owner Tim Smith credits climate and high magnesium in the soil for the taste of his apples that he wholesale to valley stores, farmers and PYO. 18,000 bushels worth. “[The soil] produces great quality apples...

“Charge them and they will come” was the provocative message delivered by Kurt Alstede, owner of Alstede Farms in Chester, NJ, to growers at the Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Conference at Hershey, PA. Alstede Farms has about 300 acres of tree fruits, small fruits and vegetables, which they sell ...

The general consensus among many east coast migratory pollinators is that as long as they stay in business, there should be enough bees for east coast pollination. The beekeepers will do what’s necessary to make up the previous year’s hive losses (averaging 50 percent plus last year,) by making spli...