There’s a difference between copywriting and copyrighting. Corey Zimmerman, founder and owner of Wanderweb, a web design and search engine optimization agency in Maine, explained what sets them apart. “Copywriting is sales writing,” she said. (In the marketing world, it’s also called copy.) “The abi...

More visitors on your farm, spending more time with you and possibly spending more money, seems to be the obvious goal of agritourism, but for a lot of those in the ag community there’s more than that. It’s about educating the public. It’s about sharing your passion. Carla Barbieri, professor and Ex...

With almost everything in shorter supply or higher in price these days, looking into ways to extend what you have, or even changing up your usual modus operandi , may be the way to go. To help guide your way, W. Garrett Owen, Ph.D., from Ohio State presented “Extending Your Peat and Exploring Altern...

Agritourism operators are in a unique position to add regenerative practices to their enterprises, according to Nicole Vaugeois, associate vice president of research at Vancouver Island University in British Columbia. She spoke about regenerative tourism and its opportunities for agritourism operati...

Cover cropping has been growing in popularity as conventional growers of field and row crops have learned of its benefits, and the practice has become widely accepted outside of the organic and biodynamic realms. Benefits include enhanced soil organic matter and carbon sequestration and increased wa...

Over the years, I’ve read articles about controlled environment agricultural, indoor farming, protected agricultural production and vertical farming. My interest was recently piqued in an article about vertical farming, and I wanted to see what was going on in this field. According to Cornell Univer...

While the meetings and education sessions at events like Great Lakes Expo are valuable and informative, the posters sharing research from graduate students shouldn’t be ignored. They provide bite-sized nuggets of larger projects worth looking into. For example, Taylor Mauch, a graduate research assi...

Advertising encompasses a number of different vectors that together make up a complete package highlighting your business or service. There are many places and strategies you already use for business exposure. Given time to research other pathways, you may adapt your message over several additional ...

MANCHESTER, NH – In mid-December, thousands of growers from across New England came together in downtown Manchester to learn and discuss what’s new in the fruit and vegetable industry. The three-day event, running Dec. 13 – 15, offered a trade show, educational sessions and industry awards. After ho...

There are plenty of ways to start a nursery business, and it didn’t take Erik Rosenbaum long to figure out what worked for his family. His daughter Annette Fentress, who helms the business today, explained how Sun Nurseries began. “My dad and his brother were selling azaleas out of a truck,” said Fe...

As farmers reflect on a demanding 2022 season they simultaneously start planning for the challenges the 2023 season will present. Careful planning can greatly increase a producer’s chances of success while minimizing exposure to potential hazards. “This time of year is also a really good time for op...

The pests that attack floriculture and horticulture crops often receive the most attention, but those that affect trees and nursery stock should be paid attention as well. Consider exotic ambrosia beetles. There are currently 30 species of ambrosia beetles in North America, but only five that are se...

Marguerite Bolt, hemp Extension specialist at Purdue University, said growing hemp is much like learning to grow other crops – there’s a learning curve. Many established growers and first-time farmers became interested in growing hemp after it was legalized in the 2018 Farm Bill. However, some newco...

“Beer is recession-proof. Even when things are going poorly, people still like their beer,” said Tanner DelValle, a horticulture educator at Penn State Extension. In a presentation designed with Tom Butzler, a fellow horticulture Extension educator, the first thing DelValle and Butzler want you to k...

Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase “ do it for the ‘gram .” The “gram” in question is Instagram, and the idea is someone is taking a photo or a video specifically for posting it on social media, for likes and for shares. The more photogenic a scene, the better. Think about that if you’re thinking about...