As you look at the costs for seeds, growing media, lighting and everything else that comes with the 2023 season, be sure to include a line item for marketing. Word of mouth is great, but it’s not enough in today’s digital world. However, you also need to make sure you’re seeing results from the fund...

Navy veteran Jeff Boogaard wasn’t new to farming when he considered growing hemp, but he soon found the crop was different than the water buffalo he had been raising on his farm in Loudoun County, VA. Once Boogaard decided to proceed as a CBD hemp grower, he was determined to learn as much as he cou...

Perhaps you’ve heard of Type A and Type B personality theory. It concerns how people respond to stress. According to Dr. Saul McLeod, Type A personality is characterized by a constant feeling of working against the clock and a strong sense of competitiveness. Those with Type A personalities generall...

To Jenny Green, the owner of Fisher Green Creative, a Maine digital marketing firm, the holiday season means a lot more than Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. It really runs from November through January and includes holidays like Veterans Day, Small Business Saturday, the Winter So...

The AmericanHort Scholars program aims to sets students in horticulture on a path to success by exposing them to the breadth of the industry, its opportunities and its leaders at the annual Cultivate convention. Each year, six students are chosen for this special experience, giving them insight and ...

The ability to plan for the future seems like a uniquely human skill, and it’s almost a superpower for those in horticulture. Deciding what to plant and when every year takes wisdom, experience, patience and a little bit of hope. Helping to explain how to choose the seeds for your next growing seaso...

The first time Dr. Ashley Kennedy saw the term “insect apocalypse” in print was in the New York Times in November 2018. “It was a report about a meta-analysis of 73 independent reports of insect declines all over the world,” she said. Kennedy pointed out that while this is good news for human leisur...

Short rotation woody crops such as willow and poplar, along with C4 grasses, have been the primary feedstocks studied for bioenergy. Expanding upon those requires obtaining knowledge of the ecophysiological requirements of other potential feedstocks. John S. King, Department of Forestry and Environm...

Farmers expect weather, pests, disease and family issues to affect their farm’s profitability. What they often do not expect is a lawsuit. Rachel Armstrong, executive director of Farm Commons, recently presented “Farm Liability and Insurance Basics,” hosted by Food Animal Concerns Trust. A Duluth, M...

Dr. Bert Cregg, Extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture and Department of Forestry at Michigan State, has years of experience in the Christmas tree industry. He shares the basics with those who are interested in a Christmas tree enterprise. Those who grow Christmas trees do so on a wi...

As the chill enters the air and the outdoor growing season for those in cold weather areas comes to a halt, high tunnels offer vegetable growers a chance at season extension. But keeping greens under cover doesn’t mean that pests and diseases aren’t going to be a problem. Take spinach. According to ...

As I thought about this column, I felt the added pressure of the uncertainty of the times we are living in. I believe planning for the future and trying to figure out where the opportunities are going to be is much harder than in the past. Still, I go back to my most basic touchstone – that people n...

As the calendar year draws to a close for many direct marketers, it’s time to compare sales against marketing projections. With that in mind, a few questions start the process. Demographics and sales: Did the identified target audiences match sales demographics? Sales records can indicate which grou...

Although Laura Raney didn’t grow up on a farm, she worked at garden centers and other outdoor jobs, all of which led her to a love of being outdoors. Raney began working at the Silverwood Organic Farm CSA several days a week, and over the course of several years, she joined the field crew. Abel Clar...

Once, not that long ago, a farmer was simply a farmer. They planted seeds, grew crops, raised livestock and then sold it, sometimes without ever having to speak to a member of the public. These days, however, consumers want to know where their food is coming from and they want to connect with farm o...