After Christmas trees, one of the biggest sellers of winter décor is wreaths. There are other decorative options to consider, however, including large porch pots, artfully arranged with greens and colorful accoutrement. Holiday pots can either be pre-assembled by garden center staff or the garden ce...

In the heart of the Connecticut River Valley, Picadilly Farm, in Winchester, NH, has been growing and serving fresh, organic and local produce for the Monadnock region for almost two decades. Owners Bruce and Jenny Wooster have made it their mission to grow sustainable, wholesome food for their surr...

The Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership’s (ISAP) risk management webinar “Myth ­– Tile and Conservation Don’t Mix” presented reasons why farmers’ reluctance in transitioning to a conservation cropping system can be against their interests. Dr. Ehsan Ghane, an assistant professor specializing in agri...

“When I started 10 years ago, I went out into the community and asked what was needed,” said University of Vermont agriculture engineer Chris Callahan. “I got the sense that an area that was needing attention for diversified farms … was post-harvest work: pack sheds, coolers, bagging tables things l...

Some farms benefit from offering internships, but such arrangements require understanding and commitment from both the farm owner and the intern. It’s important for farmers to understand the differences between unpaid internships and paid employment. Attorney Michael Harrington, Ford Harrison Law, s...

Chal Landgren, Extension Christmas tree specialist and Oregon State University professor, has a long history of working to benefit the Christmas tree industry. Landgren shared what he’s learned after 40 years of research trials, genetic seed work and problem-solving work with growers. “The location ...

Agritourism is a large sector of industry throughout the U.S., and it’s a way for farmers to showcase their hard work to the public. While opening up a farm to a large audience can be a great way to promote agriculture, there are important safety considerations to keep in mind. In a recent webinar, ...

For many rural and suburban youth, working on a farm is their first paid employment. Attorney Michael Harrington, Ford Harrison Law, said farms hiring teen workers should be aware of three main considerations that apply to employing minors. “Do you need certain working papers they get typically from...

Maintaining a thriving crop is every grower’s top concern. According to Dr. Daniel Carr, an associate professor at UC-Davis, near the top of the list is whether or not birds are bringing foodborne diseases onto their crop fields. Back in 2006 there was a multi-state outbreak of E. coli . The strain ...

It isn’t just the little guys who can take a bite out of your fruit yield. Orchard growers are attuned to the lifecycles of the insects (aphids, leafhoppers, codling moths, apple maggots, mites, stink bugs, apple tree borers and others) which cause harm to trees or fruit. The myriad microbes which c...

What do we mean by “soil health” and how can we pursue that goal? When I was pursuing my degrees in the Vegetable Crops Department at Cornell my two minors were entomology and soils. I was always fascinated by different soils types and was lucky to experience a variety of soils during my career, fro...

Marketing plans are structured to target special audiences for the best profit potential.Both internal and external situations, however, have the influence or power to disrupt even the most well-developed plans.When situational changes occur, it is wise to revisit and revise, if necessary, your over...

In 1971, Steve Meyerhans moved northward from Connecticut to work at a Fairfield, Maine, orchard owned by local grower Royal Wentworth. Steve’s wife, Marilyn was in college, and soon joined him, picking apples for $1.50/hour. “We heard rumors that Royal was selling the orchard,” said Marilyn. “Steve...

Purchasing trees, plants and landscape materials is a personal experience, and most consumers devote a significant amount of time prior to making buying decisions (especially for big dollar items). Delivering the perfect tree involves more than a healthy specimen that thrives in its new environment ...

Long-time cut flower expert Dave Dowling said, “You aren’t going to make any money growing cut flowers – you make money selling cut flowers.” Dowling spoke at the Maryland Cut Flower Short Course held in cooperation with the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers on several farms in Woodbine, M...