Ethylene (C2H4) is nothing more than a plant hormone that controls flowering and rooting. It’s known as the “ripening hormone,” which is why some things can be picked or cut green. It can be a boon or a burden. When it’s a problem, there are ways to mitigate its deleterious effects. Dr. Michelle Jon...

Herbicide strips within rows of commercial tree fruit or small fruits orchards, and in vineyards, have become standard practice. Runoff and erosion, depletion of soil moisture, reduction in organic matter, decrease in soil microbes and problems with soil fertility can be concerns under this type of ...

When I think about value-added products on the farm, my mind goes right to autumn and the painted pumpkins of all sizes. “Value-added” means relating to, or being a product, whose value has been increased especially by special manufacturing, marketing or processing. Additionally, we can think about ...

As an integral component of your business plan and budget, how do you determine the true cost of promoting your product or service? The overall concept of marketing in a digital age has altered some conventional methods while adding new platforms to the process. As you develop your strategies, consi...

It can be challenging for a small farm to grow enough produce to supply their own community supported agriculture (CSA) program. “Making a Multi-farm CSA Work for the Long Term” was recently presented by Chaw Chang and Lucy Garrison of Stick and Stone Farm and Nathaniel Thompson of Remembrance Farm....

Her title says it all: Jami Armstrong is an impact search advisor with Nonprofit HR, and at this year’s NAFDMA Expo, she clued attendees in on hiring best practices – and just in time, before the busiest time of the year kicks off. “The reality is it’s humans,” Armstrong said of the people you’ll be...

Finding farmworkers is a perennial challenge, and the pandemic hasn’t helped. Many hire seasonal immigrant workers to deal with the labor shortage; in fact, more than one in 10 of the nation’s farmworkers is here on an H-2A visa. But applying for such workers can be a daunting prospect to the uninit...

On many farms, strawberries are the first fruit crop for U-pick or markets. For full crop value, frost protection is critical. Dr. Mark Hoffmann, small fruit Extension specialist at North Carolina State University, has some pointers for growers. “Cold protection depends a lot on the physiology of th...

“Our main goal,” Travis Samuels said, “is in the processing of industrial hemp for hurd and fiber.” Samuels and his cousin Brandon McFarlane are co-owners of ZION Growers, based in St. Johnsbury, VT. Samuels gave an overview of their value-added hemp venture in the last of a three-part webinar serie...

Ag employers know it’s difficult to find and retain good workers. John Shutske, professor and Extension specialist at University of Wisconsin-Madison, said employees are paying more attention to safety and health. Retaining good workers is directly related to having a solid safety program in place, ...

Insect pests can make or break a berry crop – but so can consumer sentiment regarding the insecticides you use to control them. Rufus Isaacs, Ph.D., of the Department of Entomology at Michigan State University, talked about integrating non-chemical strategies to minimize impacts of insect pests in b...

Growers of Honeycrisp are familiar with the fight to prevent bitter pit development. Although Honeycrisp is arguably the most well-known variety with bitter pit issues grown today, “it also happens in many other varieties,” Bernardita Sallato, Washington State University, said during her presentatio...

Kurt Babcock, aerial ag tech and Rantizo Application Services contractor, based in Iowa City, Iowa, asked those in attendance at the Great Lakes Expo “Is drone spraying the future of agriculture?” before answering his own query. “It’s a trick question,” he replied. “It is the present of agriculture....

One of the challenges of growing floriculture crops in a controlled environment is ensuring proper nutrition throughout their growth cycles. Because every species of plant has individualized nutritional needs to obtain optimal growth, a one-size-fits-all approach to fertility doesn’t work unless you...

In the sphere of apple orchards, the use of exclusion netting may result in more than one positive outcome. The netting not only keeps pests away, it can also reduce thinning needs as well as fruit set. This topic was researched by Mokhles Elsysy and Todd Einhorn of the Department of Horticulture at...