Nearly everyone remembers houseplants as part of the décor in their parents’ or grandparents’ homes. But houseplants are back, and stronger than ever. It isn’t just a trend for a generation familiar with ivy, spider plants and philodendron. Millennials seem especially interested in houseplants, perh...

The Brassica Pest Collaborative is a multi-year project funded by Northeast SARE, bringing together Extension educators and researchers from UMass, UConn, UNH and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County. Four of the project’s participants discussed practical strategies for controlling common...

Leasing versus buying needed equipment is a complex decision, and is not a simple cost calculation. Factors including cash flow, tax implications, payment structure, age of equipment being considered, type of lease, financing terms and more must be considered. And in every instance, new calculations...

Nothing happens until your ideal customer knows you exist. That was the blunt message presented by Monica Hemingway, a digital strategist for the green industry, during “Five Keys to Getting Your Green Industry Business Found Online in 2021,” her presentation for Nursery Guide Live (produced by the ...

A few weeks ago I was enjoying a chat in the greenhouse of vegetable-growing friends. In April, everything is lush in the trays and full of possibilities. Conversation turned to June and my friend called it “the Abyss.” The hoopla of Mother’s Day is over, the bedding plants have been sold and they a...

When you’re talking tree fruit nutrition, both soil and plant nutrients play important roles. Taking a soil sample analysis and adjusting nutrients accordingly does not translate directly into the optimum nutrient availability for fruit production and quality. Many variables play a role in how and w...

We’re back with Part 2 of our Constant Contact walkthrough! Hopefully Part 1 provided you with enough information to start your own email marketing account and begin growing your messaging audience. Don’t forget to reach out with any questions you may have – the Country Folks Grower family would be ...

Marketing has always fascinated me. I remember a marketing course I took in college where we had to invent a product and then develop the pertinent marketing research to support the sale of it. Today, let’s look at what’s involved in marketing vegetables. First, let’s define marketing versus selling...

A picture may be worth a thousand words but when it comes to marketing, pictures (or video in particular) are proving to be worth a great deal. Using video as a primary marketing tool is now recognized as one of the top marketing trends this year. The pandemic changed marketing strategies during 202...

If nothing else, 2020 gave us all an understandable reason to enjoy a good beer (or possibly several). But for brewers to provide us with good beer, they first need access to high quality hops. In Maine, that’s where Aroostook Hops comes in. Situated on four acres in Westfield, Maine, Aroostook Hops...

Spring 2021 is a time of renewal. New crops are popping up, and people are becoming more comfortable with going out to eat again. So what better time to think about welcoming visitors back for farm dinners? Abra Berens of Granor Farm and author of the cookbook “Roughage” presented “Hosting Successfu...

As she begins her fifth year of farming, Allison Akbay falls under the USDA’s definition of “beginning farmer.” But Allison doesn’t fit the beginner mold. “I have a long history in agriculture,” said Allison. “My father, Dr. Harry Motto, ran the Rutgers Soil Testing Lab from 1967 to 1997 and taught ...

“Why value-add?” asked AmandaKinchla, associate Extension professor in the Food Science Department at UMass-Amherst during this spring’s virtual Harvest New England. She answered her own query: “There are lots of different benefits – consumers appreciate the extra help. For producers, it helps exten...

Baby greens have become a consumer favorite, and many growers have added the crop to their lineup. Baby leaf hemp is the latest green to entice both growers and consumers. Dr. Neil Mattson, Cornell University, said hemp seed and grains are generally recognized as safe by the FDA. However, the USDA-A...

If you’ve ever worked a retail job, whether that was a grocery store or in the local mall, you know how important visual merchandising can be. Humans are visual creatures, and they respond strongly to certain cues. You can learn to take advantage of that, even in your nursery or farm stand. Joe Baer...