So much tree fruit is susceptible to disease and pest issues or environmental factors that make it look unappetizing. But not all of these concerns go beyond being skin deep. The fruit might not look good, but its taste is fine. Orchardist Eliza Greenman promotes apples with cosmetic damage, educati...

Today’s direct to consumer selling environment is fast-paced and ever changing. To stay competitive, you need as much market research information as you can glean. Making better business decisions marks the starting point for developing effective sales strategies and setting up business longevity. M...

A short and sweet wrap-up of this portion of the Southern Nursery Association’s annual conference studies focuses on something nurseries across the nation may grow: the eastern redbud, a large, pink-flowered deciduous shrub that grows from southern Ontario to northern Florida and as far west as Cali...

Silas and Ivan Gordon were raised in a rural area of central Maine and grew up foraging for wild fruit, including raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and apples. Silas fondly recalls having an apple every day. “In our house, there were no additives or preservatives allowed,” said Silas, adding th...

When people come to Bug Hill Farm, a 42-acre farm in Ashfield, MA, for certified organic berry picking, they are encouraged to make an afternoon of it, to bring a picnic lunch and stroll on trails through giant native blueberry bushes to a large pond. Owners for the past two years Sam and Charlotte ...

Some shoppers go out with a very specific idea of what they wish to purchase. Others let themselves fall victim to their impulsive whims. How does a greenhouse or farm stand draw in both of these types? Let the customers know exactly what you have before they drive past with your signage. But what t...

John Roba had a dream: to own a Christmas tree farm. That dream came true in 1984 when he and his wife Sue purchased a former dairy farm in Lackawanna County, PA. They started planting Christmas trees and opened for cut-your-own tree in 1990. But they didn’t stop with Christmas trees. “In 1993, we p...

The stars are aligned over Jeremy Barker Plotkin. In 2005, when he was searching for a piece of property to farm in Amherst, MA, he happened to drive by a property on North Pleasant Street when a not-yet-current neighbor was pounding in a post with a sign that read “Save this farm.” The 32-acre farm...

Mead, a wine made from honey from your own hives, and apple wine and blueberry wine made from the fruit harvested on your farm. That’s what Sue and Larry Godard offer at their farm/winery, Mineral Hills Winery (MHW), in Florence, MA. Most of their 60 acres was forested when they bought it in 1981. “...

Glyphosate is a hot button issue for both consumers and producers, so AmericanHort brought together several experts in the field to discuss the topic. AmericanHort represents the entire horticulture industry and has been following the glyphosate debate in the interest of dispersing the science behin...

Knowing when to harvest vegetables at the right stage of maturity is important to ensure they will contain the maximum amounts of vitamins and minerals along with providing the best flavor for your customers to enjoy. Follow the guidelines below for best results: Cole Crops The ideal temperatures fo...

It hasn’t been an easy growing season for farmers in many parts of the country. The weather has been extreme, and unusual weather events have been widespread. The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center releases long-range predictions of temperature and rainfall for the next two years. ...

No matter what is growing in your orchard – apples, stone fruit, nuts, berries – protecting that crop from pests is always a concern. The use of integrated pest management (IPM) strategies has growers thinking twice about blindly reaching for orchard sprays without first considering the lifecycle of...

Marketing is an ever-present concern for farmers and growers. You spend so much quality time preparing your soil, planting your seeds and tending your crops – and you need to ensure you set aside more quality time to sell the literal fruits of your labor. From the recent Southern Nursery Association...

In today’s climate of immediate customer reactions, many business owners are taking a fresh approach to customer service and follow-up, much of which begins before a visitor even arrives on-site. Establishing good customer relations always begins with a connection between buyer and seller. While in ...