LIVERPOOL, NY — In 2015, New York wine and beverage connoisseurs might have been delighted to find a bottle of vintage wine or a special growler of craft beer under their real balsam Christmas tree. It sounds like a novel gift idea, but it could become more common thanks to the efforts of New York S...

When unplanned circumstances happen, are you prepared to handle what business planners call, “the immediate?” It references the very first action, or the first action in a series of corrections, to right the situation and get your operation back on track. Owners and managers with solid business plan...

Writing down your “Standard Operating Procedures” (popularly referred to as SOPs) can be of real benefit to your business, according to Sandee Krause of Krause Berry Farm in British Columbia, Canada. Particularly if your operation is large or if it involves food preparation, having a binder with wri...

LIVERPOOL, NY – The unusually mild winter of 2015-16 has been a blessing for some people. Can it also become a curse for Christmas tree farmers in New York State? Many of the farmers were pleased to see a robust business in early November. Farmers attending the Christmas Tree Farmer’s Association of...

The Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention, held at Hershey, PA in February enjoyed its best attendance ever. One hundred sixty exhibitors and their displays filled the Trade Show. Bill Troxell, PVGA Executive Secretary, estimated the Convention attracted a total of about 2,400 people. “The bus...

Learn about the the products and manufacturing processes of Superior Fruit Equipment.

Who knew that as many as 59 components are needed to produce a high quality off-road tire? Not me! Not until I visited the BKT Tire Plant in Bhuj, India did I learn that. It was a pleasure to be invited to visit BKT’s newest and most modern tire production facility in India, by the people at BKT, wh...

The swede midge, well established in much of New York, including counties along the western PA border, has now been found in Ohio and this past summer was identified on an organic farm in Michigan. Scientist believe it’s only a matter of time until this tiny pest finds its way into all the crucifer ...

Farm names often reflect a property’s location or unique features, and in the case of Bull Run Mountain Farm, the ‘mountain’ part is accurate. Leigh Hauter has been operating the farm carved out of a mountainside in The Plains, VA, since 1999. Hauter started the farm as a CSA after working with comm...

From the time she was in high school, Sadie Drury knew she wanted to work outside. She trained horses for a while, and then decided to pursue another career path — one that would allow her to work outdoors. “I was born and raised in Walla Walla, and had done a little bit of wine tasting,” said Sadie...

Although there have been recent efforts to grow potatoes directly from true seed, rather than tubers, the commercial potato industry relies on tuber seed potatoes to maintain disease-free planting stock. Growing from tubers is a type of cloning, as the progeny has the same genetic makeup of the pare...

Starting in late 2014, Lee Newspapers began the process of upgrading their printing capabilities. Lee produces an average of 87,000 publications each week and uses about 40,000 pounds of newsprint. Over 95 percent of our printing is our own publications. Our goal is to upgrade the appearance of our ...

“Most small family farms have already closed,” remarked Dale Baker, while sorting Asian pears at his fruit farm in the Hudson Valley. “This farm has been in my family for over 100 years but the fruit part was started by my grandfather, Gordon Baker, in the early 1920s.” The farm, which lies just a f...

STEVENSBURG, VA — A few years ago, Joe van Wingerden and his wife Georgia found themselves facing a problem —as the owners of a 12-acre greenhouse, they were about to lose their business’ anchor — a tulip operation. As experienced horticultural entrepreneurs, the couple turned their predicament into...

On Dec. 1, 2015 the Connecticut Pomological Society held its annual meeting at the Gallery Restaurant in Glastonbury, CT. Ninety members, guests and support staff met for the annual update as to what is new in orchard management and listen to fellow orchardists share their thoughts on issues of comm...