A variety of topics were covered at this year’s Virginia Tree Fruit Schools, held on five occasions around the commonwealth, in the southern Blue Ridge, the Roanoke Valley, at two locations in central Virginia, and in Winchester. The first four meetings drew crowds of about 50 or more, with the fina...

A recent webinar, “Lighting Systems: Analysis, Performance, and Energy Conservation Opportunities,” described agricultural lighting system functions and how new systems can improve efficiency and performance. Dan Ciolkosz of Penn State described lighting system vocabulary, design and its impact on p...

Of all the complicated and uncomfortable topics that arise in the farming industry, discussing finances often makes the top of the list. It is an issue that affects farms of all types and sizes and as the legal waters get more and more complicated, seeking professional financial assistance has becom...

Some businesses direct sales people to meet and greet a customer almost immediately when she enters the store. Others direct employees to hang back and either observe and offer help after a customer has shopped a bit, or don’t ask at all and meet her only when she comes to the check-out counter. I e...

NRCS recently hosted a webinar about encouraging beneficial insects for pest control. Over 300 people from around the country logged on to hear Eric Lee-Mäder speak about biocontrol. Lee-Mäder is the Pollinator Conservation Program Co-Director at The Xerces Society, which is dedicated to invertebrat...

Wayne Sawyer had a taste of the nursery business when he was in high school, and it didn’t take long before he realized that it was what he wanted to do. Today, Sawyer is president and CEO of Bennett’s Creek Nursery, headquartered in Suffolk, VA. Sawyer explains how Bennett’s Creek evolved. “Art Lan...

“I would like to speak today about a question that keeps me awake at night,” stated Russell Redding, Keynote Speaker at the 2015 Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention in Hershey, PA, who was recently nominated to become the next PA Secretary of Agriculture. “Our biggest challenges in agricultu...

Beginning farmers can secure their first farm loan if they develop a plan for how the money will be spent, and how the loan will be repaid. A plan can allow a farmer to purchase equipment using a low interest cash flow loan instead of building expensive credit card debt to finance farm operations un...

. This year’s get-together for the North American Farmers’ Direct Marketing Association took place in Nashville and Knoxville, TN. The week-long event was part trade show, part tour and also featured two days of in-depth marketing specific demonstrations and discussions by experts and peers on how m...

Ben and Hannah Wolbach of Skinny Dip Farm in Westport, MA shared their experience growing and selling winter storage crops at a Twilight Event for the Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP). In the workshop, Hannah and Ben Wolbach explained their fertility practices. Farm soils ...

Beit Alpha cucumbers are becoming more popular among growers, and for good reason. They’re gynoecious (produce only female flowers) and parthenocarpic, so they don’t require pollination. With good management in a high tunnel, these seedless cukes will produce two crops in one season, and skilled gro...

Knowing what consumers want when they shop for fresh market fruits and vegetables is the key to growers’ success in planning and growing crops. Consumer tastes and trends vary from year to year and are often influenced by popular magazine and other media features. How can growers predict what consum...

Labor issues continue to dominate farm-based businesses. Our work takes hands-on education and training, it’s often seasonal, and it doesn’t fit well in a typical family’s 9-to-5 schedule. Truthfully, not everyone is cut out to work for us. But as we debate how to best retain employees, it is import...

Farm inputs can include energy in the form of fuels, electricity and fertilizers. Crop and livestock production uses energy in many forms. Energy heats water for washing equipment and harvested crops, and powers lighting for production and handling areas. Livestock and produce producers use energy f...

If you are now taking the time to review the interviews you did last fall or this winter for new workers, incorporate the “E-Factor” for finding and retaining exceptional employees. The E-Factor equates to those individuals who you move to the top of the hiring list for their enthusiasm, energy and ...