Growers who use greenhouses or tunnels strive to keep crops in them for as much of the year as possible. Whether a greenhouse is used for a continuous cropping cycle or to extend the season, sanitation is critical to minimizing disease and ensuring a healthy crop. Steve Bogash, Penn State University...

Employee theft is widespread and significant. One in every 40 employees was apprehended for theft in 2013. That makes one ponder how many stole but were not apprehended. Many farm businesses are so fast-paced, there’s little chance an offender will be noticed. According to a University of Cincinnati...

by Debra Wood Perosio, Cornell University – Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management Have you ever walked down the street and smelled a burger being charcoal grilled? Or how about when you are in a supermarket and you smell bread baking? All of a sudden the cravings start, and bef...

Frustrated by the slow and inefficient results of planting celery by hand, Ben Poll along with his two brothers, Henry and Louis, designed and built a small self propelled transplanter. Their planter was not only faster and easier than planting by hand, it planted celery better than hand planting, r...

You may not like “trendy” fashions, cars, jewelry or hairstyles, but you will want to know what trends are coming down the pike, if for nothing more, than to prepare your own business for what customers are thinking about and buying. Marketing forecasters say three of the big trends for 2016 will be...

My husband and I have been blessed with several different couples who have befriended us despite the fact that they are the age of our parents. We have moved several times in our marriage and somehow, there always seems to be an older couple in our new location willing to reach out and spend time wi...

Your worst nightmare as a Christmas tree grower could become a dream come true for the right researcher. Don’t suffer in silence. Bend the ear of a researcher. You and a lot of other growers with similar problems, might be glad you did. A Connecticut Christmas tree grower had a “nightmare” field. Ev...

The USDA joined other global partners in celebrating 2015 as the International Year of the Soil. This initiative is meant to underscore the importance of soil as a living “ingredient” which is literally the building block of our lives. Assessing your soils now, and amending them this fall, can provi...

Growing your Farm business with Giant Pumpkins By Melody Reynolds Pumpkins of all sizes have been the indication that fall has arrived for centuries. Front steps lined with carved jack lanterns, glowing in the dark of the night, guide trick or treater’s to the door. However, pumpkins are reaching hi...