At the 2013 edition of the Penn State Extension Flower Trial Field Day much of the setting was typical for the event, but there were also a few changes. The most notable change was inspired by an alteration to the road by which everyone accesses the extension grounds. The township had straightened t...

Growing strong, the Wojnar family farm has been taking root on an abandoned piece of land in Saunderstown, RI. The farm, once over run with weeds and trees is now plowed, planted and buzzing with activity. Two brothers, Josh and Adam, and their father Mike are the backbone of this family business. T...

Not long after thousands of reenactors and visitors came to Gettysburg, PA for the 150th anniversary of what many consider the turning point of the Civil War, another group of visitors came to the region for an entirely different reason. The International Fruit Tree Association (IFTA) held its annua...

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT Research Assistant Lowbush Blueberry Disease Program School of Biology and Ecology The research program for plant disease on lowbush blueberry is looking for a Research Assistant to conduct and support lowbush blueberry research. Tasks include implementing and documenting results of...

Customer complaints can be a real pain for management and employees to deal with. Does a method exist that effectively handles complaints? Yes it does, according to Ann Lofgren, Senior Trainer for the Zingerman family of companies in Ann Arbor, MI. Her words are given extra weight because Zingerman’...

Every flower harvested by Mike and Polly Hutchinson at Robin Hollow Farm in Rhode Island is the result of many years of dedication with both hands firmly in the dirt. Their well-blooming farm spreads over four acres. Robin Hollow Farm has created a specialty crop of flowers, both cut and potted. The...

GLEN ALLEN, VA — Finding new markets can be one of the biggest challenges for a small nursery looking to expand its business. But for A Thyme To Plant, a wholesale herb and vegetable operation owned by Stan and Nicole Schermerhorn in central Virginia, businesses having been seeking them out in recen...

Dwight Baugher walks through a six and one half acre, 30-year old block of Montmorency cherries and says the fruit growing there isn’t enough to supply what his customers will purchase. Although he admits that’s a good problem to have, Dwight would like to be able to grow enough for all who visit th...

NORTH GARDEN, VA — On May 11, close to 40 people gathered at Vintage Virginia Apples outside of Charlottesville to attend a day-long Organic Orcharding 101 Workshop. The day’s keynote speaker was Michael Phillips, who (together with wife Nancy) operates an herb and apple farm in New Hampshire. Phill...