The Flinchbaugh family has been farming in York County, PA, since the early 1950s, but the fourth generation has taken the operation to a new level. Julie Keene, who operates the farm with her brothers Mike and Andrew, said their great-grandparents raised beef cattle and processing tomatoes. As the ...

More mixed vegetables growers are experimenting with tarping as a way to control weeds. It’s a simple concept – stretching large swaths of silage tarps across the soil prior to planting. “We tarp everything with the exception of any beds that we’re going to put into black plastic for fruit crops. We...

Defined officially, a brand is “a product, service or concept that is publicly distinguished from other products, services or concepts so that it can be easily communicated and usually marketed.” Many farmers don’t devote much time to defining their brand, but maybe they should. “Brand Building Thro...

An emerging orchard pest in northern climates in the apple leafcurling midge (ALCM), an invasive insect from Europe. It was first detected in North America in the 1980s, primarily in eastern Ontario, but it has spread since then to both the Finger Lakes region in New York and Michigan. Kristy Grigg-...

For the person hoping to add easy to care for greenery to their home, succulents seem to be the way to go. Once seen as trendy, it now appears the popularity of these plants are here to stay. Growers looking to add succulent production to their operations need not fear. W. Garrett Owen, Ph.D., of Oh...

As the labor market continues to evolve and fluctuate, you may find yourself hiring capable employees who may have little horticulture experience (but are willing to learn). Like teaching them how to water properly, teaching them how to scout for problems and pests is also incredibly important. Luis...

The key findings of a recent study on farm labor are nowhere near surprising. Researchers reported a declining supply of domestic farmworkers, rising wages and labor shortages, increased mechanization and the rise of H-2A labor. At the most recent Great Lakes Expo, Dr. Zach Rutledge, Department of A...

Agriculture and conservation could be considered by some to be two sides to the same coin. The National Association of Conservation Districts seems to believe this, as they welcomed USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to deliver the keynote address at their Leadership Luncheon at their annual meeting in New ...

Solar energy arrays on farmland no longer means that the land will be taken out of production as large ground-mounted panels take up valuable farmland, disturb soils and offer neighbors unsightly views. Instead of large parcels of land dedicated exclusively to solar panels, modern agrivoltaics combi...