We all know the earth’s surface is about 71% water. However, 96.5% of that water is in the oceans, and that water isn’t necessarily usable by all of land-dwellers, whether we’re plants or animals, mostly because of the salt. In some recent, very intriguing science news, it’s been discovered that a c...

High on the slopes of Ashfield, MA, is a plentitude of Christmas trees first planted by Al Pieropan. It’s not a plantation of Christmas trees with trees planted in rows – Pieropan planted his Balsam firs in little pockets and on the borders of over 10 acres of four properties that he owned (three th...

Between operating a Christmas tree farm, an orchard, a tree nursery and raising five children, Matt and Sonya Showers have a lot to juggle. When Matt’s grandparents purchased property in Aspers, PA, the acreage was used for orchards and beef cattle. “In 1963, they started growing evergreens,” said S...

Perhaps you know someone who describes themselves as a plant mom or dad. Perhaps you have customers coming in to your nursery or greenhouse, looking to add to their “families.” The indoor plant trend is showing few signs of slowing down, with people still spending lots of time at home. The founders ...

Nearly everyone who grows a crop outdoors has encountered problems with deer damage. When populations of large natural predators (wolves and big cats) were high, deer populations were kept in check. With the loss of such predators and less natural habitat, deer have become bold as they seek habitat ...

Data collected in2015by the USDA indicated that7,398farms in the U.S. sold products directly to consumers through a community supported agriculture (CSA) arrangement. In that year, CSAs accounted for $226 million (or 7%) of the $3 billion in direct-to-consumer sales by farms. Anecdotally, that numbe...

It’s easy to put off retirement planning, but Tracy Garofalo, an accountant with Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s MST business services, said retirement planning should not be ignored. Garofalo said the biggest issues for most are when to start, structuring a plan and determining the tax implications. “Th...

As early autumn’s colder weather settles in, strawberry growers utilizing a plasticulture system are busy with fall planting of plugs into raised beds. Depending on climate, the exact timing of planting strawberry plugs each autumn varies, as the berries will need time to establish themselves before...

Growers of vegetables, fruits, flowers or any other plant product that grows in bulk know there are several ways to sell their goods. According to Penn State Extension, direct-to-consumer outlets such as farmers markets and CSAs typically garner the best price points, but they’re also the most labor...