Articles

Farmers’ markets need to sell safe food, too

Buying locally grown produce at the farmers' market is a great way to ensure your family is getting the freshest food possible, but it doesn't guarantee that the produce is safer. Just like any food, locally grown food must be handled safely on the f... more

Diversification spurs growth for New York farm

There's life beyond wholesaling – a whole lot of it.The family-owned and run Samascott Farm in Kinderhook, N.Y., started out mainly growing apples and wholesaling them to processors. Along the way, the family discovered farmers' markets. As pro... more

Family, persistence, Twinkies help Ohio farm survive

When Dave Weilnau was growing up, just about every farmer in his part of north-central Ohio sold their vegetables wholesale to local buyers. That's not the case anymore."As far as I know, there's no one doing that at a wholesale level in the Milan ar... more

Vegetables coming to market despite drought

Vegetable growers seem to be holding their own, despite what many are describing as the worst drought since the days of the Dust Bowl.While some areas were seeing a diminished crop in July, farmers' market vendors and on-farm marketers were doing OK.... more

System cools strawberries in field for longer shelf life

Freshly picked strawberries can spend hours in hot fields, waiting to be taken in for packing and processing. Long exposure to heat can reduce shelf life and profits for growers – a problem Naturipe Berry Growers in Salinas, Calif., is trying t... more

Farming family creates a niche at home and around the world

Huron, Ohio-based The Chef's Garden used a value-added producer grant it received several years ago to study the feasibility of adding a processing component to its family-owned operations. The company provides more than 600 varieties of heirloom and... more

Herbicide-tolerant crops spark concerns

In 2008, Dave Simmons' neighbor applied 2,4-D on a windy day.He shouldn't have been spraying. The herbicide drifted onto a 2-acre block of Simmons' grapevines, stunting their growth and hurting yields for the next two seasons. The damage was substant... more