Articles

Knouse Fruitlands is Pennsylvania Grower of the Year

At an old round barn not far from one the nation’s biggest historical sites, Brian Knouse balances the past with the future of the family farm. “I think this farm was one of the first commercial fruit farms in Pennsylvania,” Knouse said. The K... more

Prune, support greenhouse tomatoes

Tomatoes grow well in hoop houses, but they need support and pruning, and no two farms are the same. “There are many types of support systems and lots of different parts of a tomato plant to prune,” said Liz Maynard, assistant professor in Pur... more

Biologicals industry growing past niche uses

Biological products are a vital tool for organic vegetable growers and have shown effectiveness in greenhouses for stopping weeds and bad bugs. But the industry isn’t stopping there. Leaders say they’re claiming a place in mainstream agricu... more

Traceability system works at Fancy Farms

Working with its broker Wish Farms, Fancy Farms participates in a Compliance with the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) program required for Wish Farms growers. This industry-developed program ensures case-level electronic traceability. In additi... more

Fancy Farms adapts to challenges in turbulent strawberry industry

Carl Grooms has seen a lot since he entered the strawberry growing business in 1974. He’s leaving the Plant City, Florida, growing operation in the hands of his son, Dustin, but has plenty of concerns about the future of the industry in which he ha... more

Poultry forage on vegetable crop residue

Vegetables leave crop residue in the field with few ways to use it. Grazing cattle or other large animals can compact the soil. There are advertisements for chickens raised by grazing. Could that work on vegetables? New research at Iowa State Univers... more

Grower-bred red onions expand Walla Walla brand

A 10-year effort by a dedicated grower has yielded an onion of a different color from the Walla Walla Valley. This year, fourth-generation grower Michael J. Locati debuted Walla Walla onions that are light red – he’s calling it a rosé, like t... more