Strawberries
California tomato grower goes green
When Casey Houweling was thinking about the future of his tomato operation in Camarillo, Calif., he thought mostly of his daughters and the legacy his company would leave for them, he said. That made his... more »
Can pilfering PYO pickers be pinched?
Who hasn't seen someone "sample" the fruit in a pick-your-own stand, or seen kids walk out from the strawberry patch with as many berries on them as they have in the bucket? In some cases,... 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... 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... more »
Breeding strawberries
I heard three strawberry breeders speak in East Lansing, Mich., this spring during a meeting of the RosBREED Project. RosBREED seeks to improve marker-assisted breeding efforts in the Rosaceae plant family (which includes strawberries).One of... more »
Virginia farm relies on ‘huge’ CSA program
If you're going to run a CSA, it helps to do it in the richest county in the country.The Community Supported Agriculture program is the "bread and butter" of Great Country Farms, said Jaclyn Jenkins,... more »
The secret life of California’s world-class strawberries
May is the month we see strawberries explode in the market. There are strawberry festivals in every corner of the nation celebrating the juicy ruby beauties, and Strawberry Queens crowned galore. Those traditional harvest time... more »
Knowing best applications for tunnels, greenhouses
When choosing between a high tunnel or a greenhouse, it might be difficult to decide which is a better fit.That led Andy McNitt, owner of McNitt Growers, Carbondale, Ill., to work with Devin Brown, a... more »