Leafy Greens

California wage hikes will hurt growers

On top of all the other pressures California vegetable growers are facing – rising input costs, labor shortages and tightening water supplies – they are now looking at a $2-per-hour hike in the state's minimum... more »

Northeast vegetable farms diversify to survive

Dave Marchant has met the challenges associated with operating a wholesale organic vegetable farm on the Lamoille River in Fairfax, Vt.Now in its 21st year of operation, River Berry Farm grows 40 acres of organic... more »

Overhead pivot irrigation gaining traction in California

The ability to conserve water and labor are two of the most critical factors for growers in being able to save money and maximize resources. At a recent Precision Irrigation Conservation Agricultural Farm and Field... more »

Seed industry sees continued growth

The commercial production and sale of vegetable seeds continue to be bolstered by increased market demand for most varieties.A report issued in August by Transparency Market Research indicated that the global commercial seeds market was... more »

CSA, farmers’ markets keep Ohio farm afloat

When Brian and Kelly Helser – owners of Paige's Produce in Stoutsville, Ohio – first looked into hosting their own Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, they had a hard time believing anyone would pay up... more »

Indoor vertical grower touts concept’s benefits

Emerging concepts that enable food producers to thrive in more sustainable ways continue to take shape.One of those approaches is known as vertical farming, and the operators of an indoor system being fine-tuned in a... more »

Robots to revolutionize farming, ease labor woes

On a windy morning in California's Salinas Valley, a tractor pulled a wheeled, metal contraption over rows of budding iceberg lettuce plants. Engineers from Silicon Valley tinkered with the software on a laptop to ensure... more »

Food safety a high priority for California farm

Farming and food safety keep Ryan Talley busy. Talley, a third-generation grower, is also chairman of the board of the California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement (LGMA).With his brother, Todd, and cousin, Brian, Ryan... more »

Guatemalan valley visit unveils unique watering system

The Valley of Almolonga in Guatemala is staggeringly gorgeous. Especially to a vegetable grower: an irregular checkerboard of small fields, all verdantly green, framed on both sides by the steep, mist-whispered mountains as the valley... more »

Freewheelin’ farmers ready to move on

After spending the past decade growing a sustainable small farm from a half acre of old farmland to a thriving eight-acre organic enterprise, the owners of Freewheelin' Farm in Santa Cruz County, Calif., are ready... more »