vegetables
Washing vegetables properly can extend shelf life
Washing fruits and vegetables fresh from the field in a properly equipped dunk tank or hydrocooler can be of tremendous benefit, extending the shelf life of the produce and improving its safety to the consumer.... more »
Pepper profit potential analyzed in high tunnel trials
New Hampshire farmers looking to grow colored bell peppers in high tunnels received some good news from researchers at the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station in Durham. Researchers found many varieties produced excellent, high-quality fruit... more »
Cold weather makes for tastier spinach
Researchers at the NH Agricultural Experiment Station have found that spinach grown in high tunnels during the coldest months of winter has the highest sugar content. Becky Sideman, a researcher with the NH Agricultural Experiment... more »
Commission proposes cut to collective bargaining in Ontario
The Farm Products Marketing Commission in Ontario, Canada has proposed switching to a free market system for the region's vegetable sector. The switch would remove the price negotiating powers of the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers (OPVG). According... more »
Organic ag tour set at Carrington Research Center
Organic crop production management, organic variety trials and organic vegetable research are the focus of a tour being held during the North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center’s annual field tours July 19. This... more »
Avoid ticks when scouting crops in Michigan
June is the typical time in Michigan to check field emergence and early season pest problems. As you start visiting fields, keep ticks in the back of your mind, especially if you live in the... more »
Breeding companies to host Summer Vegetable Trials
For the second year in a row, vegetable breeding companies will host Summer Vegetable Trials via open houses and field days. This event will be held in six locations from Aug. 8-19. Attendees will have the... more »
Meeting your food safety needs one bin at a time
The Food Safety Modernization Act is changing they way growers view food safety. Improvements are being made to packing lines and sanitation. Wood bins are being recycled and plastic alternatives are being purchased. RFID tags... more »
How USDA stopped Florida’s Oriental fruit fly outbreak
There’s a good reason why USDA and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) constantly monitor more than 56,000 fruit fly traps they have strategically placed across Florida. An outbreak of exotic fruit... more »
Climate change may redraw map of places to grow cold-sensitive crops
Oregon almonds and Louisiana oranges? It could be if future projections in hardiness zones come to fruition. A new study by University of Idaho (UI) researchers uses climate models to assess how the coldest temperature recorded... more »