Fruits

Gillison’s donates sprayer to research station

Gillison’s Variety Fabrication, based in Benzonia, Michigan, recently donated a sprayer to Michigan State University’s (MSU) Northwest Michigan Horticulture Research Center. Nikki Rothwell, the center’s coordinator, said the donation makes Gillison’s the first “allied partner”... more »

Titan Farms names vice president of sales, marketing

Titan Farms, a grower, packer and shipper of peaches and vegetables based in Ridge Spring, South Carolina, has hired Daryl Johnston as its new vice president of sales and marketing.“For some time, the management team... more »

New York Apple Growers launch RubyFrost

New York Apple Growers (NYAG) has launched a second new apple variety called RubyFrost, which will be available at participating retailers in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions. RubyFrost is known for its beautiful rich color,... more »

Stomping out grape disease one vineyard at a time

Cracking the genetic code of a common disease affecting grape production could improve vineyard management and help protect the multibillion-dollar industry that includes raisins, juice, jam/jelly, fresh grapes, grape-seed extract and oil, vinegar and wine.Click... more »

New vineyard establishment cost resource published

One of the major categories of wine grapes grown in the Great Lakes region is the hybrid. Developed primarily from European and American parents, these grapes combine favorable wine characteristics with pest tolerance and often... more »

Winery development pre-conference scheduled for March

To assist potential entrepreneurs in understanding the elements of a successful winery business launch, Michigan State University will hold a one-day winery development pre-conference March 4, in association with the 2015 Michigan Grape & Wine... more »

Hard cider: New industry faces shortage of trees, labor

Despite being a very old practice, the making of hard cider is virtually a new industry in the United States. The recent growth in sales has been “staggering,” and the U.S. apple industry as a... more »

Precision agriculture poised for growth

An agricultural engineering professor, in the forefront of high-tech innovation, believes there are significant advantages for specialty crop operators who pursue and adapt precision agriculture technologies. The bottom line – impacted by such trends as... more »