Fruits
Bill Shoemaker retiring from University of Illinois
When Bill Shoemaker was finishing his degree at the University of Illinois, he intended to become a full-time grower. His instructors, however, pushed him to apply for a job that had come open. He applied... more »
Growers need crop insurance to be more transparent
Fruit growers don’t tend to be big fans of federal crop insurance, said Mark Seetin, director of regulatory and industry affairs for the U.S. Apple Association. “If you ask 100 farmers, ‘Raise your hand if... more »
Tennessee growers do well with strawberries this year
Mike and Kathy Bradley, owners of Bradley Kountry Acres in Cottontown, Tenn., just north of Nashville and not far from Bowling Green, Ky., said being located between two large population areas gives them good traffic.... more »
Cornell breeder releases two new raspberries
Cornell University recently released two new raspberry varieties, Crimson Night and Double Gold. Crimson Night was selected in 2003 for its “heavy crop load, firm fruit, good flavor and shiny fruit,” said Courtney Weber, small... more »
SWD becoming more established in Michigan
The spotted wing drosophila (SWD) is an invasive pest of berries, stone fruit, grapes and some pome fruit crops. It is native to Asia but was detected in North America for the first time in... more »
Farmers’ market association educates consumers
One of the missions of the Colorado Farmers Market Association (CFMA) is to educate consumers across the state about the value of fresh, locally grown produce. In the wake of the tainted cantaloupe outbreak that... more »
Editor’s letter: Insure tart cherries
Tart cherries need to be insured. Phil Korson, director of the Cherry Marketing Institute, is doing his best to make that happen. Terrible weather did substantial damage to the tart cherry crops in Michigan, New... more »
Cherry growers head to banner crop despite rain
While assessments continue on the effects of Tuesday's rain on the cherry harvest, early estimates suggest damage may be in the range of up to 10 percent across the cherry growing districts of Eastern Washington.More... more »