Blueberries

Apple Castle celebrates 150 years growing apples

Few farms have the longevity and tradition of Apple Castle, a family orchard that has been growing apples for 150 years. Six generations of the Johnston family have dedicated their lives to apples and the... more »

Tree fruit growers still looking for a mechanical harvester

Michael Glenn, director of USDA’s Appalachian Fruit Research Station in Kearneysville, W.Va., can list all kinds of technological innovations that have aided tree fruit growers in the last 50 years: lasers and GPS for more... more »

E-Verify contributes to labor shortages across the country

Congress hadn’t passed mandatory E-Verify as of late October, but the threat that it might do so lingered over the country’s fields and orchards for much of 2011. Just the rumor of E-Verify was enough... more »

Jawor Bros. opens new blueberry facility

After several years of planning, the new processing facility for Jawor Bros. Blueberries Inc. opened in Ravenna, Mich., July 8. Not only are they moving their own berries through the new place, they are moving... more »

MSU studying high-density tart cherries

The tart cherry orchard of the future may still be a few years away, but Michigan State University (MSU) researchers have moved a few steps closer to growing high-density tart cherries. In fruit-growing regions around... more »

Florida takes advantage of gap in blueberry market

Hundreds of small blueberry farms have opened in the Sunshine State in the past three decades, and blueberry production has increased more than tenfold in the past decade. The farmers hope to capitalize on their... more »

President’s visit a boost for Illinois farm market

Bruce was knee-deep in vines, picking watermelons, when his cellphone rang. “Is this Bruce Curry?” a voice asked. “Yes,” Bruce affirmed. “Mr. Curry, I’m calling from the White House.” “You mean the one in Washington,... more »

Healthy living boosting small fruit sales

Research showing the health benefits of eating small fruit is making for a bright picture for berry production going into the next several decades, said Eric Hanson, a horticulturist with Michigan State University. Add to... more »

Changing consumer demand affects small fruit

A lot has changed for small fruit over the last few decades, but those changes were quite different, depending on the crop. Strawberries The biggest changes for strawberries came about in the 1970s, when there... more »

U.S. fruit exports trying to catch up to imports

It’s safe to say U.S. fruit exports have grown in the last two decades. But not as fast as imports. In 2010, the total value of U.S. fruit exports (including fresh, dried, frozen, canned, juice,... more »