Equipment

Large East Coast Customer Base Makes It All Work

When Pam and Gary Mount bought Terhune Orchards in 1975, they weren’t just looking to run a farm. They wanted to create a community gathering place, and they seem to have succeeded. More than 500,000... more »

New Concept Cherry Harvester Has Its Debut

For years, cherry growers have worked with large trees. It was a major challenge to contain their vegetative vigor and get them into full fruit production in less than six or eight years. Now that... more »

Shipping Cherries by the Millions

It was July 22, deep into the cherry harvest, and the cooling pad at Cherry Bay Orchards was abuzz with activity. Cooled water poured into tanks, each filled with about 1,000 pounds of cherries. When... more »

Hip Apple Seeks Market Groove

A few Washington apple producers are starting to benefit from being members of an exclusive club that grows a New Zealand apple called Jazz. The variety moved into retail stores in the United States and... more »

Cider Mill Brings Opportunities, Challenges

Jollay Orchards will open Grandpa’s Cider Mill just in time for its fall harvest festival. The festival begins Sept. 10, the weekend after Labor Day, and ends Oct. 30. In early August, the new cider... more »

Emerging Federal Rules Drive Blueberry Growers to Try New Insecticides

Blueberry growers currently are getting pretty good pest control with the pesticides they have available. So why would they be interested in new products, especially ones that cost more and might be more difficult to... more »

Apple Crop Estimate Down 10 Percent

The U.S. Apple Association (USApple) released its 2005 production forecast during the Apple Crop Outlook and Marketing Conference Aug. 18-19 in Chicago. It estimated total production in the United States this year at 223.45 million... more »

Immigration Reform Could Profoundly Affect Farms

There are dozens of bills in the U.S. Congress that address immigration reform in one way or another, but only one deals specifically with agriculture. The Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits and Security Act of 2005... more »

Editor Studies the Chinese Apple Industry With IFTA

In July, I traveled with the International Fruit Tree Association (IFTA) on its study tour to China. More than 80 people were on the trip, including industry members from all over the world. Rather than... more »

North Carolina Couple Propagates Rare Trees

North Carolina’s apple industry is among the prominent ones in the United States, with more than 4 million bushels produced annually. Most of the state’s 9,000 acres of orchards are planted in Golden Delicious, Red... more »