Raspberries & Blackberries
New fruit fly spreading across country
A new fruit fly is showing up across the United States, and it may cause problems for growers, especially in small fruit. Similar in size, but not appearance, to Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD), the African... more »
New Hampshire farmers’ market moving in the right direction
For the past 16 years, farmers in the small town of Keene, N.H., have been providing fruit and produce at The Farmers’ Market of Keene, as it puts on both a summer and winter market.... more »
New invasive fruit fly discovered in Pennsylvania
Zaprionus indianus Gupta, commonly known in Brazil as the African fig fly (AFF), is an invasive species that was recently found in Pennsylvania for the first time, according to Penn State University.First discovered by the... more »
SWD doing significant damage to berries
Spotted wing drosophila (SWD) hit Michigan hard in 2012. Worst off were fall red raspberry growers, who had to deal with wormy berries and customer complaints. Some decided to stop growing raspberries altogether, said Rufus... more »
Diversity makes up for crop losses at Wisconsin farmers’ market
The weather hit Wisconsin growers hard this season, but that hasn’t seemed to deter anyone from attending the Dane County Farmers’ Market in Madison, Wis. The Badger State market is the nation’s largest producer-only market,... more »
New varieties diversify blueberry offerings
Anyone who grows backyard blueberries knows that some of the berries may turn pink before they finally ripen to a familiar dusty blue. When a Pink Lemonade blueberry is ripe and ready to eat, however,... more »
Group asks for input about Spotted Wing Drosophila
The Northeast IPM Spotted Wing Drosophila Working Group (headed up by Greg Loeb at Cornell Univ.), is gathering information on the level crop damage that occurred on grower farms in the Northeastern U.S.Please take five... more »
Cider apples might work for Washington growers
Where can hard cider connoisseurs roam the countryside, traveling from estate to estate and sampling the artisan crafts of local producers? Western Washington will be the venue for such activity, if Washington State University (WSU)... more »
Consumers in the East want local berries
The buy-local movement is still boosting berry sales, especially for growers in the East. And despite all the growth in farm market, farmers’ market and CSA sales, there’s still room for more, according to sources.... more »
SWD guidelines for management and control in berry production
The 2012 fruit growing season is nearing conclusion almost a month ahead of previous years due to unusual climatic conditions that prevailed for most of the growing season. In addition to the problems created by... more »