This month, for our crop focus, we decided to give attention to one of the our planet’s top vegetables: potatoes. Of course, in this issue, we’ll cover the basics of potato production and highlight Pennsylvania potato producer Long Acres Potato Farms. However, I would like to point out the lobbying power. Yes, the National Potato … Read more
The faint of heart should probably avoid the potato business. That’s the frank advice of Bryan Beck, co-owner with his father, Clarence, of the 3,100-acre Long Acres Potato Farms in Tionesta, Pennsylvania. “It is very cyclical and challenging. The fun part is just when you think you have it figured out, they throw you a … Read more
When most consumers think about potatoes, they immediately think, “Idaho, home of the potato!” There is truth to the state’s catchy slogan – Idaho farmers, on average, plant one-third of a million acres of potatoes every year, according to the Idaho Farm Bureau. Potato Growing Read about: What’s Right for Your Farm: Fungicides or Herbicides? The 320,000 … Read more
The time is now – if not already – to get your seeds in the ground. Our April crop focus deals with one of the most diverse vegetables: onions. Onions: The Most Diverse Read about: Rio Farms and Gills Onions Along with its assortment of variations, the onion is also one of the eldest vegetables, from its … Read more
Growers across the nation face tremendous challenges that include everything from drought to increasing production costs, government regulations and labor issues. For fourth-generation California farmers Steve and David Gill, challenges just go with the territory in farming and are taken in stride. Steve, 65, and his brother David, 64, are co-owners of Rio Farms based … Read more