An old adage advised that houses be built facing south to catch maximum sunshine. A similar rule of thumb holds for apple orchards. Slope exposure will affect trees as they come out of dormancy. South-facing slopes warm up faster in spring. Northern slopes are last out of the cold. There are further considerations. In Mid-Atlantic … Read more
Strawberries entice shoppers. Their brilliant hue and inviting shapes promise tantalizing taste. Food processors, too, capitalize on the appetizing color and distinctive flavor imparted by strawberries for an array of products. Strawberry production, however, presents a host of challenges. Due to the favorable climates, California produces the majority of strawberries, with Florida providing the second-largest … Read more
Cultivating specialty mushrooms Growing cold-climate specialty mushrooms is not like growing the white button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) commonly found in grocery stores. For starters, button mushrooms are grown in large trays. New Hampshire Mushroom Co.’s specialty mushrooms are grown in 1-gallon plastic bags. The process begins with mixing hardwood sawdust with two kinds of certified … Read more
Raising resilient, high-quality marketable greenhouse crops requires the right mix of nutrients. The variety of commercially available fertilizers allows producers to provide a proper balanced level of minerals and nutrients to produce healthy plants. Incorporating silicon into your fertilizer program can be especially important for plants grown in soil-less substrates as silicon is naturally found … Read more
Although Illinois is best known for its vast corn and soybean fields, Keller’s Farmstand (http://www.kellersfarmstand.com), Oswego, Illinois, owned by Frank Keller IV, has brought the Keller farming operation full circle to include vegetable production. The business has revolved around the idea of a profitable operation based on the simple principle that local food is fresher … Read more