An unmistakable sight of summer is the oval-shaped Athena melon with its yellow-orange flesh and coarse netting skin. Millions of the melons are successfully grown each year at Spring Hill Produce, a division of Lewis Taylor Farms in Tifton, Georgia, and one of the largest privately owned vegetable and greenhouse operations in the Southeast. On … Read more
With the Connecticut River meandering through it, the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts is prized for its rich soils. Here, Community Supported Agriculture farms abound, and local farmers sell their goods at farm stands, vibrant farmers markets, and to local grocers and national chains. Tomatoes of all kinds are a summer staple, and rich varieties of … Read more
Locally grown produce presents the largest opportunity for growers nationwide. In July 2015, the USDA estimated that local food sales in the United States have nearly doubled in recent years, jumping from $5 billion in 2008 to $11.7 billion in 2014 Read about: Using Herbicides Within the Vegetation-Free Strip Method Professional chefs agree. Since 2013, locally … Read more
Tis the season for frost as evident to some in the United States that are experiencing a roar from Ol’ Man Winter. As a grower, having an overall sufficient orchard floor management strategy is key to assuaging such concerns. A vegetation-free strip is one of the tried-and-true ways of providing warmth to the soil as … Read more
Packaging is one of the most important final steps you can do to ensure the freshness and quality of your produce. With the different types of packaging, it’s hard to know where to start and how to do it right. Remember the primary market drivers. The ideal retail-ready package is a shipping package that can … Read more