Covering the commercial grower is a fun experience. Speaking with the people of this industry has broadened my horizons in more ways than I could have imagined. I also feel this way about our Green Group staff of Grandview Media. One of the few times most of us meet together is during Cultivate, one of … Read more
New sweet potato varieties will vie in the marketplace with heirloom varieties as producers seek profits in an ever-evolving market. Read about: Exploring the Versatility of Growing Tomatoes A major emphasis in the Louisiana State University AgCenter’s breeding program is improving shape quality. “The produce industry is looking for that cookie cutter shape,” said Don LaBonte, … Read more
It’s a goal orchardists work toward all season: getting the crop to maturity for a bountiful, high-quality harvest of fruit. Depending on marketing outlets, the timing of harvesting related to fruit maturity can differ. Orchards, Getting to Harvest Growers offering pick-your-own typically want as much ripe fruit available on the trees when the majority of their … Read more
When consumers think of tomatoes, they often debate whether it is a fruit or vegetable. Growers know that botanically a tomato is a fruit because fruits develop from the fertilized ovary of a flower, whereas a vegetable is any edible vegetative part of a plant that doesn’t happen to be a fruit. Growing Tomatoes Read about: Sweet … Read more
Driving the back southeastern Alabama roads to check on remote fields, farmer John Aplin spotted a sign advertising Slocomb tomatoes. Curious about what he’d find, he stopped at the roadside farm stand and inquired where the tomatoes came from. The stand operator asserted the tomatoes were Slocomb tomatoes, named for the region they are grown … Read more