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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Alabama”
By Clint Thompson Fruit and vegetable producers like weather conditions to be dry, so they can be the ones applying water. The current conditions impacting Southeast Alabama are preferred by growers who want to avoid disease buildup. “Honestly, in the fruit and vegetable world, we supply 90% of the crop’s need through irrigation, probably; if not close to 100%. We …
By Clint Thompson The impact of Neopestalotiopsis (Neo) in Jeremy Calvert’s strawberry production this year is leading the Alabama grower to consider other nursery sources next year. “We’re definitely looking at California nurseries. I truly hate it for those nurseries in Canada, because they’re family operations just like we are,” Calvert said. “I spent a couple of days in Plant …
Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate announced earlier this month that U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins has designated 20 Alabama counties as primary natural disaster areas due to a recent drought. There were 18 additional counties listed as contiguous disaster counties. “The drought affected over half of the counties in Alabama,” said Commissioner Pate. “We …
By Clint Thompson Sustainability was an underlying theme at this year’s Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA) Conference and Trade Show held Feb. 5–7 in Gulf Shores. Seminar sessions and workshops at the event addressed the following questions and more: “When the committee meets and talks about the sessions and what education topics we’re going to hit on every …
By Clint Thompson Alabama specialty crop producers looking to capitalize at farmers markets this year need to remember that booth appearances matter when attracting consumers to buy their commodities. Roshell Rosales Aguilar, an Alabama Cooperative Extension agent, talked about what growers need to consider before setting up shop as a vendor at a local farmers market. “I would say consistency …
By Clint Thompson Christmas tree production continues to garner interest in Alabama. Producers must be wary, though, of what they’re getting into before planting their first tree, says Jeremy Pickens, Alabama assistant Extension professor in horticulture at Auburn University. “I think the No. 1 thing starts with, and it goes with everything, just having a master plan and really thinking …
By Clint Thompson A nightmarish start to the strawberry season late last summer has turned into an optimistic outlook for Alabama grower Jeremy Calvert. Like other producers across the Southeast, Calvert was impacted by Neopestalotiopsis disease when he received transplants prior to the season. However, Calvert is seeing great potential in this year’s crop. “A great many growers in the …
AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Ala. — Alabama farmers planning to sell fresh products directly to consumers this year should apply for their annual growers permits through their local Alabama Cooperative Extension System county office. “If you sell fresh fruits or vegetables, table eggs or ornamental plants, you need a growers permit,” said Brandy Childress, Chilton County Extension office administrative support associate. “It …
Abnormally dry and moderately dry conditions still persist across certain areas of the Southeast, according to the most recent release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. Abnormally dry conditions in Alabama are seen in the southern counties like Escambia, Covington, Coffee, Dale and Houston. Dry conditions are also observed as far north as Saint Clair, Blount, Etowah, Marshall, Cherokee and Dekalb …
By Clint Thompson Sweet corn producers should know that nitrogen applications can be reduced and spread out over the course of the season. That lessons the impact of leaching, a common problem for sandy soil production. The 250 pounds of nitrogen per acre total that Andre da Silva, Extension specialist and associate professor of horticulture at Auburn University, determined is …
