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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Alabama”
By Clint Thompson Alabama growers need to know where their fruits and vegetables will be sold before the plants are put in the ground. That’s a message that was emphasized during the Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA) Conference on Feb. 5. AFVGA President Taylor Hatchett talked about her own farming operation’s experience when speaking at the conference. She …
By Clint Thompson What a difference a year makes for Alabama strawberry producers. Expectations are that the growers’ problems with Neopestalotiopsis (Neo) disease in 2025 will not be as problematic this year, according to Ed Sikora, professor and Extension plant pathologist in the department of entomology and plant pathology at Auburn University. The key has been where growers sourced this …
By Clint Thompson Consumers of fresh fruits and vegetables are more invested in knowing where their foods come from, maybe now more than ever. Alabama growers can use that to their advantage in marketing their products and telling their individual stories, says farmer and Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA) President Taylor Hatchett. Hatchet spoke about marketing during the …
By Clint Thompson Alabama strawberry growers do not need to put all of their eggs in one variety basket. That’s the message that Sushan Ru, assistant professor in horticulture at Auburn University, presented to growers at the recent Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association Conference on Feb. 4-6. Instead of growers depending so much on the Camarosa variety, producers should …
By Clint Thompson The recent Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA) Conference and Trade Show allowed for the state’s producers to learn about pests, diseases and trends impacting the specialty crop industry. It also provided an opportunity for Blake Thaxton, AFVGA Executive Director, to talk about the organization’s initiative to continue advancing Alabama produce throughout the state. Thaxton discussed …
By Clint Thompson Alabama peach producers appear to be in good shape with respect to chill hour accumulation this winter. That is according to Edgar Vinson, assistant research professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture at Auburn University. Vinson discussed peaches with AgNet Media at last weekend’s Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association Conference in Gulf Shores, Alabama. …
By Clint Thompson The Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA) celebrated its annual conference and trade show this week in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Farmers, industry leaders and Extension personnel flocked to the Lodge at Gulf State Park to learn about various trends and topics impacting the fruit and vegetable industries. Topics like Neopestalotiopsis in strawberries, paper mulch research in …
By Clint Thompson According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, dry areas still encompass much of the Southeast region, especially in North Florida, South and Central Georgia and Southeast Alabama. Florida Extreme conditions are seen in a couple of areas in northern Florida. One area includes all or part of Jackson, Calhoun, Liberty, Gadsden, Leon, Wakulla and Jefferson counties. The area …
By Clint Thompson Last weekend’s plunging temperatures and dangerously low wind chills across the Southeast was another weather challenge for the region’s specialty crop producers. Now that the coldest weather so far this year has passed, growers must now take stock of any damage to their crops, says Blake Thaxton, Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA) Executive Director. “We’re …
By Clint Thompson Alabama pecan quality and quantity was down this year. The prolonged drought is the main reason why, says Bryan Wilkins, Auburn University research associate. “Numbers are way down. That drought hurt us pretty good. They were as small as they’ve been in a long time. Wasn’t a good year,” Wilkins said. “We were wet, but when it …
