By Clint Thompson South Georgia’s specialty crop farmers will soon be planting their fall crops. Weather will once again factor in what growers will have to be concerned with over the next couple of months. Will it rain too much and sprout diseases? Will it suddenly turn dry and lead to increased insect pressure? Bhabesh Dutta, University of Georgia Cooperative …
CRDF Board Acts on Research Recommendations
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board of directors spent much of its monthly meeting in July considering recommendations from the foundation’s research management committee (RMC). TRACKING TREESThe RMC recommended that a request for proposals be put forth to create an inventory of all germplasm existing in field trials from the plant breeding programs CRDF has helped to fund. Having a …
‘Plenty’ of H-2A Workers Still Coming from Mexico
By Clint Thompson The only source for labor that Southeast specialty crop producers have to choose from will not be running out of applicants any time soon. Dan Bremer, with Agworks H2 LLC, discussed the H-2A program during the Southern Peanut Growers Conference last weekend. He believes farmers will always have labor options if they choose to pursue the H-2A …
Sneak Peek: August 2022 Specialty Crop Industry Magazine
The August issue of Specialty Crop Industry Magazine highlights blueberry cultivation in soilless substrates. Gerardo Nunez, assistant professor of horticulture at the University of Florida in Gainesville, talks about the practice which is increasing in popularity across the world. While blueberry bushes are known for requiring drained, acidic soils that are high in organic matter, these characteristics are not common …
U.S. Drought Monitor: Dry Conditions in Southeast
Abnormally dry conditions persist in various areas in Georgia, while north Alabama remains abnormally dry as well. Only a couple of counties in Florida are abnormally dry, according to Thursday’s release of the U.S. Drought Monitor. Northwest Georgia and southwest Georgia are abnormally dry. There is also a small portion of Calhoun, Dougherty, Baker and Terrell counties in the southwestern …
Watermelon Day at N.C. State Farmers Market
RALEIGH – Giant watermelons, watermelon royalty and free slices of the summertime fruit – what’s not to love about Watermelon Day, scheduled for today at the State Farmers Market in Raleigh, North Carolina (N.C.). Activities including a giant watermelon contest, visits by the N.C. Watermelon Queen Emory New and the National Watermelon Queen Bethany Barfield, live music and face painting …
Rains Force Early Finish for South Georgia Specialty Crops
By Clint Thompson The extreme heat this summer nearly took its toll on farmer Bill Brim’s specialty crops. The persistent rains the past couple of weeks definitely did. Bill Brim, part owner of Lewis Taylor Farms in Tifton, Georgia, discussed the impact that the saturated conditions had on his specialty crops like pepper and squash. “On pepper it finished us …
Southeast Alabama Specialty Crops Fizzle Under High Temperatures
By Clint Thompson Southeast Alabama specialty crops prefer dry weather conditions. This season’s prolonged drought was not detrimental to production season. However, they don’t like it extremely hot at the peak of harvest season. But that was the scenario farmers faced in the Southeast in June. It significantly impacted fruits and vegetables in the Wiregrass region of Alabama, said Neil …
Fall Blueberry Conference Scheduled for Oct. 20
Florida blueberry growers can mark their calendars for the Florida Blueberry Growers Association’s annual Fall Conference and Trade Show, scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 20 at the Mission Inn Resort and Club in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida. Registration details will be released soon, as will information regarding the meeting’s agenda, educational sessions, sponsorship opportunities and vendor information.
N.C. State Tomato Field Day Slated for Aug. 11
N.C. State Tomato Field Day Slated for Aug. 11 North Carolina (N.C.) State Extension will hold its annual Tomato Field Day on Thursday, Aug. 11 at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center in Mills River, North Carolina. Registration will be held at 8 a.m., with field tours starting at 8:45 a.m. and lunch served at noon. The vendor …