By Marlee Moore The Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association’s (AFVGA) annual Conference and Trade Show will have a new date next year. Normally held each fall, the association will meet next year on Feb. 9-10, 2023, in Gulf Shores, Alabama. AFVGA Executive Director Blake Thaxton is excited to welcome growers to the Lodge at Gulf State Park for a …
AFVGA Executive Director: Address Input Needs as Early as Possible
By Clint Thompson Blake Thaxton, executive director of the Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA), implores his farmers to be proactive instead of being reactive with adjusting to the current surge in input costs. “Our overall message is to make sure you’re addressing your input needs as early as possible to get ahead of any kind of delays that …
Successful Meeting: AFVGA Executive Director Pleased with Conference
By Clint Thompson Blake Thaxton, executive director of the Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA), was pleased with the association’s annual conference and trade show that was held on Nov. 18-19 in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Attendance was great. The seminar sessions provided insight in various challenges the industry is facing. It was everything Thaxton had hoped for. “We had …
AFVGA Conference to Address Challenges Farmers are Facing
By Clint Thompson Challenges are nothing new for Alabama’s vegetable and specialty crop producers. Whether it is labor issues, crop production or unfair trade, no grower is immune from the daily rigors of maintaining a successful farming operation. Next month’s Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA) Conference and Trade Show will address issues pertinent to the state’s producers, says …
AFVGA Set to Host Annual Conference, Trade Show
By Clint Thompson Registration is ongoing for the upcoming Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (AFVGA) annual conference and trade show on Nov. 18-19 in Gulf Shores, Alabama. After having last year’s conference canceled amid the coronavirus pandemic, officials and industry leaders in Alabama are excited to reunite in November, says Hunter McBrayer, executive director of the AFVGA. “We’re excited …
Blueberry Producers: Manage Leaf Spot Diseases to Protect Next Year’s Crop
By Clint Thompson It is never too early to start thinking about next year if you are a blueberry producer. In fact, growers need to manage for leaf spot diseases if they expect to make a crop the following season. Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist, discussed the situation during the Alabama Fruit and …
Alabama Strawberry Producer: Row Covers ‘Knocked Wind Off’ During Christmas Freeze
By Clint Thompson North Alabama strawberry producer Jeremy Calvert believes implementing row covers during the Christmas freeze event saved the majority of his crop. “Everything that I’ve got looks pretty good considering the cold event that we had in December. All of our berries were covered. Anywhere that the row covers might have blown up or were at the short …
Registration Still Ongoing for Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association Conference
By Clint Thompson Registration is still ongoing for the upcoming Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association annual conference and trade show, scheduled for Feb. 9-10 in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Breakout sessions will cover both days and include presentations from research specialists at the University of Georgia, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Auburn University, U.S. Department of …
Scouting Pivotal for Strawberry Producers
By Clint Thompson Scouting remains a pivotal tool in strawberry producers’ fight against Neopestalotiopsis Fruit Rot. Phil Brannen, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Fruit Disease Specialist, cautions producers about what to look out for in the early stages of this year’s strawberry season. “At this stage in the fall you would look for leaves with brown leaf spots, especially on …
Social Media: A Farmer’s Best Marketing Friend
By Clint Thompson Social media can be a farmer’s best friend when marketing their fruits and vegetables. That’s the message Marlee Moore, multimedia content director at the Alabama Farmers Federation, is conveying to Alabama producers. “I think in general, produce is suited for selling on social media because it’s more of a seasonal thing. When it gets to be spring …