The cover story of the December issue of Specialty Crop Grower Magazine highlights Southern Hill Farms in Lake County, Florida. Diversification is the name of the game for David Hill and his family’s farming operation. Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and vegetable crops are available, which has widened the you-pick season through the fall, winter and spring seasons.
The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) remains committed to “fighting for fresh.” That message was highlighted during the Global Produce and Floral Show in Atlanta in mid-October. IFPA’s advocacy for more consumption of fruits and vegetables is a win for Southeast growers with produce year-round.
Florida’s blueberry industry was under the spotlight at its recent annual meeting in Lakeland, Florida. The meeting focused on various topics including new varieties, chilli thrips and promotion of the crop.
Chilli thrips have long been a problem for blueberry growers, but they are now a concern for strawberry producers. Sriyanka Lahiri, an assistant professor of entomology and nematology at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, is familiar with the pest and its impact on strawberries. She discussed her research with the pest.
Finally, the potential impact of Neopestalotiopsis disease in this year’s strawberry crop is concerning for farmers across the Southeast. There was a significant risk producers made this fall by growing plants that may have already been infected with the disease.