TJ Mullinax is a digital producer and photojournalist for Good Fruit Grower, coming to the magazine with a newspaper and television broadcast background. Mullinax grew up in the Pacific Northwest and covered communities through the Willamette Valley, Columbia Gorge and Central Washington, working more than 10 years as a professional journalist at KATU television in Portland, Oregon, and the Yakima Herald-Republic newspaper.
Mullinax served as a longtime officer of the National Press Photographers Association, helped found the Northwest Video Workshop, remains active judging photography contests and volunteering for journalism-focused training opportunities. In his spare time, Mullinax dabbles with programming, design, illustration and various multimedia endeavors that help tell stories.
Phone: Office (509) 853-3519 Cell: (509) 580-0091 — Email
My Recent Articles
Marketing, technology, disease and a new Cherry King mark Cherry Institute 2025
Administrators of Northwest Cherries told growers Jan. 10 at the 82nd annual Cherry Institute in Yakima, Washington, that the 2024 season was successful in shipping and promotions, a welcome bright spot after several tough years...
Cherry identification down to the DNA details
Genetic experts say preliminary DNA screening can prevent intellectual property disputes.
The SKU view for the apple category
The apple industry navigates a new era as retailers seek to cull the apple category to the top-performing varieties.
Claire Rasch, a young grower from Grand Rapids, Michigan
Claire is a fifth-generation farmer planning to attend Washington State University for an agribusiness degree. She has one sister, Eva, and is the daughter of Sarah and John Rasch.
Growers getting lawmakers to tune in to labor problems
Michigan groups band together to fight rising H-2A wages.
Removing leaves and retracting netting both boost apple color
Two methods prove effective in Washington State University study.
Longtime growers share a moment of reckoning on the road to resilience
To go from survival mode to being prepared to prosper on the other side of the present downturn, industry leaders recommend removing the blocks that are bleeding out.
More moth math needed for Washington orchards
As sterile codling moth applications grow in Washington, so do questions about the conditions under which the treatment performs well.
Good to Know: Sterile moth 101
Experts from British Columbia’s sterile insect release program share the answers to their most frequently asked questions.
Leading by listening: 2024 Good Fruit Grower of the Year
A mix of people skills and horticultural expertise earn Tom Gausman of AgriMACS in Chelan, Washington, the 2024 Grower of the Year award from Good Fruit Grower.
Seeing the big picture: 2024 Good Fruit Grower of the Year
Tom Gausman shares lessons on developing large orchards.
Rise of the orchard manager: 2024 Good Fruit Grower of the Year
Outside investment and increased need for management mark Grower of the Year Tom Gausman’s career.
Joe Cushman, a young grower from Hood River, Oregon
Joe grew up on a family vineyard in Hood River and graduated with a horticulture degree specializing in viticulture from Oregon State University. He’s married to Krista and is the son of Robin and Rich Cushman.
Arresting Washington’s most wanted wine grape pest
Successfully scouting for phylloxera in Washington vineyards requires knowing when and where to look.
Kristen DeMarree, a young grower from Williamson, New York
family background/ Kristen earned a doctorate in physical therapy from Nazareth University then returned to the family farm and is now transitioning to full ownership of the business. She is the daughter of Alison and Tom DeMarree and has two sisters, Nicole and Trena.
International ag tech tours — Video
Groups trade visits to orchards in the Netherlands and Washington, organized by the Orchard of the Future collaboration.
Canadian co-op collapse
After years of economic struggles and dissension, BC Tree Fruits folds, leaving many growers in the lurch.
Northwest pear crop estimated at 10.6 million boxes, down 31 percent
As the 2024 pear harvest continues around the Northwest, the industry expects to harvest 10.6 million 44-pound boxes...
Washington launches support program for agricultural fuel users
The Washington State Department of Licensing launched its Agriculture Support Program in late August to help eligible industry members impacted by requirements in the Climate Commitment Act...
Washington pear growers have Happi hopes
A new pear and a new outlook could be key to innovating the Washington state pear industry.
Ag tech apps with a small-farm focus
Labor apps expand reach to help growers with smaller operations.
Washington grape growers share successes and challenges at annual field day
The Washington State Grape Society and Washington State University held their annual field day Aug. 7, hosted this year at Figgins Winery in Walla Walla...
Cloud-powered packing
New tools help fruit packers manage increasing amounts of data.
Automation adoption won’t drive itself
Relationships between manufacturers, growers and distributors all help usher in automation technology.
Low-tech device can help measure water stress in orchards — Video
Consider pressure chambers to inform precision irrigation decisions.
Peach grower finding the sweet spot for profitable production
California canning peach grower tries some fresh sales in a search for the right scale.
Low labor supply keeps Smallwood stone fruit crop small
Labor crunch limits scale of Washington stone fruit grower.
Ely Giroux, a young grower from Chazy, New York
Ely is a fourth-generation farmer in the Champlain Valley and graduated from Cornell University with a degree in agribusiness. He is the son of Barbara and Craig Giroux and farms along with his four siblings.
Early interest in a new early cherry
Grower thinks his cherry could offer growers an alternative to Chelans, but could a club model help it in the marketplace?
Family-centered farming in Central California
California fruit family turns to cidery, direct sales and U-pick to keep fourth generation involved.
Apple growers nurturing the niches
Small growers bet on high-value managed varieties.
A clean outlook for clean cultivars
A lot of time and money goes into giving new cultivars a clean start, and two clean plant centers that serve the tree fruit industry have made significant changes.
Market prepping for Washington’s next apple — Video
WA 64 winds its way through commercialization.
India Cain, a young grower from Port Orchard, Washington
https://youtu.be/9HgwwfER8ds family background/ India is pursuing a graduate degree in horticulture at Washington State University.
Science targeting tart cherry breeding
Annotated Montmorency genome is the latest step in the search for a new tart cherry.
Productive pruning in older orchards
Growers reinvigorating Nova Scotia apple orchards.
Cherry growers and consumers continue reaching for Rainier
It’s increasingly expensive to grow labor-intensive blush cherries, but consumers love them, so growers are looking for efficiencies.
Industry benefits from aggregating insights
Industry veterans discuss the critical importance of cherry crop estimates.
Best practices to banish blind wood — Video
Washington State University’s new “textbook for WA 38” showcases best pruning approaches.
Peach growers optimize advantages of local loyalty
Regional peach production still powers Midwest retail sales.
Oregon State University irrigation specialist highlights technology at Washington State University Spanish-language field day — Video
Irrigation specialist Maria Zamora Re of Oregon State University made her first public presentation specifically to the tree fruit industry on May 8 at a Washington State University field day near Prosser...
Robert Pittman, a young grower from Manson, Washington
Robert is a fourth-generation farmer who studied business and accounting at Central Washington University before returning to the family farm. He is the son of Kathy and Rick Pittman, and his grandfather was Harold Pittman.
Michigan vineyards moving toward mechanization
Grape growers turn to technology and H-2A to make up for labor shortfalls.
Internship program introduces students to ag careers
Fruit company partners with local school district to launch new approach to internships, with hopes to inspire other ag employers.
High costs and low prices causing double bind for apple growers
New York growers feel squeeze on labor costs.
Manuel Vargas, a young grower from Jardín, Colombia
Manuel grew up on a coffee farm and graduated with a degree from Universidad de Antioquia in Colombia. He’s the first in his family to grow tree fruit. He is now working for Joe Rasch Orchards, in Sparta, Michigan and is married to Katie (Rasch) Vargas and is the son of Ligia Marin and Gabriel Vargas.
Tech aims to turn burn piles into profits for tree fruit growers
Can new technology help growers get paid for climate-smart practices?
Underground watering spreads across vineyards
Grower agreements help Washington State University professor scale up subsurface irrigation method.
Sustaining success with a soil-first farming system — Video
Regenerative apple grower wants to feed his soil microbes as well as his trees to create a more resilient orchard system.
Orlando Howe, a young grower from Wenatchee, Washington
Orlando is pursuing a graduate degree in horticulture at Washington State University. He is the son of Alison and Erik Howe; his biological mother is Maria Mendoza.