Project Description
Labor; Irrigation
Featured stories about labor and irrigation appear in this issue.
Critical water status times
There are five periods during the growing season when growers using a deficit irrigation strategy need to pay close attention to the vine and soil
Protect your fruitlets
Imagine a baby's bottom exposed for the first time to the sun. That's how a Washington State crop consultant thinks about apple fruitlets when they
Learn new pest practices
A tachinid fly stalks an obliquebanded leafroller larva. Tachinids are an important natural enemy of leafrollers in the Pacific Northwest. by Keith Granger & Jay
PMTP surveys consultants
>by Nadine Lehrer, Jay Brunner, Keith Granger, and Wendy Jones, WSU Washington apple growers are phasing out the use of Guthion (azinphos-methyl), in accordance with
Stone fruit thinning
A drum shaker to thin off green fruit in soft fruit orchards is being tested in Pennsylvania. Mechanical thinning is being studied as a way
More worker housing
North central Washington has more housing for migrant farmworkers this season, despite the closure of a 350-bed short-term tent camp in East Wenatchee that operated
Screen saves fish and money
For more information check the Web sites: www.farmerscreen.org, www.fcasolutions.org, and www.rootofsustainability.org. The nonprofit Farmers Conservation Alliance, based in Hood River, Oregon, is selling a novel
Irrigating to save money
Withholding water from this Columbia Valley Merlot vineyard desiccated the basal leaves by mid-July, eliminating the need for leaf removal. Using deficit irrigation in Washington
Managing vine stress
The shoot tips in this Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard are missing, a sign that canopy growth stopped and the shoot tips were burnt off.
Last Bite – A Sunday drive
lthough every fruit box label has a story to tell, the tale of the Rosehill brand can almost be understood just by looking at the
In the box
Dear Good Fruit Grower: Orchardists should be concerned about woodpiles and orchard regrowth. A few years ago, there was an emphasis put on removing woodpiles
Stylizing wines in the vineyard
Deficit irrigation is not just for controlling canopy size. A Washington State wine company sees potential in using deficit irrigation to "stylize" grapes in the
Good Point – Dan Fazio
At the beginning of every year, growers ask me, "What are the chances that we will get immigration reform this year?" My response: "What are
Good Question – Grape Quality
Washington State's wine industry has built a solid reputation for producing premium wine, but there is always room for improvement. Many of the educational sessions
Labor-saving thinner
Karen Lewis is testing a mechanical thinner developed at the University of Bonn, Germany, with the help of intern Dennis Hehnen. Apple growers see mechanical
Igloos for orchards
Shawn Mattoon of Intershelter, Inc., left, stands with Grant Nelson of the Association of Washington Businesses in front of dome housing assembled on the steps
Good Point – Frank Gasperini
Since I joined the National Council of Agricultural Employers last September, the administration and Congress have changed dramatically. Change, in Washington, is always challenging and
Keeping teens safe
As schools empty for the summer, many teenagers find work in the tree fruit industry. Employers hiring adolescents now have a resource available to help
Good Point – R. Troy Peters
Surfactants or soil wetters can help soils that repel water, but Washington State University's Troy Peters found no benefits for normal, nonrepellent soils in a