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Industry groups lend plenty of opportunities for growers to get involved
In Washington’s tree fruit industry, three state commissions, four federal marketing orders, numerous nonprofit associations
Finding the right people
Orchards and packing houses aren’t the only places in the fruit industry with a labor shortage. Universities also are struggling to hire researchers and educators needed to keep the industry ahead of pest pressures, prepared for food safety requirements, growing new varieties and in tune with emerging technology.
WSU Extension plans 2017 winter tree fruit programs
Tree fruit producers and industry professionals are invited to five WSU Tree Fruit Extension Programs
WSTFA annual meeting — Wednesday wrapup
Hermann Thoennissen: Get the stakeholders together, develop a farm transition plan and be consistent
Day 1, Washington hort show, morning summary – Video
Sam Godwin, opens the 112th Annual Meeting and Northwest Hort Expo on December 5,
Washington State hires tree fruit extension specialist
Rob Blakey, shown here in a Pasco, Washington, orchard, specializes in postharvest issues. (TJ
Share your know-how and grow-how — Great Lakes Expo preview
Expert view: Individual growers must take on customer fears about GMOs and chemicals.
WSTFA annual meeting 2016: How continuous change forces adaptation
Why change now? A Good Point by Sam Godwin
Wal-Mart weighs in on food safety
Apples on display at a Yakima, Washington, Wal-Mart. (TJ Mullinax/Good Fruit Grower) Illnesses
Promising progress for solid-set delivery
MSU research team improves system to reduce chemical waste.
Devon Newhouse, Young Grower from Sunnyside, Washington
Devon’s family started out raising cattle in the Yakima Valley, then moved into hops, tree fruit and grapes.
Growers lay out future of family farm with succession plan
Generations to follow
New peach and nectarine varieties help Eastern growers compete
Marketing challenges in the Mid-Atlantic
Reinventing the string thinner (Video)
California cling peach grower modifies Darwin for nonplanar orchards.
Paul Bavaro, a young grower from Escalon, California
Paul is a fourth-generation peach grower who’s been working with his father, Frank, on mechanization trials to help reduce labor costs and improve fruit quality.
A spray-plus education (Video)
Farm worker teaching team leads the nation in preparing workers for safe use of pesticides.
Not your grandpa’s weather vane
New fruit models, seamless data boost Michigan’s Enviro-weather system.
How to check for apple and peach bud damage
Bud damage assessment tools: razor blade, knife or scalpel and a limb-caliper tool, such
Joe Brandt, a young grower from Wapato, Washington
Joe returned to the 1,500-acre family farm after working in finance and manages domestic and export sales and marketing for the company.
Watering by the numbers
Extension specialists take the mystery out of irrigating.
Changing ideas about water
Irrigation becomes crucial tool even in well-watered East.
Better ways to irrigate
WSU researcher offers tips for reducing water use.
Know your soil before picking your rootstock
Researchers encourage growers to match a rootstock’s ability to absorb nutrients to those nutrients found in the soil.
Root care
Remember to consider what lies beneath when maintaining a healthy orchard.
Know your critical temperatures as East Coast freeze arrives
The East Coast is experiencing a second round of winter, and the anticipated freezing temperatures
How to attract workers
Workers go where they can make the most money.
Growers asked to help with trellis design survey
The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission has recently funded a trellis engineering analysis project with
37 varieties and counting
More peach varieties coming from Paul Friday's Flamin' Fury series
6 tips for healthier bees
Beekeeper offers tips for healthy bees, hearty pollination.
Testing string theory
Hand-held string thinners are gaining in popularity.
Borers make their mark
Northwest growers advised to watch for American plum borer.
Plum pox virus control zone
Getting local fruit varieties into local orchards is a particular challenge in Ontario because breeding
New peaches show promise
Ontario’s stone fruit industry collaborates for best varieties.
Pruning cankers in the winter
Winter pruning of cankers can help to reduce bacterial spot in peaches and nectarines.
Roger Hudson, a young grower from Sanger, California
Roger is a sixth-generation grower of about 180 acres of tree fruit.
Strategies for saving water
Dong Wang, research leader with the San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center’s Water Management
New focus on grade standards
Hort council aims for industry involvement to help monitor other nations’ quality metrics.
Growers rebuild after plum pox
Some Ontario growers have turned to wine grapes, while others are growing fresh stone fruit varieties.
Expo preview: Growers seek peach varieties that are hardier
Thoughts on new peaches to fill in gaps during the season
Brett Valicoff, a Young Grower from Wapato, Washington
Brett Valicoff is a fourth-generation grower who returned to the farm to help plan and build a modern apple packing line in Wapato, Washington.
WSU reports on growth in organic tree fruit
Retail organic food sales increased 11.2 percent in 2014. Organic fruit and vegetable sales
Success with fresh sliced pears and peaches
A Fresno-based, California company is one of the first to bring fresh-cut pears and stone fruit to the retail market.
Fresh-cut path for Woot Froot
Kim Gaarde did the impossible by bringing fresh-sliced pears, peaches, and nectarines to consumers.
Ecofarm raises food awareness
People want to know where their food comes from and how it’s grown, says Washington grower Jim Baird.
Family farm puts flavor first
Family Tree Farms sources new stone fruit varieties from around the world.
Digging back into peach history
The Chinese were clonally propagating peach trees at least 7,000 years ago.
Peaches in Florida
Citrus growers are diversifying into peaches.
California cling peach growers plant more trees as prices improve
A newly planted cling peach orchard near Reedley, California on April 9, 2015. (TJ
Michigan peach crop is short again
Second hard winter reduces Michigan peach crop, kills some trees
Drone ready to work in fruit
FAA approved Yamaha’s remote-controlled copter for agricultural use.