Tea time
by Sally Colby
Lori Baker is an engineer by trade but wanted a career change. When she and her husband Bob were ready to pursue their dream of farming, they started with a somewhat unusual crop.
When the Bakers,
Strawberry farm expands to flowers, Christmas trees
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Strawberries, flowers, crop mazes and Christmas trees: expansion is the word at Strawberry Fields and Florist, a farm turned tourist destination in Auburn, NY. Proprietor Linda Eldred and a friend promised each other as girls
Making multi-farm CSAs successful
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
It can be challenging for a small farm to grow enough produce to supply their own community supported agriculture (CSA) program. “Making a Multi-farm CSA Work for the Long Term” was recently presented by Chaw
Nutrition for healthy bees
by Sally Colby
Honeybee health is important to growers who rely on bees for pollination. Dr. Ramesh Sagili, associate professor of apiculture, Oregon State University, believes one of the biggest issues in maintaining healthy bees is nutrition.
Sagili said
How to hire the best
by Courtney Llewellyn
Her title says it all: Jami Armstrong is an impact search advisor with Nonprofit HR, and at this year’s NAFDMA Expo, she clued attendees in on hiring best practices – and just in time, before the
Jumping into H-2A – and learning its pros and cons
by Heather Chapman
Finding farmworkers is a perennial challenge, and the pandemic hasn’t helped. Many hire seasonal immigrant workers to deal with the labor shortage; in fact, more than one in 10 of the nation’s farmworkers is here on
Avoid freeze damage in strawberries
by Sally Colby
On many farms, strawberries are the first fruit crop for U-pick or markets. For full crop value, frost protection is critical.
Dr. Mark Hoffmann, small fruit Extension specialist at North Carolina State University, has some pointers
Value-added hemp
by Sonja Heyck-Merlin
“Our main goal,” Travis Samuels said, “is in the processing of industrial hemp for hurd and fiber.” Samuels and his cousin Brandon McFarlane are co-owners of ZION Growers, based in St. Johnsbury, VT. Samuels gave an
Marketing vital to U-pick berry operations
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
A farmer may grow the biggest, reddest berries around on their U-pick farm, but without marketing, it won’t matter. Marketing is essential to a successful U-pick operation. This begins with understanding the target market, according
Innovating quality through generations
by Sally Colby
Farms with a rich history often become community staples, and that’s the case with Miller Plant Farm in York County, PA. What began as a 35-acre farm with greenhouses added over the years is now thriving