“EVERYONE KNOWS that land without water isn’t worth much.” That was the sentiment of Tony Toso, a California Farm Bureau Federation director, rancher, and professional agricultural land appraiser, in a 2014 article about ground water rights. No matter the locale of the farm or the crop being grown, access to water is of the utmost […]
Water access a key component to farmland value Read More »
THIS MONTH, I would like to pose a question for you to ponder: What is the carbon level in my soil and does it really matter?
What’s the carbon level in my soil? Read More »
TEN MONTHS OUT OF EACH YEAR, during the citrus harvesting season, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agriculture Statistics Service provides an estimate of Florida citrus production. The estimates, which also include citrus grown in California and Texas as well as projected yields for frozen concentrated orange juice, begin in October (the first report for
How the USDA citrus forecast is calculated Read More »
In the business realm of blueberries, experiences vary THIS WAS A PRETTY GOOD YEAR to be in the Florida blueberry business, industry insiders say, with fairly cooperative weather, a long season, and fair pricing. Dudley Calfee, a grower and president of the Florida Blueberry Growers Association, reports that the latest numbers show the state harvest
Growers grapple with unique encounters amidst a good harvest Read More »
IN THE GAME OF GROWING BERRIES in Central Florida, Jorge Salmeron is a switch hitter. The Plant City part-time farmer, full-time teacher, had 10 acres of blueberries in production. Now, because of a foray into blueberries and blackberries, he has devoted about three acres to a nursery that holds 100,000-plus in plant inventory to meet
Recipe Spotlight: Berries — from the crop to the kitchen Read More »
Florida blueberry pioneer is recognized for his contributions THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA’S Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences prides itself on growing blueberries all over the state. More than 95 percent of the state’s 5,000 acres of the fruit are planted in cultivars developed by UF/IFAS. Blueberries have also helped us with a crucial crop
The house that blueberries built Read More »
FOR SEVERAL YEARS, the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) has provided financial assistance to qualifying orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes, and vines that have been damaged by natural disasters or diseases, such as canker or greening. Thanks to the Agricultural Act of 2014, TAP is now a permanent disaster
Tree Assistance Program (TAP) qualifications Read More »
Food safety is becoming a hot issue for all farmers, no matter what the crop. Change is coming and it’s best to prepare for it now by cleaning your groves and cropland, if necessary. [emember_protected custom_msg=”Click here and register now to read the rest of the article!”] Fresh fruit growers, in particular, will have tighter
Food safety guideline changes on the way Read More »
Spring is upon us and, with it, more persistent winds that spread disease in the fields. It’s time to reconsider the benefits of windbreaks, or trees and shrubs used to limit crop damage from the wind. [emember_protected custom_msg=”Click here and register now to read the rest of the article!”] On the plus side, windbreaks have
Windbreaks embraced for limiting crop damage, disease Read More »
The weeds infesting the field made for slow walking. The torn plastic on the raised soil beds that once bore a bumper crop now hosted decaying leaves and rotted remains of fruit. [emember_protected custom_msg=”Click here and register now to read the rest of the article!”] “What do we do?” She said. “We did everything IFAS
The right thing to do Read More »
