harvest - Central Florida Ag News

Citrus industry’s clock is ticking; researchers working to find a solution in time

FLORIDA’S CITRUS INDUSTRY has suffered significant losses due to citrus greening since the bacteria was detected in a South Florida grove in 2005. Annual harvest numbers have fallen year after year while the costs to maintain a grove in the face of HLB has doubled. The question has long been, “How long can the citrus […]

Citrus industry’s clock is ticking; researchers working to find a solution in time Read More »

Is the quest for a remedy to citrus greening near completion?

Two CREC professors map out how certain varieties could hold the key to more HLB-tolerant citrus trees FOR THOSE IN THE FLORIDA citrus industry, some say it’s the 11th hour. Citrus harvests are down 70 percent and a survey revealed an 80 percent rate of tree infection throughout Florida. However, the quest to find a

Is the quest for a remedy to citrus greening near completion? Read More »

The 2016 blueberry season roundup

Sifting for the silver lining amid the challenges of Florida’s blue gold FLORIDA BLUEBERRY GROWERS had a tough season, coming into the marketplace late, with about 30 percent of their usual crop. Some harvest workers moved north, which left many growers turning to offer u-pick to harvest their crop or leave berries on the bushes.

The 2016 blueberry season roundup Read More »

Harvest time: Double cropping — a watermelon season preview

THE END OF APRIL marks the beginning of watermelon harvest season in Central Florida, and for growers like Andy McDonald, it’s especially sweet. That’s because McDonald double crops, planting the watermelon seedlings in his Plant City strawberry fields. McDonald takes advantage of any lull in strawberry picking in early February to place the plants into

Harvest time: Double cropping — a watermelon season preview Read More »

To reset or not to reset? That is the question

WITH THE USDA’S most recent Florida orange crop estimate at a troubling 69 million, there’s no doubt that Florida citrus growers face some tough questions. As a result of citrus greening (or HLB), the industry’s harvest has reduced more than 50 percent over the past decade. Any way you slice it, that’s a big cut,

To reset or not to reset? That is the question Read More »

2015-16 Citrus Forecast: Experts take a look down the path of this year’s harvest season

JUST AS CITRUS GROWERS have done for many years, area industry folks gathered together to listen to the estimates for the upcoming harvest via the USDA Citrus Crop Forecast.

2015-16 Citrus Forecast: Experts take a look down the path of this year’s harvest season Read More »

The perfect place to store your recreational gear

FALL IN FLORIDA offers near-perfect weather for enjoying the great outdoors. The summer rains are tapering off, the average temperatures are more comfortable, and many in the ag industry are not in the busiest time of harvest season and can carve out a little recreation and family fun!

The perfect place to store your recreational gear Read More »

Venturing into the pampered world of blackberries

Frontier farmers take a step back to black with this alternative crop TOO MUCH HANDLING will ruin them, they are time-consuming to harvest, and sometimes they have thorns — but consumers love blackberries, and they are a viable fruit to be grown as an alternative to citrus in Florida.

Venturing into the pampered world of blackberries Read More »

Growers grapple with unique encounters amidst a good harvest

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 »

Orchard update: A growing alternative crop in the Sunshine State

MOTHER NATURE may hand Central Florida fruit growers plenty of problems and obstacles, but they are a tenacious group — difficult to discourage and impossible to stop.

Orchard update: A growing alternative crop in the Sunshine State Read More »