Kate Prengaman is the editor for Good Fruit Grower, writing articles for the print magazine and website. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology and environmental science at the College of William and Mary and a master’s degree in science journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Kate joined the magazine in 2016. Prior to the Good Fruit Grower, she covered the natural resources beat for the Yakima Herald-Republic and reported environmental stories for the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism. She lives in Yakima with her husband and two daughters.
Contact her at 509-853-3518 or at kate@goodfruit.com and follow her on twitter @kprengaman
My Recent Articles
Marketing pears in a pandemic
The Pear Bureau Northwest’s annual meeting featured updates on marketing pivots and planning for the season ahead.
Fresh Pear Committee changes marketing order for Anjous in revote — Updated
The compromise proposal is a “step in the right direction,” according to committee chair, but some growers say it doesn’t go far enough.
Softer landing for fresh blueberries
Fresh-market-focused blueberry harvesters could reduce labor costs and bruising.
Pear Bureau Northwest will meet via webinar May 26–29
The Pear Bureau Northwest’s annual meetings will be held via webinar May 26–29. The meetings
Apple, pear growers eligible for USDA pandemic relief fund
Tree fruit industry groups seek clarity on eligibility details for Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.
Vector investigations
New research aims to deepen understanding of little cherry disease.
New fruit fly foe found
Officials don’t want European cherry fruit fly to spread beyond Western New York, but a small cherry industry there wants quarantine regulations that don’t put them out of business.
Two Washington shippers start making Farmers to Families food boxes
USDA coronavirus response program offers contracts to distributors to supply nonprofits directly, benefiting both growers and families in need.
Vineyard mechanization putting people first
Even wineries that prefer hand-picked grapes can use mechanization as a tool to improve vineyard management.
Pandemic puts labor in limbo
Canadian growers have relied on international farmworkers for decades, but the pandemic put the program in jeopardy.
Initial estimate puts Northwest cherry crop at 20.5 million boxes
Northwest Cherry Growers released their initial crop estimate this week, predicting a harvest of 20.5
Soil health initiative grounded in research
Washington state sets up program to tackle soil health.
Grapes without glyphosate
Moving toward IPM for weed control requires diversifying herbicides.
Northwest pulling peaches
X disease, on top of economic pressure, leads growers to push out enough peaches and nectarines that the industry halts assessments for marketing.
Consumer conscious wine marketing
Sustainability sells, but surveys show consumers don’t always understand it.
Wine of the times
In an era of too many bottles for too few drinkers, industry must adapt to new tastes, say experts at the Washington Winegrowers Association’s annual gathering.
Cliff Plath, 1955–2020
Yakima grower and philanthropist died April 11.
Stink bugs a foul foe
Oregon specialty crops present attractive enticement for BMSB.
Stress for success with Honeycrisp
Summer water deficits can cause Honeycrisp fruit size to skew a little smaller, which can reduce bitter pit incidence.
Irrigation insights
Water stress sensor technologies offer more accurate assessments for when growers should irrigate, and how much.
Microbiome boost
Symbiotic microbes found inside wild poplar and willow fix nitrogen for their hosts and appear to confer the same benefits to many crops.
Destination Washington
International orchard groups plan tour, research conference.
Renewed push for precision
Cornell research and extension urging growers to make precision crop load management a priority, including blossom thinning.
Let in the light
Pruning in mature pear canopies can improve light and spray penetration, boosting fruit quality.
New wine grape varieties from old genetics
Generations of back-crossing with traditional European wine cultivars yields new Pierce’s disease-resistant selections with high wine quality.
Horror movie hornet
After first detecting it late last year, Washington officials mount aggressive response to beehive-destroying Asian giant hornet.
New mason bee pest found in Pacific Northwest
Beekeepers advised to check for Houdini fly maggots and destroy them if found.
Cold air surge heads for Eastern Washington
Orchards nearing bloom at risk for high levels of cold damage, according to WSU.
Winegrowers honors industry leaders
Day 3 of the Washington Winegrowers annual meeting features award luncheon
Vineyard health check draws a crowd
Hot topics on day 2 of the Washington Winegrowers’ annual meeting: How to determine when a vineyard block has reached the end of its useful life and how best to replant.