TJ Mullinax is a digital producer and photojournalist for Good Fruit Grower, coming to the magazine with a newspaper and television broadcast background. Mullinax grew up in the Pacific Northwest and covered communities through the Willamette Valley, Columbia Gorge, and Central Washington, working more than ten years as a professional journalist at KATU television in Portland, Oregon, and the Yakima Herald-Republic newspaper.
Mullinax served as a long-time officer of the National Press Photographers Association, helped found the Northwest Video Workshop, remains active judging photography contests and volunteering for journalism-focused training opportunities. In his spare time Mullinax dabbles with programming, design, illustration, and various multimedia endeavors that help tell stories.
Phone: Office (509) 853-3519 Cell: (509) 580-0091 — Email
My Recent Articles
Pointers for picking a platform
Pennsylvania grower shares his platform picking process.
Miriah Falce, a young grower from Prosser, Washington
Miriah is the first generation in her family to work in agriculture, graduating from Yakima Valley College’s Vineyard and Winery Technology program. Her parents are Elizabeth and Raymond Falce.
More grape growers going grafting
Growers share the pros and cons of grafting during Washington State Grape Society annual meeting.
Changing safety standards with the changing climate
Federal, state agencies draft permanent smoke and heat exposure rules.
2023 Cherry Institute hits Yakima
The 80th annual Cherry Institute in Yakima kicked off with a look back at the 2022 crop from B.J. Thurlby, president of the Northwest Cherry Growers, which hosts the event.
Sullivan named 78th Cherry King
Pat Sullivan, who grows cherries along the Columbia River north of Pasco, Washington, was crowned the 2023 Cherry King on Jan. 13 at the annual Cherry Institute in Yakima.
Lower exportations for Washington fruit industry
Crop sizes, global upheavals and market fluctuations are forcing exporters to rethink Washington’s apple destinations.
Yakima preserving Fruit Row history
Effort underway to denote Yakima, Washington, packing area as a historic place.
Investor owners remain interested in agriculture — Video
Who would buy an apple business right now? Investors, who are betting that access to more cashflow will better position their properties for the long haul.
Joseph and David Tisch, young growers from Mount Horeb, Wisconsin.
Joseph, left, and David are first-generation apple farmers who are attending University of Wisconsin. They are the sons of Laura and Brad Tisch and have three siblings.
Are they nuts for hazelnuts?
There’s a new tree crop popping up in the fruit-focused Yakima Valley, planted by growers looking for a low-input alternative.
Picking something different for U-pick plantings
More U-pick growers are choosing trellises over freestanding trees.
A new operation for tree verification
True-to-type verification process taps new technology to reduce mistakes.
Carbon calculations for Washington orchards
As interest grows on the climate implications of agriculture, it raises questions the industry needs more research to answer.
H-2A final rule, finally
Revisions may make guest worker program more expensive.
Big machines at Wenatchee’s Town Toyota Center
In a first for the Washington State Tree Fruit Association's annual meeting, the 2022 trade show has expanded to fill the Wenatchee, Washington, Town Toyota Center to accommodate large machinery, manufacturers and large farm equipment for the three-day show Dec 5–7.
Apple-harvesting robot roundup — Video
Robotic fruit harvester development continues.
Washington industry leaders honored at annual meeting banquet
During the Washington State Tree Fruit Association Annual Meeting banquet on Dec. 6, the association
NW Hort Show highlights: Day 2
Day 2 of the NW Hort Show went deep into soil health, rootstock selection, ag investments and regulation.
Lisa Aceves, a young grower from Tieton, Washington
Lisa is a third-generation farmer who started in high school and is now the orchard operations supervisor. Lisa is the granddaughter of Frances and Tony Peña, daughter of Maria Peña and Roy Aceves and works with her sister, Rosa, and brother, Rogelio.
Family farm driven to diversify
The Karstetter family expanded into row crops to help the third-generation growers build capital and keep the orchards in the family.
Reaching the next level on Red Mountain
Red Mountain AVA’s founding family business continues into the third generation.
Bernadette Gagnier, a young grower from Snohomish, Washington
Bernadette is pursuing her doctorate in horticulture, specializing in alternative strategies for nematode management in wine grape systems in Washington state. She is the daughter of Jeanette and Rick Gagnier.
The shade sweet spot
Growers and researcher look to find the balance between sunburn protection and color development by pulling back shade nets before harvest.
Popular cherry system falling from favor
Growers in Columbia Gorge transition away from KGB for some varieties.
Langager: MRLs made easy
NHC launches rebuilt online MRL database to help growers stay on top of the myriad market-specific pesticide requirements.
Honeycrisp is the new Honeycrisp
For growers, doubling down on a difficult variety isn’t easy.
Priority: labor
Northwest Horticultural Council takes new steps on labor regulations, retains ag labor lawyer to work on H-2A policy.
The mystery math of prevailing wages
Tree fruit officials question prevailing wage methodology.
IFTA tour covers all the hot topics
After its tour was postponed in 2020, the International Fruit Tree Association returned to check in on an industry facing headwinds.
The cherry landscape
Success in sweet cherries comes from matching the right cultivar for your site’s market window to the right rootstock and system, say growers on the IFTA tour.
Nathan Davis, a young grower from Odell, Oregon
Nathan returned to the family pear farm in the Hood River Valley about two years ago. He and his brother, Aubrey, work with their dad, Phil, and uncle, Jack Davis.
Calculating wages: Show your work
Employment law experts break down the math of accurately paying ag workers.
Cosmic Crisp, continued — Video
Learning from past harvests helps Washington apple industry prepare for this year’s WA 38 harvest and handling.
Washington nurseries down, not out
Washington nursery owners weather uncertainty in the apple industry.
Tart cherry roots and canopies
New tools map tart cherry orchards.
Leticia Trejo, a young grower from Bridgeport, Washington
Leticia graduated from Washington State University with a degree in agricultural food systems. She is married to Marc Martinez and is the daughter of Diana and Donato Trejo.
Ag automation headed your way
Spray automation drives itself into commercial tree fruit use.
Inside look at GUSS
An automated sprayer still needs human hands to get it rolling.
Drip on demand — Video
Automating irrigation can save labor, save water and help growers schedule around the plants’ needs.
Saving sweet cherries
Michigan orchard invests in covers to protect profitable crop.
IFTA Day 3 — Pears and cherries
On Day 3 of the International Fruit Tree Association Summer Study Tour, the group split up. One bus for pear orchards, the other for cherries.
Getting the X out
Removing infected trees is considered a critical strategy in the fight against X disease.
Managing little cherry disease in an unconventional way
One grower shares how he balances reducing disease spread with his limited budget.
Honeycrisp and vigor management highlight IFTA Day 2
The second day of the International Fruit Tree Association’s 2022 summer tour centered in Quincy, Washington, where orchards, potatoes and other row crops grow in deep, productive soil.
IFTA arrives in Washington to check out cherries, Cosmic Crisp and crop load camera technology
Growers from across the U.S. — and even a few from beyond — arrived in Central Washington this week for a tour organized by the International Fruit Tree Association.
Tests of taste help find the right flavor
Family Tree Farms uses weekly tastings to steer variety development.
Efficiencies of flavor
Family Tree Farms and the California stone fruit industry seek an edge in production with trellises and platforms.
Inputs rising for sweet cherry growers
New cost-of-production study for sweet cherries shows how rising costs are hitting the growers’ bottom line.
Stone fruit ‘sea change’ — Video
Pennsylvania growers testing high-density peach plantings.