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
Growing at a high level
Planting 60 percent Lapins. Wrapping trunks with insulation. Expecting some trees to die every year.
Small trees, big cherries?
Limited release of MSU’s dwarfing rootstocks gives growers a chance to experiment.
Waste not wanted
Postharvest tools, better communication can help fine-tune storage practices and improve packouts.
A sweet solution for cherries
Montana’s cherries find another market as Tabletree juice.
Nick Anderson, a young grower from The Dalles, Oregon
family background/ Nick graduated from Columbia Gorge Community College, married Annabeth and has a young
Growing from good to great in New Zealand
Return to basics aids grower in troubled block of Jazz apples.
Getting creative with labor housing
Agricultural employers seeking innovative ways to put up H-2A workers.
Beating the labor blues
Optical sorters are cutting labor costs for blueberry packing.
Bruno Simpson, a young grower from Nelson, New Zealand
family background / Bruno is the third generation of Waimea Nurseries and has been elected
Here are some pointers for hiring H-2A workers
Panelists offer insights about federal guest worker program from several years of experience.
Preparing for fire
Foresters, growers give advice for protecting orchards and vineyards from wildfires.
Net benefits
Orchard netting can help prevent fruit sunburn in addition to protecting against hail damage.
Growing into the future – Video
New Zealand researchers and growers testing limits with 2D, 3D systems.
Kyle Ardiel, a young grower from Thornbury, Ontario
family background/ After growing up on the family farm, Kyle earned a business degree working
A standout tour of New Zealand – Photos & VR
IFTA attendees were easy to spot as they traversed the New Zealand countryside. Here are a few highlights.
Rockit gains altitude
New Zealand growers have soaring hopes for little apple.
Yvette Jones, a young grower from Nelson, New Zealand
family background / Yvette grew up traveling around the globe with parents David and Fiona
‘Kia ora’ from a distant land
To those who’ve never been there, New Zealand brings to mind acclaimed movies — the
New Zealand’s Honeycrisp blossoms in Timaru – Video
Finicky variety finds success in central New Zealand climate.
Trees without fruit, pollination without bees
Pollen company joins Washington State University researcher to try planting a pollen-only orchard.
Protect pollinators while managing diseases
The fungicides needed to control bloom time disease aren’t as harmless to bees as previously thought.
Conor Kilian, a young grower from Sunnyside, Washington
family background / Conor grew up in a large Yakima Valley farming family growing juice
The worldwide view of wine from Washington : Video
Speakers at the 2018 Washington Winegrowers annual convention bring big-picture perspective.
Venture vineyardists
Industry experts offer branding and marketing strategies for grape growers.
Compost decomposed
As raw manure faces food safety scrutiny, compost has become a hot commodity.
Trent Graybill, a young grower from Zillah, Washington
family background / Trent is a first-generation farmer who started growing cherries alongside his wife,
A gutsy study of pear psylla
Researchers examine genetic contents of insects’ stomachs to find out what they eat and where they hide during winter.
Mullinax: Are you ready for liftoff?
A few things to consider before launching an ag drone initiative.
On a mission to vanquish viruses in vineyards
Researcher aims to better understand prevalence of viral infections — and to develop quick tests for detecting them.
Resistance rising for powdery mildew
Last year’s weather made was especially challenging in battling disease in Western U.S.
Tony Guisto, a young grower from Hood River, Oregon
family background/Tony grew up in a logging family in Oregon’s Hood River Valley, headed by
IFTA explores Nelson, New Zealand
Editor’s note: This post has been updated to correct “flaring” to flowering,” a goof resulting
Taking the fight to fire blight
Risk is higher in Washington this season for deadly orchard disease. Here’s what you need to do.
Researchers are rethinking replant
Field trials underway to see if biological alternatives to fumigation can be a practical option for apple growers
New Zealand growers welcome IFTA Study Tour groups
The International Fruit Tree Association 2018 summer tour and conference kicked off with a welcome
20 years in the making
Milbrandt brothers look back on two decades in Washington’s wine grape industry as they open the state’s largest custom wine bottling operation.
No-dig trellis is on solid ground
Agricultural engineer uses steel posts and concrete footings for above-ground trellis system.
Should you grow vertical or V?
That’s the question when preparing for robotic pickers in your orchard.
The good and bad of different rootstocks
Nursery owner warns growers it’s not as simple as asking which rootstock is the best.
On the hunt for nematodes
Washington researchers launch big-picture project to figure out how best to protect vineyards against root parasites.
Oliver May, a young grower from Alderdale, Washington
family background/ Oliver started farming at age 27 with his parents, Milo and Kay May,
Researchers discover a coat of armor for cherries
A thin film of gum acacia shows promise to prevent splitting in packing house trials.
John Grubb, a young grower from Wenatchee, Washington
family background/ John is a fourth-generation cherry grower who pursued degrees in sustainable agriculture, integrated
All aboard the cherry express
Airborne exports through Sea-Tac help make up for tough domestic year for sweet cherries.
Conner Sullivan, a young grower from Pasco, Washington
family background / Conner along with his cousin Clint Sullivan started their business after growing
Computer vision systems can count apples and provide a new perspective on crop load
To the casual observer, the row after row of ripe, red apples on trellises looks
For plants, it’s not easy being clean
Starting a new orchard or vineyard with clean plants is the best way for growers
Anticipation and Flexibility: Day 1, Hort Show morning wrap
Plan ahead, but stay nimble, Michael Swanson, an agricultural economist with Wells Fargo, told several
Anel Dorantes, a young grower from Tieton, Washington
family background / Anel grew up on her father’s farm with five younger brothers and