The latest columns from our print magazine:
Murphy: Measuring risk mitigation
Research in apple orchards shows significant microbial die-off occurs in 10 to 18 hours, confirming that cooling water can be applied the day before harvest.
Hansen: Sustainability in action
Australian eco-vineyardist will keynote Washington wine research seminar.
Prengaman: The reign of uncertainty
Trade wars and mass firings bring upheaval to the fruit industry.
Good to Know: Iconic apples centuries in the making
A tale of two heirloom apples: Aport and Amasya.
Hansen: Supporting sustainability
Washington wine industry research supports long-term vineyard solutions.
Frei: Forging ahead in 2025
Collective actions to respond to challenges help us advance our Washington wine community.
Good Point: Clean Plant 101
The key reasons why you need to use certified plants.
Good to Know: Sterile moth 101
Experts from British Columbia’s sterile insect release program share the answers to their most frequently asked questions.
Dininny: We can find hope in hard times together
Despite today's obstacles, there are still paths to better days ahead.
DeVaney: Growers are not OK
Sometimes, it’s necessary to admit that.
Good Point: Navigating a season of adversity
Northwest fruit industry gathers next month to learn from a challenging 2023–24 crop and chart better paths forward.
Hansen: Winterizing wine grapes
Practices to prepare vineyards for dormancy under study at Washington State University.
Dininny: Changing as we grow on
Your favorite fruit magazine is resizing to a slightly smaller format beginning in 2025. Think 10 row instead of 9.
Fryhover: Supply, demand, decisions
U.S. apple industry is at a critical crossroads of difficult choices.
Good Point: New leadership at the helm for Northwest pear industry
Pear Bureau Northwest welcomes Arias as president and CEO; Correa named new manager of Fresh Pear Committee.
Good to Know: Of balance and bounties with vineyard nutrient management
A closer look at how harvest and leaf fall impact grapevine nutrition.
Thurlby: The power of price
Cherry consumers rank quality and flavor as most important, but cost is a key metric, too.
Good Point: Bulletin basics for pesticide applications
New EPA program — “Bulletins Live! Two” — aims to protect endangered species from pesticides.
Milkovich: Where do we grow from here?
Our changing climate demands resilience.
Kurrle: Taking the cause to Capitol Hill — Video
The apple industry heads to Washington, D.C., to talk trade, Farm Bill and ag labor.
Good to Know: Sanitizing beyond the surface
New research evaluates sanitizing strategies for harvest bins and picking bags.
Hansen: Mealybug focus for Washington vineyards
Sustainable management of grape mealybug a top priority for Washington wine industry.
Tynan: Adverse effects of the Adverse Effect Wage Rate
How congressional inaction on H-2A wages puts growers out of business.
Hansen: Smoke science research advances
Website will provide latest smoke resources to the wine industry.
Frei: Shaping the future of the Washington wine industry
New director looking toward innovation and collaboration to shape the next era of the Washington wine industry.
Wiggs: Consider the costs for crop insurance
A Washington cherry grower shares why crop insurance is critical for her farm, the cherry industry and her ability to sleep at night.
Prengaman: Scale and speed bumps for technology in tree fruit
A case study in crop load management: The challenges encountered as new technology tried to find its footing in the fruit industry can illustrate the speed bumps to ag tech success.
DeVaney: Ag industry working overtime on advocacy
Washington state’s overtime requirement is set for 40 hours next month, but it’s not too late to talk to lawmakers about the impact the rules are already having.
Dininny: Teaming up for success
A time to celebrate and collaborate, with more to come in the year ahead.
Good to Know: Apple pruning 101 — Video
Manage fruit quality, vigor and pest pressure with strategic pruning in apple trees.
Olsen: Deep roots, new strategies
WSTFA Annual Meeting to focus on innovative thinking for today’s challenges.
Hansen: Decades of data
Long-term soil health research vineyard planted with federal, state and industry support.
Good Point: The industry needs apple advocates
Growers have great fruit to offer, the challenge is building domestic and export consumption.
Langager: The ABCs of LCAs
How life cycle assessments support regional strategies to address global climate change.
Moffitt: Mixing it up in marketing
Pear promotions find success with diversified strategies.
Good to Know: The road to release
How WSU and the tree fruit industry work together on cultivar commercialization.
Duflock: Advancing automation
Western Growers’ efforts support ag tech startups looking to tackle specialty crop automation solutions.
Van den Ende: Growth mindset
For late-season stone fruit, deficit irrigation can be timed to control canopy growth without impacting fruit size.
Good to Know: A planar plan for peaches
Michigan State University research is moving peach production into two dimensions.
Dininny: Have we got a job for you?
Now you can find out at goodfruit.com/jobs.
Good to Know: Take a bite out of blight
Trial compared cutting and sanitization strategies to find the best removal methods for fire blight strikes.
Good Point: Facing the future
Start a succession plan now to protect your family’s farming legacy later.
Thurlby: We asked, they answered
The consumer has the final say on Northwest cherries.
Powers: New leadership, same legacy
Washington State University’s new dean shares her experience and vision for a resilient future for Washington fruit.
Gastelum: Growing above and beyond
How to help your workers be successful in and out of the field.
Langager: Pesticide applicators face new EPA rules
Proposed endangered species measures will alter pesticide reviews.
McIlquham: Digging for health reports
WSU study investigates which soil health metrics matter in Washington wine grape vineyards.
Hansen: The fumigation fade
Washington vineyard research shows fumigation benefits for nematode control can be short-lived.
Dininny: Expanding en español
We’ve added a writer/translator to our team to grow our Spanish-language website.
Dininny: Strength in difficult days
Finding inspiration in New Zealand’s fruit community.