Recently published articles featured on Good Fruit Grower.
Roots of research for improving Florida peaches
Florida peach industry seeks wider variety of rootstocks.
Apricot grower finding a niche
Small stone fruit farm finds promise in multiple apricot markets.
An alluring six-headed hydra
New England growers try grafting pest-attractive varieties onto trap trees.
Pondering a pollen pathway
Clemson studying virus transmission in peach orchards.
The wrath grows over grape data
The USDA pares back annual fruit production surveys to major states.
Marketing messages growing behind the scenes
Marketing groups commission videos to communicate growers’ efforts and decisions.
Private equity firm acquires Ste. Michelle Wine Estates for $1.2 billion
On Friday, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates’ parent company, the tobacco giant Altria, announced its plans
Berry gentle harvesting
Manufacturers race to build blueberry harvesters that can pick without bruising.
Growers casting wider nets when recruiting professionals
Fruit producers look beyond U.S. borders for highly skilled managers and directors.
Abundant Robotics closes shop
Abundant Robotics, the tech startup that appeared to be leading the race to commercialize a
Danae Yount and Cherie Steinmetz, young growers from the Yakima Valley, Washington
Cherie and Danae are new tree fruit growers with their brothers, Trevor and Taylor Perrault. Both graduated from Central Washington University and are daughters of Tina and Tim Perrault.
Short supplies mean no quantity control
Shortages of pallets, containers and more hit fruit shippers.
Good to Know: Approaching apricots in 2D
Training trees with multiple leaders and no branches can quicken investment returns.
Cherries without the chill
Program shows potential in early-season varieties from California breeder.
Triumph over apple scab
University of Minnesota release has two layers of resistance.
Affordable alternative for employee housing
Fruit processor solves worker housing shortage by building its own.
Matching trellis to terroir
VSP dominates Washington, but there are several other choices in training systems.
New York apples open to all
Latest Cornell releases will fill different sales niches in apple market.
Getting ahead of cherry nutrition
California growers commission cherry nutrient budget study.
Okanogan opportunities
North Central Washington growers are finding new life in Honeycrisp-derived club varieties well-suited for their climate.
Growing in wide open spaces
Oroville grower sticks with mid-density and larger trees, even for new plantings of premium varieties.
Vineyardists adapting to the future now
Wine grape growers already contend with climate change impacts, according to two German growers who share perspectives on responding.
Blueberry growers needed for pollination survey
As part of a project to improve blueberry pollination, a nationwide research team is trying
Putting down new roots
The latest NC-140 apple rootstock trial compares standard dwarfing rootstocks with new selections across the U.S.
Map quest for sharing research knowledge
Online tool convenes expert diagnoses and also archives them for future reference.
Jeff Middleton, a young grower from Franklin County, Washington
Jeff is a third-generation grower farming north of Pasco, Washington. He graduated from Brigham Young University in Idaho with a degree in business and finance. Jeff is married to Tracey and is the son of Ellen and Jim Middleton.
Good to Know: Evaluations are underway
How the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission evaluates the strongest contenders from the WSU apple breeding program.
Avoiding trellis trouble
An IFTA panel shares insights into the evolution of trellis design and how to engineer for a fruitful future.
Dogged detection for little cherry disease
Asymptomatic spread of X disease hinders ability to confirm dogs’ success in identifying it in the orchard.
Pest reduction with female killers and sterile males
Transgenic approaches could help control spotted wing drosophila.
Canadian cherry conquest
Profitable stone fruit pushing apples out of British Columbia.
MSU releases book on espalier growing technique
A new book, “Espalier Fruit Plantings in Northern Gardens,” is now available from Michigan State University,
Legacy of education inspires new scholarship in memory of Albert Don
Albert Don, longtime vineyard operations manager for Wyckoff Farms. (Courtesy Chuck Wyckoff) In April, the
Psycho Clown scores a win for pears
USA Pears contracts with Mexican luchador as health spokesman.
Wineries find it pays to put a label on it
New York viticulture seeks to verify sustainable practices.
High-tech bee boosters
Cherry growers turn to tech companies to supplement honey bee pollination.
Hoard hired as new regional marketing manager for Pear Bureau Northwest
Michele Hoard Pear Bureau Northwest, a nonprofit marketing organization promoting fresh pears grown in Washington
A healthy foundation for marketing
Decades of research undergirds fruit marketing messages.
Running genetic interference
New technology fights grape powdery mildew at the genetic level.
Cyclical cicadas
Growers don’t anticipate overwhelming fruit damage from emerging 17-year brood.
Thurlby: Make room for blooms
Cherry industry takes notes on last season’s success and invests in healthy markets for 2021.
Prengaman: Fresh eyes and opportunities
Good Fruit Grower ad sales team gains a new leader and new team member.
Growing relationships and profits
How a people-first approach helped one Washington wine grape grower succeed in a pandemic.
Riley Miller, a young grower in the Yakima Valley, Washington
Riley is a first-generation grower who obtained a degree in integrated plant sciences with a specialization in viticulture and enology from Washington State University. He is the vineyard manager of Elephant Mountain Vineyards and the son of Linda Hodge and Tom Miller.
Spreadsheet savvy approach to growing profits
Successful planning starts with measuring expenses, revenues.
Changing the culture on the farm
Several tree fruit growers pursue certification and worker training with the Equitable Food Initiative.
Using pruning power for vine balance
Vineyard pruners should seek balance between vigor and yield.
Sending the blues overseas
Washington, Oregon growers launch blueberry marketing programs in Southeast Asia.
Joining ciders
U.K. experience plus U.S. innovation makes for good hard cider blend.
Witherbee: Apple pride pays off
Students are already benefiting from nearly $16,000 in scholarships raised in first-year sales of Washington apples specialty license plate.