Small farmers are moving loads of product via online sales. Let’s talk about how, what’s working, and what you need to sell online amid a pandemic. Hoosier Young Farmers Coalition is hosting farmer-to-farmer webinars. Each one will feature a different farmer sharing the tools that are being used to sell online. About these Events You’re…Read more about Let’s Talk (Online) Turkey – Hoosier Young Farmer Coalition announces webinar series[Read More]
Peter M Hirst
Facts for Fancy Fruit Editor & Professor of Horticulture
Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Area(s) of Interest: Commercial Tree Fruit Production
Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Area(s) of Interest: Commercial Tree Fruit Production
The summer meeting is going ahead on June 30, but we’re changing the format from in-person to a virtual meeting. Again this year we will have a combined meeting with the vegetable growers and farm marketers. We will be hosted by Beasley’s Orchard, Danville IN. Beasley’s management consists of a vibrant young team comprising Calvin…Read more about Hort Society Summer Meeting[Read More]
Apple crops are looking dismal around the state. Here in Lafayette we probably have about 20% of a crop, and I’m hearing similar things around the state. With a short crop, growers need to decide whether it’s worth protecting the fruit that are present with a full pesticide program, or writing the crop off and…Read more about Apple crop[Read More]
Are you a produce grower? Have you thought about produce your own value-added products that increase the value of your fresh produce? What are the challenges for you to start or expand your value-added business? How does COVID-19 affect your business? We would like to invite you to participate in the online survey to share…Read more about Value-Added Production among Indiana Produce Growers[Read More]
Spring’s arrival brings many wonderful experiences – including the opportunity for local consumers to pick farm-fresh produce onsite, learn more about local outlets through agritourism and enjoy time outdoors. The U-Pick season, as it’s known, is just around the corner for strawberries, blueberries, cherries and more. Now is the time to implement best practices to…Read more about Guide for U-pick producers / agritourism sites during the COVID-19 pandemic[Read More]
Cool, wet weather has complicated thinning decisions. Remember that thinning is all about supply and demand for carbohydrates in the tree. Natural fruit drop occurs when demand is high (many developing fruitlets needing carbohydrates to grow) and supply is limited (small leave area on the tree to supply carbohydrates through photosynthesis). Because of this shortfall…Read more about Chemical thinning of apples[Read More]
We’re still in May and already it’s been a very challenging year for many growers. Freezing temperatures blanketed much of the state April 15-17 and again more recently on May 9. Damage ranges from moderate to extreme. Even a week after the most recent freeze, damage is still not obvious unless you cut fruit. Fruit…Read more about Freeze damage[Read More]
As we’ve talked about previously, once winter chilling is fulfilled, the rate of tree growth and development is largely dependent on temperature. This is clearly evident in the data over the last 10 years (see Figure 1). In 2012, we had an extremely early and warm spring, rapid accumulation of Growing Degree Days, and very…Read more about Spring temperatures[Read More]
There has been some talk about the use of promalin to help overcome the damaging effects of freezing temperatures. Only a small amount of research has been conducted on this. Dr. Steve McArtney showed that Promalin applied after damaging freeze events could increase parthenocarpic (seedless) fruit development, but not every time. Keep in mind this…Read more about Frost recovery treatments[Read More]
What is the best way to assess bud damage from cold temperatures? Drs. Tara Baugher and Jim Schupp at Penn. State University have put together a nice page with some excellent photos explaining how to assess fruit bud survival: I would add that unless you find that more than 90% of your buds have been…Read more about Assessing Fruit Bud Survival and Crop Potential[Read More]