Local apathy has also contributed to a steady decline in the number of local banana farmers and, ironically, a move among some big Hawaii growers to export apple bananas to the mainland, where they fetch four bucks a pound from folks who appreciate them as a gourmet item. You know you can get them year-round, in produce sections and farmers marketsheck, from the back yardso you dont give them a second thought. Local apathy has also contributed to a steady decline in the number of local...

Alidas Fruits grower Bob Helmer said he may have had some thinning in his three acres of apricots and peaches, but probably sustained no major damage. Plant pathologist Harold Larsen said temperatures would have had to stay at 24 degrees for a half-hour to kill 90 percent of the fruit buds, or 27 degrees for 30 minutes to kill ten percent. Larsen said he suspects Saturday morning's chilly weather will result in only a minor amount of thinning. This material may not be published, broadcast,...

Blueberries, grapes and a variety of citrus fruits are contributing to a small but fast-growing wine industry that national experts say is anything but a novelty. While the growth is significant, Florida contributes but a drop of the nation's nearly 5,000 wineries, many of which are rooted in the dominant California wine region. However, more winemakers here are experimenting with so-called fusion wines, where traditional grapes blend with Florida fruit for a more traditional flavor. While...

Low prices for cocoa have left most cocoa farmers living in poverty. As you celebrate this Easter with a sunrise service or parish brunch, consider joining in celebration with small coffee farmers around the world! With Fair Trade coffee through the LWR Coffee Project, farmers receive a guaranteed fair price for their crop, and in turn are able to provide for their families needs and contribute to the overall well-being of their communities. Thanks to Divine, Kuapa is able to fund its own...

Already, the college has produced biofuels technology that has been patented and put to use by companies in various stages of ethanol production using materials like wood and plant scraps and, in the case of one company in Japan, pieces of demolished homes. Already, the college has produced biofuels technology that has been patented and put to use by companies in various stages of ethanol production using materials like wood and plant scraps and, in the case of one company in Japan, pieces...

Living on an outer island, like Kaua i, the cost of importing everything from the couch to a bag of popcorn is affected because of the transport involved. The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture in Iowa reported in 2004 that the average distance for locally grown produce to reach institutional markets was 56 miles, while for conventional produce to reach those same grocery stores it took a staggering 1,494 miles (nearly 27 times farther) The Leopold Center for Sustainable...

Fruits and nuts Strawberry season will begin this month for commercial producers, and should start in your garden in a month. Spring bulbs can be left in the ground year-round without damage, unless you cut into them planting something else! There is no reason to lift and store the bulbs. You have until mid- month to plant the cool season veggies lettuce, spinach, broccoli, onions; plus, you can begin to plant the warm season vegetables. To keep annuals blooming their best, make regular...

Whether from nearby fields, orchards east of the Cascade Mountains or Alaska's frigid waters, these Northwest ingredients converge in Seattle, where they inspire a talented pool of chefs and home cooks. What started as a rebellion against unscrupulous middlemen who overinflated prices to consumers and paid little back to the farmers has evolved into a rich producer-to-consumer tradition that continues today. Among highlights of the seasonal rhythms are a summer bounty that includes...

Child labour on cocoa farms has long been a contentious issue for chocolate firms and African governments alike. A hefty share of Ghana's annual crop comes from its Western forest belt but scarce rains throughout Ghana have led to poor yields for many of the village's farmers this season. But poor children from the West African country's parched northern territory still come to Betenase's lush cocoa plantations in search of work. But the western cocoa plantations of Ghana, the world's No 2...