A withering, record-breaking freeze early Sunday devastated the state's peach and apple orchards just as tiny buds of fruit started to appear and may have damaged the blueberry crop, growers said Monday. Jim Nesbitt, Staff Writer Easter weekend's killing cold may make it harder and pricier for North Carolinians to pursue a rite of late spring and early summer - buying fresh, home-grown fruit from a farmers market or roadside stand. Supermarket prices will stay relatively stable, insulated...

Foggy Ridge Cider begins in the orchard with apples carefully selected for their unique flavors and grown for taste, not appearance. Thirteen years, fifteen acres and 1,000 trees later, Foggy Ridge Cider has produced its first blend of its artisan made hard cider, made available to the public only this past Memorial Day weekend. In their cider making, they aim to put this fruit in the bottle with minimal manipulation. Special offerings will be made to compliment the menu of Caf Portefino -...

To the background twang of an acoustic guitar, a woman s voice boosts Washington state s beautiful scenery, mild summer weather and the money to be made picking apples in the state that produces more than half the U. For years, farmers across the West have complained about a labor shortage to harvest their fruits, vegetables and other crops. A new video produced by Washington state s employment agency aims to recruit farm workers from California, Texas and beyond in hopes of alleviating...

The harvest estimate was around the figure that had been given by the AWBC several months ago, yet for many growers, conditions went from bad to worse and a large number will admit that when the grapes finally came in, they were shocked at just how few there were, and how little juice was in those that were harvested. Relations between growers and producers had hit rock bottom (at least some things never change) and cleanskins were all the rage. Then along came Mother Nature and threw the...

Fowler raisin company, Disney team up to promote healthy snack By Dennis Pollock The Fresno Bee Link to Source 5/10/2007 National Raisin co. in Fowler is hoping to take advantage of a new emphasis by Walt Disney co. on healthier foods and will soon sell snack packs that showcase such characters as Mickey Mouse, Lilo & Stitch, Nemo and the Pirates of the Caribbean. Fowler raisin company, Disney team up to promote healthy snack By Dennis Pollock The Fresno Bee Link to Source 5/10/2007...

The cold freeze of 2007 has positively impacted this year's harvest of stone fruits as farmers report that shoppers can expect a plentiful crop. Cold freeze gives summer fruit a boost for the season. The stone fruit season runs through October. Ken Lee of Ken's Top Notch Produce based in Reedley, Calif. Lee, who sells his fruit at the Ventura County Certified Farmers' Markets in Thousand Oaks, will have a generous supply of peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots and cherries. The Ventura...

According to the American Dietetic Association, sports drinks with 6 to 8 percent carbohydrate (14 to 19 grams of carbohydrate per 8 ounces) may be better than water or diluted fruit juice for fluid replacement. What do you know about sports drinks? A: Often marketed as power drinks, sports drinks can benefit some athletes under a variety of circumstances, especially in hot, humid weather. During exercise that is longer than 60 minutes, or for exercise performed in high heat or humidity,...

Apricot growers could have one of the better crops in recent memory, while some local cherry growers are reeling from the effects of a nationwide bee shortage. Hollister - San Benito County orchards are expecting varying yields as fruits are ripening and harvest times are on the horizon. Workers in a cherry orchard on Briggs Road use flame throwers to kill weeds at the base of the trees Tuesday afternoon. This year's orchard bloom and fruit set were preceded by a chilly winter, which gave...

And its about working conditions and treating workers fairly something that I and other small farmers try to do as we labor side by side with our workers. Last year, pear farmers in Northern California were forced to let fruit rot on trees because there were not enough workers. Without labor, agriculture will mechanize the process as much as possible, substituting technology and capital for people on the land. Sustainable and organic fruit farming demands constant attention and response to...