Such machines, now in various stages of development, could become essential for harvesting delicate fruits and vegetables that are still picked by hand. With authorities promising tougher border tactics, farmers who rely on immigrant labor are eyeing an emerging generation of fruit-picking robots and high-tech tractors designed to do everything from pluck premium wine grapes to clean and core lettuce. Last year, amid heightened immigration enforcement, California's seasonal migration was...

usDiggRedditYahooMyWebGoogleWhat's this? Colder temperatures, cooler produce Local farmers begin to say farewell to summertime peaches and hello to eccentric fruits and veggies ANNA BLOOM, Of the Record staff Click photo to enlarge The Park City Farmers Market and the Park Silly Sunday Market has new produce on its stands for the new fall season. usDiggRedditYahooMyWebGoogleWhat's this? Colder temperatures, cooler produce Local farmers begin to say farewell to summertime peaches and hello...

At the farm on Argilla Road, the family manufactures the fuel from their own used donut oil and vegetable oil but also gets oil from local restaurants. The oil is mixed with methanol and lye and left to "jiggle and bubble," Russell says, in the equipment the family bought specifically to make bio-diesel fuel. It's all part of Russell Orchards' quest to conserve resources by using on-site materials as much as possible to run the farm and by producing less pollution. Now, Russell says, only...

While most Jews associate apples and bread dipped in honey with the New Year, pomegranates are considered one of the most spiritual fruits of the holiday. Called pomum granatum by the Romans, or seeded apple, the pomegranate is one of the oldest and most beloved fruits, and some believe it was the "apple" in the Garden of Eden. The first pomegranate trees in California were planted by the Spanish in 1769, and the Southland's cool winters and hot summers are the perfect conditions for the...

By Jacob Adelman, Associated Press LOS ANGELES With authorities promising tighter borders, some farmers who rely on immigrant labor are eyeing an emerging generation of fruit-picking robots and high-tech tractors to do everything from pluck premium wine grapes to clean and core lettuce. By Jacob Adelman, Associated Press LOS ANGELES With authorities promising tighter borders, some farmers who rely on immigrant labor are eyeing an emerging generation of fruit-picking robots and high-tech...

I ve had more than one person come up to me at one of my apple tastings and say, I did not realize that apples had such a wide spectrum of tastes, Burford said. Consumers are becoming more discerning about apples and many are seeking out the uncommon flavors that can be sampled in roadside stands or farmers markets around rural America. There were some real jewels among them with great flavors, rich with juices and unusual aromas, said Tom Burford, an author, lecturer, orchard and nursery...

Specialty crop farmers haven t asked for a subsidy program along the lines of the hotly debated programs of cotton or peanuts that benefit individuals. We ve been very supportive of ag research for specialty crops, and there s been a fairly significant increase in funding for our research projects, he said. What has been an issue is that we have not been a part of some of the foreign policy in recognizing specialty crops as a major commodity for the state. The nutrition portion of the farm...

Frankie wants a much larger life than the one she has in this small Southern town, and she knows when her brother marries, her new big life will begin. You feel Frankie's flush-faced boredom and impatience, her melancholy sense that not enough is happening, not nearly enough. Twelve-year-old Frankie has absolutely nothing to do this "green and crazy" summer but wait for the wedding of her older brother. The reflection in the glass was warped and crooked, but Frankie knew well what she...

Try taking them to a farmer's market, where they will learn that food doesn't just come from the supermarket and that there are seasons for different foods. She believes getting in shape is no different for a super star or a super mom, and she offers the following tips for parents who want to help get their family's health and fitness levels back-on-track this back to school season -- and all year long: Children age 7 and under can choose from a pre-approved selection of snacks, like an...