Latest Fruit farming News
Pick your own berries, flowers on farms in SW Louisiana
LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — There are rows upon rows of sunflowers and zinnias at Petite Anse Farm in New Iberia, but they’re not just meant to be seen. The hardy flowers suited to the heat of south Louisiana summers are there to be picked. Farm owners and operators Andrew “Andy”...
Early in harvest, Mississippi watermelons looking good
RAYMOND, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi's watermelons are looking good as the state’s harvest season opens, the Mississippi State University Extension Service says. “Melon quality is good,” said agent Heath Steede. “The dry weather we’ve been having hurts other crops, but for...
Agritourism trail spotlights Black farms in Georgia
ALBANY, Ga. (AP) — Tucked behind the wrought iron gates that line the frontage at 801 Old Pretoria Road is the stuff that retreat-style getaways are made of: an 1851 mansion appointed in period furniture available for rent as a wedding venue or other private event; farm acreage dotted with...
As Po dries up, Italy's food and energy supplies are at risk
BORETTO, Italy (AP) — Water is so low in large stretches of Italy's largest river that local residents are walking through the middle of the expanse of sand and shipwrecks are resurfacing. Authorities fear that if it doesn't rain soon, there'll be a serious shortage of water for...
Florida faces $1.2 million verdict for killing citrus trees
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The owner of a commercial nursery has won a $1.2 million judgment against the Florida Department of Agriculture in the latest verdict against the state agency for destroying citrus trees in the 2000s during an attempt to stop the spread of costly tree diseases. ...
Hamlin vows to get even with Chastain after Gateway wreck
MADISON, Ill. (AP) — Denny Hamlin posted a clip on Twitter late Sunday that essentially mashed up his beef with Ross Chastain from earlier in the day with a scene from “Days of Thunder,” when Tom Cruise's character tells his team to change his tires after a race had ended so that he could...
How San Diego secured its water supply, at a cost
As a worsening drought forces millions of Californians to face mandatory water restrictions, one corner of Southern California has largely shielded itself from supply-related woes: San Diego County. For Western water planners, the path it took to get there serves either as a...
Mississippi State survey aims to increase passionfruit farms
RAYMOND, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi State University Extension Service researcher is hoping to help expand the niche for passionfruit growers. Demand is growing for the sweet, low-calorie tropical fruit, said Eric Stafnne, a fruit and nut specialist Eric Stafne at the extension...
USDA says Maine blueberry growers had a big 2021
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Federal data released this week confirmed that Maine's wild blueberry growers had a strong season in 2021. Maine is the only state with commercial-scale wild blueberry growers in the U.S. Growers said last year that they felt the crop bounced back from a...
Bucket list reimagined: Mindful return to the Greek islands
ASTYPALEA, Greece (AP) — In a small bay flanked by thyme-covered hills and a medieval castle-topped village, I floated in perfect solitude on the shimmering Aegean Sea. Last summer was my fifth year traveling to different Greek islands like far-flung Astypalea. During the pandemic,...
