The Grower Calling

Aphids are just one of many insects that can damage an apple crop. Hank Markgraf, head of field services for BC Tree Fruits, points to aphids as an example of how challenging an integrated pest management program is now and into the future.

Peter Quiring, founder and president of NatureFreshFarms, Leamington, Ontario has spent 20 years building and operating the most innovative vegetable greenhouses in North America. With 2.5 acres dedicated to research, he shares how the Discovery Center has been ground zero for the launch of the Tomberry, the world’s smallest tomato.

Cleanfarms is a non-profit environmental organization that offers a wide range of recycling programs for farmers across Canada, from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island with ways to address agricultural waste management and resources. Their systems offer a way to address agricultural waste management and resources in the ag community.

Shane Hedderson of Cleanfarms talks about the company’s cross-Canada recycling programs for farmers.

Some good things are growing deep in Essex County's agricultural belt, namely sweet Athena cantaloupes. Wrightland Farms is known for its apples, asparagus - and cantaloupes. It's thanks to dedicated farmers like Keith Wright who send their produce on a four-hour trip one way from Harrow, Ontario just to get their product to the Ontario Food Terminal. Our latest podcast goes behind the scenes of The Grower's August 2018 cover story.

Installing Point of Sale (POS) management software to process transactions more quickly at on-farm markets adds definite value to small business operators and growers are seeing a lot of value in automation. Heemans has been using such software for several years with continued success in their garden centre. The Grower discusses relieving pain points at the on-farm market with Will Heeman.

Canada’s sweet cherry harvest will soon be starting in British Columbia and Ontario. That's good news for cherry lovers, but growers are concerned that not enough workers will be available for hand harvesting due to Service Canada's delays in processing seasonal agricultural workers. The Grower goes Behind the Scenes of the July cover story titled 'Short-handed for hand harvesting' with David Geen of Jealous Fruits for a discussion on labour shortages.

Oppy Transport falls under the umbrella of well-known company The Oppenheimer Group. With transport offices in Calgary, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Newark and Tampa Bay, shipping and logistics issues aren’t just limited to one country. With the changes in USA legislation, increases in traffic congestion and more companies wanting to consolidate their storage, Oppy is working around these issues on a national scale. Let’s explore some of these topics further.

Jackie and Jim Rowe are a grower-marketing duo inspiring a value-added garlic industry in Ontario. With a number of key relationships with other growers and food processors, they are methodically building a dependable supply of garlic products year-round. It starts with garlic scapes harvested in mid-June at Hensall, Ontario. This podcast goes "Behind the Scenes" with Jackie Rowe for a more in depth discussion on marketing to retailers. Read the full story at http://thegrower.org/news/fresh-garlic-market

Trinidadian Sooruj Bhoolai came to Canada in 1992 as a seasonal agricultural worker. Now that he’s the owner of the celery farm near Bradford, Ontario, he faces new hurdles with a 28 per cent increase in the minimum wage. He shares his tips on teamwork.

Canada’s greenhouse vegetable industry is undergoing massive change this year. Tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers have been standard fare for many years, but now there are new crops under the lights. Mucci Farms in Kingsville, Ontario is one of the operators who has invested in strawberries. In a very short time, they have become the largest indoor grower in North America.

Karen Davidson, editor of The Grower, goes behind the scenes of the April 2018 cover story to talk to Danny Mucci, president of Mucci Farms.