The Grower Calling

British Columbia’s $160 million cherry sector has grown substantially in recent years thanks to new markets in China, Japan and more recently South Korea. The 400-member BC Cherry Association is now raising awareness of their stone fruit domestically.

The Grower is Digging Deeper behind the July 2023 cover story and speaking with Sukhpaul Bal and Richard Issacs. They are sharing information on the first Canadian Cherry Month, running between July 15-August 15.

Shipping and logistics are still the crux of getting fresh produce to consumers. Ron Lemaire, president of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association, shares both a global perspective and domestic context of the pain points that need to be addressed to protect the cold chain. These challenges are near-term to ensure Canadian food security.

The trend to hard ciders is not abating. The challenge is to grow apple varieties that will adapt to a fruiting wall and mature to a size that’s economical to pick.

The Grower is Digging Deeper behind May 2023 cover story and speaking with Doug Balsillie. Doug and his wife Leslie Huffman have committed two acres of The Fruit Wagon’s 35 acres to this venture near Harrow, Ontario.

Crop protection decisions are harder than ever this spring as tree fruit growers seek alternatives to group M fungicides, the ones with multi-site modes of action. Government regulators have restricted their use as well as other products such as mancozeb and captan.

The Grower is Digging Deeper behind March's cover story and speaking with Brian Rideout, apple and tender fruit grower in Chatham-Kent, Ontario. Brian is crop protection section chair for the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Association.

The ICL-Group is a global manufacturer of specialty minerals with experience in countries as diverse as Brazil, India and the U.S.

In this Grower Calling podcast, Karen Davidson, editor of The Grower, speaks with Jason Haegele. Jason explains what this specialty plant nutrition company is offering to Canada.

Meyers Fruit Farms, a tree fruit and floral greenhouse business near Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, has invested in five new units that will accommodate up to 40 temporary foreign workers. Planning the design has been mindful of worker comfort and privacy.

Karen Davidson, editor of The Grower, is Digging Deeper behind the February 2023 cover story and speaking with Aron Hoff. Hoff explains key things to consider when building new housing for farm workers.

There is no season harder than succession. That’s why alignment of needs and goals is so important for farm families looking to transition roles and assets.

The Grower is Digging Deeper behind the January 2023 cover story titled 'Farm transfers are about more than land and legacy.' Editor, Karen Davidson, speaks with Elaine Froese, Canada’s farm whisperer as she offers some sage advice on maintaining harmony during this process.

Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmer Competition will spotlight seven regional winners at its final event in Saskatoon, November 23-27, 2022. Three out of seven competitors are from horticulture. One of those couples is David and Jenn VanDeVelde, berry growers and on-farm retailers from Delhi, Ontario.

The Grower is Digging Deeper behind the December 2022 cover and speaking with David and Jenn. They say the competition has been a healthy exercise at mid-point in their farming careers.

Sponsored by UPL.

Israel Chemicals Limited, or the ICL-Group, is a global manufacturer of specialty minerals. The delivery of these products are through controlled release fertilizers, foliar fertilizers and fertigation fertilizers, just to name a few. Jason Haegele, North American agronomy lead explains how these products are used in the horticultural sector.

The journey from commodities to brands is traced by the chief marketing officer, a 15-year veteran of the greenhouse industry. The branding of greenhouse vegetables has reached such sophistication that a kitchen was built inside the new marketing quarters of the Leamington, Ontario operation. It serves as the hub for creating recipes and content for an omni-channel universe.

The Grower is 'Digging Deeper' into the September cover story and speaking with Chris Veillon about the strategy behind marketing Pure Flavor produce.