The pandemic provided opportunity for specialty producers in Iowa to expand production and sales. However, managing risk for specialty production is critical to capitalizing on new market opportunities. The Small …
Specialty Crops Risk Management Webinars Available Online
Des Moines Duo Raises Winning Giant Pumpkin at Iowa State Fair
A super-sized pumpkin tipping the scale at 915 pounds won first place in the 2021 Iowa State Fair Big Pumpkin Contest, judged Friday, Aug. 13. The growers, Don Young and …
September is National Fruits and Veggies month
It’s not really a coincidence that the Produce for Better Health Foundation recently named September as National Fruits and Veggies month in the United States. Summer is filled with colorful fruits and …
Beat the Summer Heat; Protecting your Vegetable Crops in Excessive Heat
Multiple days of excessive heat can be hard on vegetable crops, especially ones known to be cool-season. Brassicas, lettuce, carrots and spinach are particularly vulnerable to bitterness, wilting, bolting, deformities …
Specialty Crop Processors Looking to ‘Scale Up’ Have New Resource
Food businesses interested in expanding the processing and retail side of their operation have a new resource published by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. The “Scaling Up Specialty Crop Processing …
Celebrate Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Week July 26-30
Iowa’s commercial horticulture industry contributes $48 million to the state’s economy each year and provides fresh fruits and vegetables to Iowa consumers. Gov. Kim Reynolds recognized the value of this …
Fruit and Vegetable Field Day Is July 22
The horticulture team with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will hold the 2021 Fruit and Vegetable Field Day July 22 at Iowa State University’s Horticulture Research Station northeast of …
Aaron Steil Is New Consumer Horticulture Specialist
Home gardeners and plant enthusiasts can still receive helpful advice and answers to their questions from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Aaron Steil, newly named consumer horticulture extension specialist …
Testing a new spray technology for Midwest apple growers
Hello commercial apple growers, Have you heard of a cool new sprayer technology for apples? It could be the biggest change in apple spraying since the invention of the airblast …
What’s a mesotunnel, and what’s it good for?
If you’re a vegetable grower, you’re probably familiar with high tunnels and low tunnels. But what are mesotunnels? All three of these tunnel types are used to create some sort …