…than 90% of its asparagus acreage over roughly two decades, largely because harvesting is extremely labor-intensive and expensive. Production has increasingly shifted to Mexico and South America. Bernstein sees that…
USDA Plans $30 Million Walnut Purchase to Support California Market
…as growers begin harvesting this year’s crop. The timing comes as California producers enter a new harvest with what the California Walnut Commission describes as the second-largest walnut crop in…
California Citrus Faces Trade, Labor and Water Challenges
…a mechanical harvesting system readily available for fresh-market citrus. Because appearance is critical when fruit reaches grocery stores, growers rely heavily on workers to carefully harvest the crop. Packing houses…
Cannon Michael: California Farming at a Crossroads
…in Extreme Conditions Even as the farm embraces automation, Michael emphasized that many agricultural jobs still require people. Workers harvesting melons and other crops during the summer heat start early…
Enzo’s Olive Oil: Ricchiuti Family Builds on 100 Years of Farming
…commercial crop. The result was an olive production system designed around modern California agriculture. High-Density Orchards and Modern Harvesting Traditional olive orchards in Italy and other Mediterranean countries often contain…
California Figs Find New Momentum as Demand Grows
…mid-May and continues through November. This year, however, the crop got an early start after a hot March accelerated development. Caputo said growers were harvesting approximately two weeks earlier than…
Joe Del Bosque: Water, Labor and the Future of West Side Farming
…and a Difficult Melon Market An unusually warm March pushed Del Bosque Farms into melon production early, allowing the operation to begin harvesting in mid-June. However, later production from other…
Joe Del Bosque: California Farming Faces a Critical Future
…creating new opportunities. However, harvesting crops such as melons and table grapes remains highly dependent on skilled human labor. Del Bosque says the modern farm increasingly needs college-educated workers capable…
Joe Del Bosque on Farming the West Side: Water, Labor and Resilience
…from the Imperial Valley in the 1930s and 1940s to work seasonal melon harvests. His father eventually accepted a permanent position growing and harvesting melons, and Joe grew up learning…
Cyrus McCormick’s Mechanical Reaper Changed American Agriculture
…Reaper Changes Farming Forever In 1831, Cyrus McCormick publicly demonstrated a revolutionary harvesting machine capable of cutting six acres of oats in a single day. Never satisfied with the first…
Cyrus McCormick’s Reaper: The Invention That Changed American Farming
…As a result, demand for the reaper remained extremely limited during its early years. Rather than giving up, McCormick waited eight years before beginning large-scale production of his revolutionary harvesting…
California Pistachio Crop Could Be Cut in Half: Rich Kreps Explains What Growers Need to Know
…Kreps, harvesting once instead of twice can: Save growers approximately $250-$300 per acre Reduce physical stress on the trees Preserve next year’s fruiting buds Allow orchards to begin recovery sooner…
Edwin Budding’s Lawnmower Changed American Farm Life
…Impact Many people recognize agricultural inventors such as Cyrus McCormick, John Deere, and Eli Whitney for revolutionizing farming through innovations in harvesting, equipment, and cotton processing. However, another inventor deserves…
Steel Lug Wheels to Rubber Tires: A Revolution in American Agriculture
…efficiency during planting, cultivating, and harvesting. Today, pneumatic rubber tires remain a standard feature on modern agricultural equipment, but their widespread use can be traced back to those pioneering experiments…