Growers were grateful for the additional rain we got this year; however, due to abnormal weather conditions in the early season, the raisin crop is looking to be much shorter this year, and the sudden rainstorm that hit last week did not help the situation, as many growers still had raisins drying out in the vineyard. Watch this brief interview …

With record acreage of almonds coming into production in California, hullers and processors are going to need to find new/alternative uses for hulls & shells. The Almond Alliance is working with the Almond Board of California to come up with sustainable alternatives including almond biochar to increase the water holding capacity and bring nutrients back into the soil. Watch this …

The “Grower of the Year Award”, the highest honor of the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) went to Brad and Randy Lange this year, as celebrated at the CAWG Summer Conference. Watch this video tribute presentation for the two star growers behind LangeTwins Family Winery & Vineyards. Sponsored By:

When is the best time to prune/top stone fruit in-season to keep from shading next year’s fruitwood? For conventional orchards? For pedestrian orchards? Watch this brief video interview with UC Farm Advisor Kevin Day as he answers these important questions. Sponsored By:

As labor grows tighter, growers are mechanizing their operations as much as possible; however, the need for a solid seasonal labor force is not going away anytime soon. Although not an easy one to utilize, the H2A Ag guestworker program is what more and more growers and farm labor contractors are using to meet their labor needs. Watch this brief …

The California raisin crop is down, and coupled with a greater demand for green grapes at the wineries this year, raisin packers are already making much higher offers to their growers for their crops this season. Watch this video interview with Kalem Barserian, CEO of the Raisin Bargaining Association, as he explains more, and read more in the coming issue …

Dairying in California is not easy, and it can be an economic nightmare sometimes with the constant fluctuations in milk prices. Nevertheless, dairymen don’t want to give up their livelihoods and noble responsibility in providing consumers with healthy dairy products. But to ensure they can continue to remain economically viable, many dairymen are diversifying their operations with alternative crops and …

Farming in California is not easy, but it is the best place in the world to grow raisins. As growers take on increasing input costs due to changing political and environmental conditions, sustainability becomes so important to remaining viable and prosperous in the industry. National Raisin Company has recently invested in some key renewable technologies to improve their efficiency and …

There are many different ways to measure crop water and nutrient levels, such as through plant tissue and soil analysis; but to better identify and meet crop needs, researchers have recently developed plant sap analysis technology that is now available to growers to maximize yields and increase profitability. Watch this video interview with David Miller from Advancing Eco Agriculture as …

Wine grapes in Sonoma County are going through veraison and the crop is progressing well. Watch this brief interview with Bill Hipp who talked about this year’s crop, from the perspective of his vineyard, and what he is doing to keep Pierce’s Disease out of the Vineyard.