From the genetics of sweet cherry hybrids to computerized packing equipment for handling delicate varieties, the cherry industry is working to incorporate technology in every step of the production process. The study examines attributes, such as flavor and firmness, that appeal to or turn off consumers. Industry officials stress the importance of quality, but it's difficult to define exactly what characteristics make the best cherry, he said. But ever since the delicate-skinned Rainier was...

Feeding the people Over The Years, Indian Agriculture Has Become A Kind Of Waterloo Of Good Intentions By Jayanta Sarkar At the National Development Council meeting the other day, the Prime Minister and some other senior ministers deliberated on a strategy for agriculture in the eleventh Five-Year Plan. Feeding the people Over The Years, Indian Agriculture Has Become A Kind Of Waterloo Of Good Intentions By Jayanta Sarkar At the National Development Council meeting the other day, the Prime...

Jim Sterling s nine-acre farm northeast of downtown Palisade might not look like a battleground with its neat rows of fruit trees and seemingly endless piles of amber pinyon logs, but the orchard owner and firewood producer is preparing for a scorched-earth legal tussle with Mesa County. Jim Sterling s nine-acre farm northeast of downtown Palisade might not look like a battleground with its neat rows of fruit trees and seemingly endless piles of amber pinyon logs, but the orchard owner and...

On the other are Hudson Valley apple growers and other farmers who rely on immigrant labor to harvest their crops. The Senate bill also would give legal permanent resident status to illegal immigrants who have been working on farms and continue doing so for at least another three years. On one side are voters who see red at the idea of giving illegal immigrants a chance to remain in the United States legally. The Senate bill is popular with farmers because it would create a new...

Rice's family today owns 1,000 acres of orchards and packs and markets apples for 50 area growers primarily in Pennsylvania's historic growing area in Adams County, on the Maryland border. But the growers who have made this mountainous region the core of apple-growing in Pennsylvania worry that they face a new challenge that may be too big to overcome and could change their way of life. With the Farm Bill up for renewal this year for the first time since 2002, apple growers are pressing...

Formerly called the South County Farmers Market, the event's main idea is to keep fresh berries, melons, fruit and vegetables easy for people to buy near where they live. Held on Saturday mornings, it competed with Redding's market and offered more crafts than crops due to few participating farmers and poor weather. This keeps the markets from competing and gives farmers a better chance of selling their produce before it spoils. Fresh recipe raises hope for Anderson market. You agree not...