Government financial support spurs farmers to plant these crops, creating an abundant, cheap supply of fat-producing soybean oil and high-fructose corn syrup. When lawmakers wrote a new bill for this year, health experts hoped to see subsidies added for fruits and vegetables to augment subsidies for corn, soy beans and other crops. While both add extra money to promote fruits and vegetables in school lunches, neither adds new subsidies for most fruits and vegetables. As the Senate prepares...

I joined her at the Bellevue store recently, glad to shake the hand that knows the fruit that rolls around in my fridge. But there is an urgency to farming; a willingness to do what it takes to keep the crop in people's kitchens and your name on their tongues. You can find her most afternoons, brandishing her Global knife ("The best, man") and an innate sense of the power of produce. She rolled out a cutting-board-topped cart from the store's back room, grabbed an apple from the bin and...

When fully developed, the scout will roam an entire orchard on its own, collecting data to help growers better manage their orchards, said Tim McConnell, senior technical staff and project manager for Vision Robotics. Similar demonstrations of this robotic scout in six sites throughout Central Washington last week provided a peek at new technology in the tree fruit industry. Such technology is considered key for the future of the fruit tree industry as it battles increasing international...

Looking for healthy, kid-friendly ideas for breakfast, lunch and after school? With family schedules increasingly hectic during the school season, look no further than simple ingredients and easy preparation to create wholesome meals and snacks that kids will love. Looking for healthy, kid-friendly ideas for breakfast, lunch and after school? With family schedules increasingly hectic during the school season, look no further than simple ingredients and easy preparation to create wholesome...

Honeycrisp apples are a hit around the world, thanks to the efforts of two Minnesota breeders and one very persistent grower. At farmers markets, apple orchards and supermarkets across the country, people await their arrival, hoard them, enjoy them, and pack them in boxes to send to their kids at college. What are they looking for? From a sensory perspective, flavor, crispness, and juiciness are important, as is the apple's ability to retain these qualities in cold storage. The apple,...

advertisement The group now has 20 members who can provide fruitful advice, and an apple press which can be hired for 5 a day to turn all the surplus apples into juice and cider. We've had people talking to us with stories such as what they remember from their grandfather's orchard. Orchards are also popular for increasing biodiversity and improving the landscape. If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made...