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Let him come home
As you read this editorial, the holiday season has come and gone and the new year is in its early days. Our belts are probably a bit tighter around our waists after all that wonderful feasting and some of us will be struggling with resolutions that always seem to end up being broken.
Meanwhile, in a jail cell thousands of miles away, a New Brunswick potato farmer has missed out on his Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. Henk Tepper’s belt is giving him some trouble too but in the opposite way. According to Sen. Pierrette Ringuette, also from New Brunswick, Tepper’s lost 40 pounds in the past nine-plus months he’s been detained. And while he may be resolute in his need to be home for the 2012 growing season, Tepper’s probably having a hard time remaining optimistic. He’s been locked in that windowless cell for almost a year.
The saga of Drummond, N.B.-area potato producer Henk Tepper has gone on way too long. It’s time the 44-year-old father of two teenaged daughters came home.
Tepper has been held in a detention centre at Beirut’s Justice Palace since March 23, 2011. He was arrested by the international police force, Interpol, as he entered Lebanon on a trade mission for Potatoes Canada. Algerian officials allege Tepper sold them a bad boatload of potatoes back in 2007. Despite being inspected and meeting Algerian standards, the shipment, which contained both P.E.I. and Quebec tubers, was allegedly infected with bacterial ring rot. Or so the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) informed Algeria. A second test showed the potatoes were only “suspected” of having the disease, but, according to Ringuette, the CFIA never bothered contacting Algeria about those results. Instead, the shipment was refused
by Algerian officials, sat in dock for months, was retested and eventually purchased by Syria.
According to Tepper’s family, Algeria never paid for the shipment. Even so, the Algerian government requested a “red notice” be placed on Tepper, alleging he forged documents and tried to sell tablestock potatoes “that were dangerous for human consumption.” (Right. Any literature I’ve read mentions nothing about BRR being dangerous to humans. Of course, BRRinfected potatoes should never be used as seed potatoes. But these were tablestock potatoes, not intended for seed. Right.)
Despite travelling from and to Canada via the Caribbean and Europe multiple times in the years after the “red notice” was issued, Tepper was never detained until the day he tried to enter Lebanon. It’s a fact that bothers Ringuette, who, according to the Toronto Star, wonders if Tepper’s detention in Lebanon may be retribution for a 2008 lawsuit he filed against the CFIA for the role it played in inspecting the Algerian shipment.
It’s an interesting theory, especially when considered in conjunction with the federal government’s apparent lack of effort to get Tepper released. Despite repeated appeals from Tepper’s family, including a heartfelt letter from his youngest daughter, Kimberly, to Stephen Harper asking that her dad be brought home in time for her birthday (he didn’t make it), Canadian officials have done little.
According to reports, federal Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Diane Ablonczy has said the government has been advised to keep a low profile on the Tepper issue, as a form of “quiet diplomacy.”
I find it hard to keep quiet about Tepper’s plight when I read how his oldest
daughter, Stephanie, graduated from high school this fall without her father there.
“This made me very sad,” she wrote in an open letter to Queen Elizabeth II and Gov. Gen. David Johnston, begging for help in her father’s release. “This should have been the happiest time in my life. When I arrived at the school, I looked in the crowd but could not find my Dad. During the graduation, I heard many fathers calling out their children’s names. I was listening to hear my father but there was nothing.
“Every day we ask ourselves: is our Dad okay, has our Dad changed, does our dad eat well, is our Dad safe?” Stephanie wrote. “We have so many questions but the biggest question still remains why is Canada not helping to bring our Dad home? All that Canada is telling us is that our Dad is safe. Every night before we go to bed, we pray and ask for a miracle. We look at a picture of our Dad and we cry ourselves asleep. Life without our dad is lonely and sad.”
Life without her father is also very uncertain. The Tepper family farm, Tobique Farms, is $11 million in debt. While the operation has limped along under at least five different creditor protection extensions, Tepper’s father, Berend, is hoping to reorganize, including selling off 750 of the operation’s 1,900 acres. He plans to reduce the farm’s potato production to 570 acres.
Meanwhile, Hank Tepper continues to sit in a Beirut jail, hundreds of miles away from Algeria – the instigator of this mess – and thousands of miles from Drummond, N.B., were he really should be. It’s time this saga ended. Bring back this potato farmer, husband and father. Let him come home. ❦
Spotted wing drosophila –Lessons from the trenches in B.C.
By Tamara Leigh
The 2010 growing season was the first full-season experience with the spotted wing drosophila (SWD) in British Columbia. The flies were first detected in B.C. in September 2009, late enough in the season that there was no significant fruit damage. Going into 2010, no one knew what to expect. As the season progressed, the number of flies exploded, causing damage to mid- and late-season crops.
“A few growers and packers learned the hard way that this pest is a real, serious threat from which fruit needs to be protected,” says Mark Sweeney, berry specialist with the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture. “They are taking this much more seriously this year.”
The 2010 season ended with trap counts more than 100 times higher than the season before. What is more, adult flies have been trapped through the winter, despite several significant cold spells.
“Pest pressure could well be heavier,” says Sweeney. “Numbers may build to damaging levels earlier in the season and present a greater threat to early maturing crops like June strawberries and early raspberries and blueberries.
“Growers need to be prepared for this onslaught and should be developing a management strategy,” he adds.
There are four components to a SWD management plan: monitoring, controlling alternate hosts, maintaining good sanitation practices around harvest, and using a strong spraying program for pesticides. Control will be most effective if all growers within an area participate.
Field monitoring starts in early June in the Okanagan, Fraser Valley and other fruit-growing areas and have continued. While monitoring is useful to improve the understanding of the insect’s life history, it will also indicate when to start a spray control program.
Research from E.S. Cropconsult Inc. suggests that monitoring in hedgerows surrounding fields is as important as trapping in the fields, particularly as populations start to build up in the early season. They recom-
mend trapping as soon as the crop starts to cover, and monitoring traps weekly.
In 2010, flies were first detected in early June, and counts remained low until mid-July, exploding in mid-August. This meant that early crops escaped without significant treatment or damage, but later varieties were prone to infestation.
“Until other effective control strategies are developed, insecticide sprays will be the key method of control for SWD,” says Sweeney. “Sprays are applied when flies are detected and when ripe fruit is first present.”
In 2010, emergency registrations were obtained for Ripcord, Malathion, Delegate and Entrust (for organic fields). SWD can quickly develop resistance to pesticides, making it important to rotate through the available control products.
A preharvest clean-up spray reduces the risk of early damage, followed by additional applications every seven to 14 days through the harvest period to prevent
flies from moving in from neighbouring areas. Post-harvest treatment is also advised in fields adjacent to later crops to prevent the unharvested fruit and ground fall from becoming SWD breeding sites.
Adult flies are killed by direct spray and exposure to spray residues on leaves and fruit. It is important to get spray penetration through the canopy, but required water volumes should be less than what would be required for control of other foliar pests and diseases.
Strawberries and raspberries are relatively easy to spray with conventional equipment. However, mature blueberries represent a major challenge, as the heavy canopy makes it very difficult to access the field without causing significant damage and fruit drop.
“Helicopter spraying is being used in the U.S., but coverage is a concern and aerial will not likely be an option in the Fraser Valley,” says Sweeney. “For ground
A ripe yellow raspberry containing multiple SWD larvae.
Photo by Hannah Burrack, assistant professor and Extension specialist with North Carolina State University
spraying, better pruning and training is required to keep fruiting area upright to allow improved field access.”
Organic growers will need to be particularly careful with SWD management. There is only one approved, registered and effective pesticide that is suitable for organics, and many producers prefer not to spray at all.
“We are very concerned with impact on organic growers,” says Sweeney. “In the Fraser Valley, we now have a significant amount of large-scale and small-scale organic blueberries. It’s going to make organic growing even more difficult than it already is.”
Managing alternative hosts and maintaining good field sanitation are important in managing SWD populations. The flies have an amazingly wide range of host plants, many of them commonly found in hedgerows along field edges. Early fruiting plants such as Indian plum, salmon
berry and seedling cherries are a concern. Their early fruit provides a site where the over-wintering generation may feed and breed before crops begin to ripen.
Late-fruiting berries such as Himalayan and evergreen blackberries are a concern because they are very invasive and widespread, providing food and breeding sites from July through November. Blackberries are also believed to be a key over-wintering site. Controlling these alternate hosts in areas immediately next to fields through mowing or herbicide treatments in the fall will help keep SWD numbers down.
The timely harvest of ripe fruit, and shortening of the harvest intervals, will help reduce the likelihood of SWD infestation. Adult flies are particularly attracted to overripe and rotten fruit. California raspberry growers have found the careful removal and disposal of cull fruit has reduced pest pressure. This is easier
Spotted wing drosophila in Ontario
According to recent reports from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), spotted wing drosophila (SWD) is trying its best to establish itself in the province.
In 2011, the pest was found at 21 agriculture sites across Ontario, representing almost half of the 50 monitoring sites established in 16 counties across the province. Counties where SWD were trapped during 2011 included Essex, Kent, Middlesex, Oxford, Norfolk, Niagara, Halton, York, Durham, and Prince Edward. Crops it was found in included peaches, apricots, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, grapes and blackberries.
for hand harvesting operations than for mechanical harvesters.
The response to SWD in British Columbia has been a close collaboration between provincial extension staff, crop consultants, federal research staff and growers. Emergency registrations are being sought for pesticides, and trapping and monitoring will continue for years to come. Consistent surveillance and proactive management will be critical in minimizing the damage to crops, and the economic losses to growers.
In light of the continued monitoring and research in B.C., a half-day of information sessions on SWD has been scheduled during the Pacific Agriculture Show, Jan. 27, 2012. The sessions are being held during the afternoon in the TerraLink Room and will cover everything from SWD biology and behaviour to SWD sprayer options in blueberries. ❦
During 2011, researchers with OMAFRA were able to collect fruit from unsprayed areas and rear SWD flies from it. According to the ministry’s SWD report, this indicates the pest can infest fruit in Ontario, but there have been no reports of problems or infested fruit on a commercial scale.
During the 2012 Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention, being held Feb. 22 and 23 in Niagara Falls, Ont., SWD will be on the agenda. Dr. Rufus Isaacs of Michigan State University will discuss the biology and management of spotted wing drosophila in berry crops during the afternoon Berry Session on Feb. 22.
Female spotted wing drosophila on raspberry at the Upper Mountain Research Station in North Carolina.
A male Drosophila suzukii. Note the dark spots near the tips of the wings.
Photo by Hannah Burrack, assistant professor and Extension specialist with North Carolina State University
Photo by G. Arakelian, California Department of Food and Agriculture
Growing big with haskap in Nova Scotia
By Dan Woolley
LaHave Forests of Northfield, N.S., is believed to have established North America’s largest haskap orchard in 2011, planting 25,000 seedlings on 25 acres in Lunenburg County.
Haskap Central Sales of Henribourg, Sask., supplied the seedlings from its orchard and greenhouse, which propagates and sells haskap plants, also known as blue honeysuckle, across North America to growers and greenhouses.
The haskap planting on LaHave’s farm began May 18, 2011. One pollinator was planted for every three haskap to be pollinated in the orchard. As well, four hives with 120,000 bees have been established in the orchard to do the pollinating.
“Haskap honey will be quite interesting,” says Logie Cassells, LaHave’s managing director.
LaHave Forests was founded by a group of people who share a passion for sustainable forestry and agriculture. The organization’s president, Simon Fineman,
is CEO of one of the United Kingdom’s leading timber companies, The Timbec Group. The group owns 600 acres on Nova Scotia’s South Shore. The operation is currently implementing sustainable forestry and agriculture on its Honeyberry Hurst Farm.
“What we are really about [is] an agritechnology company,” says Cassells. “I farm like a gardener.”
He practises biodynamic agriculture, a form of organic farming that stresses the “holistic” aspects of food production by establishing a healthy ecosystem, and treating the whole farm as a living organism.
As such, Cassells believes a plant will be healthy if it is grown in healthy soil. He rehabilitated the soil of an old hay field for the haskap orchard using a tractormounted deep tillage soil renovator,
which penetrated 18 inches into soil to break up the hard pan and improve orchard drainage.
He then inoculated the soil with a compost tea compound made from kelp and manure, brewing it for 24 hours to produce the desired fungi and microbes.
“To keep the whole field balanced … you want the whole field, fungi and worms, working for you, doing the engineering for you,” says Cassells, adding the compost tea helps return minerals to the soil.
A tractor, mounted with a low-pressure sprayer and tank, applied the compost tea at a cost of $200 an acre, a price point Cassells notes is below the current commercial fertilizer application rate.
The orchard spraying is repeated every 10 days. By using the compost tea, Cassells believes the Brix factor in
Above: Logie Cassells (centre) describes the planting of 25,000 haskap seedlings at Honeyberry Hurst Farm during a recent open house.
Photos by Dan Woolley
haskap can be increased to 26, because the sweetness of the fruit is driven by the mineral content of the soil the berries are grown in. He also believes the tea can keep weeds at bay.
“Weeds tell you if you have a mineral deficiency,” he says. “Dandelions tell you if you have soil compaction and a calcium deficiency.”
Cassells also plans to mow the grass between the haskap rows to help provide the seedlings with green manure.
By 2012, Cassells anticipates the orchard will be producing 25 per cent of its total expected yield. By Year 3, he expects yield to be at 66 per cent capacity and, by 2014, at 100 per cent production. By that year, he also plans to have a total of 80 acres of haskap planted plus high-value hops, grapevines and Goji berries.
Cassells has few concerns regarding pests and disease in the crop as haskap is an early fruiting berry, typically harvested around mid-June. He doesn’t expect insects to be a big problem.
Birds are another matter.
“If you are losing $2,000 in berries a year, you should bird net,” he recommends.
Cassells has installed electrified fencing around his haskap orchard to fend off four-legged predators, but he feels deer will not be a problem.
“Raccoons could clear out the orchard in a night.”
Black bears could be an issue though, according to Curtis Braaten, president of Haskap Central Sales. He suggests using black cherries in the orchard as a lure plant.
Braaten and his business partner, Carl Barber, believe haskap may have a bright future in Nova Scotia, which receives three times the precipitation that Saskatchewan does and has 80 more growing days
What is haskap?
than the Prairie province.
“[Nova Scotia] has a significant berry industry and … the infrastructure,” says Braaten.
Barber adds that most people in Saskatchewan think they are “loony” for growing and propagating berry crops, adding,
“[Nova Scotia] has the knowledge base.”
Haskap Central Sales works closely with Dr. Bob Bors’ haskap breeding program based at the University of Saskatchewan. The university has crossbred and released hybrids from Russian and Kurile Island cultivars. The Kurile Island berries are sweet, while the Russian haskap is
Haskap, also know as blue honeysuckle, is a deciduous shrub native to the northern hemisphere. It grows about 1.5 metres tall, produces yellowish-white flowers, which ultimately become small blue fruit. The flavour of the berries has been described as similar to that of raspberries, blueberries, black currants or saskatoon berries. If the berry is green inside, it is not yet ripe. A ripe berry has a deep purple-red interior colour.
Russia has the longest history of cultivating haskap, and products made from the berries – such as pastries, jams, juice, wine, ice cream, yogurt, sauces and candies – are very popular in Japan. It can also be used to produce wine.
winter-hardy.
The university recommends the Tundra hybrid for commercial growers and the Borealis hybrid for home gardeners, say Barber and Bratten.
Cassells is a firm believer in the haskap berry’s future in Nova Scotia.
“There is no slam dunk in agriculture,” he says. “But I believe this [haskap berries] could surpass blueberries.”
He also feels Lunenburg County has the best soil in Canada for growing berry crops.
“In terms of micro-climate, it is fantastic with plenty of frost-free days and ample moisture,” he says. ❦
Haskap adapts to a wide range of pH, between 5 and 8. It prefers high organic matter, well-drained soils, and lots of sunlight for optimum productivity. The plant is more tolerant of wet conditions than most fruit species.
Two compatible varieties are needed for cross-pollination and fruit set. Often haskap will fruit the following season after being planted, even if the berry yield is very small. By the third year of planting, one pound (0.5 kilograms) may be harvested. The plants may take five or six years to attain full size.
Average production on a good bush is about seven pounds (three kilograms).
A freshly planted haskap seedling.
Dutch lead innovation in greenhouse berry production
By Tamara Leigh
In Canada, growing berries in greenhouses is relatively rare, but the increasing pressure to extend the growing season to improve profitability has more berry growers weighing the options. In Holland, growers have been increasing their investment in greenhouse berry production with impressive results, doubling the yields of conventional Canadian growers.
While they are a long way from competing with the major growing nations like the U.S., Spain, or Turkey, the Dutch are internationally recognized for their expertise in producing premium quality fruit and high yields through intensive crop management.
“In Holland we go for quality over kilos,” says Willem van Eldik, a senior fruit specialist with DLV Plant BV, a large, multidisciplinary agri-consulting business. DLV undertakes its own scientific research, as well as providing operational, strategic, planning, and turnkey consultancy across all sectors in agriculture and horticulture. Its berry fruit team is widely regarded as the best in northern Europe.
Van Eldik recently presented an overview of DLV’s Quality Monitoring System (QMS), demonstrating Dutch innovation in action. It is a comprehensive crop management tool, initially developed for glasshouse and tunnel grown strawberries.
“You can manage your nature,” says van Eldik. “Knowledge and control are the keys to innovation.”
Under the QMS system, every aspect of plant propagation and growth is carefully monitored and controlled.
“The focus for glasshouses is before and after the normal season. We count on producing about 12 kilograms per square metre, and now we are going for 15, or about 150,000 kilograms per hectare,” says van Eldik. “You can only get that when you know exactly what is happening when you are growing.”
Like all successful horticulture, it starts with a good plant. DLV works with the propagators to grow the kind of plant
that will excel in the glasshouse environment. Elsanta and Sonata are the two most common varieties in Holland. Propagating cuttings from a model plant, they take the best stolon, and establish them in a soilfree environment to encourage a healthy root system, with the right shape and structure to spread and take quickly.
QMS provides support to growers using glasshouses, high tunnels, and field plantings. Each environment comes with its own challenges and monitoring issues. Even in field plantings, the Dutch are using a soil-free system, installing girdles to hold the soil back and putting in coir substrate along with whatever nutrient or water system is required.
Unlike strawberries in Canada, where soil-based berry cultivation is common, 90 per cent of strawberries in Holland are grown in coir substrate, minimizing the risk of disease, and allowing complete control of nutrients, and water. Growing in substrate
Above: Willem van Eldik, a senior fruit specialist with DLV Plant BV, surveys raspberries for a client in Spain.
Submitted photos
has also allowed some regions to overcome issues with soil acidity and establish crops that would not otherwise be possible.
To determine the start date of flower initiation DLV growers map the flowers on every plant. Data is collected on the average height of the top flowers, and on the stage of development. They then count back the number of growing day hours (GDH) to determine the timing and quantity of harvest.
“We can forecast your production before you plant,” says van Eldik, an indication of the predictive power of monitoring. “Finding out the details, that’s the innovation. Every detail is worth one kilogram of production.”
Growers using the QMS system enter critical data into DLV’s online monitoring system, such as average temperature, incident light levels, and fruit production for each crop area being monitored. For heated glasshouse crops, the weekly information may be supplemented by additional information like CO2 levels and leaf area index.
From this data, the QMS computer model provides information on how to optimize climate for maximum autumn and spring production, together with predictions on future crop yield and timing.
Growers receive a weekly report from their consultant advising them what to do with fertilizers, pesticides or other adjustments to the system.
DLV developed the Strawberry Quality Monitoring System by transferring its expertise in rose cultivation to strawberries. Over the past 10 years, the consultancy has refined the system through research and work with growers. Now, they are applying the same principles to raspberries, red currants, blueberries and other soft fruit.
The investment required for this kind of cultivation is high. A new glasshouse can cost a million euros (C$1.37 million) per hectare. Setting up a tabletop system can cost 100,000 to 125,000 euros (C$137,000 to $171,000). Even a field system can cost 25,000 to 30,000 euros (C$31,000 to $43,000). While the Dutch seem to be able to compete in the European export market based on premium fruit quality and high yields, it’s still not clear if this is feasible for Canadian growers.
“Greenhouse growers are trying to produce out of season, primarily earlier, to capture better prices,” explains Mark Sweeney, berry extension specialist with the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture. “I am not really
A healthy root system has to have the right shape and structure to spread and take quickly.
sure there is a future in this. Overhead is very high, and with California at our doorstep, pricing may not justify the expense.”
In the Fraser Valley, more fruit growers are putting tunnels over their crop to protect late harvested crops from rain, and to some extent, extend the season and increase yield and quality.
“Late crops often command the best prices,” says Sweeney. “There are also some growers trying to get their crops a bit earlier, but this is often not desirable, as early pricing is not often better. I think we will see modest growth in tunnel production, but never to the extent that it is in Europe.” ❦
red cameo® is a limb sport of standard cameo; exclusive Van Well Nursery offering; crisp, juicy, sweet-tart flavour apple; red-striped. (Dudek cv.) u.S. Plant Patent No. 19766
Courtesy of Van Well Nursery
opportune is a dark green bean; good qualities for fresh market use; produces smooth, straight, long pods; high yield potential. Matures in 54 days.
Courtesy of Seedway
Wyatt
green gold is well suited to asian crown cut markets; heads are dense, fancy with good uniformity; can be used for early spring, fall harvests. Matures in 66 days.
Courtesy of Seedway
Ba1001 exhibits strong roots yield potential outstanding; upright plant habit; straight pods with medium green colour; for canning or freezing. 58 days to maturity.
CourtesyofMonsanto
Doreno
Wyatt had very consistent yield in spring and fall of 2011; nice dark green pods, four-sieve in diameter; 5.7 inches long; upright plant; has excellent bacterial disease, virus resistance. Courtesy of Stokes Seeds
Lieutenant has small, fine beads; bluish green colour; deep green dome head; used for bunching, crowning. Matures in 80 days. Courtesy of Norseco
Doreno is a thin, yellow wax bean; high yield, uniform, some disease tolerance. Matures in 58 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
Inspiration
Baro Star forms small beads; firm, uniform medium green dome head; used for bunching, crowning; tolerates heat. Matures in 68 days.
Courtesy of Norseco
inspiration is a highquality 5.7-inch bean; upright plant; set well in the heat of 2011; also holds well in the field; has demonstrated some tolerance to season Midwest virus complex, whitefly.
Courtesy of Stokes Seeds
emerald Jewel has small beads, smooth head, neat stem; medium green dome head; multipurpose variety; tolerant to clubroot. Matures in 88 days.
Courtesy of Norseco
Bajonet Yr is a green summer cabbage; very erect plant with good soil clearance; very uniform heads. Matures in 60 days. Courtesy of Norseco
Destiny is a chinese variety; early, large with yellow interior, green exterior; some disease tolerance. Matures in 57 days.
Courtesy of Norseco
expat produces wellwrapped blue-green, round heads for fresh market use; averages three to six pounds with dense heads, short core; sturdy stems, upright growth. Matures in 62 days.
Courtesy of Seedway and Norseco
Berlin in an industrytype carrot; dark internal colour, medium core; resistant foliage; quality root. Matures in 80 days. Courtesy of Norseco
White castle has smooth, white covered heads; tolerance to riceyness; semi-dome; productive in most weather conditions. Matures in 68 days.
Courtesy of Norseco
Primo Vantage Yr is a green summer cabbage; well-wrapped head, short core. Matures in 60 days.
Courtesy of Norseco
tiara is a green summer variety; good hold in the field. Matures in 50 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
atlas is a mini-round “Paris” type carrot; strong foliage; easy to harvest and bunch; dark interior colour, small core. Matures in 56 days.
Courtesy of Norseco
cr2289 has mediumlong cylindrical roots; uniform hybrid variety; smooth appearance; can be used as a cello or jumbo carrot; demonstrated impressive yield potential in trials.
Courtesy of Monsanto and Norseco
tZ 6200 is a mid-season hybrid; medium green, smooth petioles; long internodes; tolerance to fusarium yellows. Matures in 100 days. Courtesy of Norseco
Naval is a Nantes type for slicing, fresh market; roots average eight inches in length, resist cracking; produces strong tops, few culls. Matures in 72 days. Courtesy of Seedway and Norseco
glory™ is a new sweet cherry variety that ripens about three weeks after Bing; self-fruitful, dark variety with good size; mild, sweet flavour. available Spring 2013.
Courtesy of Van Well Nursery
red canyon is a red hybrid with good uniformity; sweet taste; non-fibrous; easy to harvest, bunch; pinkish-red internal colour. Matures in 77 days.
Courtesy of Norseco
corentine is a parthenocarpic pickling variety, needs to be isolated; tolerance to cMV, powdery mildew, scab. Matures in 50 days.
Courtesy of Norseco
Red Canyon
White Castle
Dominator
Dominator is dark green; exceptional size, shape; dependable, widely adapted to all growing areas; outstanding quality, consistent production; high yields.
CourtesyofSiegersSeeds
clara is a hybrid that produces slightly ribbed fruit; white flesh; oval shape; white colour. Matures in 70 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
Mongoose has quality, uniform size and shape; dark green colour, excellent shipping ability, high yields. Multi-virus resistant disease package. Strong vines, healthy, productive.
CourtesyofSiegersSeeds
Pot Black has a small spineless fruit; oval shape, purple colour; can be harvested at baby stage; compact plant. Matures in 60 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
red Sky is an early red storage onion; refined neck, very good internal colour; produces bulbs two to three inches in size; works well for pre-pack. Matures in 103 days.
CourtesyofSeedwayand Norseco
Sangria is a red onion used for late production of large dark onions; for production of transplants only. Matures in 120 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
Proximus
Proximus is a high quality cucumber, prolific yields, fantastic taste; designed to be trellised in greenhouses and high tunnel productive culture.
CourtesyofSiegersSeeds
Punto produces smooth, glossy dark green leaves, grow rapidly; grows upright for easy harvest, resists purpling, bolting; one planting provides multiple harvests. Matures in 65 days.
CourtesyofSeedway
Purple Shine is an italian seedless type; elongated shape; purple colour. Matures in 65 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
Hendrix is a 106-day long onion; medium gold colour; long storage; globe shape; performed well over a wide geographic area in 2011.
CourtesyofStokesSeeds
albion is an early producer, nice roots, shallow to level crown; easy to clean; retains white colour in storage. Matures in 115 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
alexandra is a shelling pea; erect plant; bluish foliage; dark green pods. Matures in 57 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
Punto
Hendrix
Altesse
altesse is a shelling pea; good taste, yield and plant habit. Matures in 71 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
Archimedes
Natasha is a sweet banana pepper with BLS 123 resistance; matures early, producing long straight fruit on a strong plant.
CourtesyofSeedway
archimedes is an anthocyanless hybrid variety with intermediate resistance to Phytophthora; green to red hybrid pepper with blocky firm fruit; widely adaptable for use throughout southeastern canada. Matures in 76 days.
CourtesyofMonsantoand Seedway
orange Blaze is a sweet pepper, 2011 aaS winner; fruit quickly changes to orange; constant production. Matures in 65 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
Diablo has a blocky round shape, moderate sutures, excellent colour with strong dark green embedded handles.
CourtesyofSiegersSeeds
earlipack lives up to its name with early yields of 18- to 22-pound fruit; sizes well for early maturity; dark orange fruit, nice quality. Matures in 95 days.
CourtesyofSeedway
cardinal is a sweet pepper, green to deep red in colour; vigorous plant that maintains weight, shape all season; continuous production. Matures in 65 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
Dimitri is a sweet pepper, Shepard type with smooth, coneshaped fruit, pointed tip; vigorous, fertile plant; green to bright red fruit. Matures in 68 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
apollo is an 18- to 32-pound medium ribbed pumpkin with improved handle, attachment; has a dark orange colour with a round to upright fruit shape; has tolerance to powdery mildew.
CourtesyofStokesSeeds
Hannibal ranks very high amongst the best jack-o’-lanterns; very attractive, dark orange colour; embedded thick, dark stems; uniform size, shape with a superior yield.
CourtesyofSiegersSeeds
Big Doris is a large aladdin-type pumpkin; matures early; good yield; orange exterior. Matures in 100 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
Snowball is a small, very white pumpkin; keeps its colour in the field; very good yield. Matures in 100 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
Snowball
B2872 is a hybrid radish; bright red, perfectly round root; white interior, doesn’t become hollow; keeps colour even several days after harvest; very good yield. Matures in 21 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
Super Hong Vit is a Daikon radish sprout variety; dark green foliage with deep red petioles; looks great in mesclun, bunches. Matures in five to seven days.
CourtesyofNorseco
Quantum is a hybrid winter squash variety; medium size; large neck, small seed cavity; sweet; beige exterior; good for boxing; good yield. Matures in 85 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
unique is a hybrid, summer squash variety; fresh hazelnut taste; orange exterior colour; oval shape; high yield; good storage capacity. Matures in 55 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
Mirai 315 is a Sh2 type with sweet, small kernels; very uniform; good yield. Matures in 71 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
Paydirt is a bicolour SeSh2 type; early; good emergence, vigour, ear cover; resistant to rust. Matures in 63 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
ashley is a semi savoy for babyleaf use; performs well under cold stress; provides resistance to Downy Mildew races 1-10, White rust.
CourtesyofSeedway
Polaris provides uniform harvest of four- to fivepound fruit; high percentage of marketable fruit; shows resistance to cracking; strong vines for late-season harvests. Matures in 110 days.
CourtesyofSeedwayand Norseco
Ka-ching is a bicolour synergistic; plants are strong, adaptable, good ear placement; disease package includes resistance to Stewarts Wilt, common rust, NcLB. Produces large, wellfilled nine-inch ears.
CourtesyofSeedwayand Norseco
Profit is a bicolour SeSh2 type; good emergence vigour, wellfilled tip, good ear cover; sweet taste, tender kernels. Matures in 68 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
311 Bc is a Sh2 type, extremely sweet taste; excellent vigour, uniform, and yield; dark well-covered, well-filled ear. Matures in 70 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
xtra-tender Brand 2170 is the next generation xtra-tender Brand; incredible plant, husk appearance, attractive ear and seedling vigour.
CourtesyofSiegersSeeds
Mirai
celebration is great for fresh specialty markets, baby leaf; high percentage of red, yellow, orange, pink petioles; foliage savoyed. Matures in 58 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
BSS 832 is a productive variety for main season fresh market, shipping use, yielding fruit 10- to 12-size range; vigorous plant protects fruit, provides plenty of cover; dark red interior. Matures in 75 days.
CourtesyofSeedway
red Bounty is a fresh market tomato; vigorous, strong plant; medium in maturity; good heat set; high yield; fruit are extra large, smooth; very good quality.
CourtesyofStokesSeeds
red Deuce is a fresh market tomato that matures two to four days later than the standard early Primo red; has medium-sized plant with extra large fruit; very good quality, high yields.
CourtesyofStokesSeeds
7167 is seedless; sweet, firm, crunchy red flesh; holds well in field; round shape. Matures in 83 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
citation is an early seedless; offers a jump-start to season with 12- to 14-pound crimson type fruit; rind is dark; interior deep red. Matures in 68 days. CourtesyofSeedwayand Norseco
Lizzano
Lizzano is a small-fruited tomato; 2011 aaS winner; trailing habit; good yield; small, sweet, juicy fruit; red colour; medium-sized plant. Matures in 50 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
Pink Star is a round pink tomato with firm fruit; large-sized plant; disease tolerant. Matures in 65 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
tachi is an italian-style tomato; large and extra large fruit; thick skin; good storage capacity; medium-sized plant. Matures in 72 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
tasti Lee is a round red hybrid created for the fresh market; high level of lycopene; rich red inside and out; remains firm at maturity; medium plant. Matures in 64 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
Fascination is seedless; very uniform fruit; good fruit set, high yield potential; firm red flesh; oval shaped. Matures in 85 days.
CourtesyofNorseco
Sweet Polly is a medium large triploid with strong vines, exceptional rind appearance. Highquality dark red flesh, firm with small pips. resistance to Fusarium Wilt and anthracnose race 1.
CourtesyofSiegersSeeds
Pink Star
New organic strawberry handbook released
Growing Strawberries Organically is the newest handbook published by Canadian Organic Growers (COG) in its Practical Skills series of technical manuals for organic agriculture.
According to reports, consumer demand is pushing organic production to be the fastest-growing sector in agriculture, and this book will help all Canadian strawberry growers enter this high-demand market. This handbook is also relevant to any producer who wishes to reduce chemical applications.
In organic systems, caring for the soil is key, both to provide growing nutrients and to reduce pressure from weeds, pests and diseases. Growing Strawberries Organically is based on farm-tested cultural practices and includes the stories of several Canadian growers sharing what works and what doesn’t, with advice on topics as diverse as cover crops, insect control, marketing and “weeder geese.”
“Consumers frequently contact us to find where they can buy organic strawberries or you-picks, since conventional strawberries rank very high for pesticide residues.” said Beth McMahon, executive director of COG. “But there are large gaps in the marketplace and many communities across Canada that have no local berry production.”
The Practical Skills series and other handbooks are available from Canadian Organic Growers at www.cog.ca or by phone at 1-888-375-7383 (Canada) or 1-613-216-0741. The cost is $22.
Growing Strawberries Organically was funded in part through adaptation
programming provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Watch for pH problems in older asparagus fields
Most commercial asparagus growers have their fields on a regular soil-testing program. Usually that is once every two years, but it is sometimes yearly. Unfortunately, even when growers are regularly soil testing and following the soil test recommendations, pH problems can develop as a field ages.
The widespread use of the no-till system of production can speed development of pH problems in asparagus fields. Most nitrogen fertilizers are acid-forming by nature and in no-till systems where these materials are applied to the surface once or twice per season, acid layers can develop two to three inches below the surface.
Another cause of rapid development of low pH spots in asparagus fields is the sandy texture of soils planted to the crop. The pH drops quicker in sandier, lower organic matter soils. Where the texture varies within a field, look for pH problems to develop first on the sandiest spots.
Growers often notice asparagus fern growing on these sandier spots is shorter and there are fewer ferns per crown. Developing pH problems are often easiest to notice from a “High-boy”-type sprayer. If the person in charge of spraying is not also the person in charge of soil testing, it may make sense to have the soil testers ride the sprayer once during fern season to spot these problems. Flagging tape or GPS positioning units can be used to mark these problem spots, and separate samples should then be taken to check the pH of the problem spots.
Another, more expensive, way to identify these spots is to employ precision farming techniques where samples are taken on small grids, or in small zones, decreasing the chances of missing isolated pH problems. Once the low pH spots have been identified, separate lime applications can be made to these problem spots.
It is better to detect isolated pH problems early. Asparagus is a no-till crop in most of Michigan, and lime is applied to the surface and not incorporated after application. This means that to bring up pH after it has dropped will take longer because rainwater or irrigation must solubilize and move the
lime into the soil, which is a slower process than when lime is incorporated.
Hort industry enthusiastic about border plan
Canada’s horticultural industry is enthusiastic about the Joint Action Plan initiatives proposed recently.
CHC president Jack Bates notes that “the Joint Action Plan Initiatives related to financial risk mitigation tools, crop protection product approvals, a perimeter approach to plant protection and common approaches to food safety are exactly what industry has been seeking for many years.”
These, along with a number of other items will help enhance producer competitiveness and lead to further innovation in horticulture.
Specifically, the Joint Action Plan initiatives will benefit Canada’s Horticultural industry by:
• Focusing Canadian and U.S. efforts on enhanced collaboration in food safety and activities to allow for assessment and possible recognition of system comparability.
• Allowing greater access for producers to tools available to manage production problems by further aligning crop protection product (e.g., pesticides) approvals and establishment of maximum pesticide residue limits/tolerances.
• Assisting with financial risk mitigation associated with the damage caused by the introduction and spread of harmful plant pests, diseases and invasive alien species.
• Developing a perimeter approach to plant protection with a view to leveraging each country’s efforts to mutual advantage and, where possible, streamlining certification requirements for cross-border shipments.
“This is a good day and our industry is committed to working with officials to ensure successful implementation of the action initiatives” added Bates.
Detailed background on the Joint Action Plan for the Canada-United States Regulatory Cooperation Council, the areas of co-operation and what the initiatives will mean are available at www.borderactionplan.gc.ca.
New Products
Drum handling with X-Frame lifting design
The new roll or drum handling lifting frame from Packline incorporates an X-Frame design ideally suited for close access to the corner of pallets when lifting drums or rolls of film or packaging material. Packline’s range of stainless steel drum handling equipment is ideally suited for clean room environments such as food, drinks and medical processing industries.
The option of the X-Frame design provides close access to the corner of pallets rather than the more traditional side of pallet loading or unloading. The drum handling lifters are available in both stainless steel for clean room agri-business environments or painted mild steel for warehouse environments. Castors at the front of the lifter enable multi directional movement.
The X-Frame design allows for easier loading and unloading of rolls and drums
via the corner of pallet, rather than more traditional side loading.
This style of lifting equipment is ideally suited for closely packed rolls or drums, or where there may be limited access to the external circumference of the roll or drum.
The stainless steel drum handling equipment is capable of lifting loads up to 300 kg. The heavy-duty drum handling equipment has lifting capacities of up to 1,200 kg.
A full range of lifting and handling attachments is available for this style of lifting frame, including bespoke roll and drum lifting attachments.
The lifting attachments can be supplied permanently fixed to the lifter or fully interchangeable using the unique quick release system.
Any lifting frame leg length or pallet size can be catered for.
Bespoke attachments can be designed to provide a lifting and handling solution for most types of roll, reel, drum or barrel.
www.packline.co.uk
Case IH unveils power equipment
Designed to deliver more power, burn less fuel and meet Tier 4 emissions standards, Case IH has released a family of equipment utilizing Efficient Power technologies. The introduction of the new Case IH AxialFlow® 30 Series combines, Patriot® 4430 sprayer and Maxxum® tractors complements the Steiger®, Magnum™ and Puma® tractors that went into service last winter.
According to the company, Case IH Efficient Power equates to equipment and technology that is powerful, smart and simple.
P.Ag. stands for “Professional Agrologist”. T.Ag. stands for “Technical Agrologist”. These two designations represent the highest quality advice and support for agriculture, agri-business and resource management challenges. Does your agriculture specialist meet the highest standards of professional knowledge and integrity?
To find a professional in your area, visit www.oia.on.ca or call 1-866-339-7619
International Educated Professional Agrologists Project -An Ontario Bridge Training Program for Internationally Trained Individuals Funded by:
emissions requirements, but also improves engine responsiveness and can reduce fuel consumption by 10 per cent on average,” said Kyle Russell, senior director of marketing with Case IH North America. “It is hands-down, the best approach for high-horsepower ag equipment, especially when you consider high load requirements and how important fuel efficiency and maintenance costs are to farmers.”
New additions to the Case IH Efficient Power family, featuring the SCR technology, include:
• The Patriot 4430 sprayer.
• The Maxxum tractor lineup, now equipped with enhanced operator controls, fuel-saving engines and more powerful hydraulics.
• The Magnum 370 CVT tractor, which is set to debut in late 2012 as the highest horsepower mechanical front-drive (MFD) tractor on the market at 419 maximum boosted engine horsepower.
• The new Case IH Axial-Flow 30 Series combines.
Other new Case IH products include:
• New Farmall B compact tractors, which include four models ranging from 30 to 50 hp.
• Upgraded AFS Pro 700 touch screen monitor with a new Variety Tracking function.
“Farmers only get one shot at every growing season, and many variables, like weather, markets and government regulation, are out of their control,” says Russell. “Our goal is to help farmers to be ready to take their best shot and maximize what they can control in the most efficient way possible.”
www.caseih.com
Elite Bio Twine
A.M.A. Hydroponics is pleased to introduce Elite® Bio Twine, a bio-degradable twine for greenhouse grown pepper and tomato crops, from Lankhorst Yarns of the Netherlands and Portugal.
Elite Bio Twine is made of sustainable INGEO® PLA, which is soft and flexible, UV resistant, easily strong enough for the entire life of a pepper or tomato crop (excluding beefsteak for the moment) with minimal degradation during the crop life. The twine degrades in a proper compost pile in seven weeks and, after two years of trials in Europe, is now ready for wide distribution.
Elite Bio Twine is made for tomato
hook winding and will not stretch or become stressed with weak points. In pepper crops, the twine reportedly will not creep (stretch) over the life of the crop. This saves labour in resetting wire height or retying the twine and the crop continues to receive high light levels.
www.amahydroponics.com
Bauer Group linear irrigation systems
In times of shortage of resources it is getting more and more important to use resources as sparingly as possible. The availability of two factors – water and power – cannot be taken for granted. With its linear irrigation systems, the Austrian rain specialist Bauer has launched an optimal solution for purposeful utilization of resources.
“Thanks to the distribution of small water quantities at ground level, there is insignificant evaporation or seepage – 90 per cent of the humidity is directly available to the crops,” said product manager Johann Gallaun, explaining the advantages of irrigation with low-pressure nozzles.
With a working pressure of less than one bar, gentle irrigation of the plants is ensured. For water supply, an input pressure of only 3.5 bar is necessary, which results in high energy efficiency. Neither energy nor water is lost through friction or due to extensive distribution.
“We achieve an efficiency of up to 90
per cent whereas flooding achieves a maximum efficiency of 50 per cent and reel irrigation 75 per cent,” said Gallaun.
The system largely works automatically. Half kW motors are used to move the irrigator in lines across the irrigation field. If necessary, the motors for forward run are connected as well. The weight is distributed optimally so that there is practically no noteworthy soil pressure.
The advantages are evident: shortest working time because of fully-automatic operation, lowest energy consumption because of low-pressure system, smallest losses because of distribution at ground level, and most gentle irrigation because of smallest drop size.
In addition to the efficiency, it is its appropriateness for large-area use that makes Bauer’s linear systems so interesting. In Argentina, they are running a machine irrigating a length of 4,000 metres and a width of 1,250 metres.
The Pro-Module control unit was developed by Bauer some years ago and has earned innovation awards at various international shows. It has been enhanced with a GPS control and is now called PRO G Module. Via satellite, the GPS control unit constantly monitors the position of the irrigation machine. The data attained can always be transmitted to any other data medium by means of an installed modem. Hence this system can practically be controlled and monitored from the living room. A big advantage is that all these technical improvements are available at almost the same price as the older electromechanical control systems.
With these developments Bauer has demonstrated again its spirit of innovation and pioneering on the worldwide irrigation market.
www.bauer-at.com
LIFT TRUCKS
LIFT TRUCKS
New
New and Used, Sales, Rentals, Service and Parts (We rent rotators)
New and Used, Sales, Rentals, Service and Parts (We rent rotators)
Plastic Containers, Conveyors, Tilters & Dumpers, Anti-Fatigue Matting, Pallet Trucks, Dock Equipment And Much More
Plastic Containers, Conveyors, Tilters & Dumpers, Anti-Fatigue Matting, Pallet Trucks, Dock Equipment And Much More
495 Prince Charles Drive South Welland, Ontario, Canada, L3B 5X1
495 Prince Charles Drive South Welland, Ontario, Canada, L3B 5X1
Phone: (905) 788-0971 • Toll Free: 1-800-461-3901
Phone: (905) 788-0971 • Toll Free: 1-800-461-3901
Plastic Containers, Conveyors, Tilters & Dumpers, Anti-Fatigue Matting, Pallet Trucks, Dock Equipment And Much More 495 Prince Charles Drive South Welland, Ontario, Canada, L3B 5X1 Phone: (905) 788-0971 • Toll Free: 1-800-461-3901 Fax: (905) 788-2557
Fax: (905) 788-2557
Fax: (905) 788-2557
Email: bill.alton@liftline.ca
Email: bill.alton@liftline.ca
bill.alton@liftline.ca
Protect with the power of Titan.
Keep your potatoes’ potential at full strength with TitanTM, the broadest spectrum insecticide available. It gives you everything you need to produce stronger plants and higher yields year after year. Titan overpowers all major above-ground pests while reducing damage caused by wireworm.
