Assessing tunnels for berries
Grower input helps determine if tunnels are beneficial in North America | 14
Lasers shine light on birds
Life in the Okanagan is a bit quieter thanks to new technology that deters birds | 16
Getting a bigger slice of the pie
Marketing Matters with Cathy Bartolic | 22
May 2018
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Taking toys and putting them to work
Discovering and developing a role for UAV’s in Canada’s fruit and vegetable industry
Assessing tunnels for fresh-market berries
Grower input helps experts determine if tunnels are beneficial. BY
RONDA PAYNE
Lasers shine light on bird control
Life in Okanagan is a bit quieter thanks to new technology that deters birds using lasers. BY
PETER MITHAM
Marketing Matters
Getting a bigger slice of the consumer pie. BY
CATHY BARTOLIC
My husband is always reminding me not to read the online comment sections of news articles. “They’ll only aggravate you,” he says, before listing off the numerous times I’ve almost had a stroke yelling at my computer screen.
But I’m a sucker for punishment – or possibly a slow learner. Again and again, I read past the end of the article and wade into the world of ignorant statements, well meaning rebuttal, keyboard comedians and blatant trolling. A few minutes later, I’m typically gnashing my teeth and muttering while my husband just shakes his head.
A recent article in the National Post had me particularly incensed. Not that there was anything wrong with the report itself. Written by Vanessa Hrvatin, it discussed the recent move by the federal government to launch unannounced checks of ag businesses employing temporary foreign workers and the farming community’s frustration at the move. It appeared balanced, presenting facts while explaining both sides of the issue and
government for enforcing the law,” read another comment. “The inspections are taking place obviously because there have been reports of abuses. Foreign workers are being employed instead of Canadians because they can more easily absorb employer violations of labour legislation without complaining.”
Where do people come up with this garbage? Do they think Canada is comparable to the U.S. during slavery? Does anyone even bother learning about what is required and expected under the Temporary Foreign Worker program and the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program? It would appear not.
I felt for the one reader who consistently commented on every misinformed statement. “Most of the people posting here are too lazy or too stupid to know the real facts,” he eventually stated, apparently fed up with the onslaught of ignorance. Who could blame him?
Thankfully, it would appear the Canadian Horticultural Council plans to do something about the backlash
“Do they think Canada is comparable to the U.S. during slavery? ”
providing farmers an opportunity to voice their concerns. But then I had to go and press the Comments button.
“Obviously farmers hire them instead of Canadians because they’ll work for lower wages,” one of the first comments states.
Oh snap!
While numerous readers responded with the truth – farmers hire foreign workers because they can’t find Canadian workers to do the job and the workers are paid the same rate as a Canadian worker would be – the ignorant statements just kept on coming.
“Three cheers for the Trudeau
and the need for efficiencies in the worker program. The organization passed a resolution at its recent annual meeting resolving to unite with other Canadian agriculture and agri-food associations to create “a public relations strategy aimed at pressuring the government and gaining the voters’ support in order to improve the efficiency of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and public recognition of the necessity for Canadian farmers.”
Based on the comments being expressed about Canadian farmers and the worker program online, time is of the essence.
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It was amazing to get a chance to network with other women in the industry from around the country. Was an awesome conference. Loved the speakers. All very empowering. – Julie V., Norton, New Brunswick And prepare to be inspired. Acquire the life skills you need to reach your goals and live your life to your full
Network with women passionate about agriculture. Register today! Visit advancingwomenconference.ca or phone 403-686-8407. Come early and join the AWC Wine Tour on October 14!
Nearly two years after its parent company, Kubota Corporation, acquired the five divisions of Great Plains Manufacturing Inc., including several facilities in Kansas, Kubota Canada Ltd. (KCL) is pleased to announce it has taken over the distribution of Great Plains equipment from La Coop fédérée for Quebec and Atlantic Canada.
“Everything we’ve done over the past years has been
geared towards customer satisfaction and brand loyalty,” said Bob Hickey, president of KCL. “That’s what drove us to not only expand our product line through acquisitions such as Great Plains Manufacturing, but also invest in our distribution network, so that current and potential clients could access an expanded range of high-quality products when the time came to invest in their farm equipment.”
Apple and lavender grower Harold Schooley and crop protection specialist Craig Hunter are the winners of the 2018 Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) Industry Award of Merit. The awards were presented at the OFVGA annual banquet in Niagara Falls. Schooley has farmed in Norfolk County since the mid-1970s, growing apples and more recently adding lavender production to
his family’s operation. He joined the OFVGA board of directors as chair of the research section in 2004, a role he held until the section was retired. During his tenure as research section chair, Schooley reviewed hundreds of research proposals for industry relevance, attended countless researchrelated meetings and events, and represented the grower viewpoint during research priority setting. He is a board
member and past chair of Ontario Agri-Food Technologies, and an active member of the Norfolk Fruit Growers. Schooley lives with his wife Jan on their third-generation family orchard near Simcoe. Hunter has dedicated his career to crop protection, spending 30 years with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) before joining the OFVGA to work on behalf of horticulture growers.
200 million
4-7
average number of eggs laid per clutch
$800 million estimated population in North America average cost of damage done by birds in U.S. per year
30% amount of blueberry crop lost annually to birds longest a European starling has lived 22 years
Hunter helped establish the Pest Management Centre in 2003 and was also instrumental in launching the Ontario Pesticide Education Program. He’s the longest serving member of the Ontario Pesticide Advisory Committee, chairs the national Minor Use Priority Setting meetings, and is a driving force behind the Global Minor Use Summits. Hunter lives in Simcoe with his wife, Jane.
1890 about the time birds were introduced to North America
2
average number of clutches per bird per year
20,000+
average size of a winter flock
Greenbelt Fund investments in local food production capacity making it easier to meet customer demand.
For farmers looking to diversify revenue and increase profits, valued-added products offer big returns but require big investments in equipment. New facilities are cropping up to provide farmers with access to industrial kitchens and packaging services. These incubators, accelerators and commercializers (IACs) are making it easier for farmers to grow their businesses without breaking the bank.
The Greenbelt Fund, a non-profit dedicated to increasing markets for local food, is getting behind these facilities to increase farm income and boost rural economies. Last spring, the Greenbelt Fund supported the Ontario Agri-food Venture Centre (OAFVC) with a $32,400 investment. The OAFVC offers access to a fully-equipped commercial kitchen and packaging line, which is bringing more products to the market to meet growing demand.
“We believed that there was demand for a facility that could help support entrepreneurs and create secondsource farm income for the agricultural community,” says Dan Borowec, Director of Economic Development and Tourism for Northumberland County, which operates the OAFVC. “One of our clients is a young woman out of Peterborough who produces a product called “Nice Cream”. It’s a product with no milk in it,
basically a whipped fruit product. She just got national distribution and has done quite well.”
The facility has seen tremendous demand, with clients needing more capacity. In particular demand was the liquid bottle filler – for sauces and cold drinks. The single-head filler wasn’t cutting it.
“We went to the Greenbelt Fund because we have clients who are moving towards the next stage of their growth and would benefit from having [an eight-head filler] to help them,” explains Borowec.
In Peterborough, Andi van Koeverden is expecting similar demand when the new Food Business Innovation Center opens at the Mount Community Centre this spring. With the support of a $58,000 investment from the Greenbelt Fund, the facility aims to scale up production for farmers currently limited by what their own kitchens can handle.
“The Mount Community Centre’s Kitchen will offer food entrepreneurs and food producers the opportunity to step up their production in a larger environment, so that their recipes can be scaled for bigger batches and their productivities increased,” says van Koeverden, Director of Strategic Advancement. “Certified, industrial kitchens are an investment for certain,
so we are pleased to offer rental zones within to food producers and entrepreneurs, within our kitchen, to reduce their overhead costs and maximize their revenues.”
We’re
investing in these facilities because we see food incubators as a real opportunity to increase farm income.
— GREENBELT FUND “ “
The Mount is hoping to help farmers quickly process vulnerable foods. For example, they already have interest from a local berry farm to batch off jams and jellies in large quantities to sell at the farm gate or farmers’ market throughout the year.
For the Greenbelt Fund, supporting IACs is about diversifying the local food market, increasing margins for producers and growing the local food economy.
“We’re investing in these facilities because we see food incubators as a real opportunity to increase farm income,” says Franco Naccarato, Program Manager at the Greenbelt Fund. “From developing and testing out products to scaling up production of already popular items, farmers can expand their offerings and extend their seasons by taking advantage of IACs. It’s all about supporting more local food across Ontario.”
The Greenbelt Fund changes the way we eat by investing in projects that bring more Ontario food to Ontarians’ plates, with financial support from the Government of Ontario.
A new lightweight, low-cost agricultural robot could transform data collection and field scouting for agronomists, seed companies and farmers.
The TerraSentia crop phenotyping robot, developed by a team of scientists at the University of Illinois, was featured recently at the 2018 Energy Innovation Summit Technology Showcase in National Harbor, Md.
Traveling autonomously between crop rows, the robot measures the traits of individual plants using a variety of sensors, including cameras, and transmits the data in real time to the operator’s phone or laptop computer. A custom app and tablet computer that come with the robot enable the operator to steer the robot using virtual reality and GPS.
TerraSentia is customizable and teachable, according to the researchers, who currently are developing machine-learning algorithms to “teach” the robot to detect and identify common diseases, and to measure a growing variety of traits, such as plant and corn ear height, leaf area index and biomass.
At 24 pounds, TerraSentia is so lightweight that it can roll over young plants without damaging them. The 13-inch-wide robot is also compact and portable – an agronomist could easily toss it on a truck seat or in a car trunk to transport it to the field.
TerraSentia fills “a big gap in the current agricultural equipment market” between massive machinery that cultivates or sprays many acres quickly and human workers who can perform tasks requiring precision but move much more slowly, Chowdhary said.
As part of a phased introduction process, several major seed companies, large U.S. universities and overseas partners are field-testing 20 of the TerraSentia robots this spring through an early adopter program. The robot is expected to become available to farmers in about three years, with some models costing less than $5,000.
The robot is being made available to crop scientists and commercial crop breeders for the 2018 breeding season through EarthSense Inc.
A compound in beets that gives the vegetable its distinctive red colour could eventually help slow the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the brain, a process that is associated with Alzheimer’s disease. “Our data suggest that betanin, a compound in beet extract, shows some promise as an inhibitor of certain chemical reactions in the brain that are involved in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease,” says Li-June Ming, Ph.D.
Scientists are still trying to figure out what causes Alzheimer’s disease but one prime suspect is beta-amyloid, a sticky protein fragment, or peptide, that accumulates in the brain, disrupting communication between brain cells called neurons. Much of this damage occurs, Ming says, when beta-amyloid attaches itself to metals such as iron or copper. These metals can cause beta-amyloid peptides to misfold and bind together in clumps that can promote inflammation and oxidation in nearby neurons, eventually killing them.
Previous research conducted by other scientists suggests that beetroot juice can improve oxygen flow to the aging brain and possibly improve cognitive
performance. Building on this work, researchers at the University of South Florida wanted to find out if betanin, a beet compound used in commercial dyes that readily binds to metals, could block the effects of copper on beta-amyloid and, in turn, prevent the misfolding of these peptides and the oxidation of neurons.
In lab studies, the researchers conducted a series of experiments involving a compound used as a model substance for tracking the chemistry of oxidation. Using visible spectrophotometry, the scientists measured the oxidative reaction of the compound when exposed to betaamyloid only, beta-amyloid bound to copper, and copper-bound beta-amyloid in a mixture containing betanin. On its own, beta-amyloid caused little or no oxidation. However, as expected, beta-amyloid bound to copper induced substantial oxidation. But when betanin was added to the copper-bound betaamyloid mixture, the researchers found oxidation dropped by as much as 90 per cent, suggesting that misfolding of the peptides was potentially suppressed.
Stainless steel is the gold standard for kitchen appliances and cookware. But bacteria can grow on stainless steel surfaces, contaminating food.
“Stainless steel is frequently used in the health care industry and for food processing, but not a lot of research has been done to prevent bacteria from growing on these surfaces,” Buket Demir, Ph.D. says.
Current efforts to avoid such bacterial growth incorporate silver or copper ions, which can be pricey. There are also health concerns as silver could leach from the stainless steel and into foods that are later consumed.
Scientists have previously added molecules called N-halamines to textiles for their antimicrobial properties because it is easy to attach these substances to cotton. These compounds are affordable, chemically stable and nontoxic to humans. Demir, a postdoctoral researcher at Auburn University, wants to expand
the use of N-halamines into the medical and food industries.
Other groups have linked N-halamine polymers to stainless steel surfaces with the aid of a binder, but the Auburn team has now shown, for the first time, that N-halamine can be attached to stainless steel directly. To do this, the researchers first roughed up the surface with hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid. When the researchers put bacteria on the coated surface, the microbes did not grow. Demir tested many types of bacteria. All of the bacteria tested were killed within 15 minutes of coming into contact with the treated surface.
Early testing showed that the N-halamine polymer coating was effective for five rounds of killing bacteria before it lost some of that activity. Further, Demir says, “we could regenerate the antibacterial activity of the coated surface by simply wiping it down with a diluted bleach solution.”
“I have specialized in organic growing techniques for over 20 years with a variety of commercial crops throughout Indonesia, Europe and North America. I am very pleased with the AVIVE™ process to enhance propagation, manage against infestation and improve shelf life. I’ve had experience with H2O2 before; the AVIVE™ process overcomes the traditional weaknesses of H2O2; it’s more powerful yet remains in residual. I think this is a genuine breakthrough in water management and we have already enjoyed competitive advantage as a result of using it.”
- Marco De Leonardis, Head of R&D at Freeman Herbs
It doesn’t matter how much, how often or what type of other nutrients they’re given, plants won’t thrive without high quality water.
And not all water is equal. Plants know when they’re getting the best - they’ll grow bigger, faster and healthier.
And when your plants know, you’ll know.
“When agricultural water is used effectively and safely, production and crop yield are positively affected… Management strategies are the most important way to improve agricultural water use and maintain optimal production and yield.” - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016
AVIVE™ Water Productivity Programs provide superior water productivity through effective management, biosecurity and innovative technology.
Developed by water solutions provider, SanEcoTec, the AVIVE™ Water Productivity Program is an award-winning combination of alternative water treatments and effective management technologies.
The results: increased plant yields, improved shelf life and the best choice in water for any Grower.
At an organic greenhouse in Southwestern Ontario, basil plants treated with AVIVE™ water had 20-29% greater fresh weight for shoots and roots than plants treated with municipal water and lasted longer on the shelves.
In an agro research facility in Europe, tomato seedlings had improved growth rates, more leaves and greater weights of shoots than the control group.
Better, more consistent plants means less overall waste.
AVIVE™ can provide the best in water. Quality without compromise.
AVIVE™ provides effective control of biofilm formation in pipes and microbial pathogens in water, all without the use of harsh chemicals.
The General Manager at California Masterplant Inc. called it “the most inexpensive insurance I could ever buy.”
To ensure consistent performance standards, the same principles guide every AVIVE™ Program. Each Program is tailored by an in-house team of water engineers and scientists to match the needs of the Grower and
the challenges of their water.
Starting with Discovery to measure baselines and identify possible risks, program development continues with a Technical Review and Design phase before Implementation and Optimization of AVIVE™ Technology.
The AVIVE™ Technology
Every AVIVE™ Program is different but the results are always the same. Better, more productive water.
All AVIVE™ Programs employ a novel water disinfectant, Huwa-San® Peroxide (HSP), combined with innovative control and monitoring technologies that allow real-time feedback for dose management.
Huwa-San® Peroxide (HSP) is a foodgrade, NSF and Eco-Cert approved, new generation of hydrogen peroxide with enhanced stability and targeted reactivity.
Researchers at Queen’s University (Kingston, Ontario) have found HSP to be a superior disinfectant compared to chlorine and generic hydrogen peroxide in terms of biofilm and microbial control.
SPI™, a real-time control and monitoring technology, allows remote monitoring of HSP and pH level in water. The technology can be retrofitted to measure highly coloured or turbid water.
AVIVE™ Programs also include cellular ATP testing (cATP) to provide rapid feedback and real-time insight on the microbiological quality of the water, allowing preventive measures and process optimization.
AVIVE™ can integrate easily and effectively with many existing irrigation systems.
“From first being introduced to SanEcoTec and their AVIVE™ process, I had a sense from our growers this was something to take seriously. SanEcoTec are water treatment experts and this knowledge and experience is something our industry is in need of. Anyone can offer the newest mousetrap but a holistic systems approach means: checkpoints throughout the process, engineering expertise, implementation follow through, after sales support and verification; these are the factors that give me confidence that we made the right choice.” - Andrew Hendriks Jr., Hendriks Greenhouses
To make an AVIVE™ Program part of your operation, or to learn more, contact Sean Woodland, Director of Sales at 613.483.5043 or by e-mail at Sean.Woodland@SanEcoTec.com.
Discovering and developing a role for UAV’s in Canada’s fruit and vegetable industry
BY TOM WALKER
It would be nice to be able to stand up and look out over your whole field at once, with a “bird’s eye view, to see how it is progressing. A camera mounted on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle [UAV or drone] can do that for you. The various types of images that can be captured from a UAV are able to provide a range of data that can improve the precision of a fruit and/or vegetable grower’s operation.
“It’s a quick and easy way of looking at your field,” explains Tom Elliot. An agrologist and principal with Madrone Environmental Services, Elliot was speaking about UAV use at the Pacific Agriculture show in January. “UAVs are rapidly transitioning from recreational to
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industrial uses.”
UAVs provide a data collection platform that can be deployed on mass to help famers make management decisions.
“It’s just like any other data collection tool.” Elliot says. “You have to consider if you will get a return on your investment.”
With the increasing need to achieve maximum potential yield from a field, UAV collected imagery may help a farmer with tools to reach that goal.
“Being precise about your inputs is becoming more critical in agriculture,” says Eliot. “That is particularly true in the B.C. Fraser Valley where the cost of land is so high.”
The various types of images that can be captured from a UAV are able to provide a range of data that can improve the precision of a fruit and/or vegetable grower’s operation.
A farmer must first identify the gaps in his information, says Elliot.
“What is it that you want to know about your operation,” he asks. “Then, how, and with what imaging tools will you gather that information, and how will you interpret the data to support the better management of your crop?”
Currently, the imagery gathered from a UAV can provide a farmer with descriptive and diagnostic tools and data managers are working toward predictive formulas to estimate irrigation and nutrient requirements and potential yield.
There are four commonly employed data technologies that can each provide a different range of information to a grower.
The first is a high quality colour photograph. Sometimes referred to as RGB, (Red Green Blue) the high-resolution photos represent what the human eye would see from a plane. They allow the farmer to observe the layout and status of his crop, and check infrastructure and easements. Planting density, leaf-out or growth progress can also be noted, as well as any planting gaps that need to be addressed. Photos are of limited value for detecting areas of plant stress, unless it is severe [typically beyond rescue] and work best when a crop is at full canopy. It is not a good tool for showing variances in plant vigour.
Near Infrared Imagery, or NIR, detects the reflection of a specific type of light from chlorophyll within plant cells. It displays information that would normally be invisible to the human eye. An NIR image [or map] typically shows areas of highly vigorous crops in bright red, and weak crops or bare soil in gray to blue tones. NIR helps data managers identify areas of plant stress that could be the result of nutrient management, water management, plant disease, or pests.
That NIR data can be further refined into a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, or NDVI, to produce an NDVI map, which shows crop vigour with a much higher
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An near infrared image [or map] typically shows areas of highly vigorous crops in bright red, and weak crops or bare soil in gray to blue tones.
differentiation. NDVI images display a range of crop variation even if an entire field is relatively strong, or relatively poor. NDVI maps are typically displayed as the inverse of an NIR image. Green areas show high crop vigor, while red is low.
Both of these image types can identify areas of “need” in a crop field, and experienced data interpreters with a background on the crop can begin to diagnose a problem [for example, how the difference between water stress and pest stress is presented in the imagery]. However, they are not a substitute for boots on the ground to investigate and prove the cause of the lack of vigor that the images are showing.
“Think of UAV imagery as a trouble shooting map,” says Elliot. “It guides you to areas that need more attention in order to optimize results, but would otherwise have gone unnoticed until some degree of crop loss occurred.”
A further consideration is the timing and frequency of the data collection. Do you wish to check your field after planting has been established to see where there are gaps that may need over-seeding? Later on in the season, do you wish to re-check for vigour to clarify if a nutrient adjustment has made a difference? Or after a hot dry spell, do want to look for stressed plants, particularly in a zone of porous, sandy, soil that may not retain much moisture from irrigation.
“The ease and speed of UAV data collection allows you to monitor more frequently and over time to track changes in your field.” – Tom Elliott
Thermal images from a UAV provide a fourth data set of use in a farming operation. Thermal images measure the heat emitted from all objects and will allow you to identify soil moisture differences, and even the integrity of under ground irrigation systems, as well as aid in water demand and evapotranspiration calculations.
“This is all important information as water use efficiency is becoming an important part of farming,” notes Elliot.
“The ease and speed of UAV data collection allows you to monitor more frequently and over time to track changes in your field,” Elliot explains.
Cranberry fields are not great places to walk, but they make ideal candidates for UAV monitoring. Elliot recalls work with a cranberry grower in Delta, B.C. The fields were suffering from loss of vitality leading to low production. The grower was looking to identify specific areas of his fields to target soil and nutrient remediation. Using a combination of thermal and vegetation index imagery, Elliot was able to pinpoint specific areas for a change in nutrient application and areas that needed greater rehabilitation of the soil and replanting. •
With new plastic options coming to market that help to reduce the volume of waste, looking at tunnels for growing berries has seen an increase in interest.
Grower input helps experts determine if tunnels are beneficial in North America’s climates.
BY RONDA PAYNE
Using tunnels to provide a more consistent environment for raspberries and strawberries has been employed around the world, but less so in North America. Kathy Demchak from the Department of Plant Science at Penn State University has surveyed growers and conducted research on the use of tunnels in growing fresh-market strawberries and raspberries to help growers determine if the option is viable in their own field.
“Tunnels do provide some degree of control over the environment,” says Demchak.
That control is the number one reason growers turn to tunnels as a management option, but control comes with a price tag. Low tunnels,
which cover the length of a bed, are the most affordable, but they only last one growing season and protect the plants (not the workers) from the elements. Their cousin, the high tunnel, can be single or multi-bay. “Multi-bay tunnels are used to cover large areas,” Demchak notes. Multi-bay structures are typically bays of 200 to 300 feet long and 24 feet wide that are then attached or tied together providing more structural integrity. Like single-bay tunnels, the hoop frames are covered with six to eight mil clear plastic that will generally last about three growing seasons. Proper installation is the prime dictator of longer plastic life. Snow loads and wind may require
taking the plastic down in some regions but single bay tunnels can usually stay in place year-round.
With new plastic options coming to market that help to reduce the volume of waste, looking at tunnels for growing berries has seen an increase in interest. Growers in Canada can learn from the experiences of others before making the commitment.
In 2010 and 2011, a high tunnel survey was done among three strawberry grower groups – potential high-tunnel berry growers, current high-tunnel berry growers and former high tunnel berry growers. All were experienced berry growers.
“Fruit appearance was the number one reason,” says Demchak of why growers were using tunnels in both everbearing and June bearing berries.
In June bearing, growers’ second reason for using tunnels was the ability to harvest while it was raining and the second reason for everbearing was increased yield. June bearing growers also reported that prices and yields didn’t justify the expense of tunnels, but in everbearing, many planned to increase their tunneled acreage.
While the high tunnels cost more than low-tunnels, most everbearing growers reported payback in two to three years. The ability to work within the structure at any time and the controlled environment lengthens the harvest season, increases yields, creates a higher percentage of marketable fruit, allows for longer shelf life of the everbearing berries and helps making growing organic and pesticide-free easier.
Demachak recommends using integrated pest management (IPM) techniques in the tunnel environment and found that implementation within a high tunnel structure was quite successful. Spider mites were mentioned as an issue for some growers.
“Our recommendation for that is to release predatory mites when first seen and just keep scouting,” she says.
On the downside, the roots of strawberry plants in tunnels were exposed to higher levels of salt, perhaps due to the lack of snow or rainwater leaching it away.
“You won’t want to grow strawberries [in a tunnel] after something like tomatoes,” she says. “We do need to work out the production systems.”
Demchak feels that excess salinity could potentially be leached out of tunnel areas through increased irrigation.
While some growers felt there was an increase to management time in checking temperatures and monitoring the environment within the tunnel, Demchak notes the management was minimal and that it was not necessarily taking more time, just adding in a different task.
Some growers also felt the benefits didn’t justify the costs of high tunnels in strawberries and made the switch to using the tunnels for higher value crops such as tomatoes. While the off-season berries were a plus, finding a market for them proved to be somewhat of a challenge as consumers weren’t expecting locally-grown berries at that time. If growers can achieve higher selling prices and markets for off-season everbearing strawberries, they may well find that the costs of tunnels are worthwhile.
Raspberry growers were also surveyed about their use of high tunnels. Their primary reason for using the structures was to increase yield, followed by a desire for improved appearance and the ability to harvest in the rain. Very few raspberry growers discontinued growing raspberries in tunnels or planned to decrease their tunnel acreage.
“The number of growers planning to increase their acreage significantly outpaced those planning to decrease acreage,” Demchak says.
In Philadelphia, growers saw two to four times an increase in yield.
“When you’ve got them in a tunnel, you’ve really got them in an optimal growing season for 50 per cent of the time,” Demchak notes. “We get a higher yield that first year and it will go up from there.”
Water quality becomes a larger issue in a controlled environment.
“We recommend to growers that they test their water source,” she says, and adds that tissue testing each year is important to see if fertilizer rates are right.
There was also a major decrease in diseases in the tunnel combined with another potential plus of harvests occurring two to three weeks earlier.
“We’re finding generally if it [a variety] works good in the field, it’s good for a tunnel in your area,” she notes. “We never had anything do worse in a tunnel.”
Some growers were concerned about pollination but Demchak found that bumblebees liked the tunnels. Honeybees however did seem to get confused and sometimes caught in the peak of the
structure. She advised to provide nests for both mason and bumblebees within the high-tunnel structures.
Similar to strawberries, spider mites were an issue, but the same rules apply. Scouting and releasing of predatory mites early will control the pests. Another pest, spotted wing drosophila (SWD) was lower in raspberries grown in the tunnels than seen in the field. Demchak feels the ability to harvest daily may have prompted this positive result. However, the fact that SWD was present at all impacted longer shelf life and pesticide-free qualities. With IPM methods, Demchak anticipates even greater control of the persistent pest.
Unexpected was the fierce virility of the raspberry canes. Growth was significantly faster in the high tunnel environment. “Keep a minimum of seven feet between rows,” notes Demchak. “Plants will get away from you. We use a simple support trellis or like a V row.”
To use tunnels or not for berry growing is a challenging question. While fruit quality is greatly enhanced, solid grower practices must be applied in order to maintain that quality and ensure markets for early and late-season fruit to make high tunnels a financially viable option. •
Life in the Okanagan is a little bit quieter thanks to new technology from the Netherlands that deters birds from orchards and vineyards using lasers.
BY PETER MITHAM
Protecting fruit crops from birds and other predators has never been easy. Scarecrows, reflective tape, netting, shotguns, propane-powered bangers and other audible bird scare devices, as well as traps and falcons, number among the most popular tools at growers’ disposal.
Now, growers can add lasers to the list after a successful trial of a Dutch system at Vernon cherry grower Coral Beach Farms Ltd.
Coral Beach has long used Bird-Gard’s noisemaker system and experimented with falconry in 2016, but horticulture manager Gayle Krahn says the Agrilaser Autonomic system from Bird Control Group BV in Delft, the Netherlands, has provided the most effective protection she’s seen against birds. It’s also been the least annoying tool for workers and neighbours.
Reducing conflicts with neighbours is a key concern for Coral Beach.
Residents of Coldstream, just east of Vernon, have been battling Coral Beach’s use of blowers, sprayers and helicopters, which the farm uses to keep its high-value cherries – many of which are destined for markets in Asia – dry and in top shape. But noise from the equipment prompted a complaint to B.C.’s Farm Industry Review Board, which handles such matters under the province’s Right-to-Farm legislation.
Cherry pickers, meanwhile, hated the noisemakers intended to scare away birds.
“The lasers, no one really notices them,” Krahn says. “It’s not an issue. It’s safe. We have it going when there’s pickers in the orchard and there’s never been a problem.”
Crows, magpies and robins are the key birds Coral Beach faces, as an areawide trapping program has helped to significantly reduce starling numbers in the Okanagan Valley.
avoid it. Programmed to follow the contours of the local topography, it effectively spreads a net of light across the property so that birds don’t enter. Any that get trapped below the beams find it difficult to escape, because they perceive the rays as a barrier.
“The crows in particular would sit outside of where the laser was running,” Krahn says.
It takes the Autonomic system about two minutes to cover the 88-acre property where it’s installed. It can be programmed to trace up to three different patterns in rotation, preventing the birds from knowing what’s coming next.
“Birds will acclimate to recurring patterns,” Krahn says. “Change your patterns frequently to keep the birds confused.”
Krahn first investigated alternatives to its existing bird control tools in 2014. The lasers came to her attention, and in 2015 one was acquired on a trial basis. It was successful enough that Coral Beach purchased two more, and in 2016 boosted its complement to five. The cost is about US$9,500. Solar panels can be used to power the device.
The device that emits the laser comes with a mount. This can be positioned on the ground, fruit bins or even a roof or other platform – anywhere that gives the laser enough elevation to sweep over the top of the orchard. Contributed photo
The idea behind the Autonomic system is simple: it shoots a green laser beam across the orchard and the birds instinctively
Set-up is easy. While the initial set-up required 90 minutes, Krahn says subsequent adjustments take just 15 minutes. It requires a laptop – not included – which will load the patterns from the master set of 16.
The device that emits the laser comes with a mount. This can be positioned on the ground, fruit bins or even a roof or other platform – anywhere that gives the laser enough elevation to sweep over the top of the orchard.
Krahn is pleased with the level of bird control the Autonomic system has delivered. Robins were present prior to Coral Beach adopting the lasers, but stay away when the lasers are in play.
Coral Beach continues to use Bird-Gard, and this has allowed Krahn to gauge the relative effectiveness of lasers versus electronic bird calls.
“Coral Beach has two farms that are about three kilometres
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