Small and medium-sized vegetable farms face unique challenges balancing profitability with sustainable production practices and food safety requirements. To better understand how these farmers navigate complex decision-making processes, the Soil to Market Team—comprising Maria Marshall, Renee Wiatt, Petrus Langenhoven, Betty Feng, and Nathan Shoaf—conducted a comprehensive survey of 500 small and medium-sized farmers across the…Read more about Understanding Farm Decision-Making: Insights from the 2024-2025 Producer Survey[Read More]
Vegetable Crops - General
Dear Valued VCH Readers, Welcome to this week’s edition of the Vegetable Crops Hotline! August continues to deliver on its promise as the month of plenty! Here at the Meigs Horticulture facility in Lafayette, we’re harvesting abundant crops of eggplant (Figure 1) and bok choy (Figure 2), with watermelon harvests just around the corner. Harvest…Read more about From The Editor’s Desk[Read More]
The Purdue Small Farm Education Field Day proved that dedicated growers won’t let summer temperatures dampen their enthusiasm for learning. Despite the hot weather, 63 attendees gathered at the Purdue Student Farm yesterday to participate in comprehensive demonstrations and presentations focused on small-scale farming solutions. The event, co-hosted by the Department of Horticulture and Landscape…Read more about Purdue Small Farm Education Field Day Draws 63 Attendees Despite Summer Heat[Read More]
This article was originally published in the Michiana Irrigation Association Summer Newsletter. The Michiana Irrigation Association (MIA) Board, working in conjunction with Purdue and Michigan State University Extension, produces the summer newsletter for those who irrigate, irrigation industry professionals, and the state agencies that serve them. One of the best tools for managing irrigation and…Read more about Rain Gauges Are One of the Best Low-Cost Tools for Saving[Read More]
This article was originally published in the Michiana Irrigation Association Summer Newsletter. The Michiana Irrigation Association (MIA) Board, working in conjunction with Purdue and Michigan State University Extension, produces the summer newsletter for those who irrigate, irrigation industry professionals, and the state agencies that serve them. Timing and application rate are critical when it comes…Read more about Applying Water at the Right Time and in the Right Amount[Read More]
The heat and humidity have returned to the state, as heat indices soared above 100°F on Wednesday and Thursday (July 23-24) this week. The National Weather Service issued heat advisories that spanned from northeast Texas to northeast Ohio on July 24. Over the last 7-day period (July 16-22), average temperatures ranged from near normal in…Read more about Hot and Humid Weather Persists, but a Cool Down is Expected During the First Week of August[Read More]
Squash Vine Borer https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/veg/squash-vine-borer/ The number of participants reporting trap catches has declined dramatically. Clinton, Allen, and Henry Counties are consistently reporting 1-4 moths per night. It seems that these populations didn’t get the memo that they are supposed to coordinate their mating during one concentrated time point in the summer. Regardless, at this…Read more about Insect Trapping Updates[Read More]
The survey examined how farmers integrate decisions across three critical areas: farm business planning, production management, and food safety practices. Participants were asked detailed questions about their operational decisions, the timing of various planning activities, and the people involved in farm decision-making processes. The research team sought to understand what decisions farmers make and when…Read more about Understanding Farm Decision-Making: Insights from the 2024-2025 Producer Survey[Read More]
Dear Valued VCH Readers, Welcome to this week’s edition of the Vegetable Crops Hotline! As hot and humid conditions persist across Indiana with heat indices soaring above 100°F this week, relief is on the horizon with cooler temperatures expected during the first week of August. While we navigate these challenging conditions, several critical issues demand…Read more about From the Editor’s Desk[Read More]
