Welcome to the Vegetable Crops Hotline (VCH), Purdue Extension’s exclusive newsletter for people in the business of growing vegetables. This is our second-last issue for 2024 and includes a price update from the Clearspring Produce Auction, a look at the weather for the next 14 days, information about educational opportunities, and an opportunity to serve…Read more about From the Editor’s Desk[Read More]
Introduction Competitive advantage can result from product differentiation or from being a low-cost producer. A low-cost producer, as the term implies, strives to have below average per unit costs while receiving at least average product prices. A farm pursuing product differentiation, on the other hand, strives to obtain above average unit product prices while maintaining…Read more about Evaluating a Farm’s Competitive Position[Read More]
Are you a local food producer interested in selling your products to restaurants, grocery stores, schools, or wholesale distributors? Or maybe you want to explore additional marketing options? Join us for the Market Ready Producer Training Program to gain the tools for business success! The program includes the training, lunch, a buyer panel, and a…Read more about Market Ready Producer Training[Read More]
From September 19th through 25th, Indiana was fortunate to receive between a quarter inch to almost three inches of precipitation (Figure 1). This seemed to be a sight for many a sore eye since it had been weeks since any appreciable rain had fallen. But was this enough for us to get out of drought…Read more about Rain Brought Some Relief, But Still Not Enough[Read More]
Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN) pose a hidden threat to vegetable production, with root-knot nematodes being among the most damaging soil-borne pests. These nematodes affect a wide range of crops and have caused significant yield reductions in Indiana, impacting both large-scale conventional vegetable production and small-scale diversified farms, particularly in high tunnel production. Despite their potential to…Read more about Unveiling Root-knot Nematodes and the Role of Suppressive Soils in Vegetable Production[Read More]
Dennis Parr is a seasoned market grower with a wealth of knowledge in plant cultivation. He utilizes various resources to enhance his skills and techniques, including Purdue Extension’s Vegetable Crops Hotline (VCH). Earlier this spring, a VCH article highlighted the cucumber beetle, a pest of cucurbits (link). A few days later, another article alerted growers…Read more about Dennis Parr’s Beetle Battles and Lifelong Learning Journey[Read More]
The Clearspring Produce Auction is located just 2 miles south of US 20 in Clearspring Township in the Heart of the LaGrange-Elkhart Amish Settlement. It is within easy driving distance of the towns of Shipshewana, Topeka, Emma, and LaGrange. Produce is sold three days a week (Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday) throughout most of the growing…Read more about Clearspring Produce Auction Price Update[Read More]
NIFA is recruiting industry representatives (growers, packers, shippers, staff from organizations that represent specialty crops, etc.) to review pre-applications for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) for 2025. This is an opportunity for commodity sectors to make sure that SCRI projects are tackling a critical need for the sector. The time commitment for a relevancy reviewer is…Read more about Recruiting SCRI Industry Reviewers (Paid Opportunity)[Read More]
OFRF believes in supporting organic farmers and ranchers in their constant search for innovation and farm profitability. The FLT program puts farmers in the driver’s seat, and recognizes their wisdom, experimentation and problem solving skills. Built in the spirit of curiosity and collaboration, this program will support farmers and ranchers in conducting impactful research that…Read more about OFRI Farmer-Led Trials Program – Applications Open October 2024[Read More]
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