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 3 days a week throughout most of the growing season (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday),…Read more about Clearspring Produce Auction Update[Read More]
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It seems the season has shifted abruptly from wet to dry. Over the past week, we’ve begun to hear reports typically associated with hot and dry conditions. At the Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center, we conduct side-by-side comparisons of different fruiting vegetables under varying irrigation treatments. This article summarizes our observations on how different fruiting vegetable…Read more about Fruiting Vegetable Responses to Drought Stress[Read More]
Recent high temperatures have been above optimum for vegetable crops. Around Indiana, from June 12 to 25 the daily high was more than 90°F on at least 5 days and the low overnight was above 70°F on at least 3 dates (Figure 1). High night temperature is a particular concern because it causes plants to…Read more about High Temperature Affects Fruit Set of Vegetable Crops[Read More]
We want to introduce you to a predatory insect that you will find in your cropping systems, and it’s a fly! Predatory gall midges belong to the Cecidomyiidae family and undergo complete metamorphosis from egg through three larval instars, pupa, and finally, the adult stage (Figure 1). This insect overwinters as larvae in cocoons in…Read more about An Introduction to Predatory Gall Midges[Read More]
Cabbage white butterflies are medium-sized white butterflies in the family Pieridae. They have black spots on their wings, and a black band on the top of their forewings (top wings), distinguishing them from other species. The butterflies themselves don’t do any damage, however their caterpillars do significant damage to plants in the Brassica family, including…Read more about Insect Spotlight: Cabbage White Butterfly (Pieris rapae)[Read More]
Common names: Carpetweed, Indian chickweed, whorled chickweed, devils-grip, green carpetweed Latin name: Mollugo verticillata L. Family: Molluginaceae General Description and Life Cycle Carpetweed is a summer annual. Compared to other summer annual weeds, its germination is usually later in the summer. The plant grows rapidly and reproduces by seeds. Carpetweed is mostly found in dry…Read more about Weed spotlight: Carpetweed[Read More]
The use of silage tarps for weed management has increased dramatically in recent years, including in our own research in the Horticulture Crops Weed Science Lab at Purdue University. This article answers five common questions about tarping for weed management. What are silage tarps? Silage tarps are reusable, opaque plastic sheets that are black on…Read more about Silage Tarps for Small Farm Weed Management[Read More]
Most Americans use social media to share information, find entertainment, and engage with businesses, which has made social media an important information source for all generations. Figure 1 shows findings from the Pew Research Center on the use of social media platforms, with Gen Z and Millennials more inclined to use Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok,…Read more about Marketing & Social Media for Vegetable Farms[Read More]
Greetings everyone! I am César Escalante, and I have recently been hired as the new vegetable pathologist by the Purdue Department of Botany and Plant Pathology. Starting July 1, 2024, I will be at the Southwest-Purdue Ag Center in Vincennes, IN. I will be serving as a liaison to Indiana’s vegetable industry. As part of…Read more about Meet Dr. César Escalante, the New Vegetable Pathologist at the Southwest-Purdue Ag Center[Read More]
Intense heat and long days serve as a reminder that we are officially in the heart of Summer, where Indiana consumers rush to grocery stores and farmers markets to purchase fresh, locally-grown fruits and vegetables. As produce farms strive to meet this demand, it is important that growers consider food safety and follow good agricultural…Read more about Food Safety Considerations for Vegetable Farms[Read More]
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