Food & Farm News

» October 3, 2012 «

Kiwifruit harvest opens

The kiwifruit harvest has begun in the Central Valley, and more farmers will start harvesting the crop in the coming week. After a hefty harvest last year—the largest since 1993—growers say they anticipate this year's kiwifruit harvest to be down slightly. For one thing, frost and hail hurt the crop earlier in the year. Kiwifruit will be harvested through the end of November, and growers say they expect fruit quality to be good.

Horseradish crop looks hot

It's a busy time of year in the Klamath Basin along the California-Oregon border. Following mint harvest and the start of potato-digging season, growers are now gathering horseradish and have started harvesting onions that will be sent to dehydrators. Farmers say horseradish in particular is having a good year, as harvest nears the midway point. Growers say the California horseradish crop will help fill a void in supply as growers in the Midwest deal with drought.

Pumpkins roll out

With October upon us, California-grown pumpkins are ready for their time to shine. Across the state, U-pick pumpkin patches are opening and gourds of all shapes and sizes are making their way to grocery stores. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that pumpkins are being harvested in the Central Valley, where many of the state's top pumpkin-producing counties are located. California produces about 18 percent of the nation's pumpkin supply.

Watering stations will benefit bees

More than 1 million beehives enter California each year to help pollinate crops, in some cases being trucked long distances through the desert to reach the state. To help assure the health of bees as they cross the state border, beekeepers, farm groups and the state Department of Food and Agriculture are working together to upgrade or install watering systems at highway border stations. The systems allow truck drivers to hook up hoses to provide water to bees.