Temperatures dipped into the upper teens and low 20s in early April throughout Indiana, just when flowers were beginning to open and when they were most susceptible to frost damage, said Peter Hirst, a professor of Horticulture at Purdue University who specializes in fruit. Apple crops throughout the state were significantly hurt by frost that officials say occurred at the worst possible time for farmers. Temperatures dipped into the upper teens and low 20s in early April throughout...

Advertisement Buy a link here Tromping through the orchards Friday, Dan Scheel, who sold the farm a few years ago but has remained on staff at The Elegant Farmer as a consultant, said several varieties are ripe earlier than normal this year, which is good news for pickers who want to beat the crowds on coming weekends. Advertisement Buy a link here Tromping through the orchards Friday, Dan Scheel, who sold the farm a few years ago but has remained on staff at The Elegant Farmer as a...

Agricultural experts estimate the costs for growers at as much as 30 percent higher during the transition, and growers rarely get a higher return for the fruit during that time. The orchard is in its second year of transition to organic, but the fruit will be sold under Stemilt's Artisan Naturals label, promoting its naturally-farmed history. The company has created a new label Artisan Naturals to sell its naturally farmed fruit, an effort to get a higher price for the fruit even if it...

His family farms several thousand acres, including 600 acres of vegetables that are sold to major chain stores and to food-service companies. Apples and products such as apple butter and cider typically account for about 75 percent of the 169-year-old farm's income, but Downing said he hasn't raised prices. That's because farmers expect to harvest 3.78 million acres of corn for grain, up 28 percent from the 2.96 million acres harvested last year. Ohio farmers are expected to produce more...

But he doesn't pick them, he mostly just rakes them up, which means he does a lot of raking and hauling -- they are prolific bearers of fruit. But what struck me was that she was an older woman, which likely meant that she knew that apples grown in a Winnipeg backyard were valuable, that they were worth getting and keeping. So they went to the address and found a backyard that supported no trees whatsoever -- there wasn't room for trees given the size of the pool and patio. I brought a...