Hoping to produce thinner waistlines, many doctors --including the American Medical Association --- want Congress to stop subsidizing the production of foods that are high in fat and cholesterol and spend more to promote fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains that are not. That's just what the nation's doctors are doing, saying that federal lawmakers are responsible for the fact that a salad costs so much more than a Big Mac. Hoping to produce thinner waistlines, many doctors --including...

That's welcome news to everyone in the area, but especially to the area's farmers who have suffered losses during the fires. The county is a major source of cut flowers, plant nurseries, citrus, and one of the nation's most expensive fruits: the Haas avocado. He says that security has prevented him and other farmers from protecting their crops with hoses and equipment installed in the orchards. So when you see the sides or the tops of hills green, those are going to be avocado trees,...

Sunday, October 28, 2007 By Ron Cammel The Grand Rapids Press SPARTA TOWNSHIP -- It's hard to imagine the west side of the township being anything than what it is: rolling land where crops, cows and orchards mix with old homes, barns and stands of trees along lightly traveled roads. Sunday, October 28, 2007 By Ron Cammel The Grand Rapids Press SPARTA TOWNSHIP -- It's hard to imagine the west side of the township being anything than what it is: rolling land where crops, cows and orchards...

Brints said, "Probably over 90% of our crop was lost, so as a result we had to rely on orchards around us to bring in apples. We're told since the freeze lasted not just an hour, but multiple hours, it affected the fruit, not only at Apple Country, but at manyorchards across the South Plains, including peaches and pecan orchards. However, there are other crops that won't be setting any records this year due toa problem that began six months ago. However, since most of these area farmers do...

By TOM RAGAN Sentinel staff writer This fall's apple harvest is unusually good due to the cold winter, apple growers are reporting. Gene Silva, a grower of apples since the 1950s in Watsonville, said the dry spring helped the apples out a lot this year. That's to say that the summer never had a long stretch of hot days that put undue stress on the trees. Of the dozen of varieties he grows, Gizdich said he's going to have to go with the winesap, braeburn and the black twig as his favorites....