The current apple and pear harvest season is defined by a dichotomy of abundance and adversity. In North America, a projected large apple crop, led by a record harvest in Washington State, is colliding with market oversupply, stagnant domestic demand, and crippling cost increases. This has created a critical financial squeeze, forcing some growers to consider drastic measures like orchard removal.

Avoid a math headache, Croptracker has your back

Here at Croptracker, we understand that growers are in agriculture to grow high quality crops and make sure they get to market. We also understand that knowing more about your fields and orchards allows you to get the money you deserve in the current economic market.

The United States's oldest berry breeding program has announced the release of two new varieties: a strawberry and a raspberry named "Dickens" and "Crimson Treasure", respectively.  Available for planting in spring 2019, these berries are claimed by their breeder at Cornell University to grow large with vibrant colours that maintain "peak flavor far longer than most heritage varieties".

It's almost Spring Training Day!  Are you a member of the Ontario Apple Growers or Ontario Tender Fruit Growers and attending our workshop on Wednesday, March 7th?

The Ontario Apple Growers Association and Ontario Tender Fruit Growers Association would like to invite you to attend a one-on-one CropTracker training workshop next week. Would you like to learn more about how to use CropTracker and what it can offer? If so, you may be interested in attending this workshop which will provide a hands-on, one-on-one training approach from one of Croptracker's developers.

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” - John Steinbeck.

It's true that fruit growers rely on the cooler temperatures of winter to ultimately produce the best yields.  When winters are too warm, fruit struggles to ripen and halt new leaf growth.  Cooler temperatures bring fruit to maturity, enhance their colour, and improve their flavour.

But too-cold temperatures can spell disaster for growers.  2019 has seen growers in the Northern Hemisphere contend with particularly frigid winter conditions.  California's Central Valley's $2 billion citrus crop was threatened earlier this month when a hard freeze warning went into effect.  In some areas, temperatures reached 24 to 25 degrees (27 degrees [-2.78 degrees Celsius] is the point where ice crystals can start to form internally in the fruit).  

In today's blog post, we discuss different ways - from heaters to sprinkler systems, from spray-on "winter jackets" to even helicopters - that growers protect their crops from brutal winter temperatures.

Croptracker is pleased to announce we are supporting and attending the USApple Outlook 2024 event Aug 14-16 in Chicago Illinois. Our staff is looking forward to learning from industry experts at the panel discussions and presentations. Croptracker believes strongly in the work done by the USApple to advocate for the apple industry and is happy to be supporting their important work.