Australian Growers’ Post

Here’s How To Make Irish Potatoes Seeds: 1. Source your potato tubers from last year’s crop or even store-bought potatoes. It is important to note, that some store-bought potatoes have been treated to resist the formation of eyes. Whether or not they have been treated is usually not noted on the package. Purchasing organic potatoes is a wise choice, as they are not treated. 2. Prepare seed potatoes in the late winter or early spring, several weeks before you are ready to use them. You can prepare them earlier, but with a later start, you will not have to store them for long. 3. Select potatoes that have “eyes” or “dimples”. Choose a few more than you think you will need. You can always give away any leftover potato seeds to appreciative fellow gardeners. 4. Put the potatoes on a tray and place them in indirect light at room temperature and humidity. 5. After 10 days, check them to see if the eyes have begun to sprout. 6. Once the eyes have sprouted, take a sharp knife and cut each potato into at least one to two-inch pieces. Each piece must have at least one sprouted eye. 7. Place all pieces on a shallow tray and allow the cut sides to dry for 2-3 days. The cut side will dry and turn brown (scab over). 8. Your seed potatoes are ready to plant or store. 9. Store finished seed potatoes in a cool, dry, and dark place until ready to plant. If you're passionate about Irish potatoes or you'd love to TURN your Irish potatoes farm into a large-scale Irish potatoes agribusiness, Click this link https://whatsapp.com/dl/ to REACH US on Whatsapp and ORDER your 4 Irish potatoes farming PDF guide books at the cost of one (1) that cover everything from planting to harvesting to marketing! Keep learning with Sustainable Business Units(SBUs)@ZiYFA-SD-FARMs 💚🤍🧡 Follow our WhatsApp Channel for more important farming tips! 👇😍💚 https://lnkd.in/d2gt-PpG

(USA 27.05.24) #growingproduce Profitable Vegetable Crops for a Small Farm Anna Littman shares insights on profitable vegetable crops for small farms, emphasizing the importance of compact, quick-growing and high-yielding crops due to limited space. Herbs have proven particularly profitable, outperforming vegetables like kale in terms of revenue per volume. Among the most lucrative and efficient herbs are basil, parsley, cilantro and dill. Basil, especially downy mildew-resistant varieties, is grown both indoors and outdoors with measures to prevent wilting. Parsley, planted early in the season, yields consistently throughout the year. Cilantro requires frequent replanting but maintains steady sales by ensuring a continuous supply. Dill is highly profitable as all parts of the plant are marketable, and strategic planting schedules ensure a consistent harvest. These herbs not only bring variety to market booths but also significantly contribute to the farm's financial success. https://lnkd.in/g5juHEdY

Despite ever-increasing input costs — combined with preexisting labor issues and extreme weather conditions that are bordering on becoming the norm — U.S. fruit and nut growers largely remain confident in 2024. This according to data gathered from American Fruit Grower's latest State of the Fruit and Nut Industry survey. Check out some of the stats! https://lnkd.in/eVQr5jQP #agriculture #fruit #nuts #berries #industrytrends #survey #labor #extremeweather #risingcosts #cropprotection #data #growingconfidence Thomas Skernivitz

🌾🌾 GROWER STORY Each year, GRDC's GroundCover follows a group of growers from across Australia as they manage the cropping season. Mitch Henderson with parents Craig and Pauline, brother Ben, cousin John and their families grow wheat, barley, lentils and oaten hay in Berriwillock, Wilkur and Brim in Victoria’s Mallee. They also rear poultry, using their wheat straw as bedding and then spreading it back onto paddocks as manure in a closed-loop system. Mitch says: "Dry conditions through May put us about two weeks behind our ideal sowing schedule but there’s not a lot wrong. We might see a yield penalty of 300 to 400k/ha on top-end yield, depending on the modelling you look at, but the year is young. We finished up dry-sowing on 24 May and two weeks later received seven to 10mm, which got most of the crop up. An isolated storm in early May dropped a patchy 40mm in a couple of paddocks, which gave us some early germination, putting about 20 per cent of our program about two weeks ahead of the rest. But this has worked to our advantage because we can stagger the spraying program with a bigger window to target inputs at the right time. So even though we didn’t get a typical break, I’m still pretty confident and there’s nothing to be too concerned about yet. Our parallelogram seeder set up with a (12mm) knife-point press-wheel system has provided more accurate seed placement and more uniform crop emergence with nothing planted too shallow or deep. As well, the knife-point press wheels create a furrow over the top of the seed, so we get a water harvesting effect that amplifies the impact of any rainfall. After 8.5mm of rain in May, I had a dig and it was wet down to 30mm. This year, nearly half our program (45 per cent) is hay and legumes (GIA Thunder and PBA Hallmark XT lentils). Cereals make up the rest with an even split between wheat (Scepter, Calibre and Tomahawk CL Plus) and barley (Maximus). Chicken manure was spread in a couple of paddocks near the sheds but generally the cereals have had 70kg/ha of (compound fertiliser) Granulock Z, and the lentils 50kg/ha. We top-dressed with about 150kg/ha of urea. Our spraying program has begun with a broadacre early weed knockdown and we’ve been rolling our lentil country, flattening the furrows along with any sticks and rocks to increase our harvestability." Hear more from our growers this year: https://bit.ly/3Le7Piv 📷 Brad Collis/GRDC #GroundCoverOnline #GRDC #GrowerStory #SeasonUpdate

How to make income from 🍒? With a production of 10-12 t/ha/year, with less fruit per tree, with bigger and better paid fruit. And with lower production costs! There is a linear relationship between size (mm) and weight (g). There is an exponential relationship caliber (mm) and clearance price ($/kg) to producers. In a 1,600-tree/ha cherry planting on Gisela 6 in the fifth year after planting, cv Sweet Aryana produced on average 7.2 kg/tree = 11.5 t/ha. The cv Burlat a produced an average of 6.5 kg/tree = 10.4 t/ha. The average size of Sweet Aryana was distributed for 80% of the fruits in the two classes 28-30 mm and 26-28 mm. The average fruit weight of Sweet Aryana was 11.3 g = 630 fruits per tree. The average size of Burlat was distributed for 90% of the fruits in the three classes 28-30 mm, 26-28 mm and 24-26 mm . The average weight of Burlat fruits was 8.7 g = 760 fruits per tree. On this data, economic experts can estimate the income gain for a cherry grower. As an agronomist, I simply recommend a right varietal choice directed toward new productive, large-fruited, high-quality genotypes. Along with varietal choice, I recommend careful plant management to cherry growers so that the correct balance between fruit load and leaf area of the tree can ensure good quality and regular, consistent production over the years. In the next news item we will discuss the cherry harvest window and the importance of having varieties with a long ripening period on the cherry tree. See you in the next news 🍒

(USA 02.07.24) #growingproduce Top Broccoli Varieties Growers Need To Check Out. This article showcases a range of new and noteworthy broccoli hybrids, offering growers a diverse selection to consider for their operations. The featured varieties, including 'Abrams', 'Castle Dome', 'Eastern Crown' and others, boast various advantageous traits such as heat tolerance, cold vigor, disease resistance, and adaptability to different growing regions. Some are specifically bred for high-quality crown cuts, while others are ideal for fresh market bunching. Maturity times vary from 56 to 85 days, depending on the variety and growing conditions. The selection includes unique options like purple sprouting broccoli and anthocyanin-free varieties, catering to specific market niches. Disease resistance information is provided for some varieties, using standard abbreviations for high and intermediate resistance. Each variety description includes a link for further research, enabling growers to make informed decisions based on their particular needs and growing conditions. This comprehensive overview aims to help growers explore new broccoli options, potentially diversifying their crop portfolio and addressing specific challenges or market demands they may face. https://lnkd.in/gMa_e9Wh

The Olmos Project looks a lot drier than it did around the same time last year. La Niña has decreased rainfall in the north of Peru. Olmos also looks drier this September than it did during the same month in the previous three years of La Niña from 2020-2022. Restricted irrigation may end up impacting blueberry, avocado, and other fresh fruit and vegetable exports. The Olmos Project has a total planted area of 24,000 ha. It’s made up of 12,000 ha of sugarcane, 6,000 ha of avocados, 3,000 ha of blueberries, as well as table grapes, asparagus, and other crops. While blueberries only cover 12.5% of the area, they are responsible for 73.1% of the total economic value, which was about US$ 216 million in 2021. Given that the planted area of the Olmos Project is so large, it may impact exports on a national level. In total, Peru had about 22,000 ha of blueberries in 2024 and 70,545 ha of avocados in 2022. That means that the Olmos Project alone accounts for 14% of Peru’s total blueberry area and 9% of its total avocado area. Are you interested in market updates on blueberries, avocados, and other crops? Please follow the link below to join our mailing list! http://eepurl.com/gaXLkr

(USA 17.10.24) #growingproduce #berries Wonderberries? What To Know if You Want To Grow Them [AG: The Cost of Silence - How Australia's Growers Are Set Up to Fail] Wonderberries (Solanum burbankii), created by Luther Burbank in the early 1900s, are a berry crop that fills the gap between strawberry harvest and raspberry maturity. A member of the nightshade family, they require pest monitoring, as they attract tomato hornworms. The berries turn blackish-blue when ripe and should be harvested when fully ripe to avoid bitterness and potential toxicity from unripe, green berries. They are soft, mildly sweet, and seedy when mature. Wonderberries are annuals in Zone 6 and do not tolerate frost. ----- [AG: Australia’s fresh produce industry faces a frustrating and shameful reality: the lack of freely available, up-to-date and relevant information for growers. Despite being supported by 100+ taxpayer-funded industry bodies and associations, our growers are left in the dark while their international counterparts benefit from robust and accessible resources. This glaring oversight stifles innovation and competitiveness, leaving Australian producers at a significant disadvantage. Globally, countries like the United States empower their growers through platforms such as Growing Produce, Produce IQ, Agronometrics, Onion Business and USDA Market News. These platforms provide actionable insights into market trends, pricing, production forecasts, logistics and postharvest strategies. This transparency enables growers to make informed decisions, optimize operations and remain competitive. In stark contrast, Australian growers are denied similar resources, often confronted with information hidden behind paywalls or lost in bureaucratic inefficiency. This lack of access to critical tools hinders the entire supply chain. Market intelligence, production best practices, supply chain insights and global trade trends - all vital for sustainability and profitability - remain out of reach for Australian growers. Without these resources, they struggle to adapt to changing market dynamics, while post-farm gate operators exploit this information gap, reaping profits at the expense of the very growers who fuel the industry. Australia has the means to build a transparent, accessible national information-sharing system, but lacks the vision to act. Industry bodies must centralize open access to information, replacing scattered resources with true collaboration. The current neglect betrays the industry's potential. If we are to ensure the sustainability and prosperity of Australian agriculture, it is time for our industry leaders to act decisively. Growers deserve the tools and knowledge to succeed - anything less is an affront to their hard work and dedication.] ----- https://lnkd.in/gvCyUTWf

Ghana: Vertical farm entity flourishes in Accra "With the current setup, the farm can grow leafy greens, herbs, coriander, mint, lettuce, either foreign or local varieties, fruity veggies such as tomatoes, and bell pepper. With strawberries coming soon," says Ernest Larmie, Co-founder and CEO of Farm Estate, an Accra-based vertical farm in Ghana. With a combination of greenhouse facilities, where cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes and strawberries are grown. As well as a vertical farm that allows Farm Estate to cultivate various exotic lettuce varieties. Given his former work in media, whilst working on a documentary 'Poison on the Menu', Ernest was confronted with the pesticide use of open field production. As his brothers have a strong electrics, software and engineering background, they came together and started working on a university project together focusing on indoor agriculture. Having very little knowledge in agronomy and CEA, they started testing it as many had done before across the globe. With the helping hand of an agronomist and some funding from Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC) Ernest and his team were able to set up Farm Estate. Importing seeds from Europe, Farm Estate can grow exotic lettuce varieties that are normally unable to grow in this part of the country. Sticking to pure hydroponics, substrate doesn't come to use in the farm as it helps the farmers to avoid cost. Instead, sponges are used. The entire growing production takes about 31 days until they are ready for harvest. Currently, they are growing 2 types of lettuce. Before, the team ahs been experimenting with numerous lettuce varieties, sweet pepper, and tomatoes, and very soon, they want to add fruiting vegetables as well. Collecting data from various sensors in the growing room, humidity, temperature and nutrients, and fertigation tanks, the team can still closely monitor the plant health in the farm and automatically steer it to the preferred levels. All data collected is broadcast live, meaning that all can be monitored, improved and extracted. Adding QR and barcodes to the en products, allows customers to see the entire journey from seed to harvest of the product that's on their dining table. "In case there's an issue we can always retract them and inform them about it." The farm's Batavia Lettuce and Lollo Rossa lettuce are available in more than 10 chains across Accra, in farmers' markets, and on a local e-commerce platform.

🌾🌾 GROWER STORY Each year, GRDC's GroundCover follows a group of growers from across Australia as they manage the cropping season. Based at Capella, north of Emerald in Central QLD, Tim Gersbach farms 4000ha with his wife Courtney, their two young children, and his parents Garry and Cathy. They crop wheat, chickpeas and, occasionally, mungbeans. Sorghum is the dominant summer crop. Tim says: "With no decent rain since February, a lot of sorghum in the Central Queensland highlands has fallen over before harvest due to a good start and a dry finish. We harvested our sorghum at 2.85t/ha and SOR1 grade. It was a pretty good result considering the season. If we’d had an extra 50mm in March or April it would have achieved at least 3t/ha. We harvested sorghum at the same time as planting winter crops. We don’t normally have to do that. Most years we can finish planting the winter crop and go into the sorghum harvest, but seasonal conditions meant we had both at the same time this year. We have planted 600ha of wheat and 1600ha of chickpeas. More chickpeas were planted because of the good prices on offer and because of the dry season. We can deep plant them to access moisture. There’s a full profile 100mm down, so we had to bust that up to plant down deep. We planted heavier this year too – based on what I’ve learnt from researchers at Emerald. We planted chickpeas at 75kg/ha compared with 60kg/ha and wheat at 60kg/ha, instead of 50kg/ha. Both had 30kg/ha of an NPKS fertiliser blend. Both the chickpeas and wheat are responding and have a pretty good strike on them, considering how deep they were planted. Planting that deep was slow going. You can’t pull the tynes that fast when you are going that deep. We went at about 6.8 to 6.9km/hour compared with 9km/h. So you don’t get as much done in a day. We’ll need some rain on the wheat at least by early July. Chickpeas are on a full profile so they will do better for longer. Weed-wise, we’ve put a residual down. If it rains, we will do an in-crop spray on the wheat. We have also been busy rolling our wheat paddocks. When the wheat is three to four weeks old, we roll the paddocks to push stones down. It’s better at harvest time. We have some good equipment that we don’t want to be damaged by rocks. In the chickpea paddocks, we do the same thing, but start before the chickpeas come up. The dry conditions have also had an impact on our earth-moving business. When it’s dry, the work increases. Those with livestock often want stock dams built. That business works well with a grain farm. If it was wet now, we’d be busy spraying. But it’s not, so it’s good for the contracting business to be busy." Hear more from our growers this year: https://bit.ly/3Le7Piv 📷 Rowdy Travis #GroundCoverOnline #GRDC #GrowerStory #SeasonUpdate