Specialty Crops
Specialty crops face a variety of climate-related challenges. Perennials such as grapevines and nut trees represent a major investment and – unlike annual field crops – cannot be abandoned or fallowed in the event of a severe drought, storm, or heat wave. Warmer temperatures may prevent stonefruit (such as peaches and cherries) from experiencing the chill-hours needed for proper flowering.
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How Much is Enough?
Researchers and farmers work towards efficient irrigation by comparing crop water needs to weekly applications on…
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UMass Permaculture
The University of Massachusetts is leading the way in sustainability by growing food at five permaculture gardens on…
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Greenhouse Gas Mitigation and Specialty Crops
Agricultural practices in California specialty crops offer opportunities to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and…
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Irrigation Pays in Protecting Crop Revenues
Does field crop irrigation make sense as a farm strategy given the number of wet summers in the Northeast?
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Specialty Crop Production in a Constantly Changing Climate
The fact that our farms tend to be smaller allows the industry as a whole to be responsive to change. These attributes…
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Cecarelli Farms Talks Data Driven Decision-Making
“[It's] amazing the difference a few miles can make. You see, if you’re in a valley, you could be in real trouble…
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Growing Seasons in a Changing Climate
The frost-free season length, defined as the period between the last occurrence of 32°F in the spring and the first…
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High Tunnels at DSU
High tunnels help small farmers protect and improve their operations by serving as a shelter from sun, pests and…
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Tools
The tools presented below represent a portion of the tools available for the climate and agriculture in the Midwest.…