Blueberries

2011-01-18T19:52:00.002-05:00

Today was our FBGA marketing seminar. I think it was well received by the growers.

My take on the meeting was Florida is well positioned in the short term for continued success. The long term (5 years) is not as great. Our prices will probably decline slightly over the next few years but nothing we can't live with. Our market window has probably let us put more lower quality fruit into the stores. As supply goes up there will be more pressure to pack a higher quality product. That's not a bad thing.

Food safety and high quality need to go hand and hand.

There was a lot of talk about higher per acre production. This will be a challenge. We are in Florida, low chill and very high disease pressures normally limit our production.

Overall I am very optimistic. Of course time will tell.

Bud progression

2011-01-06T22:19:00.002-05:00

it appears emerald buds are swelling rapidly and will be in flowers in the next week, i am not seeing as much movement in jewels. spring wides are at 10% flowers as are spring highs. very slight amount of vegetative break on a few jewels but i haven't seen any on any other varieties.
looks like for the moment we are on track to a more normal season.

anyone out there seeing much different?

Jan 18 meeting

2011-01-05T09:40:00.002-05:00

If you have not gotten your registration form for the Jan 18 meeting pls let me know. It should be a very interesting event specifically geared to marketing Florida blueberries. The location is the Trinkle Center in Plant City.

Chilean blueberry crop on track to exceed 2009-10
shipments Sizeable volumes of high-quality Chilean blueberries continue to arrive at all points of entry into the U.S., leading industry experts to predict that this year’s crop will substantially surpass 2009-2010 shipments. According to current numbers, Chilean blueberry exports are set to exceed last year’s numbers – a total of 49,793 tons – by more than 22%. The Chilean Blueberry Committee reports that actual blueberry shipments to date are running nearly 4% ahead of estimates, with one-third of the total crop, or 20,862 metric tons, now shipped. The U.S. is expected to receive about 82% of the current export crop. The fresh blueberries come at a perfect time for U.S. consumers, bringing a burst of summer freshness in the middle of the winter season. In addition to American markets, the CBC is also targeting Europe and Asia this season. Blueberry harvest has ended in the northern areas and is nearly complete in Chile’s central zone. The south-central regions are shipping the majority of the current berries, and harvest is just beginning in the southern zone. The Chilean Blueberry Committee was formed in May 2009 by the leading Chilean blueberry exporting companies within the Chilean Fresh Fruit Exporters Association (ASOEX). Currently the CBC is comprised of 28 exporter organizations, representing more than 87% of last season’s total fresh blueberry exports. The CBC works with the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association to boost Chilean fresh blueberry sales around the globe. Contact: Tom Tjerandsen Chilean Fresh Fruit Association Tel: (707) 938-8400 mailto:tomtj@ix.netcom.com

Cold Weather

2010-12-07T10:14:00.002-05:00

Bitter cold here in Polk County this a.m. Cold spots in the county went down to 22- 24 degrees last night. The good news it's very early in the bud stage for blueberries so there is no need to run water for freeze protection. There have been some growers running water and I don't know why unless they are protecting snowchaser. Can anyone enlighten me as to the purpose of running water all night at this point in time? I have some fruit on emeralds but it is not something we are going to sell therefore not work protecting.

Upcoming Events

2010-11-28T11:44:00.002-05:00

Take a look at the FBGA website if you haven't recently. It is getting better day by day. We now have a calendar of events which lists most relevant upcoming events.

Speaking of events we have a marketing seminar planned for Jan 18. It will be in Plant City at the Trinkle Center on the HCC campus. The purpose of this meeting is to further growers education regarding the marketing of Florida blueberries. We will cover where Florida fits into the global picture. Numerous marketers will give their point of view as to where our market is heading. Their will also be speakers discussing the formation of cooperatives and exchanges. Retailers will give their thoughts on our market as well. The meeting will end with a discussion on post harvest physiology and the importance of quality to the retail buyer. I have not formalized the details but will in the next couple of weeks. Once we have the agenda set it will be posted on the FBGA website.

Fall Grower Association Meeting

2010-08-05T07:20:00.002-04:00

The date of the next meeting is October 21. It will be at the Sumter County fair grounds, the same place as last year's fall meeting. Booth space is limited. If you are interested in having a booth please contact Teresa Steffey as soon as possible. Her email address is: testeffey@aol.com

Upcoming Events

2010-07-23T10:48:00.002-04:00

July 31-Aug 1 Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference
www.smallfarms.ifas.ufl.edu

September23-25 The Landscape Show
www.fngla.org

September 19-21 FFVA Annual Convention
www.ffva.com

September 29- Oct 1 FFVA Annual Ag Labor Seminar
www.ffva.com

October 13-15 Florida Farm Bureau Annual Meeting

October 15-16 USHBC Fall Meeting
www.blueberry.org

October 15-18 Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit
www.pma.com/freshsummit

October 19-21 Sunbelt Ag Expo
www.sunbeltexpo.com

October 21 Florida Blueberry Growers Fall Meeting
www.floridablueberrygrowers.com

November 10 Florida Ag Expo
www.floridaagexpo.com

November 29-Dec 1 Southeast Vegetable and Fruit Expo
919-334-0099

December 5-7 The Irrigation Show 2010
www.irrigationshow.org

January 6-9 Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference
www.gfvga.org

February 8-10 World Ag Expo
www.worldagexpo.com

February 16-19 National Farm Machinery Show
www.farmmachineryshow.org

Season Comparison

2010-07-20T22:16:00.002-04:00

Growers, Sheri Brothers has received sales price info for almost every marketer. She still needs sales info from Driscoll growers. Anyone with this information and wanting to share it needs to email Sheri ASAP. Her email is berrygirl629@hotmail.com

The sales price comparison is a tool for growers to determine where they stand. We realize every grower has a different deal with their marketer and the sales price does not necessarily represent the best grower net income. A high sales price with a high commission and high packing charges may result in a lower net to the grower. As a grower I urge each of you to look hard at your costs. Our margins are only going to get thinner in the future.

The summer newsletter should be finished this week and in your mailbox by the end of next week. I am trying to put together a "buyers guide" to be published in the fall. If you have an interest in advertising in it please let me know . You can email me at wcbraswell@hotmail.com

We are always looking for new and fresh info to put in the newsletter. If you have a topic you would like to see covered in the newsletter let me know at the email address above.

Bill

2010 Season sales prices

2010-07-11T16:00:00.004-04:00

Shari Brothers is compiling a comparison of returns from as many different marketers as she can. The information will be shared with those who participate. What she is looking for is the price a flat sold for through your marketer. Example if you marketer runs a once a week pool you might enter the info as follows;

pool week ending 4/24 4.4 oz $35.15
5/1 4.4 oz $16.25 6.0 oz $18.45 pint $30.00

If you are not in a pool you can just put a pack size and price next to the date.
Do not take any deductions from the sales price. The point is to see the sales price only. She does not want to know the cost of packing, handling, commissions etc. Each grower has a different deal with their marketer and various deductions. The sales price before these are deducted are what she is comparing, not your individual returns.

You can contact Shari at berrygirl629@aol.com

BMP workshops need your input

2010-07-11T15:58:00.001-04:00

BMP Rule Workshops scheduled

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, in cooperation with other agricultural industry stakeholders, has developed a best management practices (BMP) manual for specialty fruit and nut crops in Florida. These crops include blueberries, tropical fruits, pecans, peaches and grapes. Three rule development workshops have been scheduled to gather input on the draft manual and associated issues. These workshops are: July 12 at 4 p.m. at the Alachua County Extension Office in Gainesville; July 13 at 2 p.m. at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma; and July 14 at 2 p.m. at the Miami-Dade County Extension Office in Homestead.

Summer Leaf Diseases

2010-06-04T09:58:00.003-04:00

Summer leaf disease time is now. In central Fla daily thunderstorms are keeping bushes wet for extended periods of time. Dr Phil Harmon has an excellent power point regarding identification and treatment of the most common leaf diseases. The address below will take you to a copy of the presentation.

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/17069763/leaf-diseases

2010 Season

2010-05-03T08:31:00.003-04:00

Well it's May and we still haven't hit full stride. I believe the state has harvested approx 2 million pounds of berries so far. How large the harvest will be is now in the hands of the marketers. Those with large deals in Georgia and North Carolina are already pushing larger pack sizes and lower prices. There is not enough fruit at the moment to fill orders and prices are going down. Does that make sense to anyone besides a marketer. As growers we need to rethink the way we choose the handlers of our fruit. Do they have a stake in something bigger that is contrary to our interest, Chile, Georgia?? As Florida growers we are concerned with only one thing, THE FLORIDA CROP. I don't care if they have gotten themselves in over their head with another states bumper crop. It is my opinion that some marketers drop the ball every season. When this occurs we all pay the price. If one marketer is selling cheap the retailers expect everyone to sell cheap. Maybe it's time the Florida growers explore a better and more rational way to market fruit. Do we need an exchange that sets the price and pack size. Do we need a marketing order in place to restrict fruit from Chile. Perhaps we just need to place the fruit only in the hands of a few marketers instead of so many. What is your marketers excuse?

Where are the berries

2010-04-13T20:15:00.003-04:00

It's April 13 and our season has finally started. I know there were some Primadonna picked in Polk, Hardee, and Desoto counties last week. This week we continue with the Primadonna and add a few Emeralds, Southern Belles, and Spring High and Wide. Things are verrrrrrrrrrry slow. Some early varieties are starting at Brooksville and Ocala farms. The days have now warmed up but the nights remain on the cool side.

Some of the forecasts I have heard regarding our crop are ridiculous. We will probably harvest more fruit than ever but some marketers are forecasting outrageous numbers. Let's keep in mind Florida probably produced 20 plus million pounds last year. We only brought 14 million to market because of the economics. If the economics get bad quickly we may see a smaller crop this year.

Remember this when you talk to your marketer. Give them your best estimate of how much fruit you think you will harvest and more importantly when you will harvest it. All it takes is one marketer worried about a glut of fruit to really screw up the Florida deal. Be realistic not optimistic.

Let's face it we all looked at those leafless bushes in March and thought we had a tremendous crop. Now the leaves are on so where did all of that fruit go. Yes we had great chill this year but poor pollination and more botrytis than usual are taking their toll. The waxwings have been sitting in the trees waiting for next week.

Let's try and "KEEP IT REAL".

Please feel free to post anything and everything "Florida Blueberries" on this blog. It is for everyone to share info about our crop.

March Meeting

2010-03-03T20:37:00.002-05:00

Thanks to everyone who attended our spring meeting. Although the weather did not cooperate early on it did get better. A special thanks to John Stickles and Joe Keel for opening up their blueberry farms for our farm tours. With over 350 attendees and 49 vendors the turnout was excellent. The facility is outstanding. As the association moves forward I would like our future spring meetings be held at the Trinkle Center in Plant City and our fall meetings be held in Webster.

Spring 2010 meeting registration

2010-02-22T20:50:00.002-05:00

If you would like to pay your registration or vendor fees you can use the link below. Reminder, lunch is $15 for members and $30 for non-members. If you are a vendor one lunch is provided with your vendor payment. Additional lunches are $15. Please print a copy of your receipt and bring with you to avoid confusion at the registration desk.

http://fbga.info/members.html

Spring Meeting Registration

2010-02-02T19:49:00.005-05:00

The agenda for the spring meeting is set. Registration forms will be in the mail by Feb 9. If you are not a member and would like to register or if you are a member and don't receive your form by Feb 12 please send me an email and I will send you a form or click on the link below and download the form. wcbraswell@hotmail.com

Organic Farm Tour

2010-01-29T17:43:00.000-05:00

Farm tour, workshop in North Florida offer education on organic production practices

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - A farm tour and workshop at two North Florida farms in spring 2010 will teach participants about organic production practices, including soil fertility and preventive and cultural practices to control pests, weeds and diseases.

Suwannee River Valley Farms, with 9.2 acres of blueberries under organic management, will host a free farm tour 1 to 4 p.m Feb. 24. Florida Organic Growers Project Coordinators Juan Carlos Rodriguez and Matt Vargas will lead the tour, accompanied by UF Associate Professor Oscar Liburd, who specializes in pest management, and UF Assistant Professor James Olmstead, who specializes in blueberry breeding and genetics. White Springs is conveniently located at the intersection of I-75 and I-10, allowing for easy access for growers in Florida and Georgia. Blueberries are one of the most widely grown fruits in the United States and a well-suited crop to organic production, often selling for 20 percent more than conventional blueberries.

The 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 26 workshop will be held at Crescent Moon Farm in Sopchoppy, within the Apalachicola National Forest. Lunch will be provided and there is a $15 registration fee. The workshop is in collaboration with FAMU-CESTA StateWide Small Farm Programs/Cooperative Extension Service.

The farm tour and workshop are part of Florida Organic Growers' Organic Transition project, which provides conventional growers with free assistance if they choose to reduce pesticide use or transition a portion of their production to organic practices. Project participants are paired with crop advisors knowledgeable in organic production, regulations and certification, and available to answer questions by the transitioning growers.

To register for the Feb. 24 farm tour or March 26 workshop, visit www.foginfo.org/epa, call 352.377.6345 or email matt@foginfo.org.

Spring Meeting Registration

2010-01-28T09:30:00.002-05:00

The newsletter went in the mail Jan 27. Look for it it in your mailbox this week. The registration form for the meeting is not in the newsletter. It will be sent seperately in two weeks. The agenda will be educational sessions in the morning, lunch at the Trinkle Center, then farm visits to two local farms. All of the details will be with the registration form. For more information regarding the location see the previous post.

Spring FBGA meeting

2009-12-06T09:27:00.002-05:00

Mark your calendars for March 2, 2010. The spring FBGA meeting will be on this day in Plant City. The location is the Trinkle Center.

http://www.hccfl.edu/pc/trinkle-center.aspx

The link above gives location and directions to get there.

Vendors will be able to setup the day prior from 4:45 - 7:00pm. The building will also open at 6:30am the day of the show if you would like to setup that morning. The price of a booth is $300. Anyone interested in a booth please call Teresa Steffey at 352-637-0882. Space is limited and booths will be assigned on a first come basis.

IFAS Blueberry IPM Guide

2009-11-27T19:12:00.003-05:00

Click on this link to download a copy.

Blueberry IPM

Leaf Diseases

2009-11-22T12:59:00.003-05:00

The link below will lead you to Dr. Phil Harmon's leaf disease identification slide show.

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/17069763/Leaf-Diseases

Thanks

2009-10-23T16:26:00.001-04:00

Your Florida Blueberry Growers Association held its’ fall meeting October 22. It was held at the Sumter county extension offices located at the fairgrounds. There were 349 in attendance as well as 44 vendors. The facility is an excellent central location for accommodating such a large gathering.

Special thanks to the following sponsors:
S & S Packing
Elixson Wood Products
Farm Credit
BudPro
U.A.S. United Agricultural Services
Without our sponsors the cost of these meetings would come from our association dues.

Along with the educational presentations a business meeting was held to elect new officers and board members.
Jerry Mixon a long time board member and Florida blueberry pioneer is leaving the board and was recognized for his service.
He will be replaced Dan Ebbecke. Dan is also the alternate southern region representative on the US Highbush Blueberry Council.
Donna Miller the current president was recognized for her many contributions. Under her leadership the association has established an internet presence as well as improved the look and marketability of the quarterly newsletter. Prior to Donna, the association had never been in a financial position to fund large scale research projects. In the last two years we have funded over $300,000 of research on mechanical harvesting and disease control. In the very near future we will disburse additional funding for integrated pest management research. Thank you Donna.
The president and vice president positions will be filled by Bill Braswell and Alto Straughn respectively.

We have tentatively scheduled our next meeting in late Feb 2010. This time frame was chosen to avoid conflict with the beginning of our harvest.

The next newsletter will be out in December. If you have any specific topics please email me or leave your comments on this post. We want to keep our newsletters fresh with informative articles.

The new website will be up and running in the next few weeks. It will complement the newsletter in appearance and content. Once up and running I will let you know via this blog.

I am asking all active members to send me your name and email address. Starting next week we are going to begin a series of webinar presentations for our membership. I will need an email address to send an invitation to link to the webinar. If you are not familiar with webinars they are basically a power point presentation over the internet. You will view the power point on your computer screen and listen on the phone via teleconference. This allows for questions from the participants. Our first webinar is scheduled Oct 30, 2009 at 10am. It will be presented by Fred Simons of Carden and Associates. The topic will be crop insurance and the new AGR Lite program. This is an alternative to traditional crop insurance. Fred can answer all of your crop insurance questions. If you are interested in the subject please email me at wcbraswell@hotmail.com to get your invitation. Don’t forget the deadline for this coming seasons’ crop insurance is November 20th. You must have a signed contract prior to that date.

In November we will present our second webinar. It will cover the subject of labor. Grower requirements, paperwork, liability issues etc.

Again thanks to all of you who attended the meeting and stay tuned for more updates.

Forecast for Chile

2009-10-19T20:00:00.001-04:00

I was unable to get this to link so copy it and paste in the http address line.

http://thepacker.com/Suppliers-push-huge-Chilean-blueberry-crop/Article.aspx?articleid=848265&authorid=129&categoryid=273&feedid=216&emc=elm=519695&l=6&v=f3d9692c1a

Organic Farm Tours

2009-10-18T20:18:00.000-04:00

Greetings,

Florida Organic Growers (FOG) and certified organic farmers team up to host two upcoming farm tours. Participation is free, and a registration form is attached. Please forward this invitation to anyone you feel may be interested.

Farm tours in Southwest and North-Central Florida offer insight on organic agriculture

Participants at two upcoming farm tours will learn about diverse vegetable production, crop rotation, soil fertility and organic approaches to pest and disease control. A 9am to noon farm tour Oct. 21 in Alachua County will provide farmers first-hand knowledge of a diversified organic production system at John Beville's 100-acre mixed vegetable farm, Promised Land. Beville has been certified organic since Jan. 2006. The 55-acre Worden Farm in Punta Gorda will host a Nov. 9 farm tour from 1pm to 4pm. Worden Farm produces more than 50 varieties of certified organic vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers and also holds field trips, farm tours, workshops and special events. Registration for the farm tours is free.

The farm tours are part of FOG's Organic Transition Project that allows qualifying producers to work alongside experienced organic production crop advisors and receive answers to questions about organic production, regulations and certification. Thanks to grant support from the EPA, the project covers all costs for expert crop advisors to work with participating growers.

To register for the farm tours and for more information about the Organic Transition Project contact Florida Organic Growers at 352.377.6345, email matt@foginfo.org or visit http://foginfo.org/epa.

Many thanks,

Matt Vargas

Florida Organic Growers (FOG)

PO Box 12311

Gainesville, FL 32604

www.foginfo.org

352-377-6345 (t)

352-377-8363 (f)

Meassage From Donna Miller

2009-10-18T18:49:00.000-04:00

Dear Growers, October 17, 2009
It has come to our attention that ABC News “Prime Time” will be airing an investigative
show about Child Labor Violations in the blueberry industry. They will be sighting the
Department of Labor’s findings concerning some Michigan and possibly North Carolina
blueberry growers.
If local media personnel contact you for an interview concerning your opinion or thoughts
on the subject, please refer them to Mark Villata from the United States High Bush Council
(USHBC) phone number (916) 983-0111.
Thanking you for your attention to this matter.

Donna Miller President
Florida Blueberry Grower’s Association
P.O. Box 12
Inverness, Florida 34451
(352)637-0882
www.FloridaBlueberryGrowers.com
P.O. Box 12, Inverness, FL 34451

Block Grant for Florida blueberries

2009-10-18T18:17:00.000-04:00

$49 MILLION IN USDA GRANTS ANNOUNCED FOR SPECIALTY CROPS

Florida’s specialty crop industry has been awarded $4.1 million in block grant funding, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Oct. 15. The grants are for a variety of purposes, from citrus greening research to marketing of tomatoes.

The USDA announced a $49 million block grant allocation for all 50 states and the U.S. territories for 2009. For 2010 and the remainder of the farm bill funding period (through 2012), the amount will increase to $55 million per year.

Florida’s grant will fund 17 projects, including:
- Four research projects to fight citrus greening
- Exploration of opportunities to reverse eroding sales of Florida tomatoes and identify new markets
- Promotion of the health benefits of watermelon
- New curricula for Florida Agriculture in the Classroom
- A training program on legal compliance and workplace safety for farm labor contractors and crew leaders who supervise farmworkers
- Integrated pest management strategies for blueberries

“We greatly appreciate all the hard work Commissioner Bronson and the team at FDACS put into assembling an outstanding package for USDA to consider,” said FFVA President Mike Stuart. “The initiatives funded for Florida focus on many of the major challenges faced by specialty crop producers in the state.”

The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, in which FFVA played a leadership role, was instrumental in creating the block grant program and in obtaining expanded funding during the 2008 farm bill debate.

A state-by-state summary of projects is available online.

New pest for Fla. blueberry growers

2009-10-01T09:25:00.000-04:00

See the link below regarding a new pest from Japan. Here's a picture:

http://www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=51385

Link to Fall Meeting Information

2009-09-29T08:54:00.000-04:00

Click on the link below for information and registration for the Fall meeting.

http://floridablueberrygrowers.com/fall2009meeting.html

From Chile

2009-09-26T12:26:00.001-04:00

http://www.thepacker.com/Big-boost-in-Chilean-blueberry-imports-expected/Article.aspx?articleid=838292&authorid=680&categoryid=122&feedid=215&src=top&emc=el&m=496891&l=5&v=66f92f489d

2009-09-17T11:02:00.000-04:00

The fall newsletter is at the printers today. You should find it in your mailbox next week. It has all of the details regarding the Oct 22 Blueberry Fall Shortcourse.

Surprise Global Gap Site Visit

2009-09-16T22:14:00.000-04:00

Not that it matters since we all stay on top of food safety regulations but you may get a short notice (24 hour) inspection. If you received a Global Gap food safety inspection during the regular harvest season you may receive a follow up inspection. The follow up will not be as detailed but it will pay to stay on top of your record keeping. I believe the number is 10% of those previously inspected will get a follow up. My understanding is it is primarily a paperwork exercise but everything is on the table. You've been warned!!

October 22 Fall Meeting

2009-09-13T10:59:00.000-04:00

If you are a vendor interested in having a booth at the Oct 22 meeting please contact Sheri Brothers berrygirl629@aol.com or myself to reserve space. The cost is $200 per booth. This includes lunch for one person. Additional lunches can be purchased for $12. Our last meeting in March 2009 was attended by approx 300 people. This is a great opportunity for vendors and members to talk directly about growers needs and available products.

USHBC

2009-09-06T10:19:00.000-04:00

The USHBC fall meeting is set for Oct 15-17 in Portland OR. The schedule and information regarding the meeting can be found at the link below.

United States blueberry crop estimate. You can see Florida blueberry production is a very small amount of the total US production. It is estimated the US will produce 433 million pounds of highbush blueberries and 236 million pounds of lowbush. Of the 433 million pounds of highbush 60% will be sold for fresh and 40% process. total US per capita consumption of highbush blueberries is approximately 26 ounces per person, almost 4 ounces more than the previous year. This is very good news in tough economic times.

http://www.blueberry.org/calendar.htm

FOG Florida Organic Growers

2009-09-02T13:21:00.000-04:00

Those of you who are growing organically or thinking about transitioning follow the link below. FOG can answer your questions about growing organically and help with funding for certification. October 15th is the deadline for funding applications so check out their website to learn more.

http://www.foginfo.org/

FBGA website

2009-09-01T08:48:00.000-04:00

While the FBGA website is being overhauled it is not completely shutdown. Links to the library which contains numerous documents and presentations on disease identification and management, variety descriptions, etc are available. You can also pay your annual dues online with a credit card.

Past Issues of FBGA newsletters

2009-08-31T23:40:00.000-04:00

Past issues of the newsletter are available at Dr. Jeff Williamson's website.
Click on the link below to be directed there.

http://www.hos.ufl.edu/jgwweb/bbnews_index.htm

Upcoming Event

2009-08-31T18:16:00.000-04:00

Mark your calendar for the Florida Ag Expo, October 28, 2009.
Follow this link for detailed information and registration.
http://flagexpo.ifas.ufl.edu/

Pest Management

2009-08-30T11:25:00.000-04:00

As summer comes to end another season begins, rust on jewels.
Dr. Jeff Williamson and IFAS have created an excellent pest management guide to help deal with rust and other pest problems. Follow this link to download your own copy http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/HS/HS38000.pdf

Next newsletter; the next issue of the FBGA newsletter will go to the printers September 11. Look for your copy in the mail the following week.

Website; The website has been down for renovation for a while. The updated website should be up and running in the next two weeks. The web address is the same www.floridablueberrygrowers.com or if you don't like typing that much try www.fbga.info I have seen the preview and it is far superior to the previous web.

grower meeting

2009-08-30T10:34:00.000-04:00

The next florida blueberry growers assoc meeting will be Oct 22, 2009. the location will be Webster FL. I will post directions and agenda as the meeting gets closer.

E-mail etc

2009-08-30T10:12:00.000-04:00

in the past I have used email as a means to communicate with other fla blueberry growers. sending out mass emails is cumbersome and time consuming. it is also difficult to post photos etc. i am going to try this blog and see how well it works out. i welcome any comments.

Blueberries

Bud progression

Jan 18 meeting

Cold Weather

Upcoming Events

Fall Grower Association Meeting

Upcoming Events

Season Comparison

2010 Season sales prices

BMP workshops need your input

Summer Leaf Diseases

2010 Season

Where are the berries

March Meeting

Spring 2010 meeting registration

Spring Meeting Registration

Organic Farm Tour

Spring Meeting Registration

Spring FBGA meeting

IFAS Blueberry IPM Guide

Leaf Diseases

Thanks

Forecast for Chile

Organic Farm Tours

Meassage From Donna Miller

Block Grant for Florida blueberries

New pest for Fla. blueberry growers

Link to Fall Meeting Information

From Chile

Newsletter

Surprise Global Gap Site Visit

October 22 Fall Meeting

USHBC

FOG Florida Organic Growers

FBGA website

Past Issues of FBGA newsletters

Upcoming Event

Pest Management

grower meeting

E-mail etc