Organic farming field day to feature fall blackberry crop
Oct. 23, 2007
Contact Information: Heather Friedrich, Department of Horticulture, 479-575-2798, heatherf@uark.edu
Howell Medders, Agricultural Communications, 479-575-5647, hmedders@uark.edu
BERRY TUNNELS -- Heather Friedrich is helping to organize an organic farming field day that will include tours of a high tunnel berry production system that allows a late fall harvest of blackberries.
TUNNEL BERRIES -- Heather Friedrich picks berries under a "high tunnel" of plastic sheeting at the Arkansas Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Fayetteville. The tunnel protects berries from frost, which allows a late fall harvest from new primocane-fruiting varieties.The event will be from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Horticulture Research Farm, which is part of the research and extension center operated by the University of Arkansas System's statewide Division of Agriculture. The center is one-half mile south of the I-540 exit on Hwy. 112.
"Arkansas is behind the curve compared to other states in certified organic farms," UA horticulture professor Curt Rom said. He said a survey of fruit and vegetable producers revealed two reasons.
"One reason is that people are reluctant to try a new system that they haven't seen on the ground locally," Rom said. Another reason is that growers do not understand the U.S. Department of Agriculture's organic certification process adopted in 2002, he said.
Rom said he and colleagues hope to address both concerns with ongoing field research and extension programs focused on organic and sustainable fruit production.
USDA certified organic produce sells for 30 to 50 percent more than other produce, Rom said. "A lot of growers are already using some organic methods, but they haven't put the system together that will allow them to obtain the price premium," he said.
Managing weeds, insects and plant diseases and how to effectively fertilize plants in a certified organic system will be addressed by workshop presenters from the Kerr Center in Oklahoma, Kansas State University and the U of A Division of Agriculture.
Visitors will tour a high tunnel organic blackberry and raspberry system and an organic apple orchard. The projects are funded by grants from the USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program and the USDA Integrated Organic Research Program.
The two-year-old organic apple orchard "has some of the best trees I've seen," Rom said. He will provide details on organic practices being used in the orchard, which will produce its first crop of apples in 2008.
The high tunnel blackberry and raspberry system consists of irrigated plants under a tall frame covered by plastic sheeting. The tunnel provides two major benefits, Rom said: protection from frost and shelter from rain, which makes plants less susceptible to fungal diseases.
A fall blackberry crop is made possible by new "primocane fruiting" varieties developed by Division of Agriculture fruit breeder John Clark. The patented 'Prime-Jim' and 'Prime-Jane' varieties produce a normal summer crop plus a fall crop until the first frost.
The high tunnel system protects the plants from frost and extends the fruiting season well into November, Rom said. The system can also be used for a spring blackberry crop. Blackberry growers could sell certified organic fruit in April, May, September, October and November in addition to the normal June-July season, Rom said.
The workshop and field day are open to the public. Those planning to attend are asked to register by Nov. 2 by calling 479-575-2798 or e-mailing heatherf@uark.edu, to assist is planning for a free lunch.