Evening Farm Tour and Workshop for NJ Fruit Producers

 

NJ farmers are invited to attend a farm tour and workshop on October 22, 2012 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Evergreen Farm in Yardville, NJ.  The evening will begin with a farm tour, followed by an introduction to useful conservation practices and programs offering technical and financial assistance from the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  USDA-NRCS technical experts will be on hand to answer questions.  Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension specialists will speak about on key orchard pests, including the Brown Marmorated Stinkbug and IPM strategies.

 

This free workshop is sponsored by USDA-NRCS, Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension, and the Mercer County Soil Conservation District.  The host is Evergreen Farm where the Kim family produces specialty fruit including Asian pear, jujube, white peach, Korean grape and a variety of vegetables.  Light refreshments will be provided including samples of the recent harvest

Registration is required.  Please register by October 17, 2012 by using the form linked below or by calling the Mercer County Soil Conservation District at (609) 586 9603.  http://www.nj.nrcs.usda.gov/about/events/#EVENING_FARM_TOUR_AND_WORKSHOP_FOR_PRODUCERS

- Meredith Melendez

Farm Food Safety: Packinghouse Facility Activities

Part 11 of Preparing Your Farm Food Safety Plan
 
- Meredith Melendez and Wes Kline

Part 11 of your farm food safety plan addresses your packinghouse activities.  This includes transportation of the product from the field to the packinghouse, product storage once it has been delivered to the packing house, the washing/packing line, ice, worker health and hygiene and packinghouse general housekeeping.  Keep in mind that not all areas of the audit will apply to your farm based on your production practices.  Those areas not applicable would be marked not applicable by the auditor.   Areas that do apply but you are deficient in would result in a reduction of audit points.  A minimum of 80% must be achieved in each section to pass the final audit.  Conducting a mock audit is the best way to determine deficiencies and changes that will need to be made to your farm infrastructure and/or production practices.