Cosecha

Labor Requirements and Costs for Harvesting Tomatoes

Zhengfei Guan, Feng Wu, and Steven Sargent

Hop Harvesting Procedures for Small-Scale Production

Shinsuke Agehara, Chris DelCastillo, Mariel Gallardo, Weining Wang, and Jack Rechcigl

This new 4-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department explains hop harvesting procedures for small-scale production (generally up to 5 acres). It is part of a series that examines the challenges and opportunities for hop production in Florida based on research at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. Written by Shinsuke Agehara, Chris DelCastillo, Mariel Gallardo, Weining Wang, and Jack Rechcigl.

Preparing a Southern Highbush Blueberry Field for Machine Harvesting

Jeffrey G. Williamson and Douglas A. Phillips

Blueberries are grown commercially in Florida for the early-season fresh fruit market. The majority of Florida’s blueberry crop is currently harvested by hand to ensure high quality standards for fresh fruit production. However, hand harvesting is the single greatest annual production cost for Florida blueberry growers, and mechanization of berry harvests could greatly reduce production costs. This is particularly important when considering the volume of fruit imported into the United States from countries where labor rates are significantly lower. Also, at times the availability of harvest labor when needed may be an issue for Florida growers; mechanization could help address that issue. This publication provides information for commercial blueberry growers interested in adopting machine harvesting.