Raspberry & Blackberry Growing - 3/30/06

Marin has a favorable climate for growing caneberries (raspberry and blackberry). These are both high-value crops in the fresh market area, and can yield big profits. The UC Cooperative Extension farm advisors from the Central Coast are on the cutting edge of caneberry production and marketing strategy. The advisors are experimenting with sequential mowing for delayed harvest, growing in tunnels and varietal experiments. This workshop covered basic growing as well as new cultivation methods.

Culture of caneberries
Siting and soil conditions
Varietal choices
Marketing opportunities and pricing
Mowing and cultivation

Speakers:

Mark Bolda - Mark is a graduate of the UC Davis Plant Protection and Pest Management Program Master's Program, and after graduation worked with a private research company for six years. Mark was hired as Farm Advisor in Strawberries and Caneberries in 2002, and has been working with soil fumigation alternatives, fertility, and pest control issues in both of these crops.

Laura Tourte - Laura is both county director and farm advisor for UC Cooperative Extension in Santa Cruz. She has recently completed research and a cost study of raspberry production. Laura will share with us production costs and expected profit, as well as marketing strategies.

Resources:

California Department of Food and Agriculture
http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/

Spooner Farms Certified Raspberry Plants
http://www.spoonerfarms.com/

Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics Cost and Return Studies
http://coststudies.ucdavis.edu/

New Farm Organic Price Index
http://www.newfarm.org/opx/

Northwest Berry & Grape Information Network
http://berrygrape.oregonstate.edu/

USDA Agriculture Marketing Service
http://www.ams.usda.gov/

UCCE Monterey County
http://cemonterey.ucdavis.edu/

UCCE Santa Cruz County
http://cesantacruz.ucdavis.edu/

USDA Agricultural Marketing Service
http://www.ams.usda.gov/

USDA Economic Research Service
http://ers.usda.gov/