Jefferson Farms.0rg

Jefferson County Farm Day 2012

Coming up on Saturday, June 16 2012, it's....Jefferson County Farm Day!  Jane Tabb has outdone herself this year organizing an exciting day in the country, highlighting Jefferson County agriculture.

There are four stops on the tour this year:

Bloomery Plantation Distillery ( www.bestlimoncello.com )

Ridgefield Farm and Orchard ( www.ridgefieldfarm.com )

Charles Town Farmers Market ( www.jeffersonfarms.org )

Coleswood Farm ( 3330 Old Leetown Pike, Ranson, WV )

All locations will be open (at least) from 10 AM to 5 PM, so do the whole tour! The detailed brochure for Jefferson Country Farm Day 2012 can be downloaded below.

Download Farm Day 2012

Disease Resistant Blueberries

Research results just released by USDA-ARS point out that there is a range of resistance to the fungal disease mummy berry among different blueberry cultivars.

The fungus wages its attack in two stages. During the first stage, small, cup-shaped structures bearing the fungus' spores sprout from berries concealed among leaf litter in the ground. Wind spreads the spores to nearby plants, infecting newly emerging shoots and leaves. During the second phase, the fungus penetrates the berry, causing it to shrink, shrivel and turn whitish. Eventually, the "mummified" fruit drops to the ground and overwinters, setting the stage for a new cycle the following spring.

The researchers analyzed blighting-resistance data collected from 125 cultivars over two to six years, and fruit-infection-resistance data from 110 cultivars over two to five years. Among a small group of cultivars found to be resistant to both stages were "Brunswick" and "Bluejay."

To see the full ARS article, with quite a lot more on blueberries, click here.