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181
Tomato Council Ensures Uniform Pack
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
CEDARVILLE, N.J. If
you want to market Jersey
fresh, there are some things you
simply have to do.
For those bringing tomatoes
to the New Jersey Tomato
Council, be informed: your
tomatoes are rotated under a
camera, sorted by size, matched
by color, and a PLU label is
applied.
All this is to ensure a “very
uniform pack,” said Philip E.
Neary, general manager of the
Council.
Neary spoke to about 45
growers and agri-industry rep
resentatives in mid-July during
a tour of the council’s process
ing center in Cedarville. Pen
nsylvania Vegetable Growers
Association (PVGA) con
ducted the summer field trip to
'T
i Calendar
Tuesday, December 14
New England Vegetable and
Berry Conference and Trade
Show, Sturbridge Host
Hotel, Sturbridge, Mass.,
thru Dec. 16.
Agribusiness Economic Out
look Conference, Cornell
University, 10 a.m.-3:30
Bill Gulvln, winemaker for Nissley Vineyards, Bainbridge,
has been pressing grapes into fine wines for 24 years. Cal
vin said the glory about East winemaking is “the variety.”
See story page 12. Photo by Andy Andrew s
the Council, the Vineland Pro
duce Auction, Seabrook
Brothers packing, and farms in
the Cumberland County, N.J.
area.
The Council, established in
1993, strives to promote, pack,
and sell fresh tomatoes grown
by its 15 farmer-members from
seven counties in New Jersey.
Associates are from Cumber
land County and other areas
surrounding.
The Council’s packing facil
ity handles all stake-tomato
production in New Jersey. The
processing line employs
computer-controlled optical
sizing and color sorting, in
addition to gentle handling
features.
The line can pack up to 1,000
25-pound boxes. Fifty employ
ees handle various tasks,
(Turn to Page 2)
Tuesday, January 4
Solanco Young Farmer Prog
ram, Money Management In
Farm Show Complex, Har-
(Turn to Page 3)
,
Philip E. Neary, general manager of the New Jersey Tomato Council, center,
spoke to about 45 growers and agri-industry representatives in mid-July dur
ing a tour of the council’s processing center in Cedarville. The Council, estab
lished in 1993, strives to promote, pack, and sell fresh tomatoes grown by its
15 farmer-members from seven counties in New Jersey. Associates are from
Cumberland County and other areas. From left, Wesley Kline, Cumberland
County N.J. ag agent; Neary; and Bill Troxell, PVGA executive secretary.
Photo by Andy Andrews
\ Tim Elkner
Lancaster County
'\»s'' Mf Horticulture Agent j
HortlCoun
STARTING RIGHT
WITH DRIP
IRRIGATION
The drought of 1999 will
probably result in more drip
irrigation systems on farms. If
you have limited water avail
able oh your farm, then perhaps
a drip system would even make
irrigation possible.
Besides conserving water,
drip irrigation will also allow
you to irrigate regardless of
weather conditions. In addition,
drip irrigation does not wet the
plant foliage and thus does not
promote disease development.
Fertilizers can also be
applied through the drip sys
tem. By properly timing the
application of nutrients, maxi
mum yields can be harvested
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without excessive fertilizer use.
However, to realize all of the
benefits of drip irrigation, the
system must be properly
designed. You can consult a
professional to help you design
a system or you can do it your
self. Many growers have suc
cessfully designed and installed
their own drip systems. If you
are the type to undertake this
challenge, consider the follow
ing tips from Dorota Ha man
and Allen Smajstria from the
agricultural engineering
department at the University of
Florida.
First the length of lateral
lines should not exceed the
manufacturer’s recommenda
tions for that particular type of
drip tape. Lines that are too
by
V?* .
long will cause uneven water
ing and poor application unifor
mity. Emitters at the ends of the
lines will be putting out less
water than the emitters at the
beginning of the line. This will
result in uneven fertilizer appli
cations through the system as
well as possible plant stress in
the poorly watered areas.
Next be sure all mains and
submains are sized to prevent
excessive pressure losses and
velocities. Large variations in
pressure again can result in
uneven water application and
the resulting problems men
tioned above. Water velocities
that are too high can result in a
pressure wave or water hammer
(Turn to Pag* 7)
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