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12. Assessing master gardeners' priorities
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Relf, D. (author) and McDaniel, A. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 1994-04
- Published:
- USA
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 113 Document Number: C11147
- Journal Title:
- HortTechnology
- Journal Title Details:
- <4 (2): 181-184>
- Notes:
- Includes references
13. Blueberry producers' attitudes towards harvest mechanization for fresh market
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Gallardo, Karina R. (author), Stafne, Eric T. (author), Devetter, Lisa Wasko (author), Zhang, Qi (author), Li, Charlie (author), Takeda, Fumiomi (author), Williamson, Jeffrey (author), Yang, Wei Qiang (author), Cline, William O. (author), Beaudry, Randy (author), Allen, Renee (author), and Washington State University Mississippi State University University of Georgia University of Florida Oregon State University Michigan State University
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2018-02
- Published:
- United States: American Society for Horticultural Science
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 11 Document Number: D10337
- Journal Title:
- HortTechnology
- Journal Title Details:
- 28(1) : 10-16
- Notes:
- 7 pages., Via online journal., The availability and cost of agricultural labor is constraining the specialty crop industry throughout the United States. Most soft fruits destined for the fresh market are fragile and are usually hand harvested to maintain optimal quality and postharvest longevity. However, because of labor shortages, machine harvest options are being explored out of necessity. A survey on machine harvest of blueberries (Vaccinium sp.) for fresh market was conducted in 2015 and 2016 in seven U.S. states and one Canadian province. Survey respondents totaled 223 blueberry producers of various production sizes and scope. A majority (61%) indicated that their berries were destined for fresh markets with 33% machine harvested for this purpose. Eighty percent said that they thought fruit quality was the limiting factor for machine-harvested blueberries destined for fresh markets. Many producers had used mechanized harvesters, but their experience varied greatly. Just less than half (47%) used mechanical harvesters for fewer than 5 years. Most respondents indicated that labor was a primary concern, as well as competing markets and weather. New technologies that reduce harvesting constraints, such as improvements to harvest machinery and packing lines, were of interest to most respondents. Forty-five percent stated they would be interested in using a modified harvest-aid platform with handheld shaking devices if it is viable (i.e., fruit quality and picking efficiency is maintained and the practice is cost effective). Overall, the survey showed that blueberry producers have great concerns with labor costs and availability and are open to exploring mechanization as a way to mitigate the need for hand-harvest labor.
14. Business and marketing practices of U.S. landscape firms
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Torres, Ariana (author), Barton, Susan S. (author), Behe, Bridget K. (author), and Purdue University University of Delaware Michigan State University
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2017-12
- Published:
- United States: American Society for Horticultural Science
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 12 Document Number: D10349
- Journal Title:
- HortTechnology
- Journal Title Details:
- 27(6) : 884-892
- Notes:
- 9 pages., Via online journal., Little information has been published on the business and marketing practices of landscape firms, an important sector of the green industry. We sought to profile the product mix, advertising, marketing, and other business practices of United States landscape firms and compare them by business type (landscape only, landscape/retail, and landscape/retail/grower) as well as by firm size. We sent the 2014 Trade Flows and Marketing survey to a wide selection of green industry businesses across the country and for the first time included landscape businesses. Herbaceous perennials, shade trees, deciduous shrubs, and flowering bedding plants together accounted for half of all landscape sales; 3/4 of all products were sold in containers. However, landscape only firms sold a higher percentage of deciduous shrubs compared with landscape/retail/grower firms. Landscape businesses diversified their sales methods as they diversified their businesses to include production and retail functions. Landscape businesses spent, on average, 5.6% of sales on advertising, yet large landscape companies spent two to three times the percentage of sales on advertising compared with small- and medium-sized firms. Advertising as a percent of sales was three to four times higher for landscape/retail/grower compared with landscape only or landscape/retail firms; most respondents used Internet advertising as their primary method of advertising. The top three factors influencing price establishment in landscape businesses were plant grade, market demand, and uniqueness of plants, whereas inflation was ranked as the least important of the nine factors provided. A higher percentage of small and medium-sized firms perceived last year’s prices as more important in price establishment compared with large firms. A high percentage of large landscape companies said the ability to hire competent hourly employees was an important factor in business growth and management, but this was true only for about half of the small and medium-sized landscape companies.
15. Citrus management surveys as tools for extension programming
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Taylor, C.L. (author), Ferguson, J.J. (author), and Israel, G.D. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 1995
- Published:
- USA
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 113 Document Number: C11155
- Journal Title:
- HortTechnology
- Journal Title Details:
- <5 (1): 67-71>
- Notes:
- Includes references
16. Clientele perceptions of master gardener training delivered via interactive television versus face to face
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Warmund, M.R. (author) and Schrock, D. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 1999-03
- Published:
- USA
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 114 Document Number: C11334
- Journal Title:
- HortTechnology
- Journal Title Details:
- <9 (1): 116-121>
- Notes:
- Includes references.
17. College student knowledge and perceptions of invasive species
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Waliczek, Tina M. (author), Williamson, Paula S. (author), Oxley, Florence M. (author), and Texas State University Austin Community College
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2017-08
- Published:
- United States: American Society for Horticultural Science
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 12 Document Number: D10361
- Journal Title:
- HortTechnology
- Journal Title Details:
- 27(4) : 550-556
- Notes:
- 7 pages., Via online journal., The purpose of this study was to determine college students’ understanding of invasive species and their support for plant and animal pest control and eradication methods. Surveys were administered at a university and community college in Texas in biology and agriculture departments. A total of 533 respondents participated in the study. Most students said they were not part of any type of environmental organization and felt they were not very informed about invasive species issues. More students reported learning about invasive species in high school than in college courses. The average score on knowledge questions related to invasive and native plants and animals was 32%. Most students underestimated the negative impact of invasive species but many were aware of costs to manage those species. Reliable reported sources of information included environmental organizations, college courses, and the Internet. Pearson product-moment correlations showed positive relationships between students who had college class instruction regarding invasive species and positive attitudes toward management of invasive species. Positive relationships were also found between instruction and an awareness of invasive plants or animals. Respondents who were knowledgeable of invasive species in the community had more positive attitudes toward the management of invasive species. In demographic comparisons, differences were found with males, upperclassmen, and those identifying as Caucasian or other having more knowledge of invasive species and more positive attitudes toward their management.
18. Communication could increase florists' commercial account purchases
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Anderson, Lori J. (author), Behe, Bridget K. (author), and Sanderson, Kenneth C. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 1996-07
- Published:
- USA
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 113 Document Number: C11131
- Journal Title:
- HortTechnology
- Journal Title Details:
- <6 (3): 266-271>
19. Comparison of presentation method effectiveness for dissemination of pesticide-free turfgrass management information
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Campbell, Julie H. (author), Henderson, Jason J. (author), Wallace, Victoria H. (author), and University of Georgia University of Connecticut Department of Extension, University of Connecticut
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2018-08
- Published:
- United States: American Society for Horticultural Science
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 11 Document Number: D10327
- Journal Title:
- HortTechnology
- Journal Title Details:
- 28(4) : 536-542
- Notes:
- 7 pages., Via online journal., This study examined how different presentation formats affected knowledge gain among school grounds managers. Results indicate large-group participants (presentation to ≈50 participants at a turfgrass field day) had greater knowledge retention than small-group participants (presentation to 6–10 participants at an interactive workshop). Small-group attendees had more flexibility to discuss issues that affected them directly and may have focused on those issues instead of the targeted information. Large-group meetings were more ridged in format and attendees were less able to deviate from the main subject matter being presented. However, the value of the small-group meeting should not be discounted, especially when athletic field grounds managers and staff require information specific to their situation. When disseminating more general information, the large-group meeting format is a better means of delivery.
20. Computer and Internet use among Oregon master gardeners
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Kirsch, Erika (author) and Van Der Zanden, A.M. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2003-07
- Published:
- USA
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C19840
- Journal Title:
- HortTechnology
- Journal Title Details:
- 13(3) : 548-551