From the Fields - Neil Nagata

By Neil Nagata , San Diego County farmer

We are constantly evaluating new technology and robotics to reduce labor and make our jobs more efficient. There are new strawberry varieties coming out. The University of California has released about five new varieties that are now in the field. They are having some success. Strawberries are planted annually, so it takes a full year to know what is working or not working. The last couple years, these varieties have been increasing slightly in planted acres. Some were developed for disease resistance, but the majority are for size, production, flavor or ability to get to its destination without rotting or getting soft.

The automatic strawberry harvester hasn’t been very successful because it is so complex, but there are other technologies that are being worked on and adopted.

In conjunction with the California Strawberry Commission, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, is developing new laser technology to cut off “runners,” or strawberry plant shoots. During the fruiting season, you don’t want them, but during nursery time, you want as many as you can get so that you get more plants. But we’re fruit growers, so we don’t want them. Sometimes the plant will shoot out that vigor, and it will go into runners instead of going to fruit. Removal of those runners cost a significant amount of money. This technology is not yet commercially available, but probably in a year or two they will make it available for purchase.

Our strawberry fields are growing very well. We expected a little bit more rain but didn’t get it. We would like the rain now and not later, but we’ll take what we can get. Things are growing, and it looks like it’s going to be a good season.

The cherimoya crop is a little light this year, and it is delayed. It might have to do with the weather last year. Normally, we harvest in November, but we’re looking at maybe January, so we’re a couple months behind.