Since transferring to this area from Kershaw County in August, I have made it my number one objective to meet and familiarize myself with all of the commercial fruit and vegetable growers and their farms in a five-county area surrounding Spartanburg. My background is in plant pathology and I hope to offer farmers here additional expertise in this area.

Since I came in at the end of peach season most of my time has been spent meeting strawberry growers and scouting strawberries for insects and diseases. Currently, I have scouted more than 80 acres of strawberries in Spartanburg, Greenville and York counties.

The purpose of scouting is to determine whether or not there are insects and/or diseases present that will threaten production. Once the pest is identified then we (Clemson) help the grower decide on what tactic would be most prudent given their situation, insect pressure, past usage, existence of resistance populations and many other factors.

We always recommend using the least toxic method possible and still control the problem. This takes into account how many and the identity of beneficial insects that may or may not be present. We only recommend products that are safe and legal for them to use on their crop. The overall crop is currently in good condition and very few products have had to be used at this point.

Strawberries are typically planted in the fall so that they can establish a good root system before the winter sets in. The cold weather and day length over the winter prepare the plants for fruit production in the spring. Because they already have a good root system they are able to produce larger size and quantity of berries in the spring.

This year we have two growers that are actually picking strawberries right now. James Cooley of Strawberry Hill and Bob Hall both grew a special strawberry plant that puts on some of its production in the fall and then produces more berries in the spring.

These berries have an excellent flavor but are slightly smaller than other cultivars you are probably use to. They are in high demand right now and there are very few being produced so you may want to call ahead if you are interested in trying to get some. Hopefully, we will be able to perfect this fall strawberry production system to produce higher quantities in the future.

The growers I have begun working with are all wonderful people who are extremely competent in there profession. At this point, I have been learning more from them than

they probably have from me. I am here to serve them and I will continue to do my best to do so.

What does all of this mean to you? The work I am responsible for doing will help ensure the delivery of the freshest, most abundant, and affordable fruits and vegetables your farmers can offer. Please support the farms closest to you by purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables as frequently as possible. I would argue that our farmers are growing a better quality product than anything coming out of California.