March 2020 - 14

Mid-Atlantic Convention deemed a success by organizers
By Gary Pullano
Managing Editor
About 1,800 growers and other fruit
and vegetable industry members - plus
400 exhibitor representatives - met
at the Hershey Lodge in Hershey,
Pennsylvania, for the 43th annual
meeting of fruit and vegetable growers
in the mid-Atlantic.
The educational program for the
Chris Baugher, left, outgoing president of the State Horticultural Association of
Pennsylvania (SHAP), receives a plaque of appreciation from incoming SHAP President
Tad Kuntz. Photos: Gary Pullano
the Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable
Convention held Jan. 28-30 featured
speakers from across the nation along
with more than160 exhibitors at the
trade show.
Todd Hunt of the Hunt Co.
presented the keynote address on
" Communication Bleeps and Blunders
in Business. " The convention also
included the annual Grower Banquet,
Apple Grower Reception and Ice
Cream Social along with other
receptions sponsored by individual
companies.
Growers who missed the convention
are able to purchase the proceedings
that contains summaries of many of
the presentations in the vegetable,
greenhouse, small fruit and marketing
sessions. Those interested can send
a check for $20 to the Pennsylvania
Vegetable Growers Association
(PVGA) at 815 Middle Road,
Richfield, PA 17086 or they can be
ordered online on the event's website,
www.mafvvc.org.
FIELD MONITORING
JUST GOT A WHOLE
LOT EASIER
Strite gets grower award
Matthew T. Strite, partner/owner of
Strite Apple Orchard in Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania, was presented the 2019
Outstanding
Grower Award
by the State
Horticultural
Association of
Pennsylvania
(SHAP).
SHAP
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President Chris
Baugher, who
presented the
award during
the annual Fruit
and Vegetable
Growers
Banquet, said Strite was honored for
his outstanding contributions to the
tree fruit industry and the association.
The Strite family has been farming
MATTHEW
STRITE
in the Harrisburg area since 1843. The
first fruit trees and vegetables were
planted by Joseph C. Strite in 1914.
His son Earl would eventually join him
in the business and over time expand
the farm to over 250 acres.
Earl sold his produce at markets
in the city of Harrisburg and door
to door in nearby Hummelstown. In
1950, the original market was opened
on the farm. Earl's sons Joe and Tom
joined their father on the farm and
expanded vegetable plantings and
added greenhouse operations. All
three received the honor of being
named Master Farmers over the course
of their careers.
In 1994, a new farm market and
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bakery were built and the farm was
expanded to 300 acres. 2011 was the
inaugural year for Strite's community
supported agriculture (CSA) program
that allowed the business to deliver
produce throughout the greater
Harrisburg area to participating
members.
Current family members actively
involved on the farm are brothers Joe
and Tom, wives Sharon and Sheryl,
and children Jonathan and Matt, who
received the SHAP recognition at the
banquet held Jan. 28. FGN
http://www.mafvvc.org http://www.onsetcomp.com/applications/agriculture http://www.FruitGrowersNews.com
March 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2020
