January 2019 - 1

Muck fields may attract
bees to aid pollination
Sykes launches organic
brand for squash
17
20
30
Using predatory insects
in high tunnels not so
easy
January 2019 | Volume 53 |
Issue 1
LITANY OF
CHALLENGES
Weather, varieties, labor keep
Sundance alert
Jacqueline Vazquez-Celaya is the grower/manager of Sundance Farms' berry operation in Moss Landing, California. Photos: Gary Pullano
By Gary Pullano
Managing Editor
Jacqueline Vazquez-Celaya believes
she gravitated to management of
a 400-acre California strawberry
growing operation through " dumb
luck. " But her meticulous grasp of the
challenges presented in her current
role doesn't match either of those
words.
Vazquez-Celaya earned a business and
marketing degree from college. It helped
her land a position with Driscoll's as
director of partner operations.
" After about a month I started to get
bored (in the office) and started going
out to the fields once a week, and then
twice a week, " she said. It soon became
apparent that farm management was
her calling, and she left Driscoll's
to become director of operations
for Sundance Berry Farms in Moss
Landing, California.
The operation markets its berry
products to Costco, Walmart, Trader
Joe's and other significant retail outlets.
Sundance Berry Farms, which was
founded in 2003, operates berry farms
in three California growing districts:
Oxnard, Santa Maria and Watsonville.
Sundance merged with Andrew
Williamson (A&W) in 2005 in order
to provide year-round strawberry
production. In the partnership,
Sundance focuses on the production
side of the berry business, while A&W
handles all sales and marketing.
Sundance's production covers
spring, summer and fall, with growing
operations in the California strawberry
growing districts of Coachella, Oxnard,
See SUNDANCE, page 5
Virginia State plants veterans in industry
By Stephen Kloosterman
Associate Editor
Retired Army Lt. Col. James T.
Edwards travels between military base
out-processing centers to Army Reserve
stations and even a Department of
Veterans Affairs hospital, hoping to sign
up more volunteers.
Volunteers, that is, willing to be
trained as growers and farmers in
civilian life.
" It's about a 10- to 20-minute spiel, "
Edwards said. Veterans at the outprocessing
centers have several job
opportunities presented to them. A
professional with nearly 28 years in
the Army, Edwards is able to speak the
language of others in the military, while
detailing what programs, training and
tools are available for the veterans if
they try agriculture.
Virginia State University (VSU)
recently received a $200,000 grant
from the USDA to help socially
disadvantaged and veteran farmers and
ranchers in the state.
VSU's funding is part of $9.4 million
in grants announced in October by
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue.
Socially Disadvantaged Farmers
and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers
See VETERANS, page 9
Army veteran Don Bright operates a small
farm in Virginia's Chesterfield Township.
Photos: Susan Cheek

January 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2019