• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Organic Seed Alliance

Advancing ethical seed solutions to meet food and farming needs in a changing world

  • News
  • Programs
    • Research
    • Education
    • Advocacy
  • Publications
    • All Publications
    • How-to Guides
    • Reports
    • Webinars
    • Worksheets & Record-keeping
    • Conference Proceedings
  • Resources
    • 2023 Policy Platform for Seed
    • State of Organic Seed
    • Organic Seed Producers & Intern Host Farm Directory
    • Variety Trial Tool
    • Seed Patent Watch
    • Seed Internship Program & Organic Seed Production Online Course
    • Seed Economics Toolkit
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Organic Seed Growers Conference
    • COVID-19 Protocols
  • Media
  • About
    • Staff Directory
    • Board & Advisors
    • Our Story
    • Our Values
    • Our Alliance
    • Commitment to Racial Equity
    • Business Partners
    • Annual Report
    • Contact Us
    • FAQ
  • Give

December 13, 2016

New Report Helps Organic Farmers Extend Their Vegetable Season

December 13, 2016

Contact
Kiki Hubbard, Organic Seed Alliance, (406) 544-8946, kristina@seedalliance.org

New Report Helps Organic Farmers Extend Their Vegetable Season
Data points to promising varieties for off-season production in the Pacific Northwest

Port Townsend, WA – Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) released a report today that details variety trial results for storage cabbages, storage onions, overwintering chicories, and overwintering purple sprouting broccoli. The trials were grown in multiple locations on the Olympic Peninsula from 2014 through 2016, with the goal of identifying which of these crop varieties perform best in this Washington region. The trial evaluations focused on agronomic, storage, and culinary qualities.

Washington agriculture excels in producing high-value specialty crops, especially vegetables, during the prime growing seasons, but the organic produce industry remains dependent on imported crops during the winter and early spring months. Farmers are eager to expand their production of overwintering and storage crops to retain customers throughout the winter. Chefs, produce retailers and the general public increasingly demand locally grown vegetables with exceptional flavor and culinary qualities all year long. The off-season represents a significant market opportunity to expand regional production of key vegetable crops.

The four crops included in the project were identified as priorities through focus groups, farmer gatherings, and roundtable discussions that included diverse stakeholders – from farmers to processors to distributors.

The report released today includes data collected on nearly 90 varieties evaluated during two production cycles over a three-year period. The data and discussion focuses primarily on flavor, storability, winter hardiness and general product quality.

Vegetable Crops for Season Extension in the Pacific Northwest: 2014 – 2016 Trial Results is available for free download here.

This project is supported by the Washington State Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

Share

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Regions: Pacific Northwest

Kiki Hubbard

Kristina (Kiki) Hubbard is the director of advocacy and communications for Organic Seed Alliance. She currently leads efforts to promote policies and actions that support organic seed systems, including managing OSA’s State of Organic Seed project.

Latest Tweets

Footer

Advancing ethical seed solutions to meet food and farming needs in a changing world

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Copyright © 2023 Organic Seed Alliance · All Rights Reserved · Website by Tomatillo Design