Congratulations to Rebekah Alstede Modery for completing her farmer grant project, FNE24-072 Combating Extreme Weather Events in High Tunnel Raspberry Production While Analyzing Methods for Organic Weed Control!
Rebekah and her team grew raspberries at their New Jersey farm under the cover of a modified high tunnel. According to Farmer Grant Administrator Emma Marks, one interesting element of this project is that they removed the plastic on the tunnel over the winter to allow the plants to experience dormancy, then added the plastic in late spring to encourage earlier production. They trialed straw, leaf mulch, and landscape fabric for weed control and found the landscape fabric to be the clear winner for overall weed control and year-over-year durability. They also worked closely with their technical advisor, County Agent Peter Nitzsche of Rutgers Extension, to manage fungal disease risk in the tunnel. Rebekah shared results through farm visits as well as at the Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention in Hershey, PA this winter.