Source: NCSU COOPERATIVE EXTENSION, 6/30/20


During berry harvests across North Carolina, nothing seemed normal this season.

But in spite of the coronavirus closures and social distancing, Extension agents and specialists found new ways to carry out research, connect with growers and help protect farmworkers.

Here’s a look at what they learned and how it may change their work in the future.

A Fruitful Setting
Some high-profile companies started in a garage. That’s where Extension Small Fruit Specialist Gina Fernandez finished her data collection for strawberry trials this year.

“During the peak of the lockdown it was me going out to the field at the Central Crops Research Station in Clayton and bringing back the strawberries from the advanced trials to my home,” she says. “I would weigh the strawberries in the garage, and my daughter would help me take the measurements.”

Fernandez handled the harvest solo, rather than directing a team, to minimize the risk of spreading the coronavirus.

“It was a whole different kind of routine than what we usually do over the season.”

As a side benefit, Fernandez’s family learned more about her work.

“My daughter thoroughly enjoyed it as well,” Fernandez says. “She’d say, 'Oh no, you’ve got to do it this way and make it more efficient.’ She was very excited to help out.”

Fernandez worked her way through the 5,000 seedlings in the field, screening them for desired fruit and plant traits and disease resistance. Near the end of the season, two of her team members, Rocco Schiavone, a research specialist, and Guillermo Chacon, a postdoc, helped with the evaluation and selection on separate days to maintain plenty of distance.

“About 2% of everything out there is good, so I have to go through 98% of them to eliminate them, based on the flavor, size or shape, and would eliminate the ones with diseases,” Fernandez says.

Although having lots of strawberries around the house sounds like a sweet perk, Fernandez and her family have high standards.

“Maybe 20% looked good enough to try,” she says. “And man, some of them just don’t taste good.”

Her compost pile is well stocked now, Fernandez adds. It’s all part of the process of bringing improved berries to fruition. She’s working her way through blackberry harvest now.

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