Extension Specialist’s Passion For Berry Production is Unyielding
Dr. Reza Rafie planting a blueberry plant at VSU Randolph Farm.
DR. REZA RAFIE HAS DONATED NEARLY 15 YEARS TO BERRY RESEARCH
It’s an understatement to say that Dr. Reza Rafie is passionate about growing berries in Virginia. Rafie, a horticulture Extension specialist with the Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) at Virginia State University (VSU), has devoted nearly 15 years to researching and promoting berry production. He’s been an unrelenting advocate for educating small farmers and growers on the economic potential of growing specialty crops, like blueberries and blackberries, in Virginia.
“Successfully growing berries is an intensive process. It requires day-to-day attention and you must be ahead of many challenges facing sustainable berry production,” Rafie says.
“The reason I’m really drawn to berry production is it’s just extremely healthy for consumers and it has lots of good potential for farmers.”
The demand for fresh berries, including blueberry, strawberry, raspberry and blackberry, continues to grow as consumers have become more conscious about the health benefits of eating berries.
Berry production is a $6 billion industry in the United States, and this potentially lucrative specialty crop can be grown in small acreages, he adds. Virginia’s climate and soil are also suitable for growing blueberries and blackberries, although soil amendment is needed in most soils in Virginia for growing blueberry. Even on just an acre of land, farmers could find that berry production is a sweet way to make their farm operations more diversified, profitable and sustainable.
Before jumping in, growers need to do their homework, Rafie says. Growers who want to learn more about berry production can start their education at the Virginia Berry School, a two-day conference that will give farmers an in-depth look at what it takes to be a successful berry grower.
The school will be held March 12-13 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at VSU’s Randolph Farm Pavilion at 4415 River Road, Petersburg, VA. It is sponsored by VCE and the Small Farm Outreach Program (SFOP) at VSU. Registration is $50 per person and includes lunch both days. To register, visit www.ext.vsu.edu/calendar, click on the event and then click on the registration link.
Berry experts will teach classroom sessions and hands-on demonstrations on how to successfully grow berries in Virginia, including soil preparation, planting, selecting suitable varieties, pruning, pest and disease management, harvesting, post-harvesting and marketing. Participants will get hands-on practice pruning berry plants.
Rafie recently wrote a publication on growing berries on an acre of land, and one of the first things he advises is that farmers develop their market strategies before going into berry production.
“Do your homework, and find out where you’re going to market and sell your produce. Establish your contacts, establish your buyers and how you will move your berries.”
Just an acre of land can produce an enormous volume of berries, he adds. From just one acre of blackberries, after the third year of production when plants are well established and managed, you could harvest 10,000-15,000 pounds of the fresh fruit, while an acre of well managed blueberry could produce 5,000 to 7,000 pounds after the fourth year, he adds. “You’ve got to have the market to move them because they’re extremely perishable.”
If you have questions, Contact Dr. Rafie at arafie@vsu.edu or: 804-524-5840.