Our President at Fall Creek, Dave Brazelton, shares exciting news in this Fresh Fruit Portal article in regard to the United States Highbush Blueberry Council's $1 million funding of a medical study on the effects blueberries have on metabolic health. The study will focus on insulin resistance and vascular health. There is no doubt that blueberries offer tremendous health benefits but this study may reveal even more through clinical trials with humans. We’ll keep you updated here.

http://www.freshfruitportal.com/2013/04/25/blueberry-industry-funds-us1m-for-metabolic-health-research/

Fall Creek Introduces Six New Blueberry Varieties

For Commercial Growers

Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc., the world’s leading blueberry nursery company, announces the first six blueberry variety releases from its own private breeding program. This portfolio of varieties offers options in a range of geographies and uses and includes an evergreening, low-chill blueberry, 3 mid and high chill blueberry varieties focused on fresh markets, one machine-harvest, process variety and one late-ripening rabbiteye. These varieties are currently available through Fall Creek or their licensed representatives in the United States, Canada, Chile, Europe, Mexico and North Africa.

“Developing varieties is a long-term commitment. We use a balance of technical science, our extensive industry knowledge, and collaboration with leading industry stakeholders to continually strive for varieties that potentially out-grow and out-yield older varieties. At the same time, we look to lower harvest and post-harvest costs, while improving arrivals and consumer experiences with the fruit. These are lofty goals,” says Cort Brazelton. “Even after nearly two decades of breeding and trialing in many locations throughout the world, there is no such thing as guaranteed success with a new variety in every region but we believe these new varieties can offer significant improvements and bring us closer to meeting these objectives.”

This is the first portfolio of variety releases from a private breeding program that is being made available to the industry in the Americas and Europe. Fall Creek has developed these new varieties in collaboration with their team of scientists, researchers, breeders and their grower support team in the U.S. and abroad. All Fall Creek varieties go through extensive testing and trialing at trial sites around the world.  Advanced stage research through partnerships with key commercial growers gives Fall Creek the opportunity to study their varieties in authentic commercial growing systems.

 “A core part of our primary business has been introducing new varieties to the market through our grower customers,” says Fall Creek’s President Dave Brazelton. “In researching the varieties of tomorrow, we know they must perform at all levels of the supply chain. This includes being profitable and reliable for growers, packers and retailers and most important of all, they must be delicious for consumers. We have a long tradition of working with other breeding programs and continue to do so. They are critical to a holistic variety portfolio for our customers’ success.  We are excited to be releasing the six first new varieties from our own private program to compliment these portfolios. It is our belief that these new varieties have the potential to offer growers advantages to what’s currently available.”

Fall Creek’s line-up of new commercial varieties include:

 
Blue Ribbon -    Northern Highbush

 Ripening:             Early – mid season

 Berry Size:           Large

 Breeder Notes: High yield, exceptionally flavorful fruit. Primarily for fresh market.

 
Cargo -                 Northern Highbush

 Ripening:             Late season

 Berry Size:           Large

 Breeder Notes: Extraordinary fruit yields. Machine-harvest potential. Fresh market and IQF.



 Clockwork –       Northern Highbush

 Ripening:             Mid season

 Berry Size:           Medium

 Breeder Notes: Exceptional flavor. Highly concentrated ripening. Machine-harvest primarily for the processed IQF market. High brix when fully ripe.
 

 
Overtime -          Rabbiteye

 Ripening:             Late season

 Berry Size:           Large

 Breeder Notes: Hand harvest, fresh market variety. Possible pollinizer for Ochlockonee.
 

 
Top Shelf -          Northern Highbush

 Ripening:             Mid season

 Berry Size:           Large to jumbo

 Breeder Notes: Hand harvest and potential for machine harvest. Recommended for fresh markets.
 

 
Ventura -             Southern Highbush

 Ripening:             Very early season

 Berry Size:           Medium

 Breeder Notes: Vigorous plant, high yield. Possibilities for both traditional and evergreening production

“I’m particularly excited about the potential of these varieties in the Western U.S., Chile, Europe, Mexico and North Africa. Fall Creek has a team of specialists in our key territories who are resident experts on these varieties, and we encourage our customers to ask questions.  The Fall Creek teams have more data on these varieties than most releases in the past, and we are committed to sharing what we do and don’t know,” adds Cort.

Fall Creek is now taking orders for their new varieties.  Both Brazeltons recommend that growers trial these varieties in their own commercial growing operations to see firsthand how they perform and fit into their programs.

Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc. was founded in 1978 by Dave and Barbara Brazelton and provides blueberry nursery stock and varieties to commercial blueberry growers around the globe. The Brazeltons now share ownership of Fall Creek with son Cort Brazelton who manages the international business development division, daughter Amelie Brazelton Aust who supervises new product development, and son-in-law Boris Aust who serves as Chief Financial Officer. For more information on Fall Creek, visit www.fallcreeknursery.com. 

                 Katie’s Krops is offering an opportunity for young people to receive a grant to start a garden in their community! With the support of Nature’s Greens and Opal apples, Katie’s Krops will be sending all the winners to an all-expenses paid camp in Pelion, South Carolina for three days to learn more about growing practices and everything they need to create a successful community garden.

                Katie Stagliano, Founder and Chief Executive Gardener at Katie’s Krops, is thrilled to give young people this opportunity and hopes to help start a community garden in every state! If you know a 9 – 16-year-old who is interested in applying for this grant, visit Katie’s website here: http://www.katieskrops.com/apply-for-a-grant.html

                The deadline is quickly approaching so get your application in today! 

This post includes excerpts from an article on FreshFruitPortal.com titled "There are no 'normal years' for Chilean blueberries." To read the full article, please go to http://www.freshfruitportal.com/2013/01/22/there-are-no-normal-years-for-chilean-blueberries/ 

It’s been a difficult year for blueberries in Chile where unusual weather before a harvest has damaged products. In an article on FreshFruitPortal.com, Fall Creek’s Cort Brazelton provides insights into these challenges and the importance of staying ahead of the curve in technology, genetics and professionalization.

“This is a hard year because we had a tough freeze in the south which is bizarre, and even stranger is having rains in places like Chillan in the middle of the season,” he says.

“But the reality is, I can’t remember a completely normal year in the last five years anywhere in the world, so there isn’t a normal anymore.”

Brazelton also mentions that these weather situations are not just an issue in Chile, they exist globally. What growers in Chile will have to decide is what kind of infrastructure investments they can make to minimize damage from unexpected weather. This could be through tunnels, frost protection, rain protections, misting coolers, evaporative cooling systems, or most importantly new tools available like genetics with fruit that is firmer.

“The opportunity is there because Chilean growers are so innovative and some of the best growers in the world live in Chile, they have to take these positions in the technologies, systems and genetics that increase their ability to handle these weather problems,” says Brazelton.

It’s clear that weather can always provide issues to the grower of this high antioxidant berry but what can be controlled is how growers and plants react to the weather.

“I don’t have all the answers. What I do know is it’s been a tough year so far, and this will happen again and again and again because we farm outside, we don’t farm in warehouses,” says Brazelton.

To read the full article titled “There are no ‘normal years’ for Chilean blueberries,” go to:  http://www.freshfruitportal.com/2013/01/22/there-are-no-normal-years-for-chilean-blueberries/

This has been an exciting trade show year so far with the introduction of six new, exclusive Fall Creek varieties. We also have a new look and feel for our booths that matches our new catalog and so far, the response has been great. As we head towards the end of the season, we invite you to stop by the Fall Creek Farm & Nursery booth to see what’s new or to simply say hello! Here are our upcoming shows:

-Blueberry Conference – January 29, 2013 – Doubletree Hilton in Portland

-Northwest Ag Show – January, 29-31, 2013 – Portland Expo Center

-World Ag Show – February 12-14, 2013 – International Agri-Center 

Photo: Fall Creek's Winn Morgan and his wife, Camille, 
pose in the booth at the SE Fruit & Vegetable Conference!

Snow has arrived and blanketed our farm today! We love the gorgeous scenery we get to view. This is also a great time to remind everyone to travel safely during this winter season and be on the lookout for icy conditions! 

Can a guy, especially our company President Dave Brazelton, get a little respect?  Here he's trying to maintain the attention of attendees at today's shareholders' meeting which is difficult with Boston Terrier, Cakes, in the spotlight!

With the holiday season upon us, Fall Creek would like to wish all of you and your families a wonderful Christmas and New Year filled with warmth, laughter and happiness. 

This is a time of year when we can stop, take a deep breath, and reflect on why we do what we do.  We love the blueberry industry, even with its highs and lows, because of you.  Your trust in us to bring you high quality plants and varieties, and the conversations and memories along the way, keep us driving forward together to create a world with plants and fruit that enrich peoples’ lives.  From the entire Fall Creek family, thank you.  It is an honor to serve you.

Here’s to an exciting 2013 ahead.

Happy Holidays.

Autumn has arrived and is settling into the Fall Creek Farms in the form of a beautifully colored landscape. As the blueberry plants are going into dormancy, their fall colors are at their brightest. We feel so fortunate to not only provide products and insight into one of the best fruits nature has given us, but that it also provides a breath-taking landscape for us to soak in every day. Happy autumn from your Fall Creek Family. 

It’s widely known that blueberries contain powerful properties such as Vitamin C and antioxidants, but their amazing possibilities have been confirmed by a recent study from a leading cancer research organization. According to City of Hope Cancer Center, blueberries can aid in preventing the spread of triple-negative breast cancer cells which have proven difficult to treat. About 15% of breast cancer patients have this type which lacks the three proteins that current breast cancer treatment targets.

According to Dr. Shiuan Chen, after applying blueberry extracts to triple-negative breast cancer cells, the extract slowed the development and mobility of the cells and even resulted in apoptosis, or cell death, at a higher rate than untreated cells. While blueberries should not be considered a treatment for triple-negative breast cancer, we believe it’s one more great reason to enjoy a bowl of fresh blueberries.