Our Farming OperationThe Jones Family Farms operation is a family affair that Jim runs with his wife, Barbara, along with their married daughter, Jessica and son, Jimmy. Jim and Barbara have been farming since 1980. After having off-the-farm jobs, both Jessica and Jimmy came back to the home farm and now play strategic roles in the operation.

Use Family Shot: Jones Farms members – Jessica Williams Jim Jones Barbara Jones Jimmy Jones

Jim started farming as a teenager with his grandfather in 1974, growing sweet potatoes in the fifth middles of tobacco fields. The next year, he had an acre of sweet potatoes and kept increasing his acreage over the years. In the early ‘80's. Jim grew 30 to 40 acres and stayed under 100 acres till the ‘90s.

Jim w/ Sweet Potatoes Today his sweet potatoes are produced on more than 900 acres.

In 2000, Jones Family Farms became the first blackberry nursery to be certified by the NC Crop Improvement Assn. Barbara buys all of our blackberry mother plants from the NC State Micropropagation Unit (MPU).

Show Barbara w/ Blackberry fruit on vine

We are proud that Jones Family Farms has completed two years of training in GAP certification.

(SHOW CERTIFICATES – Paper)

About MicropropagationMicropropagation growth/impact on Sweet Potato and Blackberry industries

Work done in the North Carolina State University’s Micropropagation Unit and Repository (MPUR) was instrumental in revitalizing the North Carolina sweet potato industry. Today, virtually all the sweet potatoes grown in North Carolina and much of the rest of the country originate in the labs of the MPRU.

In the mid-1990s, North Carolina sweet potato growers were in trouble. Sweet potato mutations and diseases such as russet crack caused low yields and poor quality in North Carolina’a sweet potato crop. These quality problems caused North Carolina to lose market share to other sweet potato growing regions in the country. Growers looked to NC State’s Pathology Department to come up with a solution of their major and growing problem.

The answer came with the establishment of the MRPU in 1996. Dr. Zvezdana Pesic-van Esbroeck, the director of the MPRU built the Micropropagation unit that exists today. Mericlones that are produced in the MRPU are virus tested and true-to-type “nuclear stock mother plants.”

Cuttings of these plants are sold only to certified sweet potato greenhouse nurseries, like Jones Family Farms, who then grow and take cuttings from the plants, eventually turning thousands of plants into millions of plants that are sold to sweet potato growers in North Carolina and other sweet potato growing regions in the country.

USE old pix from Micropropagation brings sweet results - End of Growing Micropropagated Sweet Potatoes

The MPUR and Jones Family Farms work closely with Dr. Darryl Bowman of the NC Crop Improvement Association to assure that certified, true-to-type, disease-free plants are available to the industry.

Jones Family Farms considers several sweet potato and blackberry industry leaders as team members in advising and working with them to provide the most superior plants and cuttings to both sweet potato and blackberry growers.

????? ANY PIX OF JIM AND BARBARA INTERFACING WITH TEAM MEMBERS????

Jim Jones considers his sweet potato team to include: the MPUR’s director, Dr. Zvezdana Pesic-van Esbroeck and two NC State horticulture/sweet potato plant breeders, Dr. Ken Pecota and Dr. Craig Yencho..

Barbara Jones has also worked closely with experts who are part of her blackberry team: the MPUR Director, Dr. Pesic-van Esbroeck, Dr. Gina Fernandez and Dr. Jim Ballington, both NC State University horticulture/bramble breeders, as well as Dr. John Clark, a University of Arkansas horticulture/plant breeder.

ADD BUTTON:

Stories About UsMicropropagation brings sweet results to NC growers NC State Perspectives - Spring 2000 - Art Latham

With farmers in dire need of something to generate bank deposits after tobacco’s lean years and the damage from the 1999 hurricane season, micropropagated sweet potatoes just might be the crop to boost cash flow in years to come. (MORE)

http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/magazine/spring00/micro.htm

Innovations keep Carolina sweet potato grower on topSoutheast Farm Press June 12, 2006 Roy Roberson

Bailey, N.C., sweet potato grower Jim Jones doesn't consider himself to be a pioneer in the industry, but his innovations with equipment, seed technology and pest management have put him near the head of the pack among upper Southeast growers. (MORE)

http://southeastfarmpress.com/sweet-potato-grower-adapts-information-innovation

Blackberries diversify farm Carolina/Virginia Farmer - Sept. 2009 – Michael Brinkley

Bailey, NC., It all started because Barbara Jones was looking for something to do. It wasn’t that she had loads of spare time on her and her husband, Jim’s, 800-acre-plus sweet potato and plant farm – she just wanted something to call her own. (MORE)

http://farmprogress.com/carolina-virginia-farmer/customPage.aspx?p=63

Contact & Locate Us (for both sweet potatoes and blackberries)

JONES FAMILY FARMSUse roadsign visual: 36227094 Honeysuckle Lane Bailey, NC 27807FAX: (252) 235-0155Email: sales@jonesfarmsnc.com

Website: www.jonesfarmsnc.com

Show head shot of each individual (take from family pix)/

CONTACT:Jim – Sweet potato micropropagation – tech and sales information

Barbara – Blackberry micropropagation – tech and sales informaton

Jessica – Sales/service of both sweet potatoes and blackberries

Jimmy – Farm management/production practices for sweet potatoes

* Need standard info form for visitor to write in question/comments, etc.

*PLUS Show locator map and directions to Jones Farmshttp://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=213908587541814424692.0004a560ebf9af8c8fe51

Our Sweet Potato Operation“To raise the best sweet potatoes, you need to start with the best slip you can get and hope for good weather. While we can’t do much about the weather, Jones Family Farms can help you put the best plant in the field to maximize your crop … and it all starts with micropropagated seed,” says Jim Jones.

Jones started buying micropropagated mother sweet potato plants from NC State University in the mid '90s, soon thereafter becoming a certified plant and seed producer. With confidence in micropropagated seed, he has increased the acres he plants each year to supply new customers.

Over the years, Jim also invested in a number of new greenhouses. He now has nine (9) greenhouses. In 2009, he built a new curing barn and added yet another curing barn in 2011.

Jim’s business has increased largely because of satisfied customers. “I’ve never gotten a bad box of seed potatoes,” reports one customer. He also makes a habit of sending an additional 100 plants with every 10,000 purchased. He recommends that growers buy some G-1 seed each year, to keep seed stock at it's best.Jones Farms is a certified seed and plant wholesaler, selling to producers all over the U.S. and Canada. Since he started in the mid 1990s with micropropagation, Jones has become one of the largest suppliers of sweet potato cuttings in the Southeast.

USE U-TUBE: EDIT DOWN Learn more about Jim Jones and his sweet potato operation on this U-Tube:

http://youtu.be/d3V6hO7JWP4

Micropropagating Our Sweet Potatoes XX Jones Family Farms has a separate greenhouse for the varieties obtained from the NC State University Micropropagation Unit. A wood-frame greenhouse-- 20' X 80' - 1/3 of the center area is screened in for mother plants.

XX Each greenhouse features electricity on thermostats and automatic timers for water and fertilizing.

XX Before entering each greenhouse, everyone goes though a double entry area for sterilization with a fogging system that completely covers the body to eliminate insects and diseases getting into the greenhouse. We don't feel it's enough to just step in a chlorox-filled tub.

XX At the start of each growing season, we sterilize everything with a Clorox/Oxidate/fungicide/spore killer mixture to make sure everything is spic 'n' span and ready for new mother plants to be micropropagated.

DELE: Pix of watering pots outside (opposite of Jimmy kneeling)

(061) Around the 1st week of Feb. we pick up plants in 4" clay pots several different varieties from the NC State MPUR. All of our varieties are color-coded.

(074) or (082) We immediately cut mother plants if they need to be cut and then replant them in gutters. re-pot the mother plants into our gutter trays that were previously filled with special potting soil and watered thoroughly. We want to make sure our new plants can grow and not be root-bound.

(075) Clippers are sprayed with alcohol before cuttings are made. As the mother plant grows runners, we spray alcohol on clippers before making cuttings to make sure we are not transmitting any viruses.

DELE: PIX of Jessica places 7 to 8 second node cuttings in a hanging basket. We then place cuttings in the gutters, which are in the greenhouse just outside the caged mother plant room.

DELE:: PIX of hanging baskets and text: These first daughter cuttings, with each pot labeled to show what mother plant it came from, continue to grow.

DELE: 2 side-by-side pix of Jim/Jimmy in greenhouse and plants in Jim’s hands. Replace them with (067) and (082) Next, we take 2 node cuttings from each first daughter plant, which will be planted in another greenhouse with the same variety. NEW TEXT: As they grow we take 2 node cuttings from each first daughter plant, which will be planted in another greenhouse.

Dele current photo – use (02) Each of our greenhouses has ground cover and gravel on the floor for drainage, as well as drain lines that run underground to remove any standing water.

XX Jim and Jimmy punch holes in the soil ready for second daughter cuts.

XX We then space and plant second daughter cuts in 6" rows, with each plant about 4" apart. We have a capacity to grow about 18-20,000 plants in each greenhouse.

XX Jim adjusts irrigation pipes to water second daughter plants

XX Second daughter plants are now ready for transplanting and making seed stock in the field.

XX Prior to planting, we sample and meter the soil in all our sweet potato fields to determine what nutrients are needed to grow a good crop.

XX Starting about the first or second week of May, plants are cut every 8-9 days for 7-10 weeks for transplanting in our fields. We practice select cutting, using clippers to get the biggest plants to grow. We give the smaller plants time to get bigger before weekly cuttings and transplanting in the field.

XX Irrigation is key to growing quality plants and assuring a good stand. To get a good, uniform stand, a grower must irrigate if there has been no rainfall.

XX Applying side-dress fertilizer four weeks after transplanting will help ensure us of a good high yield of uniform #1 sweet potatoes.

XX Mowing vines 8-10 days before digging with plow.

XX Digging with 4-row plow. Potatoes upturned by digger.

XX Bins and buckets are sterilized before harvest time. Each harvesting crew separates seeds from #1's, carefully handling them as they are placed in bins for storage.

XX Curing boxes (each holds 40 bushels) of sweet potatoes on a truck.

XX In the curing shed, sweet potatoes are cured and stored over winter. They are kept for 4 to 5 days at 85 degrees and 85 percent humidity and then down to 58 degrees at 85 percent humidity for the rest of the time in the curing barn.

XX With the right micropropagated seeds or plants and, God willing, mother nature's cooperation we will have the very best crop of sweet potatoes under our rows.

Replace pix with (064) We grow our micropropagated 1st generation seed potatoes in field beds to make 2nd generation plants, which become our commercial potatoes and 2nd generation seed for sale to other growers. We start by placing the seed potatoes as close as we can without stacking.

Replace next 2 pix with (051) We place two lines of drip tape for irrigation as we cover seedbeds with soil.

XX The beds are covered with plastic.

DELE: Pix & Para w/ words: Jim’s wife, Barbara,…….through irrigation drip tape.

XX Keep last 3 pix ---- keep words: G-2 plants come from our G-1 field seed beds. They are hand selected to ensure uniform, healthy plants that will produce high yielding, good quality G-2 sweet potatoes.

Sweet Potato Varieties Jones Family Farms sells the following G-1 & G-2 varieties

Show both pix on all varieties – end productCovington Virus-Indexed Virus-Indexed Elite Rose-colored skin and moist orange flesh. Most popular variety planted in NC - 87 % in 2009. The Covington is very uniform in shape with exceptional results. A high-quality eating variety, it has rose-colored skin that is slightly darker than Beauregard with a moist, orange flesh. Normally matures in 110 – 120 days.

Beauregard B 94-14 Virus-Indexed Virus-Indexed Elite Rose-colored skin and moist orange flesh. They have the same plant production and maturity characteristics as other Beauregard varieties, store well and excellent taste. Second in popularity with 10 % of NC acreage. Normally matures in 90 – 100 days.

Hernandez Virus-Indexed Virus-Indexed EliteHas a deeper orange flesh with a brighter orange skin. Excellent plant producer, that takes 10 days longer to size up with a heavy set of uniform smaller, # 1 potatoes per hill. A longer -season variety of 120 days, this vine-type sweet variety produces very uniform roots with excellent yield. They also store well with excellent taste.

Evangaline Virus-Indexed Virus-Indexed EliteRose-colored skin and moist deep orange flesh. The Evangeline also has excellent processing qualities, and the deep orange flesh color has wide appeal. Yield and overall quality of this variety have been comparable to Beauregard. Evangeline appears to produce fewer jumbos, or oversized roots, than Beauregard, so potentially, this could translate into a few more U.S. No.1 grade roots at harvest. Normally matures in 90 – 100 days.

Bonita Virus-Indexed Virus-Indexed EliteLight tan skin with a pink cast at harvest; fades to tan in storage. Flesh color is white with a tinge of yellow. Uniform shapes with good yields of #1’s. Normally matures in 90 – 100 days.

Murasaki Virus-Indexed Virus-Indexed Elite The roots are elliptical, and are characterized by their white flesh, high dry matter, and purple skin. Good yields are normally harvested in approximately 100-120 days.

O’Henry Virus-Indexed Virus-Indexed Elite The O’Henry is a mutated Beauregard variety, has white flesh with a creamy colored skin. Growing characteristics are like those of B-14. Good yielder with shorter growing season of 90- to 95 days. They also store well with excellent taste.

Porto Rico Virus-Indexed Virus-Indexed Elite An old-fashioned sweet potato that is perhaps the sweetest of all varieties. A vine-type variety, it is known for its great taste, making it an excellent baking and cooking potato. Roots are a light copper color with moist, reddish-orange flesh. Growing season is 115 to 120 days. While it is not as good appearing (with a more tapered, long belly, pale copper skin, and light orange flesh), it is a good plant producer.

Diane Virus-Indexed Virus-Indexed EliteDark rose colored skin, deep orange flesh, very aggressive vine. Averages yield, Good eating quality, normally matures in 100-120 days.

Check for updates on other varieties that we may have in trials.

Sweet Potato Grower Testimonials“We’ve been buying sweet potato plants and seed stock from Jim Jones for six years. All the varieties I’ve purchased from him have been true-to-type – an excellent and necessary step to growing a great crop of sweet potatoes.” – a 500-acre Johnston Co., NC sweet potato grower.

Sweet Potato Plants & SeedsOrders are filled on a first come, first serve basis and we encourage you order earlier.We take orders year round, though we ship May-June, and will be glad to get yours on file as soon as possible.

Please note: Consideration for weather conditions and typical restraints on plant harvesting must be taken so that we can get you the freshest and best plants available. We cannot guarantee that the plants will arrive at your requested date, though we will work with you as much as possible.

If orders are placed later than mid-March we cannot guarantee that you will receive slips when we first begin shipping, or during the month of May.

We will call you a few days before we ship to confirm your order and we will not charge you until the order ships.

Good sweet potatoes start with good seed. Sweet potato seed has to be updated constantly because it loses quality rapidly from one year to the next. Viruses can quickly infect an entire crop, resulting in low yields, poor quality, and misshapen roots. Jones Family Farms is one of only a few farms in the world that grow micropropagated, virus-indexed plants for sweet potato production.

Micropropagation involves eliminating all viruses that may affect the growing potential of a sweet potato plant. This is not a genetic alteration in any way. This process simply brings the plant back to its original state-free of all viruses and other afflictions.

Virus-indexed plants mean amazing yields, uniform roots, and outstanding storage capabilities. This program was created so commercial growers could obtain better seed stock, thus producing higher-quality sweet potatoes on less acreage. Whether you are a commercial grower or just need a few plants for your garden, Jones Family Farms can provide you with the plant you need to grow a better sweet potato

Sweet Potato OrderingOur plants/slips are shipped to you after the danger of frost has passed and the ground has warmed up. This gives the plants plenty of growing season to produce many big potatoes before harvest. You can order your plants from January 1 through June 1. Note that orders will be filled and shipped on a first-in, first-out basis. So book your plants/slips early.

We start shipping our plants/slips in May and continue through July. If our plants/slips are not available by May 1, we will contact you and let you know when you can expect your order. Your plants will be shipped as close as possible to your desired shipping date. We ship our plants/slips loose in a box for better air circulation. We fill and ship orders on Monday and Tuesday of each week.

Plants are shipped via Priority Mail through the U.S. Postal Service. FedEx or UPS is available, but there could be an additional charge.

How to Order Our Sweet Potato Seed & Plants

Prior to placing your order, please contact Jim Jones or Jessica at FAX: (252) 235-0155

or email sales@jonesfarmsnc.com to discuss variety availability, pricing, and delivery details.

Sweet Potato LinksType name/show logo and then show activated web address for each link:

NC Sweet Potato Commission - www.ncsweetpotatoes.com

Sweet Potato Assn. of the U.S. www.sweetpotatousa.org

NCDA&CS Sweet Potatoes ww.ncagr.gov/markets/commodit/horticul/sweetpot/

NCC Crop Improvement Assn. www.nccrop.com

Dr. Zvezdana Pesic-van Esbroeck - NC State MPU Director Zvezdana_Pesic@ncsu.edu

Dr. Ken Pecota - NC State Horticulture/Plant Breeder Ken_Pecota@ncsu.edu

Dr. Craig Yencho – NC State Horticulture/Plant Breeder Craig_Yencho@ncsu.edu

__________________________________________________

Our Blackberry OperationBarbara Jones started her blackberry operation in 2002. She operates it very much like Jim does his sweet potato micropropagation operation. Her source of mother blackberry plants is the NC State Microprogation Unit. She started growing her blackberries on 1-1/2 acres of land….seven years later, in 2009, she was growing 4 acres of blackberries, producing over 60,000 pounds of berries a year, a figure far exceeding average yield numbers.

Barbara now ships plants all over the US. Her biggest bulk customer for berries is the Trader Joe’s Food stores chain.

Barbara employs a shift-trellis system that keeps all the berries on one side of the canes, so they can be picked in the shade. Because heat and light turn blackberries back to their red or “not- yet-ripe” appearance, or cause white spots, the picking boxes of workers are collected every 15 minutes and taken to an on-site cooler.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SHIFT TRELLISES ON THIS U-TUBE VIDEO (CLEAN UP)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DOQyYtxrPYhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DOQyYtxrPY

In addition to production, the Joneses still sell the plants and are certified with regular state inspections. It takes two years to get berries from a plant, but a healthy cane can produce for 12-15 years.

Barbara keeps the blackberry mother plants for 3 years and takes cuttings only from those mother plants. She then replaces the 3 year old mother plants with new microprogated virus indexed plants

Micropropagating Our BlackberriesOur blackberries are grown in three greenhouses that are specially designed and equipped so that pests, such as thrips, aphids and whiteflies cannot enter the greenhouses.

Plants are propagated and grown in these greenhouses in sterilized soil. Flower buds are removed before they open up. Employees must go through a sterilization booth before entering the greenhouses.

These procedures ensure that our plants are free of insects and diseases. As a member of the NC Foundation Seed Producers. Inc., we must obtain mother plants from the MPU every three years. The NC Crop Improvement Assn. certifies our plants and greenhouses on a yearly basis.

Raising Blackberries in the Home GardenSmall fruits are becoming popular additions to the home garden. Blackberries, in particular, are productive and well suited for homeowners in most of the United States.

Breeding programs have released a number of thornless varieties that are large, taste great, and because they have no thorns, are much easier to harvest than berries found in the wild. In addition, studies have shown that this fruit can help fight cancer, decrease cardiovascular disease, and slow down brain aging And best of all, one blackberry plant can easily supply up to 10 pounds of delicious berries each year.

Blackberries are divided by their growth habit (trailing, semi-trailing, and erect), and by the presence or absence of thorns (thorny or thornless). All blackberries benefit from some sort of support such as a trellis or poles to support their canes. If you have room for several plants, select early-, mid-, and late-season varieties to extend your harvest. Each of these varieties should perform well in most states except where temperatures drop below 10° F

Site PreparationPrepare an easy-to-access location for your blackberries a year before planting. Blackberries need full sun and plenty of room to grow. Blackberries grow best in well-drained soils. A soil high in organic matter is beneficial under non-irrigated conditions. If the soil is not well drained, establish the plants

in a raised bed.

Establishment and MaintenanceErect and semi-trailing blackberry plants should be planted about 2-1/2 feet apart. They can be planted in the early spring several weeks before the last frost in the fall. Each plant can produce 10 to 20 pounds of fruit, so four to six plants can easily produce ample berries for a family of four.

Dig a hole that is large enough to allow the roots to spread out evenly. Set rooted plants into the soil at the depth they were grown in the nursery. Fill in the hole and tamp down the soil. Water the newly set plants well, but don’t fertilize until 3 or 4 weeks later.

Fertilize after growth starts with a complete fertilizer such as 10-10-10 at 5 pounds per 100 linear feet (or about 3 to 4 ounces around the base of each plant). In established plantings, apply the fertilizer in March well before the plant starts to produce flowers and fruit.

Support the canes with a trellis. Erect and semi- trailing types perform well using a four-wire system with wires at every 16 feet from the ground. As the canes emerge in the spring, evenly distribute them on the wires to form a fan pattern. Once the canes have reached the top wire, remove the tips to encourage branching

Blackberries require about 1 inch of water each week during the growing season. During fruit development, the plants will need about 2 gallons per plant each day. Mulch placed around the base of the plant reduces the need for water and helps keep weeds under control. Pine straw, wood chips, and seedless grasses are good mulches.

The fruit is ripe and at its peak sweetness when it is a dull black color. Pick fruits that are shiny black if you need to store them in your refrigerator. They won’t be as sweet, but they will last longer. Harvest will continue for 2 to 3 weeks, depending on variety.

As soon as all the fruit is harvested, prune out all the old fruiting canes and remove them from the garden, as they no longer produce fruit. Continue to tie, tip, or train the new canes that have not produced fruit to the trellis until growth stops in the fall. During winter, prune laterals on erect types to 12 to 16 inches, and leave only 4 to 8 canes per square yard for fruit production in the following year.

Blackberry Production Checklist 1. Choose a good site one year before you plant.

2. Prepare the soil before you plant: remove weeds, add organic matter,

add fertilizer, make raised beds.

3. Choose a variety and purchase disease-free plants.

4. Plant in spring or fall

5. Build trellis (can be done before or within first year of planting).

6. Irrigate on a regular basis.

7. Allow 3 to 4 new canes per plant to grow to top wire.

8. Harvest a baby crop of fruit one year after planting, a full crop two years after planting.

9. After fruit is harvested, prune out fruiting canes.

Our Blackberry VarietiesJones Family Farms sells the following G-1 varieties. Variety Cane Type Season Comments

Natchez Erect Early Thornless, large berry, storage and handling very good

Arapaho Erect Early Thornless, medium size, somewhat irregular shape, stores very well.

Ouachita Erect Mid Thornless, medium size, stores well

Navaho Erect Late Thornless, late, small berry but stores better than all others

Chester Semi-erect Late Thornless, late, large size, stores well

Natchez (Patent #20,891 – University of Arkansas

Type - Thornless, erect to semi-erect.

Date of Release - 2007

Fruit Size - Large, average 8 to 9 g/berry; comparable to Apache and larger than Arapaho, Ouachita, and Navaho.

Flavor/Sweetness - Good, rated comparable to Arapaho; soluble solids (percent sugar) averages 9.5%.

Yield - Yields twice that of Arapaho in research trials; comparable to Ouachita and Apache.

Maturity Date - Ripens beginning approximately June 3 at Clarksville, Arkansas. Ripening season comparable to Arapaho and earlier than Ouachita and Apache.

Disease Resistance - No substantial common diseases observed; no orange rust observed; very limited fruit anthracnose observed; no double blossom/rosette observed.

Comments - Fruit storage and handling potential very good, usually exceeding Arapaho and comparable to other Arkansas thornless cultivars; very high percent root sprouting observed.

Arapaho (Patent #8510 – University of Arkansas)

Type - Thornless, erect.

Date of Release – 1993

Fruit Size - Medium, 5 grams/berry.

Flavor/Sweetness - Good, rated higher than most thorny varieties; soluble solids (percent sugar) averages 9.6 percent.

Yield - Moderate yields, usually lower than Apache and Navaho.

Maturity Date - Earliest ripening thornless, beginning approximately June 5 at Clarksville, Arkansas, and fruiting extends for about four weeks.

Disease Resistance - Shows resistance to double blossom/rosette; no orange rust susceptibility verified; no anthracnose observed.

Comments - Fruit storage and handling potential good, surpassed only by Navaho for this characteristic; hardiness similar to other Arkansas thornless; plants recommended for planting rather than root cuttings.

Ouachita (WAH-Shi-tah) (Patent #17,162 - University of Arkansas)

Type - Thornless, very erect canes.

Date of Release - 2003

Fruit Size - Average 6.0 to 6.5 g/berry; larger than Navaho but not as large as Apache.

Flavor/Sweetness - Very good, rated near that of Navaho; soluble solids (percent sugar) averages 10-11%.

Yield - Consistently high yielding in research trials; comparable to exceeding Apache and Navaho and consistently exceeds Arapaho.

Maturity Date - Ripens beginning approximately June 12 and fruiting extends for about four to five weeks. Ripening season is between that of Arapaho and Navaho.

Disease Resistance - Resistant to double blossom/rosette in tests in Louisiana; no orange rust observed; very limited fruit anthracnose observed.

Comments - Fruit storage and handling potential very good, near that of Navaho; hardiness similar to other Arkansas thornless; root cutting sprouting or propagation potential appears higher than other thornless.

Navaho (Patent #6679 University of Arkansas)

Type - Thornless, erect.

Date of Release - 1989; not under plant patent, expired

Fruit Size - Medium, 5 grams/berry.

Flavor/Sweetness - Excellent, consistently rated the highest of the Arkansas varieties; soluble solids (percent sugar) averages 11.4 percent, the highest of the Arkansas varieties.

Yield - Moderate yields, though usually higher than Arapaho.

Maturity Date - Ripens beginning approximately June 15 at Clarksville, Arkansas; fruiting extends for about five to six weeks.

Disease Resistance - Shows resistance to double blossom/rosette; no anthracnose observed; susceptible to orange rust.

Comments - Fruit very firm; storage and handling potential exceptional; can be shipped under proper conditions; hardiness similar to other Arkansas thornless; plants recommended for planting rather than root cuttings.

Chester (USDA)

Type – Thornless, semi-erect

Flavor/Sweetness – Good flavor, high quality fruit, soluble solids (percent sugar) averages 7.6%.

Yield – Very high – 35,000 lbs./acre

Maturity Date – Ripens late season (mid-July) and gives you 4 to 6 weeks of harvest.

Disease Resistance – Shows resistance to Cane blight

Comments – Fruit very firm, does not turn soften or turn color on hot, sunny days. Excellent storage and handling characteristics

Estimated # of plants needed per acre using different spacing systems

Spacing between plants 8 – ft. Spacing between rows 10-ft. spacing between rows

2 feet 2,722 plants 2,178 plants

3 feet 1,818 plants 1,452 plants

4 feet 1,360 plants 1,090 plants

5 feet 1,090 plants 870 plants

6 feet 907 plants 726 plants

8 feet 680 plants 544 plants

10 feet 544 plants 435 plants

Blackberry Customer Testimonials“We’ve been purchasing Arapahoe plants from Barbara Jones for six years now. Her great attention to detail results in us always getting outstanding plants to grow in our garden. We’d been buying plants from other sources for a number of years and never was satisfied with the varietal purity that we get from Jones Farms,” says a Florida blackberry producer.

How to Order Our Blackberry PlantsJones Farms Blackberry Price List:

Plants Price

1 – 500 $ 4.00

501 – 1,000 $ 3.50

1,001 – 3,000 $ 3.00

3,001– 5,000 $ 2.50

5,001 or more $ 2.00

Royalty charges are included in price.

Shipping costs are extra

Prior to placing your order, please contact Barbara Jones at FAX: (252) 235-0155 or email sales@jonesfarmsnc.com to discuss variety availability, pricing, and delivery details.

Blackberry LinksType name/show logo and then show activated web address for each link

NCDA&CS “Got to be Blackberries“” – www.ncagr.gov/markets/gottobe/

North American Bramble Growers Assn. - www.nabga.com

NC State Blackberry Info Panel - http://ncsu.edu/enterprises/blackberries-raspberries

NC Crop Improvement Assn. - www.nccrop.com

Dr. Zvezdana Pesic-van Esbroeck - NC State MRPU Director Zvezdana_Pesic@ncsu.edu

Dr. Gina E. Fernandez – NC State Horticulture/Plant Breeder gina_fernandez@ncsu.edu

Dr. Jim Ballington - NC State Horticulture/Plant Breeder jim_ballington@ncsu.edu

Dr. John Clark - U. of Arkansas Horticulture/Plant Breeder jrclark@uark.edu

Another valuable resource is: New Trends in Blackberry Breeding

http://ddr.nal.usda.gov/bitstream/10113/20927/1/IND44102667.pdf