“Initially, I thought we would start a bit earlier this season, but cooler temperatures and some much-needed rainfall slowed things down,” he said. “At this point, we expect to begin harvesting around June 10 — right on track with last year’s start.”
As the agricultural landscape evolves, officials at D’Ottavio Farms, a vertically-integrated grower, wholesaler and trucking company, remain committed to innovation and hope that all measures taken will have a strong impact on the operation’s well-earned reputation for producing the best blueberries that consumers can find.
“We continually refine our farming techniques, integrating new blueberry varieties that offer better size and enhanced sweetness,” D’Ottavio said. “Most importantly, we focus on how well the fruit travels and the consistently strong shelf life that our customers appreciate. That has helped us build a reputation for quality up and down the East Coast.”
D’Ottavio, who oversees a fifth-generation family business founded more than 120 years ago, said that D’Ottavio continues to increase its acreage organically and conventionally at its blueberry farm as well as to find new ways to lower cost and be more environmentally sustainable. “This season we will start working with drones to lower operational cost by requiring less manpower, saving on fuel, and using less product with better coverage then the current sprayers used today,” he said.”
D’Ottavio said the drones helped eliminate soil compaction that heavy equipment creates. He said that by not compacting the soil, the operation is able to create a healthy soil structure for the best growth and better water consumption to the plants. Drones, he added, can be used for multiple crops and can help with fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides by reducing waste and protecting crops for healthier yields.
D’Ottavio said another initiative features using a new type of plastic called reflective metalized film to help control insect pressure on our organic crops. “This protects plants from disease infestation, keeping insects away by reflecting high intensity solar UV, which disorients and blinds insects,” he explained. “This makes an unfriendly environment for insects forcing them to stay away from organic crops.”
Last season, the farm also invested in an OXBO blueberry harvester, which officials at the farm said proved highly effective and will be used again this year.
“We believe consumer habits are shifting — people are more health-conscious and eating more fresh produce than ever before,” D’Ottavio added. “To meet this growing demand, we are expanding our acreage and continuing to introduce new varieties each season.”
So how will this all end up this year. D’Ottavio is quite optimistic but realizes that some things are simply out of his control. “Now, we just hope the weather continues to cooperate,” he said. “And that the market remains fair for everyone.”
