You want to purchase a stepladder at your local home improvement store. You have a choice between an inexpensive, cheesy, bargain-basement stepladder and a premium, quality priced, extra heavy-duty unit. Which ladder would you climb with a full gallon of red paint?

Mary G. Redner, a co-founder of Redner's Warehouse Markets, died July 14 in the Reading Hospital & Medical Center in West Reading, PA, where she had been a patient for five days. She was 89.

The Wyomissing, PA, resident was the wife of Earl W. Redner, to whom she was married for 58 years.

Born Mary Germond on Oct. 5, 1917, in Oneonta, NY, she was the daughter of the late Seward and Ethel Germond.

Ms. Redner was a kindergarten teacher in Port Jervis, NY, where she met her husband. She later taught in Silver Spring, MD.

MONTEREY, CA -- Mariani Packing Co., a longtime industry-leading dried fruit processor, has entered the fresh strawberry market with Albion-variety strawberries that carry the "Mariani" label.

Mariani Packing, based in Vacaville, CA, has partnered with U.S. Fruit & Veg Inc., based here. U.S. Fruit & Veg Inc. handles the growing and sales. Having the growing and sales operations in-house is a big plus, said Ash Shoukry, president of U.S. Fruit & Veg.

WASHINGTON -- With specialty crop producers still reeling from the disappointing collapse of immigration reform, now comes news that a draft farm bill slated for markup this month appears not to deliver on promised money or priorities.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service recently withdrew a proposal to revise the table grape shatter standard at destination, a move that greatly perplexed and disappointed California growers who had petitioned for the change.

"I'm very disappointed," said Barry Bedwell, president of the California Grape & Tree Fruit League, based in Fresno.

Valerie Sill is a Gemini, and that may explain a few things -- if you believe in astrological explanations.

Ms. Sill recently relocated to Watsonville, CA, from Annapolis, MD, to take up her new responsibilities as business manager for Driscoll Strawberry Associates. Like the namesake zodiac twins, Ms. Sill wrestles with things head-on. She's versatile, changeable and willing to move across the country in a heartbeat.

And the 30-year-old Ms. Sill is also capable of quiet reflection as she looks at where she's been and where's she's going.