Cultivating tradition and taste in a changing climate

New Hampshire’s Eero Ruuttila of Nesenkeag Farm not only grows organically for high-end Boston restaurants, he’s also constantly experimenting to find the best taste, most striking appearance, and superior performance in an increasingly unpredictable climate. Like many farmers, he sees less the “warming” side of global warming than the fluctuating weather – which means excessively wet or dry seasons and changing patterns of insect, disease, and weed pressure. Says Ruuttila, “the future is in growing crops that can deal with extreme variables.” His ongoing side-by-side comparisons of new varieties and old favorites is often an exercise in discovering those crops which stand up best to a widening range of conditions. Full Story: The Christian Science Monitor