Ground cherries (aka husk cherry, Physalis pruinosa) are ripe and ready to eat after their husks turn brown and the fruits fall off of the plant naturally. Gathering fruit underneath the plants, which can be large and sprawling, is tedious and labor intensive. As part of our Northern New York Agricultural Development Program grant, we tested out a new harvesting method for this crop at Cornell’s Willsboro Research Farm. Farm manager Mike Davis built two frames using conduit pipe and cut flower support netting to lift the ground cherry plants off of the ground from each side of their row. Once the plants are off the ground, the fallen fruits can be swept up using a clean broom and dust pan.

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