2001

Should fruit growers and other farmers be adding compost to our NW Michigan soils? Can we make good compost with little or no manure input? If so, how? Many other questions regarding compost are being asked. For some time we have considered doing a program on this topic. So when we learned that one of the leading authorities on composting, Dr. William Brinton, was coming into Michigan for the Organic Conference on March 3 and 4 at MSU, we invited him to Traverse City a day ahead of the conference to help us with an educational program on compost production and use. Once he said he could make it, we developed the program involving some other in-state resource people. One of the topics Dr. Brinton will address is how to make good compost without manure as an input.

Friday, March 2

8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

NW Michigan Hort Res Station

Registration (including lunch) $15.00

Please RSVP by February 28^thto Jackie Baase at 946-1510 or 888-749-3019 (toll free) as we need a lunch count and because space is limited to only the north side of the conference room at the NWMHRS. 

8:30 - 9:00         Registration

9:00-9:30           Soil Ecology -- The Underground Pasture

9:30-10:00        Role of Compost in Soil Quality
                               Joe Scrimger, Consultant, Bio-Systems

10:00-10:45      Producing Quality Compost
                               Dr. William Brinton, Chief Scientist, 
                               Woods End Research Laboratory, Inc.,
                               Mt Vernon, Maine

10:45-11:00      Break

11:00-Noon       Experiences Making & Using Compost
                                Francis Otto, Cherry Bay Orchards,
                                Suttons Bay
                                Bart Ingraham, Bell Weather, Suttons Bay
                                Jerry Lee, Grower/Composter, Northport
                                Randy Smith, Resource Recovery, Grand
                                Traverse Co.

Noon-1:00          Lunch

1:00-1:30           Consideration for Agricultural Composting 
                            in Michigan
                                Andrew Fogiel, Dept of Ag Engineering
                                MSU (tentative)

1:30-2:00           Plant Protection Using 
                            Compost Teas (extracts)
                                Dr. William Brinton

2:00-3:00           Panel Discussion -- Question & 
                           Answer Session
                                William Brinton
                                George Bird
                                Joe Scrimger
                                Andy Fogiel

MICHIGAN CONFERENCE ON ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
Saturday and Sunday, March 3 & 4, 2001
Kellogg Center

This conference celebrates the passage of Michigan's new organic legislation. A top-notch program has been put together with many concurrent sessions to choose from. A small sampling of the topics covered includes: "Building & restoring soil fertility", "Economics of organic agriculture", and "Michigan organic marketing opportunites.

Cost: $75. Registration deadline February 23^rd. Conference information is available from local Extension offices or by phone at 517/241-2178 or at www.mda.state.mi.us.

CCA credits in both crop management and nutrient management are being offered.

MSU ORGANIC FRUIT SCHOOL
By Deepa Ramsinghani
Dept of Horticulture, MSU

The topic for the MSU Fruit School will be Organic Fruit Production and Marketing. The program will be held on Monday and Tuesday, March 5^th and 6^th (immediately after the Michigan Organic Conference on March 3^rd and 4^th) at MSU. The guest lecturer will be Franco Weibel, Research Institute for Organic Agriculture, Switzerland. The cost is $200, which includes some meals but not lodging. For more information and/or to register, contact Sandy Allen, MSU Dept of Horticulture at 517/355-8362 or email at allens@msu.edu, or register via the web at www.hrt.msu.edu/organicfruitschool.htm.

BENZIE/MANISTEE HORTICULTURAL SHOW
By Andy Norman

The 50^th Annual Banzie/Manistee Horticultural Show will be held on March 13^th & 14^th, 2001, at Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville. See enclosed program.

AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
By Duke Elsner

"Making Dollars and Sense Through Agricultural Economic Development" will provide participants with some good expertise on options for enhancing economic development within the agricultural sector. See enclosed program below. RSVP is required due to limited space.

CHERRY TREE TRAINING DEMONSTRATION SWEETS AND BALATON
By Jim Nugent

Training dwarf sweet cherries will be the focus of a program on April 10^th, from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m., at Jim Bardenhagen's farm in East Leland. We'll begin with a short discussion in Jim's pole barn with some slides, and then we'll move into the orchard. We will also make a stop at some young Balaton plantings. Resource people will be Dr. Greg Lang, MSU Dept. of Horticulture, Dr. Bill Shane, SW Michigan Research & Extension Center, and Jim Nugent. A dwarf sweet cherry systems trial which was established in 1997-1998 at Jim's farm will provide an excellent site to see the response from various pruning techniques.

TRACTOR SAFETY COURSE
Jim Bardenhagen
Extension Director, Leelanau Co.

The 2001 Tractor Safety Course will be starting on Tuesday, April 3^rd from 6-9 pm at the TBA Career Tech Center at 880 Parsons Road in Traverse City. The rest of the sessions will be held on Tuesdays, April 10, 17, & 24 from 6-9 pm at the same location. The written/driving test will be held on Saturday, April 28^th from 8 am – 3 pm. The cost is $45. Registration deadline is March 30^th.

This course is for youth 14 and 15 years old (as of June 1, 2001). Please note that in order for 

14 and 15 year old non-family youth to drive tractors on farms, they need a certificate that they have passed a tractor safety course. Please notify any of your potential employees that would benefit from this training.

Use the enclosed registration form, or obtain one at our website www.msue.msu.edu/leelanau or call the Leelanau MSU Extension Office (256-9888) or the Career Tech Center (922-6353). Registration forms will also be sent to area schools.

We really appreciate the effort that Bill Bassett and Robert Fortine at CTC put forth to make this course possible to our youth!

PESTNET - WEATHER STATIONS FOR 2001
By Gary Thornton

Beginning with the 2000 growing season, a service was provided to all growers in NW Michigan which allowed them to access weather information via fax, phone or email. The information included leaf wetness, average temperature and a rating of the infection periods for cherry leaf spot and apple scab. We are expecting GREEEN funding again to fund the operating portion of the program for the 2001 growing season; however, the weather stations themselves need to be purchased this year to make the program work for all growers in NW Michigan. 

Of last year's twelve stations, HortSystems, Inc. owned ten of them. As of this past January, all but three of HortSystems' weather stations will have been retired, due to being outdated and too expensive to repair. The three remaining Campbell weather stations were purchased by MSU and will be upgraded and made available at a reduced cost to growers in NW Michigan on a 50% cost share basis. This is necessary, as very limited funds are available for purchasing stations. 

The weather station on the Old Mission peninsula was added to MSU's network through a cost-shared demonstration project with the Groundwater Stewardship Program in the spring of 2000. This year we again have Groundwater Stewardship cost-share money available to growers interested in having a weather machine available in their area. The cost-share will again be at a 50% level. Growers would be expected to provide approximately $2,600 towards the total cost of about $5,200. For example: last year 13 growers contributed $200 each towards the Old Mission station.

Contributions towards the weather stations count as a gift to MSU and as a result can save a significant amount on your state and federal tax returns. A gift of $200 towards the weather station would result in tax savings of around $156 for many people. This means only $44 is an actual out-of-pocket expense.

The only stations that are running at this point are at the NWHRS and on Old Mission peninsula near the Old Mission Tavern, so don't assume you will have one in your area just because you have had one in the past. For the 2001 season, four more stations will be cost-shared and put in the field. All of these stations will be owned by and maintained by MSU.

If the program was useful to you last year and you are interested in seeing a station in your area, then talk with your neighbors and let Gary Thornton know of your interest.

MAKING DOLLARS AND SENSE
THROUGH AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Oleson Center Dining Room, Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City
March 12, 2001, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Sponsored by Grand Traverse County MSU Extension/ Project Greenfields with funding from Henry A. Wallace Center for Agricultural & Environmental Policy

Limited seating – please R.S.V.P. by February 28 to attend

9:00-9:20 Registration and Opening Activities

How Agricultural Economic Development 
Programs Work in Other Areas

9:20-10:00      The Jefferson County, New York
                           Experience
                            Jay Matteson 
                            Jefferson County Agricultural Coordinator
                            Watertown, NY

10:00-10:30     The Huron County Experience
                            Carl Ozentoski 
                            Huron County Economic 
                            Development Corporation 
                            Bad Axe, MI

10:30-10:50        Break

10:50-11:20     Agriculture Economic Development and 
                             Renaissance Zones in Oceana County 
                             Ron Steiner
                             Oceana County Economic 
                             Development Corporation
                             Hart, MI

11:20-11:40     Agriculture Business Development 
                          Goals in Antrim, Charlevoix 
                             and Emmet Counties
                             Speaker to be announced

11:40-12:00        Q & A, discussion time with all morning
                             speakers

                             Lunch provided on-site

Agricultural Management Assistance Programs for 
the Support of Ag Producers

1:00-1:30          MSU Extension Farm Management 
                             Programming and Services
                             Speaker to be announced

1:30-2:00          Farm Management Assistance Delivery 
                             Systems in Indiana
                             Dr. Alan Miller, Agr. Economics Dept., 
                             Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

Where Should We Go From Here– And How Do We Get There?

2:00-2:40          Existing Organizations That Could 
                            Have a Greater Role in Agricultural 
                            Economic Development 
                             Representatives from MSU Extension, 
                             Conservancies, EDC’s, Financial 
                             Institutions, etc. 

2:40-3:20          Possible Administrative Structures and 
                             Funding Sources for an Agricultural 
                             Economic Development Program in the 
                             Grand Traverse Region 
                             Panel of morning speakers

3:20-4:00          Open Discussion and Distribution of 
                             Survey Forms to Gather Responses

Please R.S.V.P. by Feb. 28 to Duke Elsner
phone: 231 922-4822 fax: 922-4633 
email: elsner@msue.msu.edu

For attending this year's Educational Sessions, an individual will receive 2 re-certification credits for March 13^th and 14^th. Credits are only valid for those currently certified in category 1C (Fruit Crops) or private applicators.

MORNING PROGRAM, Tuesday, March 13, 2001

9:05 am                  WELCOME
                                   CALVIN LUTZ II, President
                                   Benzie-Manistee Horticultural Society

9:05 – 10:00 am      Federal Worker Protection Standards 
                                   For All Of Agriculture

                                   ERIC MCCUMBER
                                   Regional Pesticide Specialist
                                   MI Dept. Agriculture

10:05 - 10:50 am     Potential to Use Reduced Risk 
                                   Insecticides to Control Apple 
                                   Maggot and Cherry Fruit Flies
                                    DR. OSCAR LIBURD, Asst. Professor
                                    MSU Dept. of Entomology 

10:50 – 11:00 am    Short Stretch Break

11:05 - 11:50 am     Measuring Performance of New 
                                   Chemistry for Insect Controls 
                                   DR. JOHN WISE, Coordinator
                                   Trevor Nichols Research Complex

NOON LUNCH ON SITE

AFTERNOON PROGRAM, Tuesday, March 13, 2001

1:00 - 1:45 pm         Exciting New Fungicides for Disease 
                                   Control on Apple and Cherry
                                   DR. ALAN JONES, Prof. 
                                   MSU Dept. Botany And Plant Pathology

1:50 - 2:50 pm         Fire Blight and Rootstocks: A Look at
                                   Resistance
                                   DR. JAY NORELLI, Research Plant
                                   Pathologist 
                                   USDA Agr. Research Center, 
                                   Kearneysville, WV 

2:50 - 3:00 pm         Short Stretch Break

3:00 - 4:00 pm         Outlook for Fresh Apples: Can They be 
                                   Profitable for Growers in the Future? 
                                   DR. DON RICKS, Panel Moderator
                                   MSU Dept. Agriculture Economics

                    Panel:JAN VAN DRIESSCHE, Merchandiser
                                Michigan Apple Committee
                                DON ARMOCK, River Ridge Produce
                                ROGER KROPF, Kropf Orchards

MORNING PROGRAM, Wednesday, March 14, 2001

9:00 - 9:20 am         Cling-Stone Peaches: Are They a 
                                   Potential for Profits on Your Farm?
                                   DR. MIRA BULATOVIC-DANILOVICH
                                   Dist.Hort/Marketing Agent, WC MI
                                   MSUE-Oceana County

9:25 - 10:00 am       Physiology Based Orchard Management
                                    – It's All About Fruits and Leaves 
                                   DR. GREG LANG, Professor
                                   MSU Dept. Horticulture

10:00 - 10:10 am   Short Stretch Break

10:10 - 10:55 am    Genetic Engineering to Solve Plant Pest
                                   Problems
                                   DR. JAY NORELLI, Research 
                                   Plant Pathologist
                                   USDA Agriculture Research Center
                                   Kearneysville, WV

11:00 - 11:25 am     Apogee - What Kind of a Tool is It? 
                                   AMY IRISH-BROWN, MSUE
                                   Dist. Fruit ICM Agent 
                                   WC MI Hort. Res.Station

11:30 - 12 Noon      Responsible Land Development and Use
                                   DR. PHIL DAVIS, Director
                                   MSUE Victor Institute

NOON LUNCH ON SITE

AFTERNOON PROGRAM, Wednesday, March 14, 2001

1:00 - 1:35 pm          Using Land Use Management: 
                                    Tools Available to Farmers
                                    KENDRA GUNTER, Project Coordinator
                                    Community Economic Development,
                                    MSU West

1:36 - 2:07 pm          The Alpine Township Transfer of 
                                    Development Rights Program
                                    CINDY HEINBECK, Supervisor
                                    Alpine Township, Kent County

                                    SHARON STEFFENS, Trustee, 
                                    Alpine Township, Kent County

2:08 - 2:40 pm         Increasing Farm Profits on Fruit Ridge
                                   DIANNE NOVAK, Rural Economic
                                   Devel. Agent, 
                                   MSU Extension-Kent County

2:40 - 2:50 pm         Short Stretch Break

2:50 - 4:00 pm         Tools for Disruption and Control of 
                                   Codling Moth:
                                    Which One's for You?
                                    GARY THORNTON, Panel Moderator,
                                    MSUE District Fruit IPM Agent, 
                                    NW MI Hort. Research Station 

                        Panel: DR. LARRY GUT, Assistant Professor
                                    MSU Dept. Entomology
                                    DAN WALDSTEIN, Research Assoc.,
                                    MSU Center for Integrated Plant 
                                    Systems 
                                    DAVE SMELTZER, Vice-President, 
                                    Per-Clin Orchards, Bear Lake
                                    JOHN BAKKER, Manager, 
                                    West Central Michigan Crop
                                    Management Association

TRACTOR SAFETY TRAINING
FOR 14 & 15 YEAR OLD YOUTH

Improve your chances of employment this summer by completing a Tractor Safety Training course! If you are a teen, 14 or 15 years old (as of June 1, 2001), then you are eligible to take the Tractor Safety Training Course being offered for youth in the Northwest Michigan area.

Under the U. S. Department of Labor’s Hazardous Occupation Order, successful completion of a tractor operation and safety course is required for all youth under the age of 16 who perform farm jobs classified as hazardous. Such a course will be held at the Career Tech Center, 880 Parsons Road, Traverse City.

COURSE: Robert Fortine, Instructor
Tuesdays, April 3^rd, 10^th , 17^th, & 24^th from 6 - 9 p.m. and
Saturday, April 28^th from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

To become certified, participants must attend all five sessions of the course, pass a written test, and pass a tractor driving test. Growers and MSU Extension agents will be assisting with the hands on tractor safety training.

Cost for the program is $45.00 which is due at the time of registration. Registration deadline is Friday, March 30^th and is limited to 25 participants on a first-come, first-served basis (you will be notified only if the class is filled.) The cost covers the course manual and beverage. Participants should dress to be outdoors. For Saturday, April 28^th, please bring a sack lunch.

This Tractor Safety training program is a joint effort between Career-Tech Center, MSU Extension and Northwest area growers. Previously, this course was offered by the 4-H Youth Program in each county.

If you have any questions, please contact the MSU Extension Offices in Leelanau County (256-9888) and Grand Traverse County (922-4620) or the Career-Tech Center (922-6353).

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2001 TRACTOR SAFETY REGISTRATION
 
 

Name___________________________________________

Phone______________________________

Address________________________________________

_______________________________________________

(Street or Route and Box) (City, State and Zip)

Date of Birth___________________ Sex_______________ 
(Month-Day-Year)                                (Male or Female)

Ethnic Origin_______________________
 (Optional)

Do you live on a farm?       Yes   No 
Do you have a disability?  Yes   No

Return form along with $45.00 by Friday, March 30 To: 
TBA CareerTech Center
Attn: Dennis Lutes
880Parsons Road
Traverse City, MI 49684

Make check payable to: TBA Career-Tech Center 

Registration fee is non-refundable (unless class is cancelled due to low enrollment)