September 2009 Regional Fruit Grower Newsletter
| 9/22 | Trevor Nichols Field Day |
| 9/24 | Grand Traverse Co. Household Hazardous Waste Collection |
| 9/24 | Annual Indoor Farmers Market |
| 9/29 | Joint Planning Commission Meeting |
| 9/30 | Fruit and Vegetable Scholarship Deadline |
| 10/2 | Sustainable Hops Production Workshop & Tour |
| 10/3 | Integrating Poultry & Vegetable Production Field Day |
| 10/3 | Leelanau Co. Household Hazardous Waste & Electronics CollectionPeshabestown. Call 256-9812 Reservations are required. |
| 10/10 | Adult Tractor Safety Course |
| 10/16 | Early Registration Deadline for "Making It In Michigan |
| 11/11 | "Making It In Michigan" |
| 11/30 | USDA Value Added Producer Grant Deadline |
| 12/3 | Farmer Rancher Grant Proposals Deadline |
| 12/8 - 10 | The Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market Expo Grand Rapids, MI |
2010 1/19 - 21 |
NW Michigan Orchard & Vineyard Show |
Apple Maturity Testing at the
NWMHRS
This year the NWMHRS will be
testing apples for maturity. Results
will be sent via fax and email to past apple maturity list subscribers and
results will be put on the pome fruit section of the code-a-phone
(947-3063). The maturity newsletter and
code-a-phone will be updated weekly on Wednesdays. If you have not received this information in the
past and wish to subscribe to the list, please contact the NWMHRS (946-1510 or nwmihort@msu.edu). If you are interested in having your fruit
tested, drop off a 10 – 12 fruit sample at the NWMHRS on Mondays, if
possible. The fruit should be picked
randomly from the outside portion of the trees and should be large in size and
free of blemishes with the stem attached.
ANNUAL
INDOOR FARMER'S MARKET AT
The
The farmers market will showcase local fruits and
vegetables and other locally made products. This market is open to the
public and all products are available for sale. Please stop by to support local
farmers and the
For further information, contact MSU Extension at
231-256-9888 or msue45@msu.edu.
APPLE SCAB FUNGICIDE SENSITIVITY
SCREENING 2009
Erin
Lizotte, District IFP/IPM Educator
The NWMHRS, in collaboration with the Michigan State
University Tree Fruit Pathology lab, will be screening apple scab samples from
northwest
STUNTING IN WINEGRAPES
N.L. Rothwell, District
Horticulturalist, MSU-E
As many of you know, we have
found vineyards where plants have exhibited symptoms of severe stunting and
poor growth; the plants almost have a ‘lettuce-type’ appearance to them, and
the leaves are crinkled and not fully expanded. We are trying to
determine the cause of this problem this season, and at this time, we have a
few hypotheses. To better understand these symptoms, we are asking for
help from those vineyard managers/owners where this stunting was evident.
We would like to schedule a meeting and have growers bring their spray records,
pictures, and any other evidence of this symptom. We would like to
pinpoint the cause of this problem to prevent further issues in the
future. Please call Nikki at 231-946-1510 if this stunting was evident in
the vineyard and you would like to participate in this project.
SUSTAINABLE HOPS PRODUCTION WORKSHOP AND TOUR
Rob Sirrine, CED,
Michigan State University Extension will offer a Sustainable Hops Production Workshop and Tour on Friday, October 2nd from 8am - 6pm. The workshop will consist of a class at the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Station in
INTEGRATING POULTRY AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTION FIELD DAY
Chris Bardenhagen
There will be a field day for
the SARE grant project "Integrating Poultry and Vegetable Production"
Saturday, October 3 at 9:00 a.m.
We will visit the site where the experimental plots were located (although the
plots have been harvested and the areas will be tilled or in cover) and see the
style of small scale poultry production that we use here at Bardenhagen
Farms. We will discuss the results of the soil tests and talk about
different possibilities of successful animal integration. Pastries (or
donuts) and Tandem Ciders sweet cider
will be provided.
Location:
Bardenhagen Farms
Phone# 231.271.3444
e-mail bardenhagen7@hotmail.com
Please feel free to call for
directions to the farm!
Rob Sirrine, CED, Leelanau Co.
October 10, 2009, 8-3pm, NW
Based upon MSU Extension's successful tractor safety course for teenagers, we are hosting a similar course for adults. Local farming guru and tractor operation genius-Chris Garthe will provide both classroom and driving instruction on safe tractor operation. The cost for the course is $30, which includes a manual for participants to keep for reference. The course is limited to 20 people and sign up is first come first serve. Call 256-9888 for details.
Click here for the Registration Form
FRUIT AND VEGETABLE
INDUSTRY SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE IN 2009
The
Michigan State Horticultural Society and The Michigan Vegetable Council
announce the availability of scholarships for students who intend to pursue
careers in the Midwest fruit industry or vegetable industry, respectively. The
awards are made available by these organizations, with the generous support of
industry sponsors. In 2008, scholarship awards totaling $9,000 were awarded
with the support of Gerber Products Company, Michigan Apple Promoters, Valent
USA, Wilbur-Ellis Company, MACMA Apple Division, and Agro Fresh, Inc.
(SmartFreshTM), as well as the support of the following industry
publications: Meister Publications
(American Fruit Grower, American
Vegetable Grower), The Fruit Growers
News, and The Vegetable Growers News.
The
target amount per scholarship is $1,000, but it could be more or less at the
discretion of the selection committee. The award is not based on need or
academic achievement, however, the selection committee may use these criteria
to decide between two or more qualified applicants.
For more information, contact your guidance office or
the appropriate office as follows:
·
Fruit scholarships: MI State Horticultural Society,
·
Vegetable scholarships: Michigan Vegetable
Council, P.O. Box 277, Erie, MI 48133; phone (734) 848-8899; fax (734)
848-8899; or e-mail mivegcouncil@charter.net. Applications should be mailed or
faxed by September 30, 2009.
Here is the link to the application form.
The
recipients will be selected in the fall and the awards presented during the
Great Lakes Fruit Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO (December 8-10, 2009) in
The Michigan State Horticultural Society and Michigan Vegetable Council
invite other companies and organizations to contribute to the scholarship fund.
For more information on sponsorship opportunities, please contact Allyn Anthony
(269-424-3990) or Dave Smith (734-848-8899).
The Michigan State
Horticultural Society and Michigan Vegetable Council are co-hosts of
the largest fruit, vegetable and farm market show in the country, the Great
Lakes Fruit Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO. Visit the EXPO website at: www.glexpo.com
MAKING IT IN MICHIGAN – Michigan’s Premiere Specialty Food Show
Are you ready to be the
next great entrepreneur?
Are you an existing business looking for help with the next great
product? Then this
day is for you!
This full and exciting
event brings you all the resources and networking you'll need to bring your
dreams and goals to reality. Come meet the
The food show will be held November 11, 2009 at the
NCR-SARE ANNOUNCES 2009
FARMER RANCHER GRANT CALL FOR PROPOSALS
The 2009 North Central
Region - Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NCR-SARE)
Farmer Rancher Grant Call for Proposals is now available online at http://sare.org/ncrsare/cfp.htm.
Farmers and ranchers in the
North Central Region are invited to submit grant proposals for projects to
explore sustainable agriculture solutions to problems on the farm or ranch.
Proposals should show how farmers and ranchers plan to use their own
innovative ideas to explore sustainable agriculture options and how they will
share project results.
Sustainable agriculture is
good for the environment, profitable, and socially responsible.
Projects should emphasize
research or education/demonstration. Grants can range from $6,000 for
individual farmers up to $18,000 for groups of 3 or more farmers.
NCR-SARE expects to fund
about 50 projects in the twelve-state North Central Region with this call.
The deadline for proposals is Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 4:30 p.m.
For more information,
contact Joan Benjamin, NCR-SARE Farmer Rancher Grant Program Coordinator, at jbenjamin2@unl.edu or 402-472-0809
or (800) 529-1342.
The NCR has funded more
than 700 farmer rancher grants worth more than $4,300,000 since the inception
of this program.
Each state in SARE's North
Central Region has one or more State Sustainable Agriculture Coordinators who
can provide information and assistance to potential grant applicants.
Interested applicants can find their State Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator
online at http://sare.org/ncrsare/PDP/pdpstco.htm.
JOINT PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
The Suttons Bay
Community Joint Planning Commission is hosting an Open House to gather feedback and input from
their work so far on the new Joint Master Plan. The open house will have
the draft objectives, strategies and goals posted around the room. People
are invited to stop by and write down their comments (on post-its) and leave
them on the posters. There is no meeting, no lecture, and nothing they
have to sit through.
We are especially interested in feedback and input
from the largest commercial industry in the area: farming. Tuesday, September 29, 2009, 5:30pm
-7:30pm at the Silver Tree Deli in
CIAB Press Release on Final Restricted Percentages for 2009
Click here for the CIAB Press Release
Please send any comments or suggestions regarding this site
to:
Bill Klein, kleinw@msu.edu
Last Revised:9-21-09
