Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/31248
poor, he said, and Black Gold is soft and doesn’t pack well. Growers in Michigan “We don’t have mountains here, no elevation haven’t seen any response from application of gib- berellic acid, which works in the West. Ethrel (ethephon), which is used by Michigan growers differences to spread out the harvest.” —Mike Dietrich to loosen cherries for mechanical harvest, without stems, for processing, is not useful for fresh harvest. Such cherries lose their stems—and also their firmness. The old-style big cherry trees are not easy to pick. Diet- rich is convinced small trees that are easy to pick will draw workers, who now can choose whether to pick blueberries or cherries during that season. Critical mass Michigan needs to develop a critical mass—enough cherries to interest large retailers, enough to fit into retail operations that use distribution centers. Some growers now run their own distribution systems, delivering 10 or 15 cases to local supermarkets. Michigan also needs more good varieties ripening over a longer period, he said. “Right now, we have a ten-day window,” he said. “We don’t have mountains here, no elevation differences to spread out the harvest.” There is, however, a four- to five-week harvest spread in the 250 miles from southwest to north- west Michigan. Cracking remains a serious problem, and sort- ing now is a necessary but expensive way to deal with it, Dietrich said. “It’s a bit wet here during sweet cherry har- vest,” Dietrich said. “It’s our biggest issue.” Bardenhagen asked the growers whether they’d be willing to pay an assessment to fund research and pro- motion. There is currently in Michigan a half-cent-a- pound assessment on sweet cherries for processing, which is collected by the processor. For fresh-market cherries, there is no logical point at which to collect assessment money, since most sweet cherries are marketed directly by growers. While some in the crowd thought a voluntary assess- ment program might work, most agreed that a manda- tory assessment, voted in by growers, is a fairer way. The existing checkoff program on cherries for processing is up for a renewal vote next year, Bardenhagen said, and it would be good time to vote on a proposal for fresh- market cherries. • Unmatched Performance, Quality Built and Affordable! Best Technology We have been using Victair Sprayer on our own farm for 40+ years. When I went into business for myself, the Victair was a natural choice. It has exceptional coverage (what else do you buy a sprayer for), it’s easy to maintain, and using lower HP tractors saves on fuel costs. While in the commercial application business for 35 years, we have sprayed grapes, almonds, tree fruit, citrus, walnuts, and pecans. This sprayer can handle them all. Because of the small droplet technology (50 micron), we can use less water while maintaining coverage and, therefore, less chemicals—usually 30 to 40 percent less. This is the compact sprayer that can really handle the big jobs. It’s the best technology on the market. Larry Meisner, Kerman, California ENGINEERING RELIABILITY & PERFORMANCE 1801 Presson Place, Yakima, WA 98903 509-248-0318 fax 509-248-0914 hfhauff@gmail.com www.hfhauff.com www.goodfruit.com GOOD FRUIT GROWER MAY 15, 2011 31 H. F . HA UFF C O M P A N Y I N C .