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Cherries Molly's project M Cherries are one of several projects at an Elkton, Maryland, fruit farm. by Richard Lehnert olly Brumbley's covered cherry orchard is part of a fruit-growing operation headed by Phil and RuthAnn Johnson, Molly's parents. Their farm is only 50 acres and is located in a highly suburbanized area in northern Maryland. Her parents, now in their 70s, raise and sell the strawberries and raspber- ries, also pick-your-own, and Molly negoti- ated with her father to do the cherry project. It's a business arrangement along a style the family adopted years ago. "We're welcome to try new things, but "We're welcome to try new things, but it has to make sense we're financially on our own, and it has to make sense to Dad and complement the farm as a whole," Brumbley said. Jen Arter, a former science teacher and cousin of to Dad." —Molly Brumbley Molly's, also has two enterprises on the farm—the blue- berries, and she operates tours for school kids, who arrive in buses and get an education about farming, much of it hands-on. They keep some farm animals as part of that project. She also has a trav- eling petting zoo and hosts birthday parties and weddings. The cherries fit in well. Financially, the farm is organized around the four separate enterprises. Income and expenses are accounted for separately. Labor is traded back and forth. Molly hires very little labor, except for putting up and taking down plastic and sales help during a typical 15-day harvest season. She intentionally planted varieties to have a short but intensive season to fill the farm's harvest gap. "I do all the pruning myself," she said. "I should name the trees, I know each one so well. I spend a lot of time on individual trees." When doing her initial budgeting, Brumbley figured the trees would generate a mature yield of around 40 pounds per tree. Instead, she gets about 20 from the Cherries were in full bloom and the skins were on the tunnels on April 5, when a coworker shot this picture of Molly Brumbley. shorter trees in a higher density system. She anticipated being able to get a top price for her fruit. She has a multi- tier pricing system, charging less when people buy more, but her top price last year was $3.99 a pound. "The customers seem to understand that the way I am growing the cherries requires a higher price," Brumbley said. "The benefit to them is the ability to pick regardless of the weather and the high-quality fruit I am able to produce. "They love the uniqueness of it, and it has benefitted other parts of the operation," she added. "Sometimes they come for strawberries at the end of the season or before raspberries are ready and rather than go home empty-handed, we are now able to have cherries for them to pick." • U Product Overview The all-inclusive package. 2 Applications Cherries Post Bloom Caliper provides a unique combination of highly available plant nutrients. High in plant glycoproteins and providing plant nitrogen stabilization, Caliper improves plant chlorophyll production, especially in cool, wet conditions. This dry soluble powder formulation is easy to use, and can be applied in combination with existing foliar programs. To help improve fruit set and fruit size, contact your local Genesis Agri Products distributor for rates and timing. 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 9 9.5 10 Caliper Check 10.5 11 Row Size 2 Applications Apples Post Bloom 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 138 125 113 100 88 80 72 64 Box Size Caliper Check Genesis Agri-Products 2517 Old Town Road Union Gap, WA 98903 Contact: Doug Anyan 509-949-9231 11.5 12 Guaranteed Analysis Nitrogen (N) ........................ 2% Phosphorous (P) .................... 14% Potassium (K) ...................... 15% Zinc (Zn) .......................... 3% Iron (Fe) .......................... 3% Manganese (Mn) .................... 2.9% Copper (Cu) ........................ 1.1% Boron (B) .......................... 0.9% Molybdenum (Mo) ................... 0.01% Humic acid ........................ 5% L-amino acids ...................... 3% Distributed By: 18 MAY 15, 2012 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com R photo courtesy of molly brumbley T H E P O W E R O F N N E H A C R E T T S I E C E O F E D O X