Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/654468
www.goodfruit.com Good Fruit Grower MARCH 15, 2016 33 On top of that, Friday wanted to find a peach for every harvest window from early to late season. So he wan- dered through his orchard, sampling fruits tree by tree. He came across some "chance mutations" with desirable characteristics and cross-bred those trees. "From my original crosses made in that first year came seven new varieties that turned out to be commercially acceptable," he said. He shared the news with fruit experts, but they were skeptical, he recalled. "They said it would be outstanding if I had found just one new variety, and it took them a long time to realize I did have seven and that six of those original seven were particularly good." Soon, Leno Mori of Mori Nurseries in Ontario and Phil Baugher of Adams County Nursery in Pennsylvania took interest in the new varieties, the nurseries started selling them, and Friday has never looked back. "As I developed varieties, I'd use them as parents to continue that bloodline, so to speak, and develop newer varieties," he said. Breeding success Of the 17 nurseries in the U.S. and Canada licensed to carry Flamin' Fury varieties, two are recent additions from California. "My varieties seem to be moving both southeast and west. I have a lot of interest from California, where they're particularly interested in my flavor and bacterial spot resistance," Friday said. In addition, he noted, his varieties are currently undergoing extensive testing in parts of South Africa, which supplies Eastern and Western Europe with peaches in the off-season. PHOTO BY LESLIE MERTZ Paul Friday displays some of his peach varieties at his booth during the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Over the years, his prolific Michigan breeding program has introduced 37 peaches, all under the series name Flamin' Fury. Each new variety can take up to two decades to develop. "He's really made remarkable progress, and the number of his introductions is amazing for a breeding program." —Bill Shane Frost control has become very important to us. In the last 9 years, we have had 5 frost events that have signifi cantly damaged our production. We decided to do something to help mitigate this so our production would be consistent. That's where Orchard-Rite ® wind machines have come into play for us. In mid April of 2014, we reached 24 degrees outside the vineyard, yet we were able to save 100% of the fruit under the machines. Outside of the coverage area, we lost almost all of the fruit. At harvest, we picked over 6 tons per acre in the protected area and less than 1 ton per acre in any unprotected vines. The wind machines also reduced my vine damage. I put the wind machines on 10 year old vines and experienced minimal damage, but any unprotected 1 year old vines were completely decimated by the cold temperatures. In the future, when I set out a new planting, I will install Orchard-Rite ® wind machines to provide protection for the following Spring. Damaging young plants is a huge expense not only in lost production but in extra management costs to replant and retrain damaged vines. I believe that the wind machines will help our Texas wine industry grow consistent crops that our wine makers can depend on to produce superior wines and to reliably supply our markets. "The grape vines under my wind machines yielded 6 tons per acre while my unprotected areas had less than 1 ton per acre." -- Andy Tim- mons Lost Draw Vineyard