Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/657340
40 APRIL 1, 2016 Good Fruit Grower www.goodfruit.com T rellises, growth regulators and Malling 26 rootstocks are crucial components for Libby and Son U-Picks in Limerick, Maine — just as much as live music, smoothies and restrooms with running water. That's why Aaron Libby, 32, attended the February International Fruit Tree Association conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Small growers need to learn the latest science, too, he said. "Our production of the trees doesn't vary much from the large grower of Michigan or Washington or New York," he said. Libby is a politically savvy grower who serves on the executive committee of the Maine Pomological Society and served in the Maine House of Representatives from 2010-2014 as a Republican. He did not seek re-election. Libby, a third-generation fruit grower, is also the son in Libby and Son U-Picks, a business that has shifted from strictly wholesale and traditional varieties to agritainment. U-pick makes up about 90 percent of the income for the farm, nestled in the rolling hills about an hour west of Portland, Maine. Libby has musicians playing most of the open hours and boasts of his fully plumbed restrooms. His family serves homemade doughnuts and just bought a new smoothie machine. Customers come to his family's farm for fun, not groceries. Still, they like the high-density systems where apples are easier to reach, Libby said. "The customer, when they IFTA Michigan conference Help for both big and small Third-generation Maine grower finds conference helps with growing U-pick business. by Ross Courtney gRoweRs Effective Plant Nutrients and Biopesticides www.westbridge.com ® Botector ® Blossom Protect ™ ® ® ® ORGANIC ® ORGANIC Herbicide EC ® PHIL BROWN WELDING CORP. PHIL BROWN WELDING CORP. PHIL BROWN WELDING CORP. Phone (616) 784-3046 • Fax: (616) 784-5852 • 4689–8 Mile Rd NW, Conklin, Michigan 49403 www.philbrownwelding.com Box Rotator Box Shuttle Double Fork Ground Hog Frost Fan Economy LIft 3-Point Forks 3-Point Hi Lift Conveyors Freight-Mate Durand Wayland Sprayers WE OFFER A FULL LINE OF FRUIT & VEGETABLE EQUIPMENT: Contact Vine Tech Equipment, your Northwest Phil Brown Dealer 509-788-0900 www.vinetechequipment.com VACUUM APPLE HARVESTER • Eliminates Ladders • Reduces Picker Fatigue • Reduces Bruising • Self-Propelled Platform Contact Us About Our New State-Of-The-Art Apple Harvester VACUUM APPLE HARVESTER The most efficient and gentle apple harvesting system in the world The most efficient and gentle apple harvesting system in the world