Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/769560
www.goodfruit.com Good Fruit Grower JANUARY 15, 2017 39 to make all those faster and cheaper for years. She believes Bates is getting there. "He's finally translating all that information into something we can physically do, and is reasonable to do," Moyer said. Bates and his team started their project with off-the-shelf tools, including soil sensors and NDVI cameras attached to ATVs or harvesters to measure canopy and crop load. His team also is trying to develop a Brix sensor to add to the mix. The key trick is that his crews arrange the information "spatially" within vineyard blocks using GPS. Then, with computer programs they designed, they create layers of maps that communicate with Google Earth to tell a grower, for example, which vines to prune and by how much or where to irrigate more and where to irrigate less. "Now that means something to me as a grower, and I can act upon it," Bates said. In the end, he envisions a "black box" that contains all the information and can spit it out into decision-aid maps that pop up on a screen inside a harvester. In theory, a grower would be able to make all the decisions in advance and just drive, letting the computers control the details. Larger growers who plan to be in the business for the long haul will be the most interested, said Mike Concienne, senior business partner for National Grape, the grower cooperative that owns Welch's. "Probably some of the bigger, more progressive growers we have would be more in tune to that type of practice," he said. That would affect the bulk of the production. As a rough estimate, about 20 percent of the growers produce 80 percent of Washington's juice grape tonnage, Concienne said. The nation's juice grape industry is in a period of contraction, as plentiful national concentrate inventories and recent large crops keep prices low. Growers in Washington, the nation's largest juice grape producer, and to a lesser extent New York, Pennsylvania and Michigan, have been removing juice grape acres in favor of fruit trees, wine grapes and hops. However, Concienne expects that to level off eventually, making Bates' work applicable down the road. "I still think, this technology, there's a place for it," Concienne said . • OR 185357 • WA SIMPLH915C8 • ID RCE 34089 Worker Housing Solutions Worker Housing Solutions MULTIPLE FLOOR PLANS STICK BUILT | DURABLE | PROVEN Simplicity's Worker Housing structures are constructed using quality materials, are durable, built on-site and last for years. The farm worker housing units comply with H-2A Federal Housing requirements for temporary agricultural labor forces here in the United States. Simplicity Homes o—ers a value driven solution for whatever price point you need. Contact a sales agent at 877-417-4675 or visit Simplicity-Homes.com to view floorplans and see how we stack up to the competition. Products & Solutions for Agricultural Safety • Chemical Gloves • Full-Face Respirator • Half-Face Respirator • Chemical Splash Goggles • Chemical Resistant Boots • Disposable and Reusable Suits Available Add a Cooling-Vest on hot days as a heat stress precaution www.oxarc.com Washington - Idaho - Oregon - Shop Online 1-800-765-9055 Safety First: Follow chemical manufacturer's guidelines for decontaminating the spray suite. Do not use suit if there are cuts, holes, tears, missing snaps, or separated seams. Chemical Protective Suit