Good Fruit Grower

December 2013

Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/215151

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 27 of 95

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-DAVIS Ted DeJong, in the center with pruning shears, is the lead instructor of a pomology short course offered by the University of California, Davis. Pomology short course A HIT WITH GROWERS University of California's two-week course for 2014 will be repeated in 2015. by Melissa Hansen A Defy the law of gravity with the power of attraction V-Tower & V-Trellis Electrostatic Sprayers Machines targeted to the high efficiency apple growers in the Pacific Northwest. CONVENTIONAL SPRAYER ON TARGET SPRAY SYSTEMS On Target spray systems utilize the natural power of attraction. Our sprayers feature the On Target patented spray nozzle that uses an electrical charge to create a fine mist of uniform, electrostatic droplets. Since all droplets have the same charge, they repel each other, creating a fine spray mist less prone to runoff and coalescence. The opposite charges of the plant attract the particles to it, drawing the spray deep inside the plant's canopy. Once the plant is fully and evenly covered in spray, the surface charges even out, resulting in complete, uniform coverage. 28 DECEMBER 2013 GOOD FRUIT GROWER unique, pomology extension course offered through the University of California is proving so popular that the 2014 class is full and a waiting list has been started for the 2015 session. The second annual, two-week course called Principles of Fruit and Nut Tree Growth, Cropping, and Management will be held from February 24 to March 6 at UC, Davis. The course, offered for the first time in early 2013, was filled to capacity. The course covers the fundamentals of tree biology essential to making sound orchard management and business decisions and includes lectures, hands-on exercises, and field demonstrations. The course culminates with a four-day field tour that visits UC research trials, processing facilities, and commercial orchards in northern and central California. The course is unique, according to UCD, because there is no comparable extension course in the United States that provides instruction by faculty researchers and cooperative extension specialists at university research facilities. "The goal of our course is to provide access to a UC Davis pomology education in a shorter time frame, and reduced cost, than is currently available through traditional university classes," a news release stated. John Warmerdam of Warmerdam Packing, a tree fruit grower-shipper in Hanford, California, was in the inaugural class of 40 students. "The fruit industry has become so complex, and there is so much to know," Warmerdam said in a phone interview with Good Fruit Grower. He's no stranger to fruit, having grown up on the family farm that grows peaches, nectarines, and cherries. "When I went to college, I didn't get a fruit science degree," he said. "For me, I took the course because I wanted to know the 'why' behind something happening and not just that it happened." On Target Spray Systems understands the unique needs of your crop. You have designed your orchards with efficiency and high production in mind. We study, investigate and design our electrostatic spray systems for maximum effectiveness for each individual crop and trellis system. Only then, do we offer a system unique to those growers. We are proud to introduce our newest spray systems designed to meet the needs of the high density orchard with configurations for all vertical fruiting wall and V trellis orchards On the web: www.ontargetspray.com 395 South Main Street - Mt. Angel, OR 97362 | Ph: (503) 329-8120 www.goodfruit.com

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Good Fruit Grower - December 2013