Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/386317
30 OCTOBER 2014 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com Fruit Trees in Yakima is growing trees. Three years ago, Steensma and Crane planted their first test orchard of 1,000 Smitten trees in Quincy, where growers can see and sample the variety. "They want to see it, feel it, touch it, and taste it," Steensma said. "These guys are big-time businessmen, and they don't take anything lightly any more." Last year, Steensma and Crane made their first com- mercial planting of 50,000 trees. They planted another 150,000 trees this spring. They are offering the variety to other growers in Washington, so a two-hemisphere supply of the variety can be developed. New Zealand Smitten apples will be available in the United States from May until July and Washington Smittens from September through December or January. Steensma said Smitten ripens around the same time as Gala or a few days earlier and stores well. They also hope growers in Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania will give it a try. Their initial planting target for North America is 750,000 trees, or about 750 acres. Three Washington companies have made a commitment to grow and pack the variety: Columbia Fruit Company in Wenatchee; Valicoff Fruit Company in Yakima; and Piepel Premium Fruit Packing, a new company operated by Dave Piepel in East Wenatchee. In addition, Barclay Crane plans to build a packing plant in Quincy in a couple of years. Meanwhile, Honey Bear Fruit Company has been doing retail sampling and test marketing using imported New Zealand Smitten to familiarize the trade with the apple and create demand in preparation for Washing- ton supplies becoming available. The first, small crop of Washington Smitten will be harvested this fall. "We're taking advantage of existing production in New Zealand to develop a North American market for the Smit- ten apple," Steensma said. Initially, marketing efforts will focus on the domes- tic market. Other regions of the world will produce their own Smitten. For example, Worldwide Fruit Limited and Empire World Trade Limited have a license to grow Smit- ten in the United Kingdom. Montague Fresh has a license to produce it in Australia. Steensma expects that as Washington apple produc- tion increases because of recent plantings, mainline varieties such as Red and Golden Delicious will be in less demand. "What we're trying to do is give growers another oppor- tunity to replace those varieties as they become unprof- itable, and we hope to maintain a $50 return for the grower," he said. • Randy Steensma (left) and Scott Smith discuss the new Smitten apple in a test orchard in Quincy, Washington. Smith grows several other New Zealand varieties in his orchard at Tonasket, Washington.