Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/418083
www.goodfruit.com GOOD FRUIT GROWER DECEMBER 2014 37 Novaspy, Topaz, and Pristine. And they are planted on fire blight-resistant rootstocks. Organic methods Of the diseases, apple scab is the most difficult to con- trol for eastern growers. Most resistant varieties carry the Vf gene, and that has been shown to break down under heavy pressure. "I try to guard them," Tennes said. "I cherish their dis- ease tolerance. It's a gift that needs to be taken care of." To do that, he carries out a scab suppression program spraying with copper and sulfur. Do organic customers like the disease-resistant vari- eties? "They accept them," Tennes said. In his view, if his customers want to eat apples produced using organic methods, they'll have to meet him half way. They seem willing to do that. While most all the fruit grown on the farm is sold through the farm market, some of the organic apples are packed for distribution to stores for fresh sales. He also sells organic apples for processing. "There are four damaging insects that organic apple growers need to control, and two of them are difficult for organic growers," he said. The two difficult ones are plum curculio and apple flea weevil. He uses Entrust (spinosad) to control plum curculio, but he also traps and kills them using black pyramid traps. In addition, he uses entomo- pathogenic nematodes that kill larvae in the ground. Oriental fruit moth and codling moth, the other two main insects, are controlled using mating disruption, Entrust, and virus. Tennes cooperates closely with MSU researchers who are trying to perfect pest control methods for Michigan growers attempting organic fruit production. —R. Lehnert the ground," he said, as inexperienced pickers knock them off or leave them behind. They don't strip all the apples from the trees. In some you-pick orchards, these dropped apples are picked up and used in making cider—especially hard cider, since fermentation kills pathogens. Tennes hasn't done that. In fact, he sells his fresh cider unpasteurized, so the fruit needs to be clean. Dropped apples are picked up and sold as deer bait. In Michigan, deer hunting with bow and arrow is very popular, and the market for deer apples is strong. This business is important enough that Tennes has a website devoted to it, deerapples.com. "We like to sell them by the 20-bushel box," he said. "It's easiest for us." The boxes can be dumped into a pickup truck or trailer. Apple pomace from the cider mill is sold the same way for the same purpose. For Tennes, this market helps keep his orchard free of diseases and insects that may be in dropped apples, helping in organic production (See "Organic fruit attracts customers"). It reduces yellow jackets and hornets that plague pickers, makes picking conditions better, and eliminates the odors of rotting and fermenting fallen apples. Hort president As president of the hort society for the next year, Tennes sees his role as continu- ing improvements that have been under way. "Our chief activity is in partnering with the Michigan Vegetable Council in host- ing the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable, and Farm Marketing Expo," he said. "It is the premier show in North America, and we want to continue to improve on that. It's a great responsibility." The second key activity is support of research at Michigan State University. "We see MSU as our partner. When emergency situations arise where fund- ing is critical, we are able to provide funds quickly, apart from the slow official process." He believes the new Michigan Tree Fruit Commission can also play that role, but its chief mission is maintenance of the infrastructure at the four Michigan fruit research stations. "One of the critical roles of the hort society, which some growers are not fully aware of, is behind-the-scenes lobbying to ensure that we have the university researchers and the state inspectors that allow our industry to grow. "There is definitely demand for our products," Tennes said. "And we have the acres planted. But will we have the workers to do the harvest? Can we keep the balance between supply and demand so we can be profitable? "There's no easy money out there." •