Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/603228
78 DECEMBER 2015 Good Fruit Grower www.goodfruit.com "While in the down years it might be hard for them, it's devastating to someone who has half the volume, so we want to increase our yields." Godwin is planning on at least 80 bins an acre and is hoping for 100. In his latest plantings, trees are as close as 18 inches apart with ten feet between rows for a total of almost 3,000 trees per acre. He has older blocks with rows 12 feet apart but said going two feet narrower makes a big difference in terms of yield potential. "It takes you from 65 to 70 bins per acre to 90 or 100." Godwin takes a methodi- cal and analytical approach to fruit growing. He figures out the target number of apples per tree and bins per acre so he knows where the threshold of profitability is for the level of investment. "There's always some elements of chance," he said, "But we know, going in, what we need to do to perform. So if a tree's not growing enough and not going to fill the canopy, so you're not going to get the ultimate factory you need for growing the fruit, you can start figuring out why." Technology As well as boosting yields, he hopes his new high-den- sity orchards will lend themselves to robotic harvesting, which he believes is less than five years away. He's an early adopter of new technology and is testing an elec- tronic trap for pests and a fire blight model and tem- perature monitoring network that sends alerts to his cell phone. In his spare time, and particularly in the off season, Godwin leverages his engineering experience by working as chief information officer for Chelan Fresh Marketing, which represents Chelan Fruit, Gebbers Farms, Apple House, Gold Digger, and Jackass Mountain Ranch. He heads the IT team that implemented a new inventory system to coordinate how inventory and other informa- tion flows between the various packers. He also evaluates new technology. In addition, Godwin devotes time to industry activities. He has served on the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission for the past two years and was a member "We wanted to start small and try to stay solvent because of the ups and downs of the industry, so we've expanded, but very cautiously." —Sam Godwin The essential resource Win an iPAD! Send your name and address to ipad@goodfruit.com and enter our drawing. We'll also send you our popular eFlash newsletter with news and essential grower information. Please visit our booths at the Washington Hort Show and the Great Lakes EXPO.