Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/616629
32 JANUARY 1, 2016 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com JANUARY January 4-5: Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Conference, Lexington, Kentucky, www. kyhort.org. For information, call (859) 257-5685. January 6-8: Illinois Specialty Crops, Agritourism and Organic Conference, Springfield, Illinois, www.specialtygrowers.org. For information, call (309) 557-2107. January 7-8: Yakima Ag Expo, Yakima, Washington, www.yakimaagexpo.com. For information, call (509) 248-2900. January 7-8: Precision Farming Expo, Kennewick, Washington, precisionfarmingexpo.com. January 12: Washington Highbush Blueberry Workshop, Ellensburg, Washington. For information, call (360) 848-6124 or email lisa.devetter @wsu.edu. January 11-13: Northwest Food Manufacturing and Packaging Expo, Portland, Oregon, www.nwfpa.org. For information, call (503) 327-2200 or email expo@nwfpa.org. January 15: Cherry Institute, Yakima, Washington, www.wastatefruit.com. For information, call (509) 853-3504 or email cherryinstitute@wastatefruit.com. January 18: Lake Chelan Horticultural Day, Chelan, Washington. For information, email tianna.dupont@wsu.edu. January 18-20: Ohio Produce Growers & Marketers Association Congress, Sandusky, Ohio, www.opgma.org. January 19: North Central Washington Stone Fruit Day, Wenatchee, Washington. For information, email tianna.dupont @wsu. edu. January 19-21: Empire State Producers Expo, Syracuse, New York, nysvga.org/expo/ information. January 19-21: Indiana Horticultural Congress and Trade Show, Indianapolis, Indiana, www.inhortcongress.org. January 20: North Central Washington Pear Day, Wenatchee, Washington. For information, email tianna.dupont @wsu.edu. January 21: North Central Washington Apple Day, Wenatchee, Washington. For information, email tianna.dupont@wsu.edu. January 26-28: Northwest Ag Show, Portland, Oregon, www.nwagshow.com. For information, call (503) 769-8940 or email agshow@wvi.com. January 26-28: Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, Sacramento, California, www. unifiedsymposium.org. January 27-28: Apple Horticulture and Postharvest Research Review, Confluence Technology Center, Wenatchee, Washington, www.treefruitresearch.com. For details, call Kathy Coffey at (509) 665-8271 ext. 2 or email kathy @treefruitresearch.com. January 28-29: Apple Crop Protection Research Review, Confluence Technology Center, Wenatchee, Washington, www. treefruitresearch.com. For information call Kathy Coffey at (509) 665-8271 ext. 2 or email kathy @treefruitresearch.com. January 29-30: BC Fruit Growers Association Annual Convention, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, www.bcfga.com. FEBRUARY February 2-4: Mid-Atlantic Fruit & Vegetable Convention, Hershey, Pennsylvania, www.mafvc.org. For information, call (717) 694-3596 or email pvga@pvga.org. February 2-5: CiderCon and U.S. Association of Cider Makers annual conference, Portland, Oregon, www. ciderconference.com. GOOD TO GO For a complete listing of upcoming events, check the Calendar at www.goodfruit.com Fresh Pear Committee nominations will be held at industry meetings P ear growers will elect nominees for positions on the Fresh Pear Committee during industry meetings in January and February. The committee is responsible for the collection of assessments for research and the promotion and advertising of all pears marketed in domestic and export markets. Nominations for the grower and handler positions in the Wenatchee dis- trict will take place Jan. 20 during the North Central Washington Pear Day at the Wenatchee Convention Center, 201 N. Wenatchee Ave., in Wenatchee, Washington. The grower position is currently held by Matt McDevitt (Kevin Stennes, first alternate; Daryl Harnden, second alternate). The handler posi- tion is held by Craig Christensen (Dan Kenoyer, first alternate; Ken Jackson, second alternate). Nominations for the Mid-Columbia district will take place Feb. 5 at the Hood River Inn, 1108 E. Marina Drive, Hood River, Oregon. Mark Laurance currently holds the grower position (Erick von Lubken, first alternate; Derek DeBorde, second alternate). The handler position is held by Don Gibson (Fred Duckwall, first alternate; Bob Wymore, second alternate). All pear growers are eligible to attend and participate in the respective nominations. Names of those elected will be submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture for official appointment to the committee. Newly elected mem- bers will serve for two years. Van Doren receives family business award V an Doren Sales of East Wenatchee, Washington, has received a silver Family Business Award for midsize firms from Seattle Business magazine. The company builds equipment for cleaning, waxing, sorting and packing fresh apples, pears and cherries. The company was founded in 1946 by Louis Van Doren, who was formerly shop manager for the fruit company Skookum Inc. in Wenatchee. He purchased Skookum's shop equipment and set up his own business called Van Doren Machine and Repair Shop where he produced and serviced fruit packing and box conveying equipment. In 1954, he changed the name to Van Doren Equipment and Van Doren Sales, and later the business became a single corporation. Louis' three children joined the business in the early 1960s. Louis "Van" Van Doren Jr. worked in sales, Carl Van Doren was production manager, and Lynn Pittsinger was the bookkeeper and controller. The third generation of the family — Lynn's son Bret Pittsinger and Carl's son-in-law Brian Green — joined the company in 1993 and continued to follow Louis Van Doren's original motto "Quality pays." The company moved from Wenatchee to the Baker Flats area in East Wenatchee in 1996 and now employs about 90 people. It has invested heavily in community sponsorships. Crimson Snow launched C rimson Snow, a variety managed globally by the Italian company KIKU Variety Management, was harvested this fall in Serbia and Italy. About 3,000 tons were produced in Italy this season, primarily for the Italian and German markets, though there is also interest in exporting to Spain, North Africa, the Middle East and Asia. After the next plant- ing season, there will be more than 200 hectares (500 acres) of the variety planted in Serbia, Italy and Switzerland. Acreage is likely to increase over the next two to three years to 500 hectares (1,250 acres). Partners producing the variety include Verda Vivo/Agrounija in Serbia, Iseppi Frutta in Switzerland, and three Italian marketers, F.lli Clementi, Rivoira and Sanifrutta. According to information from KIKU, it's important to choose the right growing areas because of the late harvest of the variety. It matures after Fuji. Crimson Snow (cultivar MC38) is a chance seedling discovered by Allan McLean in Australia. The apple is red and colors well on the tree. It has a balanced sweet-tart flavor, and the flesh is slow to turn brown. Licensed marketing partners met with KIKU in Europe this fall to discuss promotion and merchandizing plans. For more information, go to www.crimsonsnow-apple.com. GOOD STUFF A selection of the latest products and services for tree fruit and grape growers COURTESY OF VAN DOREN SALES/JOHN CURRY PHOTOGRAPHY Pictured after receiving a 2015 Family Business Award in Seattle are (from left) Brian Green, Bret Pittsinger and his daughter Karle, Lynn Pittsinger, and Carl Van Doren. COURTESY KIKU VARIETY MANAGEMENT Italian orchardist Adriano Musola harvests Crimson Snow.