Good Fruit Grower

February 15

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www.goodfruit.com Good Fruit Grower FEBRUARY 15, 2016 23 100-year-old pear trees, gnarled and woody with bark. "We're still dealing with 100-year-old trees," said Mike Sandlin, superintendent of the White Salmon orchards. "That's a management nightmare sometimes." Unlike apples and cherries, pear trees have no true dwarfing rootstock, sometimes making growth regula- tion tricky. But the company specializes in pears, which make up more than half its acreage and more than 40 percent of its shipping volume. Gibson has witnessed a lot of changes in the fruit industry, with the move to trellising, consolidation of sales forces and the incorporation of computerized opti- cal scanners in warehouses. His company has poured tens of millions of dollars into new equipment, some of it under construction now at the Dallesport cherry packing facility. Still, Gibson prefers to focus on the people involved with his fruit business. Within five or six years he will have to help the company pick a replacement for his job at the head of the table, he said. "You grow trees, but you're also growing people," Gibson said. • PHOTOS BY ROSS COURTNEY/GOOD FRUIT GROWER Gibson shares market information with pear grower Ken Goe over lunch at a Chinese restaurant in Hood River, Oregon. Results prove that applications of Stimplex increase tree fruit production and support the ability for young fruit to grow and better hold on to the tree. In fact, well-timed, regular applications of Stimplex are vital to maximizing the genetic potential of your crop. Get Stimplex in your mix today. Contact your local crop advisor or Stimplex representative. 1 800 575 9100 | INFO@ACADIAN.CA | ACADIANSEAPLANTS.COM ©2016 Acadian Seaplants Ltd. Stimplex Crop Biostimulant is a registered trademark of Acadian Seaplants Ltd. Here comes the Bloom. Get set with Stimplex. ®

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