Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/751050
84 DECEMBER 2016 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com GOOD STUFF A selection of the latest products and services for tree fruit and grape growers Van Well Nursery observes 70th anniversary in 2016 V an Well Nursery celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2016. In 1946, Peter Van Well Sr. had two sons returning from military service in World War II who would soon be entering the workforce in the Wenatchee, Washington, area they called home. He, too, wanted a business of his own that he could build and turn over to his sons. Van Well had been nursery superintendent for a prominent nursery firm for nearly 30 years, so he built a nursery of his own. He "bought an old mule and 10 acres of open land" and with the help of sons, Jack and Joe, set out some apple grafts. A year later, the trio was making peach and pear grafts, in addition to the apple grafts, and was ready to deliver 23,000 finished fruit trees to commercial orchardists in the area. Over the past 70 years, Van Well Nursery has been responsible for the testing, propagation, patenting, introduction and marketing of many notable fruit tree varieties particularly, early on, Red Delicious sports such as Red King, Oregon Spur, Scarlet Spur, Super Chief and Adams Apple. As the fruit industry turned away from Red Delicious, Van Well sought out other exclusive apple varieties such as Auvil Early Fuji, Gale Gala, Red Jonaprince, Redfield Red Braeburn, and Red Cameo. The list of new apple, cherry, pear, peach and apricot varieties continues to grow as the company seeks to identify, produce and market the needs of the next generation of commercial orchardists. Today, the company operates 120 acres of orchard and about 700 acres of nurs- ery stock in three different Columbia Basin areas: Wenatchee, Quincy and Moses Lake. Its corporate headquarters are in East Wenatchee, where it also has storage capacity. 2707 C-P is organically certied www.ncdwashington.com phone: 509-486-4182 fax: 509-486-4182 tom@northcountrydistributors.com brett@northcountrydistributors.com 21 Havillah Road PO Box 444 Tonasket, WA 98855-0444 C-P • Has a pH that is close to neutral and a high buffering capacity that keeps roots in ideal pH growing range • Absorbs fertilizer for slow release action • Delivers high count of beneficial bacteria to soil and root system • Improves soil texture and particle size • Improves aeration • Provides excellent water retention and percolation • Encourages root development and penetration in soil • Has exceptional water holding capacity • Promotes new roots • Provides needed drainage for excess water • Good water movement brings needed nutrients to root system • Encourages vigorous root growth • Encourages beneficial mycorrhizal fungi