Project Description
Growers of the Year
Featured stories previewing the winter horticulture shows and the Good Fruit Grower Growers of the Year in this issue.
Click here to view a PDF version of this issue.
People count at Duckwall Fruit
Duckwall’s mission is to mold a team who will achieve the best possible results for its growers and customers, and ultimately consumers.
How to harvest and store WA 38 (Cosmic Crisp) apples
Earlier Good Fruit Grower articles have described the taste and horticultural traits of the recently commercialized apple cultivar WA 38. In this article,
Use winter weeds to improve soil
Winter weeds are a cheap way of improving and adding organic matter to soil. It is costly and difficult to sow a cover crop on
Manage nutrients precisely
There are both environmental and economic advantages to matching fertilizer applications to the trees’ needs.
Update your fertilizer strategies
When you’re fertilizing trees, visualize their root systems.
Changing of the guard at Summit
Wally Heuser’s nursery and variety management companies have new owners.
Online DAS aids with pest decisions
Fees will allow WSU’s Internet-based Decision Aid System to introduce new, cool features.
Sweet Rosa Lynn
José Ramirez’s daughter is named after apple named after his wife.
Full meal deal
Seed meal may be more expensive than fumigation, but it has additional benefits.
New replant disease treatment
Seed meal treatments outperform fumigation.
Who will pick the fruit? : 2014 Growers of the Year
Craig O’Brien designs his orchards to be attractive to workers.
Collaborative approach: 2014 Growers of the Year
O’Brien brothers are known for their innovation and collaboration.
Change is guaranteed: 2014 Growers of the Year
O’Briens say innovation is the key to survival on a family farm.
Vineyard, winery tour in southern France
Washington State University’s Dr. Thomas Henick-Kling is leading a 12-day springtime tour in southern France to visit some of the most celebrated regions of the
Quiet innovators – 2014 Growers of the Year
Brothers Craig and Mike O’Brien have been testing the limits of tree density in an effort to maximize yields and stay competitive. Their innovative and inspiring approach has earned them the title of Good Fruit Growers of the Year.
Distinguished Service Award: Harold Thome
The Thome family poses for a portrait. The new building in the background will house CA storage rooms next year. From left are Steve,
Sweet Rosa Lynn
New apple variety named after wives of the two men who discovered it.
Latino Leadership Award 2014: José Ramirez
His philosophy has always been that you can’t wait for things to happen around you. You have to make them happen.
2014 Silver Apple Award goes to Jerry Haak
Jerry Haak had a passion for growing fruit and finding better ways to do it. He used cutting-edge techniques not only to increase his yields, but to produce higher quality fruit and use labor more efficiently.
New tree fruit association will expand services
The new Washington Tree Fruit Association plans to expand its services to the industry, says President Jon DeVaney, who will be busy working on legislative affairs in the state capital of Olympia in the coming session.
Growers’ advocate ends 42-year career
During his four decades working at the Washington Growers Clearing House Association, Kirk Mayer saw the Washington apple crop grow from 25 million boxes to 140 million and availability of labor become an increasing concern.
Night shift: Harvesting apples at night
A shift from ladders to illuminated platforms allows pickers to work day or night.
Sean Gilbert, Young Grower from Yakima, Washington
age / 34 crops / Apples, cherries, apricots, peaches, nectarines and wine grapes title / General manager business / Gilbert Orchards education /
Mylar machine moves fast
Antonio Montoya invented a machine that takes most of the labor out of laying a reflective mulch.
A tale of two harvesters
Two ladderless apple harvest machines vie for grower approval. They are now for sale.
Organic fruit attracts customers
Steve Tennes Steve Tennes, who operates the Country Mill orchard and farm market at Charlotte, Michigan, became convinced several years ago that there
Good Point: That unwashed grape
FSMA is another example of how a good idea (here, improved food safety for consumers) is forged into a federal law with little understanding by legislators of the complexities of the actual situation.
Growers of distinction
Casey Corr Sixteen times a year, Good Fruit Grower’s cover shows a gorgeous photograph or painting of something related to the fruit industry.
Reopening of Chinese apple market is welcome news for growers
Industry grateful as biggest apple crop ever prepares to ship.
Daniel Symms, 1961-2014
Dan Symms (Courtesy Symms Family) Daniel Thomas Symms, great-grandson of the founder of Symms Fruit Ranch in Caldwell, Idaho, died from cancer on
Growers sought for Piqa pears
PiqaBoo is a new pear that combines attributes of European and Asian pears(Prevar Limited) The New Zealand company Prevar is looking for orchardists
New organization to promote Australia’s horticulture industry
A new organization called Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited has been formed to replace Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL) and undertake research and development and marketing efforts
Network promotes Prosser wines
A new organization called Prosser Wine Network was formed in Washington State last spring to promote Prosser wines. The new group, with more than 30
New EPA program focuses on pesticide drift reduction
The Environmental Protection Agency has announced a voluntary Drift Reduction Technology (DRT) program to encourage the use of safer pesticide application equipment to reduce exposure
Washington State University to develop genomic database
Washington State University has been awarded a five-year $2 million grant to build and maintain a national system for sharing digital plant genetic resources. It will be