Crop conditions: Blueberry harvest is winding down across 
central and southern areas. The warm conditions speed up 
the already shortened season. Black and summer red 
raspberry harvest was similarly short due to the April 
freeze and warm conditions. Fall bearing reds are suffering 
from the dry and hot conditions, but should begin harvest 
soon. Early grapes are at the beginning of the ripening 
period. Harvest appears to be on pace to be normal this 
year. Peach season is going well (for those who have 
peaches) and quality appears to be very good. Early apples 
will be ripening soon.

Successful Summer Meeting:  The Indiana Horticultural 
society had a very interesting and enjoyable summer meeting 
on July 2-3. We extend our thanks to the Beiersdorfer and 
Wesler families for their hospitality and willingness to 
open their farms to us. 

State Requests Disaster Designation to Help Farmers: 
Governor Mitch Daniels is asking the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture to designate 26 Indiana counties as disaster 
areas to make farmers eligible for low-interest emergency 
loans from the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA). The request 
says cold weather from April 4-10 and a tornado on April 11 
severely affected fruit and wheat crops. Federal officials 
are now working with the Indiana FSA office to determine 
the extent of disaster in each county. Unusually cold 
spring weather and an April tornado prompted Governor Mitch 
Daniels to ask that several Indiana counties receive 
disaster designation from the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture. The designation was sought because of cold 
weather (frost and snow) from April 4-10 and tornado damage 
on April 11. Disaster designation makes farmers eligible 
for low-interest emergency loans from the USDA Farm Service 
Agency (FSA).

ãAprilâs unusual cold snap severely affected Indianaâs 
apple, peach and fruit crops, as well as some wheat crops,ä 
said Indiana Agriculture Director Andy Miller. ãDisaster 
designations would provide assistance for Hoosier farmers 
who need it.ä

From April 4-10, the following 26 counties reported to 
their local Farm Service Agency offices damage to one or 
more crops due to cold weather (frost and snow). The most 
common crops that were reported to have damage were orchard 
crops (apples, peaches), nursery crops (fruit) and wheat.

Brown, Clark, Dearborn, Hancock, Henry, Howard, Jackson, 
Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Lake, Lawrence, Monroe, 
Morgan, Newton, Ohio, Orange, Owen, Posey, Rush,
Scott, Shelby, Starke, Washington, and Wayne.

In addition to the counties affected by cold weather this 
spring, Hamilton Countyâs FSA office reported damage to the 
local wheat crop because of a tornado on April 11, 2007.

Governor Daniels requested disaster designation for the 
affected counties from USDA earlier this month. USDA will 
now work with the Indiana FSA office to determine the 
extent of disaster in each county. If these counties meet 
USDA requirements, they and the counties contiguous to them 
will be declared disaster areas, making farmers eligible 
for low-interest emergency loans.  Source: Indiana State 
Department of Agriculture

Looking to Source Apples? Many Indiana growers have short 
crops this year and may be looking to buy in apples for 
their markets. One possible source is Ohio Fruit Growers 
Marketing Association ö for more information including 
contact info refer to http://web.tusco.net/fruitgrowers/ or 
to find Ohio growers look at http://www.ohioapples.org/
(Hirst)

Apples look good, but labor concern looms:  Apple grower-
shippers and officials in the Northeast look forward to 
continued strong demand as the 2006 storage deal winds down 
and the new crop begins shipping, though labor and drought 
could complicate matters.

Gardners, Pa.-based Rice Fruit Co., one of the last 
Northeast growers still shipping storage apples in early 
July, should wrap up its controlled-atmosphere deal about 
the fourth week of July, said marketing director Brenda 
Briggs. The company will kick off the 2007 harvest with 
Ginger Golds the third or fourth week of August. Galas will 
follow in early September, with Reds, Goldens, McIntosh and 
other varieties coming later in September and October, 
Briggs said.  We could use some rain, but at this point, 
the crop looks very nice, she said. The fruit is sizing 
well and the finish looks good.  New-crop apples to be 
marketed by Waynesboro, Pa.-based Five Forks Fruit were 
very clean with no insect or disease pressures, said Lee 
Showalter, owner.

Both Briggs and Showalter said finding enough workers to 
pick the 2007 crop could be an issue. While Showalter said 
no problems had yet materialized as of early July, Briggs 
said labor was very much a concern.  

Briggs expects the strong markets growers enjoyed 
throughout the 2006-2007 season to continue in the new 
season. With very few Goldens still in the pipeline in 
July, she expected very strong demand for Ginger Golds in 
August.  Also forecasting strong markets is Peter Gregg, 
spokesman for the Fishers-based New York Apple Association.
Our retailers are telling us sales are very strong for New 
York apples, he said. Weâre working very hard to promote 
our crops, and itâs paying off.

Packinghouse returns for New York apples were an average of 
27 cents per pound in June, up from 23 cents at the same 
time last year, according to the U.S. Department of 
Agricultureâs July Noncitrus Fruits & Nuts report.  As of 
July 1, fresh holdings of Northeast apples were 5% lower 
than a year ago and 32% below the five-year average, 
according to the Vienna, Va.-based U.S. Apple Associationâs 
July Market News report.
On July 10, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported 
prices of $16-18 for carton tray packs of red delicious 72-
125s from Washington, down from $18-20 last year at the 
same time.  (Andy Nelson, The Packer)

RMA Fact Sheets: Updated fact sheets are now available on 
the RMA website and the Regional Office website.  Of 
particular importance to most of you is the new fact sheet 
that outlines the procedure of requesting a written 
agreement in a county with no actuarial documents. Below is 
a link to the regional office site where most of the fact 
sheets can be located: 
http://www.rma.usda.gov/aboutrma/fields/il_rso/ 

The fact sheet that explains the procedure of requesting 
insurance in a county with no actuarials: 
http://www.rma.usda.gov/pubs/2007/requestinginsurance.pdf
(Jennifer Dammerman, RMA, Springfield, IL and John 
Wargowsky, MAAHS)

2007 Produce Availability and Merchandising Guide Now 
Available: The Packer has distributed the 2007 Produce 
guide. This guide is a great resource for new fruit and 
vegetable growers as well as others who are transitioning 
into the industry or looking for general information on 
produce merchandising and availability. Information 
provided includes merchandising information by commodity, 
commodity availability by competing states, average retail 
price per pound for 2005 and 2006, retail sales, commodity 
promotion tips, food service recommendations, shipping 
requirements, USDA grades, common PLUs, handling tips 
(varies by commodity), nutritional facts, and shippers by 
state. Select specialty crop information such as flowering 
kale, jack fruit, and lemon specialty cucumbers is also 
available. Other resources include food safety tips, food 
inspections, product load compatibility, and a Red Book 
Buyers guide. This year's new feature is a section devoted 
to ideas on how to position and promote produce and produce 
sales broken into number of pounds sold and the price per 
pound. Finally, as the "5 A Day Campaign" has ended, an 
update is given about the "Fruits & Veggies: More Matters!" 
program. The 2007 Guide is available online at: 
http://www.thepacker.com/theguide/theguide-home.asp  Paper 
copies are $35. (Dennis)  
 
Food Safety Will Become A Bigger Concern for Growers & 
Consumers As Outbreaks Continue to Occur: Health officials 
say mishandled lettuce may have been responsible for 
sickening 18 people with E. coli at a northern Alabama 
fast-food Mexican restaurant. 
 
The Huntsville-Madison County Health Department identified 
the 18 as testing positive for E. coli 0157:H7 after eating 
at Little Rosieâs Taqueria in Huntsville, Ala., on June 28-
29. Debra Williams, department assistant director, said 
investigators didnât visit the restaurantâs produce 
supplier because inspectors think the problem might be 
traced to restaurant worker cross-contamination with 
shredded lettuce. ãThe people that became ill were more 
associated with eating the shredded lettuce than anyone who 
stayed well,ä Williams said. ãWe have seen them (the 
restaurant workers) with cross-contamination problems 
otherwise while we were watching them. They were handling 
raw and uncooked food with the same tongs, which is gross 
contamination.ä 
 
Jim Quillin, owner of Huntsville-based Quillin Produce, 
July 12 said inspectors had cleared his 60-year-old family-
owned foodservice produce distribution operation. He said 
he expected a visit from health inspectors but that state 
investigators have focused on the restaurant. ãWe check our 
temperatures and have them documented every day in these 
coolers,ä Quillin said. ãIâm convinced it (the E. coli) 
wasnât here. The problem the health department said is not 
with us but with the restaurant. They said theyâre not even 
sure if it involves lettuce.ä 
 
Quillin said the restaurant, which manually shreds iceberg 
lettuce instead of using precut product, has long been 
known as a clean operation. He said his drivers often tell 
him how clean the operation is. Quillin Produce distributes 
throughout a 75-mile radius of Huntsville.  The grandfather 
of a sickened child that was quoted in the Huntsville Times 
said he didnât think lettuce was involved because his 
grandson, who doesnât like to eat lettuce, gave the lettuce 
in his chicken fajita to his mother.
(Doug Ohlemeier, The Packer)


Shoot Positioning and Canopy Management:  Early grapes 
varieties are in nearing veraison across the central and 
southern parts of Indiana. At this stage itâs time to 
evaluate the vine canopy and the status of shoot 
positioning. Varieties differ in their need for shoot 
positioning due to their growth habit and vigor. Some 
varieties such Vignoles and Chancellor tend to have an 
semi-upright growth habit and relatively short shoots that 
stand up well on their own, so shoot positioning is seldom 
needed. Other varieties such as Traminette, Chambourcin and 
all the American varieties produce horizontally growing 
shoots that tend to run along the top of the trellis and 
cause significant shading of the fruit and renewal zone.  
Shoot positioning is very important with these varieties. 
In high cordon-trained vines, shoot positioning involves 
pulling lateral-growing shoots off the top of the trellis 
to hang vertically downward. In mid-wire cordon-trained 
vines, shoot positioning is done by tucking shoots between 
sets of catch wires, or pulling catch wires up into 
position so that the shoots grow vertically upward. Shoot 
positioning is critical for improving sunlight exposure of 
fruit and increasing fruit quality. Additionally, it 
improves fruitfulness of the basal nodes on the shoots for 
full fruiting potential next year. Shoot positioning 
normally begins after bloom in mid-June and needs to be 
repeated two or three times during the summer. At this 
point in the season, the final shoot positioning should be 
accomplished so that leaf removal can be accomplished. Leaf 
removal is another important component of canopy 
management. While most commonly associated with mid-wire 
cordon vertically shoot positioned training systems, it can 
be used on high cordon trained vines as well. Removal of 2-
3 basal leaves in the cluster zone anytime prior to 
veraison can significantly improve fruit quality by 
decreasing fruit rot potential, and improving sunlight 
exposure of clusters. We generally recommend removal of 
leaves mainly on the east side of the rows. Our work with 
Traminette has shown a significant increase in important 
flavor and aroma compounds (monoterpenes) and wine quality 
scores when fruit gets partial sun exposure. (Bordelon)

Tissue Analysis Grapes and Small Fruits:  Plant nutritional 
status is important for all phases of plant growth and has 
a direct effect on vigor, fruitfulness, cold hardiness, and 
other factors.  Tissue analysis is the most reliable means 
of determining plant nutritional status.  Combined with 
soil testing, tissue analysis can help pinpoint the source 
of problems and determine what measures may be needed to 
ensure proper nutrition of the crop.  Tissue analysis 
samples should be collected at the appropriate time to give 
the most meaningful results.  For strawberry, sample the 
first fully expanded leaves after renovation, usually in 
mid to late July.  For brambles, sample leaves on non-
fruiting canes (primocanes) between August 1 and 20.  For 
blueberries sample leaves during the first week of harvest.  
For grapes, samples should be taken about 70 days after 
full bloom, usually early to mid August.  Samples should be 
adequate in size.  Collect 30-60 leaves for strawberries, 
brambles, and blueberries, and 100 leaf petioles for grapes 
(for grapes submit only the leaf petiole, or stem, for 
analysis, discard the leaf blade).  Collect samples to 
represent the entire field, not just from a few plants.  
Sample different varieties separately.  If specific 
problems exist, collect separate samples from both normal 
and problematic areas of the planting. After collection, 
leaves should be washed gently to remove any pesticide 
residues and dust that might affect analysis, laid out to 
dry for a couple of days, then bagged in paper bags for 
submission to the lab. Some labs offer tissue analysis 
sample kits.

There are several private companies and a few universities 
that provide tissue analysis. A list of certified soil and 
plant analysis testing labs serving Indiana growers is 
located at http://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/soiltest.html  
The Midwest Small Fruit Pest Management Handbook has a 
chapter on tissue analysis and fertilizer recommendations.  
It is available on line at http://www.ag.ohio-
state.edu/~sfgnet/  (Bordelon)

Warm, humid weather is conducive for powdery mildew in 
grapes: Keep scouting vineyards for powdery mildew as warm, 
humid weather is conducive to disease development. Don't 
depend upon a cursory observation of your vines from the 
seat of your tractor or pick-up truck, but be prepared to 
ãwrestleä with the vine to look at leaves and clusters in 
dense, shaded portions of the canopy. As a reminder, once 
powdery mildew gets out of control, it is extremely 
difficult to arrest the disease. It takes very little 
diseased fruit (less than five percent) to impart a moldy 
flavor to the wine. Symptoms of powdery mildew are a white 
to gray powdery patches on the surface of the leaves and 
berries.  
 
By now in most areas of the state, the critical period of 
the highest susceptibility of the fruit clusters to 
infection should have passed (two to three weeks after 
bloom). However, there may be late-developing clusters in 
the canopy that may still be susceptible to infection. 
There is also a risk of late (diffuse) fruit infections 
(e.g., between three and five weeks after bloom) that are 
barely visible but can compromise the integrity of the 
berry skin by creating small dead spots, which can provide 
entry points for pathogens that cause Botrytis and sour 
bunch rots. Soon, though, we will start focusing mainly 
protection of the foliage as severe powdery mildew 
infections can reduce the ability of the vine to produce 
sugars to ripen the fruit. Most grapevines can withstand 
some foliar disease, especially late in the season, since 
they are usually not operating at ãfull capacityä. The 
susceptibility of the grape cultivar and the crop load are 
the main factors that determine how much disease the vine 
can withstand before losses in yield and fruit quality 
become evident. The weather is also an important factor in 
this equation. 
 
Unlike other grape pathogens, the fungus does not need free 
water for infection; moderate to high relative humidity 
(40-100 percent) is sufficient for germination of conidia. 
In fact, rainfall is detrimental to survival of conidia as 
they tend to burst in water. Although infections can occur 
at temperatures from 59 to 90¼F, temperatures between 68 
and 77¼F are optimal for disease development. Temperatures 
above 95¼F inhibit spore germination, and the fungus may be 
killed at temperatures above 104¼F.  
 
For infection prevention, good fungicide options include 
sulfur, sterol inhibitors (Nova, Elite, Procure, Rubigan, 
Vintage), strobilurins (Pristine, Sovran, Abound, Flint), 
Endura, and Quintec. Remember that some grape varieties are 
sensitive to sulfur, Pristine or Flint, and that fungicides 
differ in their pre-harvest intervals. Also, sulfur applied 
late in the season may interfere with wine-making so is not 
advised beyond veraison. Alternating fungicides with 
different modes of action is important for fungicide 
resistance development.  
 
If powdery mildew is already present, there are several 
possible eradicants available: JMS Stylet Oil (paraffinic 
oil); Armicarb, Kaligreen and MilStop (all potassium 
bicarbonate salts); and Oxidate (hydrogen peroxide). JMS 
Stylet Oil (1.5 to 2 percent) appears to offer the best 
results. Any of the eradicant approaches to powdery mildew 
require high (at least 100 gallons of water/acre) spray 
volumes in order to achieve complete tissue coverage as the 
product needs to come in contact with the powdery mildew 
hyphae to be effective. One concern with JMS Stylet Oil is 
that it can delay Brix accumulation, so it is best not to 
use it after veraison. Also, do not apply oil and sulfur 
within 14 days of each other. Removing leaves in the 
fruiting zone for Botrytis bunch rot control can also help 
reduce powdery mildew severity by increasing airflow, light 
penetration and fungicide penetration. (Annemiek Schilder, 
Michigan State Univ.)
 
Management of Bird Damage: I recently saw a great article 
on bird management by Cathy Heidenreich in the June 22 
issue of Cornell University's New York Berry News. It's 
titled "Bye Bye Birdie--Bird Management Strategies for 
Small Fruit," and it's online at 
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/pp/extension/tfabp/newslett/n
ybn66a.pdf. It includes information on bird identification, 
cultural practices to deter birds, chemical repellents, 
scare devices, predators, and visual deterrents. It has a 
good list of product suppliers as well. If you are unable 
to access it online, let us know, and we'll send you a 
printed copy. (Bordelon)

Upcoming meetings: 
July 31. Eastern Indiana grafting workshop and meeting, 
Tuttle Orchard. Contact Dave Clamme for more details, phone 
765-747-7732, and email:  dclamme@purdue.edu

Jan. 28-30, 2008. Indiana Horticultural Congress, Adamâs 
Mark Hotel, Indianapolis.  www.inhortcongress.org