Facts for Fancy Fruit 99-13 October 13, 1999 Crop Conditions: Some rain has finally fallen across most of the state, but it hasnÕt been enough to overcome the drought in most areas. A few light frosts have hit the central and northern areas, but they have not been particularly damaging. Grape and fall raspberry harvest has about ended. Apple harvest is almost complete in the southern parts of the state while more northern areas still have a couple of weeks to go. The harvest has, in most cases, progressed well with some beautiful crops being produced this year. In other places, however, fruit size was down due to inadequate thinning. The recent warm days and cool nights has really helped out color on red- skinned varieties. National apple crop slightly down on last year: The USDA October crop estimate for apples is out, and forecasts national production at 253 million bushels, down 7% from 271 million bushels last year. Indiana production is estimated to be 11% higher than last year at 1,429,000 bushels. Of the top 3 apple producing states, Washington is estimated to be 19% down, New York 15% up and Michigan 13% up compared with last year. -Hirst Cider season is underway: Many of you are now busy making cider. I urge you to play your part in helping to make this a cider season without the negative headlines and news stories that have affected us in the past few seasons. What can do you? You need to do a good job in all the aspects related to the production of cider Ð from Òbloom to bottleÓ as I recently heard it described. A short-cut in any step along the chain will negate all your hard work in other areas. Cider is no place for rotten, wormy or dropped apples. Before you are tempted to ease your standards a little, just think of the impact on your business, and the industry as a whole, of a child becoming sick from drinking your cider. None of us wants to see the TV news crews at our farm gate wanting to know what happened and ready to point the finger. -Hirst HACCP for cider? I have heard unofficially that the FDA has backed off itÕs HACCP rule for cider and is now gathering more data. This doesnÕt mean that a HACCP rule will not be imposed, but just that it is maybe not as imminent as we earlier thought. This should be good news for cider makers. I think itÕs obvious to all of us that if there are outbreaks of illness attributed to cider this season, then we are likely to see much more stringent regulations next season. If you like the idea of governing yourself rather than having the government do it for you, well hereÕs your chance. - Hirst House supports industryÕs antidumping petition: Fifty-one members of the U.S. House of Representatives weighed in with U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary William Daley on Sept. 28 in support of a swift decision by that agency on the apple industryÕs dumping complaint against unfairly-priced Chinese apple juice concentrate imports. A similar letter was send to Secretary Daley on Sept. 120 signed by 21 U.S. Senators. These letters asked the Commerce Department to rule on this issue as early as possible, preferably by October 5. We are currently awaiting the outcome. (from U.S. Apple Association). -Hirst Changes for the Indiana Horticultural Congress: Planning is underway for next yearÕs Indiana Horticultural Congress. We are making quite a few changes to the program this year. Monday, Jan. 24 will be the day for special workshops. There will be workshops for beginning apple and grape growers. Although these workshops are aimed at those new to the industry or looking at getting into commercial production, experienced growers, county extension educators and others are also likely to find one of these workshops a worthwhile event to attend. There will also be a beginnerÕs session for amateur winemakers which is sure to be a hit. In addition to the workshops for new comers, there will be a session on Marketing Strategy as part of the New Crops for the Heartland VI, a workshop on specialty crops. This workshop will be especially useful for anyone planning on getting into an alternative crop enterprise, but will also be great for those already involved in marketing a product. County extension educators are urged to attend this session as a staff development opportunity. In addition to a workshop-filled first day, we have a new trade group participating this year. The Indiana WinegrowerÕs Guild will hold its annual meeting at Hort Congress this year for the first time. There will be beginnerÕs sessions on grape production and winemaking on Monday, and joint and concurrent sessions on enology, viticulture, and marketing on Tuesday. A wine reception and banquet is planned for Tuesday evening. You donÕt know what youÕve been missing if youÕve never been to one of our multiple course banquets featuring Indiana wines matched with specially prepared dishes. ItÕs a great way to sit down, relax, and enjoy a meal. All are welcome. As in the past, sessions for fruit, fresh and processing vegetables, organic production, bee keeping, and farm marketing will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 25-26. The trade show will open on Monday afternoon this year and we expect it to be full. The meetings will be held at the same venue as in past years, the Adams Mark Hotel in Indianapolis. Registration materials will be sent out in December. Watch for them in the mail. If you have specific ideas of what youÕd like to see at the meeting, please let us know as soon as possible. This meeting is for you and we want to address issues of benefit and interest to you. To give us your ideas, please use email, phone or U.S. mail Ð the contact information is on the back page of this newsletter. Minor Use Pesticides Prioritized in 1999 IR-4 Food Use Workshop: Source: Annemiek Schilder, John Wise, and Bernard Zandstra, MSUÕs Fruit Crop Advisory Team Alert, Vol. 14, No. 18, October 1, 1999 Due to the current review of crop protection chemicals under the Food Quality Protection Act and the high cost to industry of product registration, minor crops are at risk of having fewer products available for weed, insect pest, and disease control. To mitigate this problem, IR-4 (USDA Interregional Research Project No. 4) facilitates pesticide registration of minor crops by funding residue trials, and more recently, efficacy and phytotoxicity trials. Priorities for the year-2000 research program for most fruits, vegetables, and herbs grown in the U.S. were assigned at the 23rd Food Use Workshop held August 25-27 in Denver, Colorado. The workshop was attended by minor crop researches; extension specialists; growers; representatives of commodity groups and industry; and personnel from EPA, USDA, and IR-4. A total of 142 attendees participated in the workshop and a total of 559 potential research projects were reviewed. Participants were provided with lists of new or soon-to-be-registered pesticides, and they were asked to rank products based on need, performance, safety, and availability and efficacy of alternatives. A limited number of projects could be assigned "A" or "B" priority. An "A" priority allows IR4 to begin research immediately for submission of data to EPA scheduled for 2002. "B" priority projects are funded as resources permit. Projects with a "C" or "D" rating are not likely to get funding. Priority "A" and "B" projects are listed in the accompanying table. Many of these compounds are considered "reduced risk," which means they have low mammalian and environmental toxicity. In addition, biocontrol and systemic induced resistance (SAR) products, like Serenade and Harpin, respectively, are featured. EditorÕs note: Because of the difficulty with formatting, we did not include the table in the email version of Facts for Fancy Fruit. To see the article, visit the MSU CAT Alerts website at: http://www.msue.msu.edu/ipm/fruitCAT.htm Brittingham Plant Farms Inc. sold to Nourse Farms Inc. and Indiana Berry and Plant Co.: Sylvia and Wayne Robertson of Brittingham Plant Farm have announced the sale of the remaining assets of the berry plant producing and marketing company to Nourse Farms of Whatley, MA and Indiana Berry and Plant Co. of Huntingburg, IN. The Robertsons have decided to cease operation of the 54 year old Brittingham nursery business citing financial and competitive disadvantages beyond their control. ÒWe just canÕt get the big yields of other geographic locations and plant production systems. Our plants were always large, top quality plants but the Eastern Shore of Maryland does not have the climate to produce the volume of plants per acre needed to remain competitive in todayÕs marketplaceÓ stated Mr. Robertson. The two purchasing companies will be gearing up to serve the former customers of Brittingham Plant Farms. Sam Erwin of Indiana Berry and Plant is Òsad to loose such a good competitor. Brittinghams has always been an asset to the small fruit growing industry and their contribution will be missed. I hope the cooperation between Nourse Farms and Indiana Berry in this joint purchase effort will provide the former Brittingham customers with the best possible alternatives for their future planting stock purchases.Ó Timothy Nourse of Nourse Farms stated Òwe are looking forward to servicing Brittinghams customersÉ. Wayne and Sylvia have developed a very loyal clientele over the years and we at Nourse Farms will do everything possible to continue to serve these customers with the same high quality service and products.Ó All three companies have been long-time contributing nurseries to the North American Strawberry Growers plant checkoff program. This program collects $1.00 per thousand plants sold by the contributing nursery for support of strawberry research across North America. Both Erwin and Nourse plan to continue support of this program. Both Nourse Farms and Indiana Berry and Plant offer a wide variety of small fruit plants in annually published catalogs. Nourse Farms services customers world wide with field grown stock and plants directly from their on-site tissue culture lab. Indiana Berry and Plant concentrates on providing a wide variety of products and supplies needed by small fruit growers while concentrating plant sales in the Eastern U.S. Both companies serve commercial growers as well as the serious back yard gardeners and plan to continue a product offering containing most of the traditional Brittingham selections. To contact these companies: Nourse Farms Inc., 41 River Rd. South Deerfield, MA 01373, 413-665-2658, 413-665-7888 fax, www.noursefarms.com and Indiana Berry and Plant Co., 5218 W. 500 S., Huntingburg, IN 47542, 800-295-2226, 812-683-2004 fax, www.inberry.com Mulching Strawberries: If you havenÕt already done so you should make arrangements for you mulch supply now. Strawberries are typically mulched with clean wheat straw; clean meaning that it does not contain excessive weed or wheat seeds. Any straw is suitable as long as it is heavy enough to resist blowing off in the wind and free of troublesome weeds. A good rule of thumb is that it takes 1.5 to 2 tons of straw per acre of strawberries. Mulch should be applied AFTER several hard freezes in the high 20s have occurred over a short period of time (a week or two). This usually occurs in mid to late December. Once these freezes occur strawberry plants will be completely dormant. It is important not to mulch too early because the plants need the exposure to cold and shortening daylength to properly harden off for winter. On the other hand you want the mulch on before sub-zero temperatures occur. That usually means sometime in late December. -Bordelon Winterizing Equipment: Freezing temperatures are just around the corner. Have you winterized your sprayers and irrigation equipment? If not, maybe you should. ItÕs amazing how a little water in a valve can split the brass wide open when it freezes. Drain all water from lines, and follow manufacturerÕs recommendations on winterizing pumps. Subscribing electronically: To subscribe (or unsubscribe) to Facts for Fancy Fruit, send a message to fff@lists.hort.purdue.edu with the subject or body "subscribe" (or "unsubscribe"). You can also use the form at the web site http://www.hort.purdue.edu/fff/mailinglist.html to submit your subscription. Electronic access is free of charge. Coming Meetings: October 21, 1999 Ð The Second Annual Pawpaw Field Day. Kentucky State University Research Farm, Frankfort, KY. Contact Kirk Pomper at 502-227-5942 or kpomper@gymail.kysu.edu. Check out the website at www.pawpaw.kysu.edu October 23, 1999 Ð Kentucky Vineyard SocietyÕs annual meeting. MakerÕs Mark Conference Center, Loretto, KY Contact Mitchell Wagner at 502-459-6958 or mitch@kort.com November 3-4, 1999 Ð Southeast Strawberry Expo. McKimmon center, Raleigh, NC Contact the North Carolina Strawberry Association at 919-542-3687 November 8-9, 1999 Ð MSU Blueberry School. Kellogg Biological Station, Hickory Corners, MI. Contact Eric Hanson 517-355-2261 or hansone@pilot.msu.edu November 10-11, 1999 Ð National Blueberry Conference & Exposition & MBG Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet. Grand Rapids, MI. Contact MBG at 616-434-6791 or 800-367- 7292 or www.blueberries.com January 3-4, 2000 Ð KSHS/KVGA Annual Meeting and Trade Show. Holiday Inn North, Lexington, KY January 16-20, 2000 Ð 5th International Symposium on Cool Climate Viticulture and Enology. Melbourne, Australia. Contact the symposium secretary at ICMS Pty. Ltd., 84 Queensbridge St., Southbanc, VIC 3006 Australia. Phone: 61 3 9862 0244 or check out the website at www.icms.com.au/coolclimate January 24-26, 2000 Ð Indiana Horticultural Congress. AdamÕs Mark Hotel, Indianapolis. Contact Jim Simon at 765-494-1328. February 10-12, 2000 Ð North American FarmersÕ Direct Marketing Association meeting. Cincinnati, OH February 13-15, 2000 Ð Ohio Grape-Wine Short Course. Columbus, OH ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bruce Bordelon, 1165 Dept. of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1165, 317/494-1301, e-mail: bordelon@hort.purdue.edu Peter Hirst, 1165 Dept. of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1165, 317/494-1323, e-mail: hirst@hort.purdue.edu Paul Pecknold, 1155 Dept. of Botany & Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1155, 317/494-4628, e-mail: Pecknold@btny.purdue.edu Rick Foster, 1158 Dept. of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1158, 317/494-9572, e-mail: Rick_Foster@entm.purdue.edu Disclaimer: Reference to products in this publication is not an endorsement to the exclusion of others that may be similar. Any person using products listed in this newsletter assumes full responsibility for their use in accordance with current label directions of the manufacturer.