Grower Midwest 2.12

MidWest n Edition

Section One of One

February 2012

GROWER

Volume e 11 r2 Number

$2.50

Serving All Aspects of Commercial Horticulture

Greenhouse e • Nursery y • Garden n Centerr • Fruitt & Vegetable e • Farm m Marketss • Landscaperss • Christmas

River Root Farm ~ starting from scratch ~ Page 3

Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 26 Today’s Marketing . . . 5

Cooley Family Farm ~ growing one high tunnel at a time

Cooley Family Farm ~ growing one high tunnel at a time

Page 2 - COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST • February 2012

by Kelly Gates In 2001, Kevin and Tracy Cooley purchased six acres of land in Lafayette, IN, with the intention of establishing a growing operation of their own. The property was slightly smaller than the 15 to 20 acres the couple desired.

But it possessed the key elements that were necessary to create a produce farm that would eventually support the family year round.

“The land is on the corner of a major highway and a major county road, which we knew would work well for on farm sales. It also had a large, turn-ofthe-century farm house and a post and beam barn that was built in 1901,” Kevin told Country Folks Grower. “The owner then offered to rent us some acreage across the road, so we ended up with much more than the six acres that we thought we would have.”

While the Cooleys had the land they needed to start a growing business, it had previously been repeatedly planted with soy beans. As a result, they had to start from scratch to turn the row crop fields into organic plots for their new company, Cooley Family Farm.

A handful of perennials were the first to be planted there. Berry bushes went into the ground. Then came a series of small garden beds with an assortment of standard vegetables.

“I still had a full time job when we created the farm,” said Kevin. “So we started small and allowed the remainder of the soil to rest until I was able to be here full time in 2004. We chose to sell any of the produce we grew at farmers’ markets during these years to keep things simple.”

When Kevin was finally freed up to work at Cooley Family Farm full time, his first move was to build a high tunnel using a reclaimed greenhouse frame.

The following year, he built a second high tunnel. It was a custom, 20-by-96 foot structure. Then, he added another identical high tunnel in 2007 and a fourth one in 2008.

As each high tunnel was finished, more fruits and vegetables were added to the farm’s inventory. Standard vegetables like tomatoes, squash, beans, peppers, corn and many others were

planted. So were grapes, blackberries and numerous other crops — some indoors and some out.

“We cut our fields into small plots with grass driveways all around,” explained Kevin. “One of the fields is on a slope, so we created driveways every 35 feet, making narrow strips of farmable land.

By doing this, we prevented the soil from eroding, but were still able to farm much of the property.”

Each plot was strategically developed to allow space for multiple produce varieties. Special care is now taken to rotate the crops for soil sustainability. And, for organic pest control purposes.

According to Kevin, Mexican bean beetles and Tomato Hornworms have been the most prominent problems his farm has faced. To combat the beetles, he plants beans upwards of seven times each year and cucumbers — another favorite of Mexican Bean Beetles — four to five times annually. Each time, he moves the plot locations from one side of the field to another. Horn worms have been nearly eliminated by allowing predation by naturally occurring wasps.

“Instead of plowing under these problematic plants after harvesting, I leave them in place for a while to keep any pests there, away from the new plantings. Then, once the new plantings are well under way, I plow the old plants under, burying them all,” he explained.

“We try not to overreact when we do encounter pests though because in nature, there are enzymes or critters with teeth ready to kill them.”

In the high tunnels, aphids are sometimes an issue. However, the Cooleys have discovered that ladybugs are an effective method of control. Closely monitoring humidity levels and moisture in the tunnels also keeps pests at bay.

Another measure the farm is planning to take in the future is the addition of wildflowers and ornamentals that will attract beneficial bugs. The honeybees in the farm’s hives will certainly appreciate those plantings.

“Whenever we see bees, wasps or other good insects, we take it as a sign that things are in balance,” said Kevin.

“All of our practices are organic. Our pest control methods are part of that.”

Kevin waits on customers at the Sagamore West Farmers’ Market.

Photos courtesy of Cooley Family Farm

Kevin leads a group tour at the farm.

Many of Cooley Family Farm’s CSA members have chosen to purchase its produce because of this natural approach. The Cooleys invite members to the farm each year to take a tour and learn how the foods they get weekly are grown and harvested.

Customers are also able to buy the farm’s fruits and vegetables at a farmers’ market every Wednesday afternoon from late spring through early fall. Sales don’t end there though.

“In 2006, we started selling through the Internet,” said Kevin. “Our high tunnels allow us to grow during the winter, spreading out our market over 12 months.”

Online sales are completed on

Mondays. Produce is harvested on Tuesdays. And on Wednesdays, Kevin makes deliveries to customers around town.” In 2010, a farm stand was added to the farm to make produce available to customers who live close by.

From laying out the fields for the year to managing the CSA, Internet sales, deliveries and maintenance, both Kevin and Tracy are always actively involved with farm tasks. Being so hands on enables them to maintain a high level of quality control and to be proactive with pest management when the first beetle, worm or bad bug is sighted.

It is also one of the many reasons why Cooley Family Farm has been a successful business for the past decade.

Kevin and Tracy Cooley with their children Trae and Lacie.

River Root Farm ~ starting from scratch

by Sally Colby Mike and Katie Bollinger have been growing produce in Decorah, Iowa, for barely three years, but the young couple is certainly not new to farming.

They spent time apprenticing in Maine with the Good Life Center, then with Eliot Coleman at Four Season Farm.

They eventually moved to the Chicago area where Mike managed the Green Youth Farm and Katie served as the horticulturist for the fruit and vegetable garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden. After serving as consultants for several projects, the couple eventually found their own farm.

At about the same time, Mike became involved with several other forward-thinking men who were interested in developing tools for smallacreage farms. “We constructed our own mobile structures and used a stationary heated structure to start plants,” said Bollinger. “We talked about creating a business that would provide some of the tools (hand tools, implements, greenhouses) for these farms, and we decided to start with moveable high tunnels.” That business, Four Season Tools, is what allowed the Bollingers to start farming on their own.

When the couple moved to their farm in May 2009, the ground was immediately eligible for organic certification because the fields had last been used for hay production, and that was over three years ago.

The first thing the Bollingers did was put the ground in cover crops. The next step was to put up greenhouses, because the Bollingers’ plan was to focus on season extension — growing crops when other produce wasn’t available. They constructed a stationary, heated transplant house and two 30-by-48 foot

moveable high tunnels.

“The first thing we started growing was microgreens,” said Bollinger, “because it was such quick turnaround and didn’t require us to be dependent on the land we had just broken from hay fields.”

Bollinger says that they weren’t sure if they’d have a ready market because microgreens are a specialty item, but several local restaurants and food co-ops were interested. As for deciding what to establish next, the couple remained alert to gaps in local production — when food was coming into farmers markets, and when non-local produce became local.

The first heated greenhouse was perfect for microgreens, but it also gave the Bollingers the ability to start transplants in a system with which they were familiar. “We knew we needed that to be the first structure,” said Bollinger, adding that such a project can look like a big cost because nothing is actually produced.

“The next year, since we didn’t need all the space, we grew transplants to fill the space up since we would already be heating it for our own transplants.”

The Bollingers worked out a pre-buy agreement with purchasers, with orders due by March 1. Selling transplants has since become a significant part of their operation. With their own transplants, transplants for sale and microgreen production, there was little or no extra space in the heated house, so Bollinger created a second bench layer for germinating.

For processing produce, the Bollingers have a dedicated wash station with stainless steel tables and wash sinks in a section of the stationary greenhouse. They use a 20gallon commercial salad spin-

ner to wash greens, then package them for sale on site. Their next investment is a new location for processing so that they can reclaim that space for growing.

When planting fall or winter spinach, Bollinger uses buckwheat as a cover crop prior to planting the spinach.

“For our winter greenhouses, we plant spinach the first two weeks of September, so we’d put buckwheat in before that,” he said. “Then in the fall, the plot that will be in tomatoes next year will have had a fall crop of oats, peas and daikon radish. That will all be winter-killed, then the greenhouse will slide over top of it, and that’s where tomatoes grow.”

Today, River Root Farm is far more diversified, and grows nearly every vegetable crop there is. “Our greatest success is with microgreens, transplant sales and the high tunnels,” said Bollinger. “We started working with a small Wisconsin-based seed compa-

ny that’s trying to come up with open-pollinated tomatoes that do well in a greenhouse setting. The goal is to get the flavor that comes from heirlooms with the disease resistance that comes from hybrids.

They’re trialing cherry tomatoes, which turns out to be another successful niche market, and growing out melons, squash and cucumbers for that company.” Their experience gave the Bollingers another opportunity — growing transplants and seed garlic for Seed Savers Exchange.

River Root Farm is certified organic through MOSA, and has participated in GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) training. Pest management has been a relatively minor issue because the farm was started on new land. “In the last few harvests of greens in the high tunnels, we’ve seen some aphid pressure,” said Bollinger. “We’ve just finished up greens harvest in the two high tunnels, and during the last few harvests, we saw a

Mike harvests micro greens in the green house.

Photos courtesy of River Root Farm

small population of aphids on the bottom leaves. We know that there’s a chance that we’re going to have that pressure this time of year, so we move these structures to a different location. The biggest value of the moveable high tunnels is the ability to minimize disease and pest pressure through rotating land, whether that means giving it rest or putting a cover crop on it, without having to sacrifice the productive space under the cover. The greenhouses move to three different locations, all in line, which gives us 30-by-162 feet worth of covered space. Because the greenhouse is on tracks, Katie and I can just walk them from location to location.”

For now, the main constraint in expanding the business is time, so the Bollingers are selective about the crops they’re growing. This year they had an intern to help on the farm, and will repeat that this season.

“We’re growing every year, but I think there’s going to be a dramatic expansion of what we’re doing,” said Bollinger.

“We’ll do more field production, but also more covered space because we’ve found we can do really great things there.”

Bollinger spoke recently at the Great Plains Fruit and Vegetable Conference. At the end of February, he will be copresenting a full-day workshop at the MOSES Organic Farming Conference in La Crosse, WI, and will also present sessions on high tunnels, soil fertility and tools and management of high tunnels.

For more information on River Root Farm, visit www.riverrootfarm.com

February 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST - Page 3

Katie washes vegetables at a dedicated station with stainless steel tables and sinks in a section of the stationary greenhouse.

Mike and Katie Bollinger on their farm in Decorah, Iowa.

WNA announces its 2012 Plant of the Year winners GREENFIELD, WI — The Wisconsin Nursery Association (WNA) celebrates the 10th anniversary of its Plant of the Year program by announcing its 2012 Plants of the Year. They were selected at the Wisconsin Nursery Association’s annual membership meeting and workshop.

The Woody Ornamental Plant of the Year is the Malus sargentii ‘Select A’ [PP 12621] (Firebird® Crabapple). It’s a beautiful and versatile tree, perfect as a specimen, in a container or a foundation, in a mixed border, espaliered, or as a topiary. In the spring, the Firebird® Crabapple is covered with red flower buds that blossom into snowwhite flowers, bursting with fragrance.

Its small, red crabapples stay firm late into the winter, well after its yellow and orange fall foliage drops. It prefers deep, moist soil in full sun and will reach upwards of 6 to 8 feet in height and 12 to 15 feet in width. Hardy to zone 4, it is highly resistant to apple scab dis-

ease, fireblight, cedar apple rust, and mildew. This beauty originated in Wisconsin, from open-pollinated seed collected by Michael Yanny of Johnson’s Nursery Inc. The Perennial Plant of the Year is Allium ‘Summer Beauty’ (Summer Beauty Ornamental Onion). Although it is one of the first to come up in spring, ‘Summer Beauty’ blooms later than other Allium varieties. Its long lasting lavender-pink globes attract butterflies, but deer and rabbits stay away. It grows just about anywhere, but you don’t have to worry about it spreading since it is sterile. It resists mildew and is drought tolerant, preferring average, well-drained soil. Summer Beauty Ornamental Onion will grow 16 to 20 inches tall and 18 to 24 inches wide, in full sun to light shade, and is hardy to zone 4. This trouble-free plant will enhance any perennial bed or border.

The Wisconsin Nursery Association’s Plant of the Year

Cover photo courtesy of Cooley Family Farm Kevin Cooley harvests lettuce and spinach in a high tunnel in January.

Country Folks The Monthly Newspaper for Greenhouses, Nurseries, Fruit & Vegetable Growers (518) 673-3237 • Fax # (518) 673-2381 (ISSN # 1065-1756) U.S.P.S. 008885 Country Folks Grower is published monthly by Lee Publications, P.O. Box 121, 6113 St. Hwy. 5, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428.

Periodical postage paid at Palatine Bridge, NY 13428.

Subscription Price: $22. per year. Canada $55 per year.

POSTMASTER: Send address change to Country Folks Grower, P.O. Box 121, Subscription Dept., Palatine Bridge, NY 13428-0121.

Publisher, President..................................Frederick W. Lee V.P., General Manager ....................Bruce Button, 518-673-0104 ....................bbutton@leepub.com V.P., Production ................................Mark W. Lee, 518-673-0132 .........................mlee@leepub.com Comptroller .....................................Robert Moyer, 518-673-0148 ....................bmoyer@leepub.com Production Coordinator ................Jessica Mackay, 518-673-0137 ..................jmackay@leepub.com Editor ...........................................Joan Kark-Wren, 518-673-0141 ...............jkarkwren@leepub.com Page Composition .........................Allison Swartz, 518-673-0139 ....................aswartz@leepub.com Classified Ad Manager ...................Peggy Patrei, 518-673-0111 ...................classified@leepub.com Shop Foreman ..........................................Harry DeLong

Page 4 - COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST • February 2012

Palatine Bridge, Front desk ................................ ....................................518-673-0160 Accounting/Billing Office ...............518-673-0149 .....................amoyer@leepub.com Subscriptions ..................................888-596-5329 ..........subscriptions@leepub.com Web Site:................................................................ .............................www.leepub.com

The WNA Perennial Plant of the Year is Allium ‘Summer Beauty’ (Summer Beauty Ornamental Onion).

Program was initiated in 2002 to promote quality — and underused — plants to the public. Two categories were created to consider all plants: the Woody Ornamental category, which includes deciduous trees, evergreens, vines, deciduous shrubs and shade trees, and the Perennial category, which includes herbaceous perennials, subshrubs, grasses, and ferns.

Each year, members of the WNA Plant of the Year committee convene to discuss and analyze a collection of plants, narrowing down a field of top notch contenders to just four in each of the two categories. The outstanding charac-

teristics of those eight plants are then presented to all who attend the Wisconsin Nursery Association’s Winter Workshop, every February. Attendees consider the candidates and vote for their favorites. The winners are voted on and selected two years before they are presented to the public, to ensure that growers have enough time to acquire the plants.

The Wisconsin Nursery Association (WNA) has a history of more than half a century of serving the Green industry and its 150 plus members, which include growers, retailers and industry suppliers.

Send all correspondence to: PO Box 121, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428 Fax (518) 673-2699 Editorial email: jkarkwren@leepub.com Advertising email: jmackay@leepub.com

AD SALES REPRESENTATIVES Bruce Button, Ad Sales Mgr . . . . . . . bbutton@leepub.com . . . . . . . . . . .800-218-5586, ext. 104 Dan Wren, Grower Sales Mgr . . . . . . . .dwren@leepub.com . . . . . . . . . . . 800-218-5586, ext. 117 Jan Andrews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jandrews@leepub.com . . . . . . . . . . . 800-218-5586, ext. 110 Dave Dornburgh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ddornburgh@leepub.com. . . . . . . . . . 800-218-5586, ext. 109 Laura Clary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lclary@leepub.com . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-218-5586, ext. 118 Steve Heiser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sheiser@leepub.com . . . . . . . . . . . 800-218-5586, ext. 107 Tina Krieger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tkrieger@leepub.com . . . . . . . . . . . 800-218-5586, ext. 108 Ian Hitchener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ihitchener@leepub.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 802-222-5726 Kegley Baumgardner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . kegleyb@va.net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 540-255-9112 Wanda Luck / North Carolina . . . . . . . . . .luck@triad.rr.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336-416-6198 (cell) Mark Sheldon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . marksh500@yahoo.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 814-587-2519 Sue Thomas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .suethomas@nycap.rr.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 949-305-7447

Lee Publications 6113 State Hwy. 5, PO Box 121, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428 We cannot GUARANTEE the return of photographs. Publisher not responsible for typographical errors. Size, style of type and locations of advertisements are left to the discretion of the publisher. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. We will not knowingly accept or publish advertising which is fraudulent or misleading in nature. The publisher reserves the sole right to edit, revise or reject any and all advertising with or without cause being assigned which in his judgement is unwholesome or contrary to the interest of this publication. We assume no financial responsibility for typographical errors in advertisement, but if at fault, will reprint that portion of the ad in which the error appears.

The WNA Woody Ornamental Plant of the Year is the Malus sargentii ‘Select A’ [PP 12621] (Firebird® Crabapple).

Today’s Marketing Objectives By: Melissa Piper Nelson Farm News Service News and views on agricultural marketing techniques.

Growers & Florists We make Paper Sleeves for your plants from 250 to ???

Custom printed sleeves also available.

Call for quote.

Poly Bags and Flor-O-Vel Poly Baggers in stock

MFG., INC. & Floral Wrap Converters 216 Railroad St. Menasha, WI 54942 Phone (920) 722-1421 Fax (920) 722-4515 www.MMIProducts.com

Conversations and all that talk - why should I listen?

We live in a world where everyone is talking at the same time.

People comment through social media, send e-mails to the editors of publications, give instant feedback on review pages, send short blips of information to friends and family and phone the ever widening circles of the people surrounding them. Talk, talk, talk.

When we reach an information overload it is easy to just filter out what we cannot process or don’t feel we have the time at present to process. That is one reason why management companies are now offering services to go through your email, messages and other media and let you know who is trying to contact you and

what they have to say.

What does all this have to do with marketing?

You might not have to manage your information through a management service, yet, but as a business owner or manager, the information flowing your way is important to process.

Business communications that affect marketing are generally split between two different groups — your internal and external audiences.

Most farmbased businesses should also include the family audience since decisions reflect back on family member involvement as well.

Internal audiences are made up of partners, investors, shareholders and employees — anyone who has a vested interest or are financially tied into the business or derive a salary from the company. Talk from this

group often comes in the form of employee suggestions, internal meetings where information is shared at different levels and annual meetings to name just a few.

Business owners and managers depend on this feedback to help improve sales, retain quality control, plan promotions and advertising and discuss labor issues.

External audiences are those groups outside the everyday working environment of a business — mostly customers, but also subcontractors, wholesalers, retailers and others who are interested in your business and buy what you produce. The talk that comes back from these groups helps you develop better marketing plans and bolster business operations for optimum profit.

What could they possibly say that would influence your business operations? When it was revealed that some restaurants were placing microphones near tables to overhear conversations, it wasn’t to hear about your day at work or to get shopping tips. Management wanted to learn what people thought about the food and service. Customer comments count when you are striving for customers in a competitive environment! Likewise, you have probably seen the exit

polls taken after moviegoers see a show. The purpose is to gather information about what viewers loved or hated about the movie and the theatre experience itself.

Information (talk) is money.

If you aren’t listening to what your internal and external audiences are saying to you, you may be missing the opportunity to fine tune your operation to meet customer expectations.

No one person can be responsible for gathering all this information and processing all that talk, so develop a team to help you decide what messages are worth chasing and prioritize all other information.

Internal audience teams can bring to the table the important issues facing your everyday operation while external information is gathered through customer surveys, meeting with suppliers and distributors and discovering what is circling out there in cyberspace.

Many companies have hired interns to help with monitoring social media and other media outlets for customer feedback, but you may have employees or friends who can assist as well.

You cannot always tame all the talk around you or your business, but you can plan for how you will develop work-

able ways to channel and use information that will improve how you conduct business and improve profitability. If you use an advertising or promotion person or agency, ask for additional information on tapping into customer feedback. Simple customer in-store or retail outlet surveys will also identify where people post or read information about your business as well as solicit immediate suggestions and comments.

Internet reference groups are also available on a fee basis to monitor and direct back to you information about your business or service.

Farmers and producers who put most of their efforts into production, harvesting and selling feel pressured by keeping up with all the talk of the times. It becomes like the age-old question of producing then marketing, or marketing before producing — and we have all learned the later is usually the better plan. Listening to the talk as it happens offers the opportunity to change or improve your marketing plan before customers move on to another product or another business.

The above information is provided for educational purposes only and should not be substituted for professional legal or business counseling.

Produce Equipment Auction Saturday, February 18th, 2012 8:30 AM SELLING

TRANSPLANTERS, PLASTIC LAYERS AND OTHER

EQUIPMENT FOR THE PRODUCE GROWER.

GREENHOUSES SUPPLIES.

WE

&

SEVERAL WAGON LOADS OF PRODUCE

WILL BE SELLING INSIDE OFF

OF PRODUCE SUPPLIES FROM

10:30

ALSO,

2

WAGONS

YODER'S PRODUCE

UNTIL

AND THEN MOVING OUT TO OUTSIDE BUILDINGS WITH THE LARGER EQUIPMENT.

CALL OR FAX US IF YOU WANT YOUR CONSIGNMENTS ADVERTISED. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT JIM MULLET - 330-763-0533 OR THURMAN MULLET @ PH. 330-674-6188 FAX 330-674-3748

www.mthopeauction.com

February 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST - Page 5

At the Mt Hope Auction 8076 SR 241 Mt. Hope, OH 44660

Investing in infrastructure good for Michigan’s agriculture

Page 6 - COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST • February 2012

by Keith Creagh, Director, MI Dept. of Agriculture & Rural Development It’s no secret that Michigan’s food and agriculture businesses have continued to be a force for economic stability over the years. It’s also no secret that our state’s infrastructure system has not kept pace with our needs as we look to further expand the industry. Our crumbling roads and bridges, coupled with a lack of highspeed Internet in areas of the state and the increasing need for rail capacity, is hindering Michigan’s ability to compete in the national and international mar-

ketplace.

Michigan is a state whose agricultural roots run deep, and when paired with our manufacturing history, makes us positioned to play a key role in the state’s economic reinvention.

But, those efforts will be hampered without a sound infrastructure, which is why the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is working hand in hand with the Michigan departments of Transportation and Technology, Management, and Budget, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the Michigan Agri-Business Association, Michigan Farm Bureau and other stakeholder groups in discussing strategic options on what is needed to move Michigan forward.

As part of Gov. Rick Snyder’s special message on infrastructure, he discussed the need for a comprehensive

strategy to help Michigan modernize, including: roads, rail, broadband, regional wastewater facilities, and more. By taking a comprehensive approach, we will be able to identify the improvements necessary to enhance our ability to move agricultural commodities both within the state, across the United States, and internationally. For example, with Canada as our largest trading partner — the country represents more than 60 percent of our exports generating $769 million in economic activity in 2010 — there are boundless new trading possibilities by building the New International Trade Crossing, which could lead to business expansion and job growth.

National and international trade moves by air, rail, truck, or ship, and at any point may change to a different mode. With Michigan being strategically located between

Chicago and Montreal, freight flowing to any part of North America could logically and economically flow through Michigan. So, when you consider the growing demand for food and goods due to estimated world population growth and nearing the completion of the enhancements to the Panama Canal, world trade will continue to move through the eastern coast of North America. Deep water ports like Halifax want to handle more of that volume and are looking to move that into the U.S. through Michigan ports of entry.

In 2009, more than 42 million tons of agricultural products valued at $37 billion moved throughout Michigan, of which 90 percent was by truck and 9.6 percent by rail. The biggest movements of Michigan products include sugar beets

in the Saginaw Bay area, dry beans from the thumb region, and corn and wheat throughout the lower region.

The food and agriculture industry is a robust, high tech industry that will undoubtedly serve as one of Michigan’s (and the nation’s) foundations to our long-term, sustainable economic recovery. Now is the time to remodel and invest in Michigan’s infrastructure in both ur-

ban and rural areas through a network of federal, state, local and private partnerships; using an integrated approach that considers roads, rail, broadband access, regional wastewater facilities, transportation aggregators, and alternative energy sources.

This long-term investment will undoubtedly yield positive dividends for businesses, residents and communities for the future.

Best to enact new farm bill this year Farmers are better off if members of Congress can agree on a new farm bill this year, according to American Farm Bureau Federation farm policy specialist Mary Kay Thatcher, who spoke at the 2012 Farm Bill is-

sue conference at AFBF’s 93rd Annual Meeting.

With Congress unable to agree on much these days and with a shrinking budget to work with, passing a new farm bill could be an uphill climb and get

pushed to next year.

“There is no upside to that,” Thatcher said.

“There will be even more budget cuts if that happens. There’s every reason to push it through this year if we can.”

Thatcher outlined the

political situation surrounding the farm bill, including growing support in Congress for limiting eligibility by capping farmers’ income and increasing use of food stamps and other nutrition programs as the U.S. econ-

omy remains sluggish.

“The economy will be a tremendous issue going forward,” said Thatcher, “and one of the reasons it will be difficult to finish a farm bill in 2012.”

Nutrition programs already account for

O’HARA MACHINERY, INC. 1289 Chamberlain Rd. Auburn, NY 13021 1-315-253-3203 PADULA BROS., INC. 133 Leominster Shirley Rd. Lunenburg, MA 01462 978-537-3356 SIRUM EQUIPMENT CO., INC. Route 63 Montague, MA 413-367-2481

HAMMOND TRACTOR Auburn, ME 207-782-8921 Fairfield, ME 207-453-7131 Union, ME 207-785-4464 STANTON EQUIPMENT INC. 105 S. Main St. East Windsor, CT 06081 860-623-8296 Fax 860-627-9832

R.N. JOHNSON INC. PO Box 448 Walpole, NH 03608 603-756-3321

Visit Your Local John Deere Dealer Z&M AG and TURF 3517 Railroad Ave. Alexander, NY 14005 716-591-1670 7615 Lewiston Rd. Oakfield, NY 14125 716-948-5261

Z&M AG and TURF 1759 Lindquist Dr. Falconer, NY 14733 716-665-3110 10838 Main St. North Collins, NY 14111 716-337-2563

Z&M AG and TURF 8926 West Main St. Clymer, NY 14725 716-355-4236 12401 Edinboro Rd. Edinboro, PA 16412 814-734-1552

HENDY BROTHERS Middlebury, VT 05753 802-388-4482

COPE FARM EQUIPMENT 6401 SR 87 Kinsman, OH 44428 330-876-3191 Fax 330-876-8257 www.copefarm.com

February 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST - Page 7

POLE TAVERN EQUIPMENT SALES CORP. 670 Route 40 Elmer, NJ 08318

A7; 10.25"; 14"; Black; abou Composition: EPS 76 pAds:GR: GM farm billio 10 ye In a ing c ance dies, $4.7 $7 b could of a t Tha ed an other “shal als c farme in ye farm Most would more cover perce losse AFB Ande expla Bure Redu farm which prote catas losse cover be in 80 p would by th partm agem opera gram ing c “wrap risk p On tracti SRRP ing t impa on l crop ums.

“As integ suran ance be re for th of th elsew plain lower make more Far gates icy on other meet cies form the y

Tomato, wine byproducts in filters could make cigarettes less toxic Though emphasizing that quitting is the best remedy to combat health problems for smokers, Cornell researchers have found a way to make cigarettes less toxic.

Researchers from the lab of Jack H. Freed, the Frank and Robert Laughlin Professor of Physical Chemistry, have demonstrated that lycopene and grape seed extract literally stuffed into a conventional cigarette filter drastically lowers the amount of cancer-causing agents passing through.

Their research is published in the Jan. 2 issue of the Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE).

“The implications of this technique can help reduce the hazardous ef-

fects of tobacco smoke,” said Boris Dzikovski, research associate and paper co-author.

The Cornell scientists altered filters of normal cigarettes by placing a mixture of grape seed and lycopene treated with activated carbon in the middle. Their experiments focused on gasphase free radicals, as opposed to other hazardous ingredients such as the solid particles, or tar, contained in cigarettes.

A laboratory machine “smoked” the altered cigarettes, along with conventional ones.

The smoke was passed through a spin-trapping solution, and electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR) was used

to record the spectra of trapped radicals in the smoke samples.

ESR showed that the grape seed and lycopene removed, or scavenged, up to 90 percent of the free radicals that would otherwise have passed through the filter. The researchers point out that these scavenging agents could be obtained in large quantities, for example, from byproducts of the tomato or wine industries.

Scientists have tried to make safer cigarettes in the past. Hemoglobin, which transports oxygen in red blood cells, and activated carbon have been shown to reduce free radicals in smoke by up to 90 percent, but because of the cost, the

F ruits & Veget ables combination has not been introduced to the market.

The health hazards associated with free radicals in cigarettes are exacerbated by the fact that cigarette smoke is inhaled in high concentrations, Dzikovski added. Inhaling any smoke, such as secondhand smoke, vehicular pollution or industrial waste, has some potentially damaging effects.

“The amount and composition of radicals from different sources can be dramatically different, and the spin-trapping ESR technique is in a unique position to analyze and quantify them,” he said.

The research is the 1,500th article published in the JoVE, the only peer-reviewed,

Page 8 - COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST • February 2012

University’s Fruit and Vegetable Safety Team, the program’s sponsor.

“So it’s a good time to learn about GAPS.” Attendees will receive a resource workbook, handouts, details on FamilyFarmed.org’s onfarm food safety planning tool, and a certificate of participation.

But Kulhanek said participants won’t actually become “certified in GAPS” by attending the program. That certification comes only through a farm audit by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or a third-party company.

“The program can help prepare you for an audit,” she said, “but find out if your customers are asking for education in GAPs or if they actually want an audit certificate, or both.”

Registration is $25 per person at the door, payable by cash or check, with checks made out to “OSP.” The registration cost is lower than it was for similar programs last year, Kuhlanek said, thanks to a grant from the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

For more information, contact kuhlanek.5@osu

gas-phase-free-radicalsin-mainstream-cigarettesmoke.

The work was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

PLASTIC MULCH Black & Clear Embossed Photodegradable Spectra Green White on Black Red Clear & White Perf. Row Cover Gro-Guard & Covertan Drip Irrigation

Fruit, vegetable safety program set for Northeast Ohio BURTON, OHIO — A program on preventing microbial contamination on fruit and vegetable farms takes place in Northeast Ohio on March 30. Hours are 1-4 p.m. at the Patterson Center, 14269 ClaridonTroy Road, in Burton, Geauga County.

Good Agricultural Practices, or GAPS, for fruit and vegetable production are the focus.

“The Food and Drug Administration will be releasing draft standards for safe production of fruits and vegetables later this year,” said Ashley Kuhlanek of Ohio State

PubMed indexed videojournal.

Watch the full video article at www.jove.com/video/34 06/a-protocol-for -detecting-and-scavenging-

Mechanicall Transplanterr Co.

.edu or 330-202-3555, ext. 2918.

1150 Central Ave. * Holland, MI 49423 Phone: 800-757-5268 Fax: 616-396-3619 Web site: www.mechanicaltransplanter.com

TEW W VEGETABLE SEED D PLANTERS TEW JR. TM MODEL # HH-SP LIST PRICE $450.00

CAST IRON & STEEL CONSTRUCTION BASED ON TIME TESTED DESIGNS ALL PARTS ARE INTERCHANGEABLE WITH PLANET JR & COLE/POWELL MX SEEDERS

TEW MX. TM MODEL # HH-LP LIST PRICE $895.00

CALL OR WRITE E FOR R CURRENT T DISCOUNTED D PRICES AND MORE INFORMATION

TEW MFG. CORP. PO BOX 87 PENFIELD, NY 14526

1-800-380-5839

TEL: 585-586-6120 FAX: 585-586-6083 E-MAIL: tewmfg@aol.com

Visit our website www.gardnerpie.com

Breaking ground with new biological control methods

by Kelly Gates While some choose chemicals to control pest populations, an increasing number of growers are turning to natural or biological controls to combat things like hive beetles, root weevils, peachtree borers, lesser peachtree borers, Japanese beetles and fungus gnats, to name a few of the havocwreaking bugs out there.

The USDA’s Agricul-

tural Research Service (ARS) has been at the forefront of biological controls research and development. Recently, the group’s own research entomologists partnered with scientists at universities in Georgia, Florida and Virginia and discovered a highly effective method of introducing nematodes into fields, orchards, gardens, greenhouses and other growing environments.

“Nematodes have

Specialists in Drip Irrigation since 1973!

“TRICKL-EEZ has helped growers put more fruit on their trees, increased vegetable production & assisted greenhouse growers and nurseries in watering their plants through drip.”

Call us today to see how we can help you.

Call For Free Catalog

been used commercially against pests for many years. In some cases, they have done consistently well, but in other instances the results have been variable,” David Shapiro-Ilan, ARS research entomologist, told Country Folks Grower. “There are several factors that affect the efficacy against target pests, including susceptibility to UV radiation.”

Because most growers use nematodes that are suspended in aqueous solutions-sprays that are applied to the soil, trees and plantsthe nematodes are often exposed to UV radiation from the sun.

This is why many opt to spray in the evening or early morning.

However, despite all efforts to prevent UV exposure, some nematodes do not survive or simply fail to function

at peak capacity when left exposed to the elements. To avoid these potential problems, Shapiro-Ilan has worked closely with entomologists Juan Morales-Ramos and Maria Guadalupe Rojas from the Biological Control of Pests Research Unit, Stoneville, MS, to find a protective coating for nematode spray applications.

“Through our research, we realized that a polymer we were using to store nematodes is the main polymer in fire gel. Fire gel is normally used to protect homes from fires,” said MoralesRamos. “This polymer readily absorbs water and oxygen, making it a great vehicle for enhancing the survival of nematodes.”

When sprayed onto tree trunks and branches that have just been sprayed with

todes to infested soils.

“One of the methodologies for nematode production is to infect an insect host, such as a wax worm or mealworm, with nematodes.

The nematodes then reproduce inside of the insect host prior to application,” explained

Control 10

BUY NOW SAVE $$$$ FACTORY DIRECT

Mesh Bags, Vex Caps Floating Row Cover Special Offer (0.5 oz, 0.9 oz)

SPECIAL ORDER: Custom Logo Bags, Ground Cover, Row Cover, Pallet Net, etc.

1-800-TRICKLE

aqueous nematode solutions, fire gel protects the nematodes from UV radiation and other external elements.

As the research entomologists studied fire gel application for exposed surfaces, they also combined efforts to develop new methods of delivering nema-

Product Sourcing & Development Service for Lower Costs & Higher Profits

Tel: (407) 432-2968 (407) 456-4518 Info@MeshBagDirect.com www.MeshBagDirect.com

Entomologist David Shapiro-Ilan, at left, sprays a gel formulation onto a peach tree limb while technician Wanda Evans prepares the nematode application. The gel is being used to protect beneficial nematodes from damage due to extreme drying and UV radiation. With the protective formulation, the nematodes go to work killing harmful insect pests, such as the lesser peachtree borer.

Photo by Peggy Greb

STRAWBERRY PLANTS

Asparagus Crowns Blueberry bushes direct from the grower.

“VIRUS TESTED” & “GUARANTEED” 30 Varieties of Highbush, Half High and Low Bush Blueberries Lingonberries and Cranberries

DeGrandchamp Blueberry Farm 76241 14th Avenue, Drawer GLF South Haven, Michigan 49090 Phone (269) 637-3915 • Fax (269) 637-2531 Toll Free (888) 483-7431 www.degrandchamps.com Email: info@degrandchamps.com FREE BROCHURE ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE

Several All-Male Hybrids Plus Purple Asparagus Free Illustrated Price List

KROHNE PLANT FARMS, INC. 65295 CR 342 Dept. CFG • Hartford, MI 49057 (269) 424-5423 • Fax (269) 424-3126 Web Site www.krohneplantfarms.com Email info@krohneplantfarms.com

February 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST - Page 9

AC Wendy AC Valley Sunset Jewel Earliglow plus Seascape, Albion and Monterey Summer Varieties

Control from 9 Shapiro-Ilan. “Through our research, we found that leaving the nematodes in the insect cadavers results in a higher success rate of survival and functionality compared with spraying.”

There are several reasons why the cadavers work well. For one, hard bodied insect cadavers act as a protective casing for the nematodes during storage and shipping.

Second, it is easy to estimate how many nematodes are contained within each cadaver and therefore, how

many cadavers are needed for each application.

Workers can easily place one or several nematode-containing insect cadavers into the soil at the base of each tree or plant.

“In large scale farming, it would be too laborious to use cadavers. Ensuring that the nematodes spread out enough to cover the entire acreage completely would also be a concern,” advised ShapiroIlan. “In that case, spraying might be more advantageous.

But cadavers work very

Page 10 - COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST • February 2012

Entomologist Juan Morales-Ramos, at left, and insect production worker Matthew McDaniel use a scaled-down prototype of a separator they designed to sort mealworms by size."

Photo by Stephen Ausmus

well for smaller fields and orchards or for container growing outdoors or in greenhouses.”

Some growers use this unique pest management technique or other approaches with nematodes as a preventive measure against hive beetles, he added.

When placed around the base of bee hives — the hive beetle’s preferred breeding ground — the hive beetle larvae fall to the ground and are killed by the nematodes in the surrounding soil. They never have a chance to mature, let alone to infest hives.

As cadaver research advanced in recent years, so did the development of more suitable storage and delivery packaging. According to Shapiro-Ilan, this refining process was necessary since soft bodied insects like wax worms have a tendency to stick together or rupture when packed together in a container.

“We have developed several mechanisms that enhance the ability to store, ship and use these cadavers including covering soft bodied insect cadavers with a clay coating,” he noted. “Using hard bodies insects like mealworms also works well since they naturally don’t rupture or stick together. And, there is now a special tape covering being

TEW W MANUFACTURING G CORP. FRUIT & VEG. CLEANING & SIZING EQUIPMENT QUALITY LATEX & POLY SPONGE DRYING DONUTS TUFF FOAM® PROTECTIVE PADDING BRUSHES - BEARINGS - SIZING CHAINS - SCRUBBER RUBBER STANHAY, TEW JR.™ & TEW MX™ VEGETABLE SEED PLANTERS

CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION: 800-380-5839

TEW MFG. CORP.

585-586-6120

PO BOX 87 PENFIELD, NY 14526

FAX: 585-586-6083 EMAIL: tewmfg@aol.com

used that keeps the cadavers from touching each other to further prevent damage.”

The tape system was invented by Perry, GAbased Southeastern Insectaries Inc. owner Louis Tedders. Tedders began packaging the insects in masking tape. He even designed a prototype machine to automate the process, which has since been fine-tuned by MoralesRamos and Rojas.

The mechanical device sorts mealworms by size, enabling the largest worms to be placed into shallow dishes where they are infected by nematodes.

Once the nematodes have infected and killed the mealworms, the device removes them one-at-a-time from the dishes and places the nematodeencased cadavers between two facing strips of masking tape at the rate of one insect every

two seconds.

“The tape is then rolled and stored until it is shipped to the growers,” said MoralesRamos. “Once placed into the ground, the nematodes can move out of the tape and into the soil where they eliminate pests.”

When another application is needed, growers can simply remove the old cadaver wrapped masking tape strips and replace them with new strips.

According to Morales-Ramos, the mechanization of this process had made commercial production of nematode cadavers cost effective. This mechanized, tapepackaged biological control is currently only available through Southeastern Insectaries.

Shapiro-Ilan confirmed the commercial benefits of automating the process. He also

summarized the inherent benefits of using this unique form of biological controls.

“There are two main reasons that the approach is attractive.

The higher levels of infectivity and dispersal we’ve observed in nematodes emerging from cadavers can translate into better pest control,” he said. “And, for producers growing nematodes in their hosts, the cadaver approach can be less expensive because it avoids the steps of harvesting and concentrating the nematodes.”

For more information about cadaver -filled nematodes and the use of fire gel as a nematode protectant, contact David Shapiro-Ilan at the Southeastern Fruit & Tree Nut Research Laboratory, Byron, GA, by e-mailing david.shapiro@ars.usd a.gov, or call 478-9566444.

12MX PLANTER

EXCELLENT FOR PLANTING Squash, Pumpkins, Gourds, Watermelons, Pickles, etc

ROETERS FARM EQUIPMENT, INC. 565 E.120TH ST. GRANT, MI 49327 PHONE: 231 • 834 • 7888 FAX: 231 • 834 • 8655 www.roetersfarmequipment.com

Blueberry Variety Review

by Dr. Courtney Weber, Cornell University The most critical aspect of establishing a healthy berry planting is obtaining high quality planting stock that has a vigorous root system and is free from disease and insect pests.

The plants should be obtained from a reputable nursery that participates in a certification program to ensure plants are free from diseases such as viruses and root diseases. Mother plants or stock plants derived from tissue culture for starting propagation fields provide the best source of disease and pest free plants. Plants should be ordered well in advance of planting to ensure an adequate supply the desired varieties and plant sizes.

Blueberry nursery plants come in a variety

of types (bare root, container grown, tissue culture) and sizes (rooted cuttings, tissue culture plugs, and 2-3 year old plants).

Larger plants will mature and produce a crop sooner than smaller plants.

Container grown plants may have some advantage to bare root plants, especially if planting is delayed in the spring because they withstand temperature and moisture fluctuations better.

However, shipping of containerized plants is more expensive and they may require root pruning if they are root bound when they arrive.

Several characteristics should be considered when selecting varieties including harvest season, yield, fruit quality, hardiness, growth habit, vigor, and disease resistance.

The plants go dormant

in late fall and over winter in the field.

Storing capacity varies greatly among varieties but is considerably higher for blueberries than most other berries. The market has also shifted towards larger fruit for various reasons including greater consumer appeal and increased harvest efficiency, but there is a good market for small “wild type” blueberries from low bush types.

Most of the processing market is machineharvested fruit and some fresh market fruit is sorted from machine harvested lots as well.

Variety Descriptions Early Season Bluetta is very hardy but has small dark berries that are difficult to machine harvest and somewhat unattractive in the fresh

pack. The large scar on the berry is also a problem. This variety has a weak growth habit and must be pruned carefully to maintain vigor and yield. Winter hardy to 35°C. Duke is considered the best early season cultivar available. It has late bloom that avoids many frosts and still produces an early crop. The fruit size and quality is very good but the flavor can be bland if picked late. It can be machine harvested.

Frost tolerance and winter hardiness is good. Winter hardy to 25°C. Hannah’s Choice produces medium large fruit with high sugar content. The fruit is firmer with better flavor than Duke.

Yields are moderate.

Spartan fruit is firm and very large with very good flavor. A late bloom date avoids many frosts, but it still

produces a large, early crop.

It does best on ideal sites but performs poorly in soils that have to be highly amended for blueberries. It harvests well mechanically and has some resistance to mummy berry. It requires cross pollination for best yields.

Winter hardy to -25°C. Mid-Season Berkley berries are light blue, firm and very large with very good storage capacity.

Fruit flavor is fair. Winter hardiness is moderate. The bush is moderately tall and spreading and suitable for machine harvesting.

Care should be taken in pruning to maintain bush shape. Winter hardy to -25°C. Bluecrop is the most widely planted midseason cultivar in the world. It produces high yields of medium sized, firm fruit with good flavor. It is hardy in all

but the coldest sites and can be machine harvested. The canes tend to be weepy so care should be taken to maintain the shape. It has very good disease resistance.

Winter hardy to -25°C. Bluejay has an upright open growth habit that grows rapidly. It produces moderate crops of medium sized, high quality fruit that can be machine harvested and ships well. It is resistant to some viral diseases and moderately resistant to mummy berry.

Winter hardy to -25°C. Blueray is also a widely planted midseason cultivar. Fruit size is very good with good flavor and high yield potential. Extra pruning is needed with this spreading bush, as canes tend to weep due to heavy bearing.

It has very good winter hardiness.

Winter hardy to -25°C.

Blueberry 12

Kurt Zuhlke & Assoc. Inc.

PO Box 609, Bangor, PA 18013-0609

email: sales@producepackaging.com

Over 55 Years In The Industry For over 55 years, Kurt Zuhlke & Assoc., Inc. has been a part of the many innovative packaging concepts utilized by the produce industry.

SEE US AT THESE SHOWS

ESFVE BOOTH #502 & MID-ATLANTIC FRUIT & VEG BOOTH #23

Our packaging is designed to protect produce, provide excellent visibility to the consumer, reduce shrinkage and enhance the product.

We also offer professional labeling design and application.

Earth Friendly Packaging Made of Recycled PETE

KEEPING IT GREEN Our Clamshells are Recyclable!

Whether you are ordering a case or a truck load, you can rest assured that we have the ability and capacity to service your orders quickly.

www.producepackaging.com

February 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST - Page 11

High Quality Products And Services

Blueberry from 11

Page 12 - COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST • February 2012

Cara’s Choice produces medium sized fruit with 30 percent more sugar than Duke and Bluecrop. The fruit can hold on the plant for an extended period before harvest. The bush is low to moderate in vigor. Yields are moderate compared to Bluecrop.

Chippewa is a very winter hardy half-high variety that is productive with large firm fruit. Winter hardy to 35°C. Draper produces a concentrated harvest between Duke and Bluecrop that can be machine harvested, even for fresh market.

The flavor is very good with good hardiness.

Northland is very winter hardy. It is an extremely productive half?high type with medium sized, dark, soft fruit. It can reach 1.25 m tall and produces many canes, which require heavy annual pruning. Winter hardy to -35°C. Patriot is winter hardy but frost sensitive due to early bloom.

The fruit is large and firm with a small blossom scar. Full ripeness is needed for good flavor and sweetness. The bush is small to medi-

um and grows slowly but is still productive.

It must be pruned hard for large fruit and be fully ripe for best flavor. Suspected susceptibility to tomato ringspot virus has limited its use in recent years, but it is more tolerant to heavier soils than most varieties. Winter hardy to 25°C. Sierra is productive and has large firm berries that can be machine harvested. It has a medium sized bush and is less hardy than other cultivars. Winter hardy to -25°C. Toro is a productive cultivar with large fruit that ripen uniformly.

The clusters tend to be tight which makes picking harder. The canes tend to be too upright and thick.

Competes with Bluecrop, which may be somewhat better in quality. Winter hardy to -25°C. Rubel is a wild selection that can be grown for the natural foods market. The fruit is small, firm and dark like low bush varieties.

The flavor is fair and yields are moderate. It has very good winter hardiness.

Winter hardy to -35°C.

Late Season Aurora is the latest variety available, producing 5 days after Elliot. The fruit is very firm and stores well. It colors early and can be tart if picked too soon.

The fruit size is large with very good yield.

Bluegold produces medium sized berries with small, dry blossom scars. It has good flavor and firmness. It is a low growing bush with many branches and very good hardiness. Winter hardy to 25°C. Brigitta produces large, firm, flavorful fruit that stores well. It is vigorous but can be less hardy because it grows late into the fall.

Excess nitrogen will make this worse. It is

susceptible to Phomopsis. Winter hardy to 25°C. Chandler produces very large berries with good flavor. It has a long ripening season over 6 weeks, which is better for hand harvesting.

The bush is vigorous with a slightly spreading habit that can reach 1.5 to 2 meters high. Winter hardy to 25°C. Elliott is a very late season berry with very good shelf life, 30-45 days in a modified atmosphere. The fruit is large and firm but can be tart because it turns blue before ripe.

It is a good producer.

The bush has an upright habit and forms a dense center that

should be pruned to promote air movement.

Winter hardy to -25°C. Jersey is an old (1928) cultivar that is adapted to a wide soil range. It has high yields of machine harvested fruit but the berries are small and soft. The bush has an upright habit and forms a dense center that should be pruned to

promote air movement.

Winter hardy to -35°C. Liberty produces fruit approximately 5 days before Elliot with better flavor.

The plants are vigorous and upright with good hardiness. The fruit has very good storage capacity.

Source: New York Berry News, Dec. 2011, Vol. 10 Number 10

Early Order Discounts on Equipment & Supplies

MODEL P150 WATER WHEEL PLANTER “Total Open Back”

• Easier to change planting wheel (3 pt. or Pull Type)

We Also Carry: Drip Irrigation • Plastic Mulch Floating Row Cover

SUPER DELUXE FLATBED MULCH LAYER (3 PT. OR PULL TYPE)

COMPACT RAISED BED MULCH LAYER

• 2 models available • Designed for use in High Tunnels • Lays 3 ft. wide plastic, forms 4” high & 20” wide bed, 25hp required • Lays 4 ft. wide plastic, forms 4” high & 30” wide bed, 35hp required

Also Available Aluminum Harvesting Conveyors Call or write for your free 2012 Catalog

NOLT’S PRODUCE SUPPLIES

1.800-864-3513 • Leola, PA • (717) 656-9764

PLASTIC MULCH LIFTER MODEL 500 Designed to lift plastic better; Heavy Duty 3pt Hookup; Fully Adjustable; Lifts 3 to 5 ft wide plastic. Shear Bolt Protected or Hyd. Auto Reset; Depth Control Wheels; Heavy Duty Spring Loaded Trash/Vine Cutting Disks Plastic Mulch Wrapper Model 200 3pt. Hook Up, Complete with Hydraulic Motor & Control Valve

w w w. c f g r o w e r. c o m

Registration open for Michigan Farmers Market Association Conference EAST LANSING, MI — The Michigan Farmers Markets Association (MIFMA) will host its first ever farmers market conference this spring.

The two-day Michigan Farmers Market

Association Conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, March 6 and 7 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in East Lansing during Michigan State University’s

Agriculture and Natural Resources Week.

The number of farmers markets across the state of Michigan continues to grow exponentially each year.

There are more than 275 farmers markets

Advertise in Country Folks

in Michigan today, up from 150 just five years ago. This rapid growth has created a basic need for educational and advocacy programs that protect and grow these venues that highlight Michigan agriculture.

“Over the last five years, we have observed an increasing demand for training, technical assistance,

and networking opportunities for the wide variety of managers, farmers and small businesses involved in farmers markets,” explained MIFMA Director Dru Montri.

The conference will include three tracts: a market manager “boot camp” tract designed for new and beginning market managers; an advanced tract for

Walkerr Bros,, Inc.

105 Porchtown Rd., Pittsgrove, NJ 08318

To Reach The Buyers You Need Regional or Coast to Coast

856-358-2548

www.hightunnel.net • www.walkerplants.com

What we offer: • Asparagus crowns for Jersey Knight, Jersey Supreme, Jersey Giant & Purple Passion • Dormant Strawberry Plants - A full line of early, mid and late season varieties • The Ever Popular Victoria Rhubarb • Custom Built High Tunnels and Greenhouses Fifth Generation Family Farm with Years of Experience to Share

managers who have attended previous educational sessions and are looking for specialized information; and a farmers’ tract designed for the smalland mid-sized farm operators that direct market through farmers markets.

Conference rates for the full conference are $75 for MIFMA members, $125 for nonmembers and $50 for MIFMA student members. Per day conference rates are available for $50/day for MIFMA members, $85/day for non-members and $25/day for MIFMA student members. The cost is per person. Register online at www.mifma.org

by Feb. 24.

To get more information, visit www.mifma.org or contact Maggie Smith at smithm833@gmail.co m or 517-432-3381.

Starting December 2005

• Since 2001 •

• Since 1991 •

DON’T MISS THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES

MARCH

APRIL • Organic/Sustainable Agriculture • Irrigation Deadline March 15th

Contact (800) 218-5586 dwren@leepub.com

Freedom Tree Farms is the exception in the industry as we are registered growers and grafters for many varieties of patented trees and plants.

Office: 931-467-3600 • Fax: 931-467-3062 Email: sales@freedomtreefarms.com www.freedomtreefarms.com

Specializing in fruit trees, blueberry, blackberry, & raspberry plants, & grapevines.

February 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST - Page 13

• Direct Marketing • Landscaping Deadline February 9th

Established in 1984, our company supplies Americas largest fruit growers, wholesale nurseries, and garden centers with the highest quality bareroot and container grown fruit trees and berry plants.

New risk management tool available to help producers achieve GAP certification

Page 14 - COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST • February 2012

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, along with leaders from food and agriculture organizations, recently introduced a free online tool to help U.S. producers of all sizes achieve Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) harmonized standards and certification, helping to further expand economic opportunities for American agriculture.

USDA’s GAP audit verification program focuses on best agricultural practices to verify that farms are producing, and packers are handling and storing, fruits and vegetables in the safest manner possible to minimize food safety hazards. The free online tool — developed

by FamilyFarmed.org with funding from USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) — helps farmers design a customized manual to meet GAP harmonized standards and certification requirements, including USDA GAP standards and mitigate business risks by answering just a few questions.

“USDA believes that a strong farm safety net — including effective, market-based risk solutions for producers of all variety and size — is crucial to sustain the vitality of American agriculture,” said Merrigan.

“Effectively

managing risk is important to all producers, and having an acceptable food safety program is in the best interest of consumers, buyers, and the farmers themselves. USDA is proud to have worked with private, public and non-profit partners to introduce this free tool to farmers seeking to gain certification as a Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) producer.”

The online tool, part of FamilyFarmed.org’s On-Farm Food Safety Project, is the first of its kind and was developed by a broad coalition of farm and produce industry partners. It is available at www.onfar mfoodsafety.org/ USDA’s GAP audit verification program, administered by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), focuses on best agricultural practices to verify that farms are producing fruits and vegetables in the safest manner possible to minimize risks of microbial food safety hazards. USDA’s voluntary

audit based program verifies adherence to the recommendations made in the Food and Drug Administration’s Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables.

To generate a food safety plan using the tool, the user must answer a series of questions on topics including worker health and hygiene, agricultural water, previous land use, soil amendments and manure, animals and pest control, packinghouse activities, product transportation, agricultural chemicals, and field harvesting. In addition to helping farmers create a food safety plan, the tool offers farmers a full-set of record keeping templates to document their food safety efforts as well as useful food safety resources.

Once users have completed their farm’s food safety plan and compiled necessary documentation, they have the capacity to apply for GAP food safety certification, a

process asked for by many larger buyers.

Large buyers including Compass Group, SYSCO, and Chipotle Mexican Grill supported the project financially and with technical assistance.

Groups that participated in the development and review of the tool include: Chipotle Mexican Grill, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Compass Group, Earthbound Farm, Farm Aid, FDA, NSF Agriculture, Produce Marketing Association, SYSCO, The Organic Center, Western Growers, Wallace Center at Winrock International, Wild Farm Alliance, University of California at Davis, United Fresh Produce Association, and USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

The Obama Administration, with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vil-

sack’s leadership, has worked tirelessly to strengthen rural America, implement the Farm Bill, maintain a strong farm safety net, and create opportunities for America’s farmers and ranchers. U.S. agriculture is currently experiencing one of its best years in decades thanks to the productivity, resiliency, and resourcefulness of our producers. Today, net farm income is at record levels while debt has been cut in half since the 1980s.

Overall, American agriculture supports one in 12 jobs in the

United States and provides American consumers with 86 percent of the food we consume, while maintaining affordability and choice. The Obama Administration has aggressively worked to expand export opportunities and reduce barriers to trade, helping to push agricultural exports to record levels in 2011 and beyond. Strong agricultural exports are a positive contribution to the U.S. trade balance, support more than 1 million American jobs and boost economic growth.

Aluminum ladders for agriculture...

STOKES LADDERS 6061-T6 structure aluminum Straight and Tripod - All sizes

Stokes Ladders, Inc. P.O. Box 445 Kelseyville, CA 95451

Phone 800-842-7775 Web site: www.stokesladders.com – ask for STOKES –

Jordan Seeds, Inc. 6400 Upper Afton Rd. Woodbury, MN 55125

tele: (651) 738-3422 or 739-9578 • BULK VEGETABLE SEED • DRIP IRRIGATION • Bags, Baskets, Cartons • Plastic Containers • PLASTIC MULCHES, LAYERS

• Transplanters • Soilless Mix • Row Covers • Rubber Bands • Planters

www.jordanseeds.com • catalog upon request

APPLE GROWERS & FARM MARKETERS Plan Now To Increase Your Profits in 2012!

• Expand Your Product Line • Reduce Your Labor Costs • Increase Your Output Per Unit of Time Make the Pease Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer Machine Central to Your Operations! www.fbpease.net SIMPLE TO USE: Place apple on machine and turn crank 3 times.

Pares & cores the apple, then slices it into 4-24 even slices.

Great for preparing Apple Slices, Applesauce, Apple Pies, Apple Dumplings and Dried Apples Apple Processing Equipment Since 1875 P.O. Box 93178, Rochester, NY 14692-8178 Phone 585-503-2300 • Fax 585-563-7582 www.fbpease.net • dudley.pease@yahoo.com

See Us At The NA Farmer Direct Marketing Expo

FRALEY TRUCK & IMPLEMENT SALES 744 East US Hwy. 52, Rushville, IN 46173 765-932-4133

WITMER’S INC. PO Box 368, Columbiana, OH 44408 888-427-6025

LAZY DIAMOND FARM SUPPLY R17 Box 466, Bedford, IN 47421 812-834-5145

WEST MICHIGAN POWER & EQUIPMENT, INC. New Era, MI 49446 800-821-6522 www.westmipower.com

Spotted Wing Drosophila response team helps Michigan growers manage pest EAST LANSING, MI — Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD), an exotic vinegar fly of East Asian origin, was first found in southwestern Michigan in late fall 2010. In

the western United States, it has already infested numerous fruit crops and caused economic losses to growers.

Unlike the native

vinegar fly that is more of an annoyance than a problem, SWD, or Drosophila suzukii, is able to lay eggs in ripe fruit still on the plant, rather than in just over-

ripe or rotting fruit.

Populations of SWD can build quickly because there can be multiple generations per year and female flies (who live 20 to 30 days) can

lay hundreds of eggs during their life spans.

Michigan growers are prepared for this new pest because of the actions of the SWD Response Team, headed

by Rufus Isaacs, Michigan State University (MSU) small fruit entomologist.

“In the fall of 2009, I attended a workshop in Oregon presented by research and Extension entomologists who talked about the pest, describing how bad it was for them to deal with,” Isaacs said.

“From their presentations, it was clear that much of the eastern U.S. was at risk, and although Michigan’s cold winters might limit the pest, our summer climate and its host range looked appropriate enough to be concerned.”

Isaacs discussed what he’d learned about SWD with fellow MSU fruit entomologists and Extension specialists, highlighting the need for immediate attention.

They decided to form the SWD Response Team, and get stakeholders — including the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), MSU Extension, industry representatives and others — on board. This group got together to decide how and where to monitor for SWD in 2010.

Twenty-eight counties were monitored for SWD in 2010, and none were

Spotted 17 Representing these quality lines

MULTIVATOR

3Pt. Sprayer w/Folding Boom

269-657-3735 • Fax: 1-269-657-2110 Toll Free: 1-866-214-6135

“Specialists” in “Out-of-the-Ordinary” Farming Needs

February 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST - Page 15

P E R F E C T

New ‘Herriot’ strawberry: tough plant, tasty fruit GENEVA, NY — With high yields, good disease resistance, eye-appeal and a mild flavor with pineapple overtones, ‘Herriot’ is a sweet option for growers. “‘Herriot’ is one tough plant,” says Courtney Weber, the berry breeder in the Department of Horticulture at Cornell University who developed the variety. “Many of our trials are in the worst possible soil conditions, and ‘Herriot’ is always one of the last varieties standing. And it tastes good too!”

The new variety’s features include: High yields. In trials and with commercial growers in New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, Minnesota and Ontario, ‘Herriot’ yielded as much as 60 percent more than ‘Jewel’, the predominant mid-season variety for perennial matted-row production that was also developed by Cornell. In trials at the New York State Agricultural Experi-

ment Station, Geneva, NY, ‘Herriot’ harvest consistently begins two days before ‘Jewel’ with yields greater than or equal to that variety most years.

Beautiful berries.

‘Herriot’ produces large (up to 25 grams, averaging about 11 grams), heart-shaped, shiny red berries with a bright green calyx. “‘Herriot’ really draws the eye because of the nice shine on the fresh berries,” says Weber. “That makes them very attractive to farmstand and pick-your-own customers.” Fruit is generally larger and more uniform than ‘Jewel’. Flavor is sweet and mild with light pineapple overtones.

Disease resistance.

‘Herriot’ shows good resistance to common leaf diseases, and holds up well to summer renovation, allowing for wider adaptation to variable soils. In Geneva, ‘Herriot’ blooms in mid-May, avoiding most damaging frosts.

The variety is named for the British author, James Herriot, one of Weber’s favorites.

Weber’s small fruits breeding program at Cornell is focused on developing improved strawberry and raspberry varieties for New York growers.

Previous releases from Weber’s program — including ‘L’Amour’ and ‘Clancy’ strawberries and ‘Prelude’, ‘Encore’, and ‘Crimson Giant’ raspber-

ries — have shown wide adaptation throughout New England, the Mid-Atlantic states and the Midwest, as well as temperate regions of Europe.

Growers interested in trying ‘Herriot’ in 2012 can purchase plants from the licensed nurseries Krohne Plant Farms (www.krohneplantfarms.com, 269-4245423) and Daisy Farms (www.daisyfarms.net, 269-782-6321).

‘Herriot’ shows good resistance to common leaf diseases, and holds up well to summer renovation, allowing for wider adaptation to variable soils.

'Herriot' is attractive to farm-stand and pick-your-own customers.

World d Famouss Doyle’s Thornlesss Blackberry

Plug g Dislodger

Thomas E. Doyle

Page 16 - COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST • February 2012

(6/26/1900 1/13-01)

LOOK WHAT YOU CAN GET FROM ONE PLANT

• Totally thornless and does not sucker • Yields 10-20 gallons per plant!

• Proven producer since 1975!

• Grows from Alaska to Florida — ALL 50 states • Just one Doyle Thornless Blackberry yields more than 30 ordinary plants!

• Large, Sweet, Juicy Berries—sooo good!

• Adapts to patios and small yards—a big plus • No other blackberry compares to the Doyle!

• Great for commercial growers and hobbyists

Doyle’s Thornless Blackberry, Inc. 1600 Bedford Road, Washington, IN 47501 PH: (812) 254-2654 FX: (812) 254-2655 doyle@fruitsandberries.com

www.fruitsandberries.com

Designed to accommodate several sizes of plug trays, using a common frame.

Vandana Tubeless s Seeder Sows entire tray at one drop Templates easy to change Will handle any tray size.

Travelling Irrigator Custom-built to fit your greenhouse or crop shelter from the highest quality component parts.

Growing g Trays Available in many sizes and styles to match a wide variety of needs.

Growing g Systems,, Inc. 2950 N. Weil St. Milwaukee, WI 53212 Ph (414) 263-3131 Fax (414) 263-2454

Spotted from 15 predicated by the weather. But there was no economic impact on fruit.”

Once SWD was found, the SWD Response Team put out the word through the newly created SWD website, www.ipm.msu.edu/SW D.htm, and informational materials for Michigan growers, as well as presenting SWD

information at grower meetings during the winter.

In 2011, the survey was widened, and, as of early December, SWD was found in nine more Michigan counties. During the year, the team studied trap designs and baits; examined the timing and activity of SWD activity; created an SWD detection sur-

vey database; conducted chemical control studies; held SWD workshops for growers, crop scouts, consultants and Extension personnel; presented information at grower meetings; published information in grower publications; and created Extension bulletins and a North Central Integrated Pest Management

(NC-IPM) Center pest alert.

Though this pest has great potential to create economic losses, being forewarned means Michigan fruit growers are more prepared to deal with it.

“I’m optimistic,” said Isaacs. “Last year, we were facing a pest that we didn’t know much about. This year, growers have been learning more about it, and now know that it is another pest they will need to

add to their IPM (integrated pest management) program. There are pesticides that can be used to control it in the short term, and we will be exploring alternative control tactics.

We now have a strategy to manage SWD that will improve as we learn more.

“The downside is that this pest is likely to make fruit farming more expensive for

Spotted 18

February 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST - Page 17

w w w. c f g r o w e r. c o m

found until the third week in September, which was after fruit harvest. SWD continued to be found in traps until late November.

“SWD was found in 13 of the counties monitored for the pest in 2010,” Isaacs said. “It was a warm fall season, which accounted for the finds so late in the year because SWD activity is

Spotted from 17 some growers because

of the increased costs of

Family Owned and Operated Since 1956 Seedlings * Transplants * Christmas Trees Quality Stock * Competitive Prices * Dependable Customer Service

Visit our Web site @ www.needlefastevergreens.com to see our farm and complete price list.

4075 W. Hansen Rd., Ludington, MI 49431 (877) 255-0535 (231) 843-8524 Jim Nickelson, Owner* email nickel@needlefastevergreens.com

production,” he noted.

The SWD Response Team has been “a fantastic example of what can be achieved when people come together to address a problem like this,” Isaacs added.

“Researchers from multiple campus labs are linked with the Extension programs in the counties with tree fruit and small fruit growers.

Increasing awareness and explaining the solutions has been a really great aspect of this team.”

Isaacs said that Extension educators are actively monitoring for SWD in their areas around the state. Work

(preserves, butters, jellies, sauces, mustards and salsas)

WWW.DILLMANFARM.COM • 800.359.1362

Page 18 - COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST • February 2012

{label design by: www.flow-design.com}

on SWD in Michigan has led to collaboration with research colleagues in other eastern U.S. states toward the development of strategies that can benefit the entire region, he noted.

“There is much we can learn from other regions, although we have

some specific challenges here that MSU scientists are addressing as part of the response team,” he said.

For more information on SWD and Michigan’s SWD Response Team, go to www.ipm.msu.edu/SW D.htm.

Project

GREEEN, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant through MDARD, Michigan grower groups and the United States Environmental Protection Agency provide funding for the SWD Response Team and its activities.

Ohio State experts in lineup for organic farming conference GRANVILLE, OHIO — Experts from Ohio State University will give a dozen of the 70-plus workshops at

this year’s Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association annual conference, whose theme is “Sowing the Seeds of

• Since 1964 • Specializing in Trade Publications, Trade Shows, Commercial Printing & Mailing Services

LEE PUBLICATIONS

Serving the agricultural, heavy construction, aggregates, solid waste, commercial horticulture and equine industries.

MARKET TO ANY OR ALL OF THESE INDUSTRIES WITH ONE CALL! Country Folks

Farm Weekly Newspapers - since 1972, serving fulltime farmers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic market areas. The number one agricultural publication in this market! Target your audience with 4 regional editions.

Monthly Equine Publication covering New York, New England, Northern Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

Reaching the horseowners in this market area as the official publication of over 25 Associations.

Since 1979, serving heavy construction contractors, landscaping, aggregate producers and recyclers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Markets every month. Qualified readership is guaranteed to get you results.

Country Folks

Since 1990, serving the commercial greenhouses, vegetable

GROWER W and fruit growers, and nurseries in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and Northwest market areas. Reach your target audience with this monthly publication that is by far the number one media for these industries.

Is our newest publication. Started in 2011 to serve an important and growing segment of horticulture, this newspaper is targeted at businesses active in commercial scale growing and winemaking in the United States. In addition to a six times a year mailing, a searchable version is available to our online readers.

WASTE HANDLING EQUIPMENT NEWS, since 1992, serving asphalt/concrete recyclers, composting facilities, construction demolition companies, wood waste recyclers and scrap metal recyclers with 2 monthly editions that cover the entire United States.

TRADE SHOWS Lee Publications produces trade shows, both regionally and nationally for each of the markets listed above. Go to our website at www.leepub.com for more information or call 800-218-5586.

COMMERCIAL PRINTING

We specialize in short run (5,000-100,000) copies) web offset printing.

Tabloid style print jobs like this publication are available in increments of 4 pages in black & white or full color. Complete mailing sources are available as well as insertions in any of our publications

LEE PUBLICATIONS PO Box 121, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428 Phone 518-673-3237 Fax 518-673-3245

info@leepub.com

• “Producing Grass-fed Beef and Lamb” by Jeff McCutcheon of OSU Extension’s Forage Team and Bob Hendershot, grassland conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Feb. 18, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

• “Sow It, Grow It, Sell It ... Safely!”

by Troy Cooper, an OSU Extension educator and certified food safety instructor; part 1, Feb. 18, 9:30-11:30 a.m.; part 2, Feb. 18, 1:45-2:40 p.m.

• “Nutritional Nuances of Pastured Poultry” by Mike Lilburn of the Department of Animal Sciences, Feb. 18, 10:35-11:30 a.m.

• “OFFERings: Charting Future Directions for Organic Research in Ohio”

by Brian McSpadden Gardener, new director of Ohio State’s Organic Food and Farming Education and Research Program, Feb. 18, 1:45-2:40 p.m.

• “Plant Residues in Organic Vegetable Production: A Look Back and Ahead on the Pros and Cons” by Kleinhenz, McSpadden Gardener, Mark Bennett of the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, and Sally Miller of the Department of Plant Pathology, Feb. 18, 2:50-3:45 p.m.

• “Managing Organic Soil Fertility to Improve Spelt Bread Quality” by Larry Phelan of the Department of Entomology, Feb. 18, 2:50-3:45 p.m.

• “The Role of Cooperatives in Marketing” by Bob Cohen, an Ohio State instructor and program coordinator at Kent State University’s Cooperative Development Center, Feb. 18, 2:503:45 p.m.

• “Pumpkins, Squash and Bugs — Oh My!” by Welty and Melinda O’Briant of Turner Organic Farm, Feb. 19, 9:3011:30 a.m.

• “Are You Market-Ready?” (selling directly to restaurants, supermarkets, and other wholesale and retail outlets)

by OSU Extension educators Mike Hogan and Julie Fox, Feb. 19, 9:3011:30 a.m.

The workshop times and topics are subject to change. Check OEFFA’s website for the latest details.

In addition to the workshops, there will be an exhibit hall; book signings; a kids’ conference; Feb. 17 pre-conference programs on slow money and no-till; and talks by Jeff Moyer of the Rodale Institute, Gary Zimmer of Midwestern Bio-Ag, and Dan Ravicher, a patent law professor and executive director of the Public Patent Foundation.

February 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST - Page 19

NORTH AMERICAN QUARRY NEWS since 1998, serving the quarry, sand & gravel, hot mix asphalt and ready mix concrete industries with one national edition. This is the fastest growing publication for these markets.

Our Food Sovereignty.”

Billed as the state’s largest sustainable food and farm conference, the program takes place Feb. 18-19 in Granville in central Ohio. More than 1,000 people are expected. The past two years have sold out.

Get full details — the schedule, all the speakers and how to register — at www.oeffa.org, or contact OEFFA Program Director Renee Hunt at 614-4212022, ext. 205, or renee@oeffa.org.

“Farmers, businesses, chefs and consumers are working together to reclaim our food sovereignty,” Hunt said in a press release. “(They are) rebuilding local food systems and Ohio’s rural farming communities, demanding access to healthy organic food and information about how that food is produced, and relearning sustainable agriculture practices that nourish our bodies, our communities and the environment.”

The conference’s keynote speakers are Woody Tasch, chairman of the Slow Money Alliance, on “Slow Money: Investing as if Food, Farms and Fertility Matter,” and Andrew Kimbrell, a leading environmental attorney and the founder and executive director of the Center for Food Safety and the International Center for Technology Assessment, on “The Future of Food.”

The workshops cover such topics as mulches, cover crops, composting, food safety, growing berries, growing field crops, grower co-ops, aquaculture, livestock production, season extension, social investing, small-space gardening, companion planting, edible landscaping, renewable energy and organic certification.

Most of the Ohio State speakers are with the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and its research and outreach arms, the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center and Ohio State University Extension: • “Brix Levels as an Indicator of Vegetable Quality” by Natalie Bumgarner, Matt Kleinhenz and Joe Scheerens, all of the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Feb. 18, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

• “Identifying and Managing Beneficial Insects in Vegetable Crops” by Jim Jasinski, an OSU Extension educator, and Celeste Welty, Mary Gardiner and Parwinder Grewal, all of the Department of Entomology, Feb. 18, 9:3011:30 a.m.

Box blight threatens boxwoods

Page 20 - COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST • February 2012

by Sally Colby Boxwood is one of five woody evergreens native to England, where it is popular as a landscape plant. It’s also a popular landscape species in North America, where homeowners appreciate its deer-proof qualities.

However, a new disease now threatens the boxwood population.

Dr. Kelly Ivors, assistant professor and extension specialist, Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center in North Carolina, says that one of the reasons this emerging disease is an important topic in North Carolina is because the state is one of the top producers of boxwoods.

“Not only do we produce it for ornamental purposes,” said Ivors during a recent webinar, “there are a number of counties near the Virginia border that produce tips that are used in Christmas decorations and wreaths.”

Boxwood is popular for several reasons, one of which is that it’s deer resistant.

“Boxwood propagates easily, grows well in production and transplants readily to the landscape,” said Ivors.

“It’s an alternative to Fraser fir production, so we can still use a lot of the same land. It’s a crop that Christmas tree producers like to produce.”

Boxwood makes a good wall, hedge or specimen planting.

Box blight was first discovered in England during the mid 1990s. “It caused a severe blighting disease on buxus species, mainly English boxwood,” said Ivors. “There weren’t any new records of it until 1997, and then there was a sudden outbreak of disease. This was most likely correlated to weather events.” Now the disease is

considered widespread throughout Europe. Box blight is also known as boxwood blight, cylindrocladium box blight, blight disease of boxwood, or boxwood leaf drop.

The origin of the pathogen is unknown. “Europe isn’t sure where it came from,” said Ivors. “What is believed to have happened is that after introduction into the U.K., New Zealand found it and it was first reported there in 1998. So we know that the pathogen has moved around to several continents, and it’s now in the U.S.” Ivors says that there’s a lot of confusion with the terminology with regard to genus and species of the pathogen. That’s because two different groups were working on the pathogen at the same time. A researcher in the UK referred to it as cylindrocladium buxicola. Other cylindrocladium species are seen in the horticultural industry, but this species is new, with unique DNA sequencing and morphology. The New Zealand group started to investigate and decided on a different name cylindrocladium psuedonaviculatum.

However, for clarity, Ivors prefers to reference the pathogen as c. buxicola.

Although the fungus doesn’t kill the plant, it results in blight on the foliage, and affects the appearance and aesthetics of the plant. “What hap-

pens is that the leaves turn brown, then a golden straw-color,” said Ivors.

“The leaves will often fall off the plant, but the plant will remain alive for quite some time.” Plant death is more likely to occur after infection from other opportunistic pathogens such as volutella.

While container-grown plants don’t usually die from the infection, young seedlings are dramatically affected.

“The reason for this is that we propagate seedlings in propagation beds under high humidity,” said Ivors. “this is very conducive for the pathogen, and allows almost complete colonization of the plant.” Box blight doesn’t attack the root system.

“What happens is that the spores overwinter in soil, then when the

weather is conducive, the spores move up and infect the lower foliage,” said Ivors. “You see a plant that has lost its lower foliage and looks a little top-heavy. You can also see cankers on the edges of the stem which causes necrosis and death of tissue.”

A major boxwood die-off occurred in a setting of densely packed containers produced on a hillside, where a lot of runoff flowed downhill to field-grown plants. Ivors noted that the initial diagnosis in North Carolina followed several weeks of heavy rainfall and warm weather. “The pathogen was most likely introduced on a trojan horse; a tolerant variety,” said Ivors. “That created a large scale epidemic, then the boxwood foliage and spores washed down in rainwater to the propagation beds.”

Boxwoods 21

NE W CONSTRUCTION O R R E N O VAT I O N. . .

R E TA I L G A R D E N C E N T E R or C O M M E R C I A L P R O D U C T I O N. . .

Our Service...Your Satisfaction!

LET US DESIGN YOURS www.ludy.com • info@ludy.com See Us At The Farwest Show, Booth 15169

1-800-255-LUDY

Food & Agricultural Communications symposium planned Food security is one of the most pressing issues facing world leaders today, and despite the technological tools available to help more of the world’s population reach self-sufficiency, an epic communications challenge remains.

A first-of-its-kind international agricultural communications symposium will discuss this issue and more on Feb. 17 in Champaign, IL. “Food & Agricultural Communications: The Next Frontier” is open to anyone interested in strengthening communica-

tions about food, fiber, feed, renewable energy, rural-urban relations, natural resources, rural development and other dimensions of agriculture.

While most would agree that a safe and reliable food supply is a basic human right, how that is accomplished involves some debate and compromise when making decisions about agriculture and food policy.

Find out what leaders from industry, academia, non-profit organizations and media have to say about these global issues. Speakers include: • Robb Fraley, Monsanto, executive vice president and chief technology officer; • Ken Cook, Environmental Working Group, executive director; • Rob Aukerman, Elanco Animal Health, presi-

dent of U.S. operations; • Scott Kilman, Wall Street Journal, reporter and co-author, “Enough: Why the World’s Poorest Starve in an Age of Plenty”; • Paul Schickler, Pioneer Hi-Bred, president; • Gregg BeVier, The Bill and Linda Gates Foundation, senior program officer; • Forrest Roberts, U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, Advisory Committee chairman, and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, CEO; and • Jim Evans, University of Illinois, professor emeritus.

Space is limited. For more information and to register, go to www.agcommevent.com.

The event is hosted by the University of Illinois College of ACES and College of Media.

Boxwoods from 20 Some growers don’t believe they are at risk because they produce boxwoods in-house, but if there are other species that are sensitive to the pathogen, all it takes is one plant to infect the others. “If they’re planted close enough, and splash occurs between English and American species,” said Ivors. “That can start a full-blown infection. I think the growers who are most at risk are collectors.”

Ivors noted that the disease has been found in residential landscape plants and in commercial garden centers.

“Sharon (Dr. Sharon

Cu orde stom r for 20 &S AVE 14 !

We Now Carry Gisela 6 and Gisela 12 Cherry Rootstock

THE BERRY PRECISION SEEDER • PERFECT FOR SMALL TO MID-SIZE OPERATIONS. • ONE OF THE WORLD’S FASTEST AND MOST ACCURATE SEEDERS AVAILABLE ... AT ANY PRICE!!!

• SEEDS WATERMELON TO RAW PETUNIAS IN PLUG TRAYS AS WELL AS CELL PACKS. CUSTOM DESIGNS AVAILABLE. • NO MOTORS, SOLENOIDS, BEARINGS, OR ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS TO BREAKDOWN OR WEAR OUT...EVER!!!

• ANYONE CAN OPERATE IT ... IT’S THAT EASY!

Available From: BERRY SEEDER COMPANY 1231 Salem Church Road, Elizabeth City, NC 27909 Phone: (800) 327-3239 Fax: (252) 330-2343

with a good fungicide strategy.”

However, Ivors says that some of the fungicides that work may not work well in the landscape. “While these might work for some of our growers, my concern is that we might transplant a lot of these plants out in the landscape, and unless you’re a very wealthy English gardener and can afford multiple applications of fungicide on an annual basis, it isn’t a good idea to plant boxwoods with cylindrocladium buxicula in the landscape.”

Box blight will be difficult to deal with because while the plant appears to be dead, the root system is still viable. Under favorable conditions, the leaves will regrow and the plant will continue to survive. Because plants are grown in the field for several years, chances are there will be another weather event that’s conducive to box blight. Ivors says

that that a statistical model will help growers determine the best time to spray. But because it’s a new disease, no one knows how fieldgrown plants will respond to the disease and treatment. English boxwood, because of its tight foliage and is the most susceptible, followed by Korean boxwood. Because this plant is grown mostly in a monoculture, it will be easy for the disease to gain a foothold.

Ivors says that holding pads were contaminated with the pathogen from holding incoming plants. “One of riskiest practices is to use the same holding pad for incoming and outgoing plants,” she said. “If you bring in new plants, have individual holding pads, separated, so wind-driven rain cannot spread disease. You might not know you have a problem, but you’ll find out later.”

February 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST - Page 21

CALL TODAY FOR YOUR SPRING 2012 TREE NEEDS. GREAT TREES — GREAT PRICE!

Douglas, Connecticut Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology) confirmed with us that every landscape location that has been positive for box blight has had at least one new plant installed in 2011.”

Disease symptoms include circular leaf spots with zonate patterns, with visible zones where the pathogen has colonized leaf tissue. As the infection progresses, the leaves become brown or straw-colored.

Stem cankers are common, and the pathogen can be isolated from these cankers. Ivors says that so far, fludioxonil (Medallion®) seems to be the most effective product. To protect the industry, growers who had massive infection destroyed heavily infected plants in a voluntary burn.

“If we’re going to have to deal with this disease, we might start looking at cultural tactics to promote regrowth, and come up

Are You Involved In More Than One Industry?

We Are Here to Help You. FREE E SUBSCRIPTIONS S BY Y REQUEST * Please check off the publications you would like to receive and answer the questions below each.

Regional/National Solid Waste Recycling (monthly)

Regional Heavy Construction (monthly)

- Send me Ì YES Hard Hat News!

Handling Ì YES - Send me Waste Equipment News!

Hard Hat News focuses on heavy equipment construction including excavating, construction/demolition, paving, bridge building, and utility construction in the northeastern third of the United States.

TITLE 1 Ì President/CEO 2 Ì Manager/Supervisor 3 Ì Other NUMBER YOUR PRIMARY BUSINESS #1, SECONDARY #2, ETC. 1 Asphalt Paving _____________________ 7 Construction Demolition _________________ 2 Concrete Paving ___________________ 8 Landscaping __________________________ 3 Oil & Stone Paving__________________ 9 Land Clearing _________________________ 4 Bridge Construction ________________ 10 Logging _____________________________ 5 Excavating ________________________ 11 Other _______________________________ 6 Utility/Underground _________________

National Aggregate

Ì

(bi-monthly)

Recycling professionals involved in the wood waste, C&D, scrap metal, asphalt & concrete, and compost recycling industries will find Waste Handling Equipment News a valuable source of new products, product innovation and site adaption.

TITLE J Operations Manager J Other TYPE OF BUSINESS (Check all that apply) Construction Demolition Recycling J Scrap Metals Recycling Construction Demolition Landfill J Ferrous J Non-Ferrous Woodwaste Recycling/Land Clearing J Equipment Manufacturer Composting J Equipment Dealer Asphalt/Concrete Recycling

J Owner/President/VP J J J J J

Regional Horticulture

YES - Send me North American Quarry News!

Country Folks Grower is the regional newspaper for all segments of commercial horticulture.

Each issue is filled with important news, information, and advertising for the Greenhouse, Nursery, Garden center, Landscaper, Fruit, Vegetable Grower and Marketers.

Your company produces these products or services: Ì Ì Ì Ì Ì

(Check All That Apply) Crushed stone and sand & gravel 6 Ì Industrial minerals Crushed stone 7 Ì Machinery/equipment manufacturer Sand and gravel 8 Ì Equipment dealer/distributor Recycled materials, concrete/asphalt 9 Ì Drilling Lime 10 Ì Blasting

(

Regional Agriculture

Paid Subscription

weekly

Page 22 - COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST • February 2012

Ì YES - Send me Country Folks!

*This publication costs $22 for one year. *This publication costs $38 for two years.

)

Our premier weekly agricultural newspaper has four editions covering agriculture from Maine through North Carolina. Every issue is loaded with national, regional and local agricultural news, equipment, service advertising and auctions.

*This publication costs $47 for one year.

Business Type: K Dairy K Sheep

K Beef K Alfalfa

Business Type: K Greenhouse K Tree Fruit K Nursery

National Vineyard

SUBSCRIPTIONS 888-596-5329 email: subscriptions@leepub.com

(

K Goat

Paid Subscription

bi-monthly

K Small Fruit K Christmas K Garden Center K Supplier

K Farmers Market K Direct Market K Vegetable

PO Box 121, 6113 State Hwy., Palatine Bridge, NY 13428 800-218-5586 • FAX 518-673-2381

(Check All That Apply)

K Horse K Soybeans

(Check All That Apply)

LEE PUBLICATIONS, INC.

*This publication costs $78 for two years.

K Poultry K Corn

monthly

Folks Ì YES - Send me CountryGROWER!

North American Quarry News covers quarries, sand and gravel pits, HMA and ready mix concrete operations in the United States. NAQN provides a combination of strong editorial and advertising for industry professionals.

1 2 3 4 5

Paid Subscription

Name _______________________________________________

)

Wine & Grape Grower offers features, news and information on growing grapes, and making and selling wines.

Learn tips on how to start or improve your business.

Farm/Business Name ___________________________________ Address______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ City ________________________ State _____ Zip __________ County ____________________Email _____________________

Business Type:

K Grape Grower K Vineyard

(Check All That Apply)

K Wines K Supplier

Phone (

) _______________Fax (

) _________________

Date ___________Signature______________________________

OFA and ANLA forming joint veture to serve members OFA — The Association of Horticulture Professionals (OFA) and the American Nursery & Landscape Association (ANLA) are responding to industry challenges head-on together. The two national organizations are expanding on previous collaborations and forming a joint ven-

ture that involves sharing resources, including appropriate staff, to expand the capacity of the organizations to better support their members and advocate the horticultural industry’s interests before government and the general public.

The joint venture was announced Jan. 5 by

OFA President Michael McCabe in an open letter to OFA members and supporters. McCabe is also the owner of McCabe’ s Greenhouse & Floral in Lawrenceburg, IN. “The multi-faceted horticulture industry is undergoing dramatic changes.

Economic

The Ladder Most Preferred by Growers & Workers • Strong top section • Rigid steel hinges

• Dimpled resettable tread provides slip resistance in all directions.

Tallman’s superior design assures ease of handling and longevity.

SERVING THE FRUIT INDUSTRY SINCE 1954 1460 Tucker Rd., Hood River, OR 97031 (541) 386-2733 (800) 354-2733 tallman@gorge.net www.tallmanladders.com

strains, generational differences and the changing interest in and need for gardening and landscape products are altering the way our products and services are valued by consumers,” McCabe wrote. “Governmental activity and inactivity, financial uncertainty and environmental changes are altering the way plants are being produced, bought and sold.”

The letter continues: “Our volunteer leaders have been considering how to best address these issues. In light of future opportunities and threats in this quickly changing environment, one solution is for trade associations to work together to build the capacity and governance structures to properly serve their members and the industry.

We Are Listening to You Recent research conducted by OFA indicates that both OFA and ANLA members want their industry association to be all encompassing — one that touches and links all pieces of the horticulture industry together in a comprehensive manner to assist in the growth of the industry.

The research also indicates that members feel

very strongly that the associations should be attracting the next generation of the horticulture profession; actively pursuing market development and promotion; pursuing advocacy and legislative issues; becoming more involved in regulatory issues; more involvement in business management and technical/product education; and conducting trade shows. It is very clear that the joint venture is the right thing to do.

An Expanded Partnership The joint venture between our organizations will: • Further increase participation in advocacy efforts; • Further expand and offer more robust educational programs; • Widen the outreach to consumers; • Nurture commerce opportunities in order to connect more industry buyers and sellers; • Enhance support for research and higher education; and • Unite our thousands of member companies to create a stronger voice and vision for the industry.

This is not a merger, but in several years, if both organizations see

the joint venture as a value to our members and further collaboration will better serve you and the industry, the intention is to form a new, single premier horticulture organization serving North America.

Working together, we will represent the whole of the ornamental plant industry, including greenhouse growers, nurseries, breeders, distributors, retailers, interior, and exterior landscape professionals, florists, students, educators, researchers, manufacturers and all those who work in the plant supply chain. The combined 215 years of leadership, service, knowledge and history will result in a more robust experience for our members and ensure the vitality of the horticulture industry.”

“I hope you find this to be an exciting opportunity for your business and your association.

We value your input and will keep you informed on the progress of the joint venture.

Thank you for your continued support of OFA. More information can be found by reading our FAQs document,” the letter concludes.

February 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST - Page 23

A1 Mist Sprayers introduces new model for narrow crop applications PONCA, NE — A1 Mist Sprayers Resources Inc., a worldwide provider of Mist Sprayers to the Agricultural Marketplace, has announced the addition of the Self Contained ATV-All Terrain Trailer MountedMist/Air Blast Sprayer Product Line for use in narrow spraying applications in orchards, vineyards, container stock, green houses, Christmas trees and other row crop applications.

“We recognized that many producers have very tight growing operations where they are just not able to use large tractors or vehicles to spray foliar fertilizer, fungicide, insecticides or organic products,” said A1 Mist Sprayers President Steve Nelson. “That’s why we developed the Model ATV-ATT -H-40 ATV-All Terrain Trailer Mounted Mist Sprayer.

It is compact for maneuverability and versatility and can be used in all working conditions along with an ATV, small tractor, lawn tractor or utility vehicle. We are very confident that it will live up to the expectations of our future customers.”

The Model ATV-ATT H-40 ATV-All Terrain Trailer Mounted Mist Sprayer features: • A heavy duty iron coat paint main frame skid package with prepunched frame- fork lift compatible (patent pending), and lift handles; • A 9 1/2 HP electric start Honda engine with four quart gas tank (battery not included); • Control box with 10-foot cable for electric start/on/off, variable engine speed, fan rollover and liquid flow control;

• Huck riveted fan with safety rings and electric 210 degree fan roll-over; • Four-nozzle round Cannon Volute® spray out to 100 feet; • Nine-nozzle vertical vineyard - Orchard Volute - spray out to 45 feet; • 40 gallon poly tank (60 gallon optional) with tank drain; • Four roller pump, hydro-jet agitation, liquid pressure gauge for better accuracy, complete plumbing accessories and pistol grip hand gun kit with 25foot hose; • Includes an all terrain trailer With 4,000 lb. axles, 10 Inch rims and 205/85-10 flotation tires (Highway Ready); and • 10 year main frame warranty and three year warranty on all moving parts (mist sprayer only).

“Mist sprayers are

more eco-friendly than other spraying methods because they produce a more uniform droplet pattern and the operator can control the spray direction and distance, while using less active product and water and get outstanding coverage and results,” Nelson added.

A1 Mist Sprayers Resources Inc. produces a full line of engine

driven and tractor mounted PTO driven mist sprayers. A1 Mist Sprayers Resources Inc. Mist Sprayers Resources Inc. has 35 years experience in mist sprayer manufacturing and sales. For more information, go to the A1 Mist Sprayers Resources Inc. website, www.mistsprayers.com or call toll free, 877924-2474.

Whiskeyy Barrels Call for Brochure

Whole & 1/2 Whiskey Barrels, Cast Iron Pitcher Pumps and More. Call for Pallet or Truck Load Prices.

Ben’ss Woodshop 717-687-3761

4177 White Oak Road • Paradise, PA 17562

Use your software and laser printer to create your own Signs • Tags • Labels WATERPROOF < Information rich < Consistent < Professional < Cost effective Great for Garden Centers, Farm Markets, Nurseries, Greenhouses, Landscapers

Page 24 - COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST • February 2012

Call or click for more information: (503) 717-9295 www.gardenware.com < info@gardenware.com

February 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST - Page 25

Country Folks Grower Classifieds

( 800 ) 836-2888 PO Box 121, 6113 State Hwy. 5 ( ) Fax: 518 673-2381 Palatine Bridge, NY 13428 E-mail: classified@leepub.com Announcements

Announcements

MARCH ISSUE

ADVERTISING DEADLINE th

Thursday, February 9

For as little as $9.25 - place a classified ad in

Country Folks Grower

Call Peg at

1-800-836-2888

or 518-673-0111

# # # # #

ADVERTISERS

Page 26 - COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST • February 2012

Get the best response from your advertisements by including the condition, age, price and best calling hours.

Also we always recommend insertion for at least 2 times for maximum benefits. Call Peg at 1-800-836-2888

Number / Classification 35 Announcements 50 Applicators 80 Auctions 110 Bedding Plants 120 Bees-Beekeeping 130 Bird Control 155 Building Materials/ Supplies 165 Business Opportunities 210 Christmas Trees 235 Computers 330 Custom Services 415 Employment Wanted 440 Farm Machinery For Sale 445 F a r m M a c h i n e r y Wanted 470 Financial Services 500 For Sale 505 Forklifts 510 Fresh Produce, Nursery 515 Fruit Processing Eq. 530 Garden Supplies 535 Generators 570 G r e e n h o u s e Plugs/Cuttings 575 Greenhouse Supplies 580 Groundcover 605 Heating 610 Help Wanted 680 Irrigation 700 Lawn & Garden 805 Miscellaneous 820 Nurseries 840 Nursery Supplies 855 Orchard Supplies 910 Plants 950 Real Estate For Sale 955 Real Estate Wanted 1035 Seeds & Nursery 1040 Services Offered 1130 Tractors 1135 Tra c t o r s, Pa r t s & Repair 1140 Trailers 1155 Tree Moving Services 1165 Trees 1170 Truck Parts & Equipment 1180 Trucks 1190 Vegetable 1205 Wanted

V E G E TA B L E C R O P MACHINERY CATALOG from tillage to harvest. The most complete mail order machinery catalog for vegetable growers.

New/Used. Shipped Direct.

Market Farm Implement, Inc., 257 Fawn Hollow Road, Friedens, PA 15541. 814-4431931 www.marketfarm.com

Feed, Seed, Grain & Corn

or email classified@leepub.com Announcements

Farm Machinery For Sale

Announcements CHECK YOUR AD - ADVERTISERS should check their ads. Lee Publications, Inc. shall not be liable for typographical, or errors in publication except to the extent of the cost of the first months insertion of the ad, and shall also not be liable for damages due to failure to publish an ad.

Adjustment for errors is limited to the cost of that portion of the ad wherein the error occurred. Report any errors to Peg Patrei at 518-6733237 ext. 111 or 800-8362888.

Fruits & Berries

Fruits & Berries

WHOLESALE NURSERY, INC. 9555 North Gast Road, P.O. Box 116 - Bridgman, Michigan 49106 Phone: 269-465-5522 Fax: 269-465-4822

WHOLESALE GROWERS OF QUALITY SMALL FRUIT PLANTS BLUEBERRIES ARE OUR SPECIALTY

Grapevines Blueberries Jostaberries Gooseberries

Red Raspberries Purple Raspberries Yellow Raspberries Black Raspberries

Black Currants Red Currants White Currants Asparagus

www.kriegersnursery.com ALL STOCK GRADED TO AAN STANDARDS

BUCKWHEAT SEED NEW CROP Improves Soil Tilth & Phosphorus Plant Nutrient Builder = Green Plow Down Bee Keepers = Buckwheat Honey 50 Lb. Bags $30.00 each Delivery Available Ph. 517-403-6092 For Rent or Lease FOR RENT: Canadian wilderness cabin on pristine lake.

Accessible by float - plane only. Phenomenal fishing, great wildlife viewing (eagle, moose, bear, woodland caribou, beaver). Photography, Astronomers dream. Toll Free 877-574-2281 email shabu1@sbcglobal.net

®

Specializing in Edible Landscaping.

Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Grapes, and Fruit Trees.

TN: 931-467-3600 • Fax 931-467-3062 email sales@freedomtreefarms.com www.freedomtreefarms.com

67 YEARS RAISING SUPERIOR NURSERY STOCK FOR GROWERS.

Greenhouse Equipment GREENHOUSE: 84,000SqFt. IBG Arch II structure for sale, gutter connected, disassembled & ready for shipping, 303-915-8589 (Colorado). For photo’s kpriola@hotmail.com

Greenhouse Plugs/Cuttings VINCA VINE (3ppp) DRACEAENA, SPRINGERI: 2.5” SVD pots $1.00 each (2% Net 10). Green Earth Nature Center, LLC ® , Grown by Rock Valley Garden Center, Inc., Prime Season Inventory, 100,000 vinca vine, 40,000 draceaena+, 785 N. Bell School Road, Rockford, IL 61107 www.rockvalleygardencenter.com 815-398-9419

Greenhouse Supplies CARLIN HORTICULTURAL SUPPLIES, 800-657-0745.

Greenhouse, Grower, Lawn & Garden and Landscape S u p p l i e s. O r d e r o n l i n e ! w w w. c a r l i n s a l e s. c o m info@carlinsales.com

Blueberry Plants are VIRUS TESTED, and State of Michigan Certified.

All Plants are grown using TISSUE CULTURE TECHNIQUES by Hartmanns.

We can provide the grower with personal cultural advice in the first stage of preparation and beyond. Order Now your Future investment.

Blueberry, Raspberry, Blackberry and other Small Fruits.

CONTACT DANNY, TERI OR BOB FOR A FREE CATALOG AND PERSONAL ADVICE. P.O. Box 100 Lacota, Michigan 49063 ph. 269-253-4281 fax. 269-253-4457 email: info@hartmannsplantcompany.com web: www.hartmannsplantcompany.com

NEED BUSINESS CARDS? Full color glossy, heavy stock.

250 ($45.00); 500 ($65.00); 1,000 ($75.00). Call your representative or Lee Publications 518-673-0101 Beth bsnyder@leepub.com YARD SIGNS: 16x24 full color with stakes, double sided.

Stakes included. Only $15.00 each. Call Beth at Lee Publications 518-673-0101. Please allow 7 to 10 business days when ordering.

Fencing

1-800-836-2888

Fencing

F O R SALE

CHRISTMAS TREES & CEDAR POSTS CHRISTMAS TREES FRASER FIR BALSAM FIR CEDAR R POSTS POSTS: 7', 8' 4x4 POSTS: 8', 9' RAILS: 12'6" (pheasant fencing) 16" shingle block

Duane e orr Janett Olson Antigo, WI 54409

Phone:: 715-623-6590 E-mail: olsonsbalsams@hotmail.com Website: www.olsonsbalsams.com

Visit Us Online • 24/7/365 www.cfgrower.com or Like Us On Facebook facebook.com/cfgrower

To place a Classified Ad

Country Folks Grower Classifieds

( 800 ) 836-2888 PO Box 121, 6113 State Hwy. 5 ( ) Fax: 518 673-2381 Palatine Bridge, NY 13428 E-mail: classified@leepub.com Help Wanted

Help Wanted

WRITERS WANTED Country Folks Grower is looking for self-motivated free-lance writers to contribute to their monthly horticulture trade paper.

Knowledge of the industry a must.

Articles could include educational topics as well as feature articles.

Nursery Liners

Nursery Liners

Kurt Weiss Greenhouse is a leading wholesale greenhouse operation with multiple production facilities in the Northeast. We are looking for a motivated and experienced Grower Manager with a strong working knowledge of greenhouse plant production. This individual will be responsible for all aspects of production from propagation through crop finish including water, nutrient, PGR and pest management as well as environmental controls and record keeping. The applicant must be a self motivated team player who is detail oriented.

Salary commensurate with experience. E-Mail resume and letter of interest to: joseph@kurtweiss.com

A R B O RV I TA E RO OT E D CUTTINGS: One year old.

Techny, Emerald, Green Giant, Pyramid, Nigra,Little Giant. 6-9” .44ea., 5-6” .32ea.

Free Shipping. Quantity discounts. RENS NURSERY, N11561 County MM, Waupun, WI 53963. 920-324-9595 www.rensnursery.net

LARGE VARIETY of Evergreens, Flowering Trees, Shrubs & Natives in larger sizes. Pre-dug trees available.

700 acres of quality field grown material. 40 years experience. Roger Coffey & Sons Wholesale Nursery P h : 8 2 8 - 3 9 4 - 2 2 5 9 Fa x : 828-758-2240 email: sales@rogercoffeyandsons.com www.rogercoffeyandsons.com

Seeds V I S S E E D C O M PA N Y: Specializing in flower seeds from around the world.

Seeds, plugs, cuttings.

Offering the best annual, perennial, vegetable & herb seeds. Celebrating 25 years!

Contact us for a current catalog. PO Box 661953, Arcadia, CA 91066. (P) 626-4451233, (F) 626-445-3779, hvis@visseed.com, www.visseed.com

Nursery Stock

Refrigeration

Refrigeration

AMERICAN WHOLESALE CO.

WHOLESALE NURSERY STOCK: 6-7’ Deodora Cedar $24, 4-5’ Colorado Blue Spruce $20, 18-24” Mugo Pine $10, 5-6’ Austrian Pine $25, 24-30” Otto Luyken $12, All nice B&B, Visa/ Mastercharge, 503-380-1531

NEW/USED WALK-IN-COOLER ~ FREEZER BOXES ~ REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS ~ EQUIPMENT Large Inventory ~ All Sizes • Buy • Sell ~ Nationwide • Wholesale Prices

Phone: (216) 426-8882 • www.awrco.com Seeds

Rainbow Valley Seeds Hybrid Ornamental Corn Seed

Douglas & Charlene Woodruff rbvseed@embarqmail.com Quality Seed for Quality Customers

937-465-6608 www.rainbowvalleyseed.com

Sprayers

Sprayers

Fruit and Vegetable Sprayers

Call 800-836-2888 to place your classified ad.

Nursery Stock

Plants

COMPLETE LIST of deciduous and evergreen seedlings and transplants at www.hramornursery.com or call 231-723-4846 Hramor Nursery LLC, 2267 Merkey Rd., Manistee, MI 49660

Please send resume to Joan Kark-Wren jkarkwren@leepub.com or call 518-673-0141

Help Wanted

Plants

Nursery Stock

• Mosquito (West Nile), fly & tick control!

• Fruit & vegetable applications: sweet corn, pumpkins, tomatoes, strawberries, blueberries, melons & small orchards

High Performance PTO & Engine Driven Mist Sprayers, Blowers, Foggers, Parts & Accessories

3 Pt Terminator

ATV Narrow Row Crop Self-Contained Sprayer

A1 Mist Sprayers Resources 877-924-2474 Email resources@mistsprayers.com • More Info Also At: www.mistsprayers.com

Order Now - Spring is Coming!

Native Plants NATIVE GRASSES, sedges, rushes, wildflowers, and herbaceous plants for use in wetland mitigation, restoration, and landscape design.

Contract growing available.

Signature Horticultural Services, Freeland, MD. Call 410329-6466 or fax 410-3292156.

- Fruit, Shade, Ornamental Trees - Flowering Shrubs, Small Fruits, Roses, Vines - Rhubarb, Asparagus, Horseradish And More!

VISIT US AT WWW.KELLYWSN.COM Bareroot - Containerized - Packaged Small Minimum Orders/Free Color Picture Tags

Box 66 Phelps NY 14532 • 877-268-2151 • Fax 315-548-8004 USE CODE # SB0212 FOR 10% DISCOUNT OFF YOUR INITIAL ORDER.

“Featuring Sub Zero Roses - Start now for Mother’s Day”

Trees

Forest Nursery Co. Inc. McMinnville, Tennessee

931-473-4740 OAK LINER SALE Call for Prices & Availability

February 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST - Page 27

Spray Under Trees...Roadside Ditches... Forestry Weed & Pest Control...

Country Folks Grower Classifieds

( 800 ) 836-2888 PO Box 121, 6113 State Hwy. 5 ( ) Fax: 518 673-2381 Palatine Bridge, NY 13428 E-mail: classified@leepub.com

Calendar of Events

Page 28 - COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST • February 2012

E-mail announcements of your regional event(s) to: jkarkwren@leepub.com We must receive your information, plus a contact phone number, prior to the deadline that’s noted under the Announcements heading on the 1st page of these Grower Classifieds. *** FEB 8 Ohio Pesticide Commercial Applicator Recertification Conference John S. Knight Center, 77 E. Mill St., Akron, Ohio. 8 am 3:30 pm. Call 614-292-4070.

On Internet at http://pested .osu.edu FEB 10-16 2012 NAFDMA Williamsburg Convention Williamsburg Marriott, Williamsburg, VA. This School on Wheels is a popular feature of the NAFDMA convention. The tour will begin on Feb. 10 in Williamsburg, VA and will then spend the next three days traveling to farm direct marketing and agri-tourism locations throughout Virginia. Call 416-207-1561.

On Internet at www.nafdma .com/VA2012 FEB 11 2012 Iowa Farmers Market Workshop First Christian Church, 2500 University Ave, Des Moines, Iowa. 9 am - 4 pm.

The workshop registration fee is $30 and includes lunch. Advance registration is recommended; walk-ins can register ($40) at 8:30 am. Contact Ginny Gieseke, 515 277 6951 or e-mail vgieseke@q.com.

FEB 14-16 45th Annual World Ag Expo International Agri-Center, 4450 South Laspina St., Tulare, CA. The Expo is the largest annual agricultural show of its kind with 1,600 exhibitors displaying cutting edge agricultural technology and equipment on 2.6 million square feet of show grounds.

On Internet at www.WorldAgExpo.com FEB 15 Ohio Pesticide Commercial Applicator Recertification Conference Dayton Convention Center, 22 E. Fifth St., Dayton, Ohio.

8 am - 3:30 pm.. Call 614292-4070. On Internet at http://pested.osu.edu Strengths Finder Workshop Agricultural Administration Building, Ohio State University, 2120 Fyffe Rd., Columbus, Ohio. 9 am - noon. Registration $55. Call 614-2923114.

On Internet at http://leadershipcenter.osu. edu FEB 18-19 Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association Annual Conference Granville High School and Middle School, 248 New Burg St., Granville, Ohio.

Sessions on organic farming and related topics.Get full details at www.oeffa.org.

Contact Renee Hunt, 614421-2022, ext. 205 or e-mail renee@oeffa.org. On Internet at www.oeffa.org FEB 18-20 2nd Annual Beginning Farmer Conference Amway Grand Plaza Hotel & DeVos Place Convention Center, Grand Rapids, MI. Beginning farmers and ranchers interested in all types of agriculture are encouraged to attend. The conference provides an opportunity for attendees to network with other farmers from around the country and learn from experts about how to start and maintain a thriving farm or ranch business. For more information, including online registration and hotel information, visit http://2012bfrconference.ev entbrite.com or e-mail questions to info@start2farm.gov.

FEB 20 Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute Open House 1328 Dover Rd., Wooster, Ohio. 8:30 am - 2 pm. Sessions and activities for prospective students; breakfast, lunch included. Free.

Call 330-287-1327.

On Internet at http://ati.osu .edu/register_openhouse.sht ml MAR 2-3 MNCTA 2012 Winter Meeting Sheraton St. Paul Woodbury Hotel, 676 Bielenberg Dr., Woodbury, MN. Call 651209-3280.

MAR 8 Ohio Pesticide Commercial Applicator Recertification Conference Greater Columbus Convention Center, 400 N. High St., Columbus, Ohio. 8 am - 3:30 pm. Call 614-292-4070. On Internet at http://pested. osu.edu MAR 9-10 Ohio Farmers’ Market Conference Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, Ohio State University, 2201 Fred Taylor Dr., Columbus, Ohio.

On Internet at http://ohio farmersmarkets.osu.edu Southwest Ohio Small Farm Conference and Trade Show Wilmington College, 1870 Quaker Way, Wilmington, Ohio. Call 937-382-0901, ext. 15 or e-mail nye.1@ osu.edu.

MAR 21 Dormant Pruning Workshop Secrest Arboretum, Seaman Orientation Plaza, Ohio Agricultural Research & Development Center, 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster, Ohio. 8 am - noon. $50. Call 330464-2148.

Ohio Compost Operator Education Course Shisler Center, Ohio Agricultural Research & Development Center, 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster. 8 am - 4:30 pm. Registration $175 for Organics Recycling Association of Ohio members, $225 for non-members. Call 330202-3533. On Internet at http://go.osu.edu/GcZ

MAR 30 Fruit, Vegetable Safety Program Patterson Center, 14269 Claridon-Troy Rd., Burton, Ohio. 1-4 pm. Good Agricultural Practices or GAPS, for fruit and vegetable production are the focus. Registration is $25/person at the door, payable by cash or check, with checks made out to “OSP.” Call 330-2023555, ext. 2918 or e-mail kuhlanek.5@osu.edu.

MAR 31 Small Farm Conference and Trade Show R.G. Drage Career Center, 6805 Richville Dr. SW, Massillon, Ohio. Call 937-3820901, ext. 15 or e-mail nye.1@osu.edu.

JUL 14-17 OFA: 2012 ShortCourse Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, OH.

Call 614-487-1117 or e-mail ofa@ofa.org. On Internet at http://ofa.org/shortcourse info.aspx NOV 19-20 70th Annual State Convention Ramada Plaza Minneapolis, 1330 Industrial Blvd NE (I35W at exit #22), Minneapolis, MN. Call 651-639-1223, 800-969-3380. On Internet at http://mfu.org/node/928

5 EASY WAYS TO PLACE A COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER CLASSIFIED AD 1. PHONE IT IN - Just give Peggy a call at 1-800-836-2888

IN - For you MasterCard,Visa, 2. FAX IT American Express or Discover customers...

Fill out the form attached completely and fax to Peggy at (518) 673-2381

3.

MAIL IT IN - Fill out the attached form, calculate the cost, enclose your check or credit card information and mail to:

Country Folks Grower Classifieds PO Box 121 Palatine Bridge, NY 13428

4.

5.

E-MAIL IT IN - E-mail your ad to classified@leepub.com

$9.25

$9.55

$9.85

$10.15

$10.45

$10.75

$11.05

$11.35

$11.65

$11.95

$12.25

$12.55

$12.85

$13.15

$13.45

$13.75

$14.05

$14.35

$14.65

$14.95

If you have used equipment for sale, ask about our group of weekly farm newspapers that cover from Maine to North Carolina.

ON-LINE - Go to www.cfgrower.com Name:(Print)______________________________________________________________________ and follow the Place a Classified Ad Address:_________________________________________________________________________ button to place your ad 24/7! City:__________________________________________________St.:__________Zip:___________

FOR BEST RESULTS, RUN YOUR AD FOR TWO ISSUES! Cost for each Issue per Zone: $9.25 for the first 14 words, 30¢ each additional word.

(Phone #’s count as one word) # of issues to run______ Total Cost $________ Zone(s) to run in: J East J Midwest J West

Phone:_____________________________________Fax:__________________________________ Cell:__________________________________E-mail:_____________________________________ K I have enclosed a Check/Money Order K Please charge my credit card: K American Express K Discover KVisa K MasterCard Acct#:__________________________________________________________Exp.Date:_________ Signature:_______________________________________________________Date:____________ (MM/YY)

Required w/Credit Card Payment Only

Country Folks

GROWER SWEEPSTAKES

John Deere Gator 825: 4x4

Enter Now To Win A John Deere Gator!

3 Ways To Win!!!

Any of the forms below can also be brought to the Empire Fruit & Vegetable Expo in the Oncenter, Syracuse, NY January 24-26, 2012.

1

Buy a subscription to Country Folks

2

Name ______________________________________________ Business/Farm Name ____________________________________ Address _____________________________________________ City ___________________State _______________Zip Code ___________ PHONE (

RENEW

CANADIAN

Payment Method Check (#

1 YEAR

)

Cash

2 YEARS

Exp. Date __________

Acct. # Signature ___________________ Date _____________ Please fill out the optional questionnaire below. All information is confidential.

A. Do you grow vegetables? Acres: 1-3 3-10 Over 10 Beets Onions Tomatoes Broccoli Cabbage Celery Cauliflower Pumpkins Beans Potatoes Sweet Corn Cucumbers B. Do you grow fruit? Acres: 1-3 3-10 Over 10 Grapes Cherries Strawberries Peaches Apples Pears Cranberries Blueberries Melons Brambles C. Do you operate a greenhouse?

Sq. Ft. Up to 5,000 5-10,000 over 10,000 Bedding Plants Vegetables Foliage Plants Cut Flowers Potted Flower Plants Other D. Do you operate a nursery? Acres 1-3 3-10 Over 10 Wholesale Retail Christmas Trees Shade Trees Fruit Trees Mums Shrubs Perennials Herbs, Drieds, Cuts E. Other Crops F. Is there any aspect of horticulture that you would like to see more of in Country Folks Grower?

PAYMENT RECEIVED BY: _____________________DATE ____________

5 EASY WAYS TO PLACE A COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER CLASSIFIED AD

Name Co./Farm Name

it in - Just give Peggy 1.Phone a call at 1-800-836-2888 - For you MasterCard,Visa, 2.Fax it inAmerican Express or

Discover customers...

Fill out the form attached completely and fax to Peggy at (518) 673-2381 Mail it in. Fill out the attached form, calculate the cost, enclose your check or credit card information and mail to: Country Folks Grower Classifieds PO Box 121, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428

3.

FORR BESTT RESULTS,, RUNN YOURR ADD FOR TWOO ISSUES!

E-mail your ad to 4. classified@leepub.com 5.Use our forms on our web site, www.cfgrower.com.The forms will calculate your charges for you. All you have to do is fill out the form and submit!

Cost per edition: $8.00 for the first 14 words, 30¢ each additional word.

(Phone #’s count as one word) # of issues to run______ Total Cost $___________

This Sweepstakes 3 Mail in Entry Form

_ _ _

$8.60

$8.00

$8.30

$8.90

$9.20 $10.10

$9.50

$9.80

$10.40

$10.70

$11.00

$11.30

$11.60

$11.90

$12.20

$12.50

$12.80

$13.10

$13.40

$13.70

If you have used equipment for sale, ask about our group of weekly farm newspapers that cover from Maine to North Carolina.

Signature_______________________Date________ Payment Method

Acct#________________________Exp. Date______ Name:______________________________________ (Print)______________________________________ Address:____________________________________ City:_____________________St.:______Zip:_______

Address

_ _

City

_

State Phone( E-Mail Birth Date

Zip ) /

_ _ _ / _

Entries must be dated before June 1st, 2012. Employees & relatives of employees of Lee Publications Inc., John Deere, Zahn & Matson are not eligible. Must be 18 years of age.

Mail to Country Folks Grower, PO Box 121, Palatine Bridge NY 13428

February 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST - Page 29

NEW

) _____________

Place a Classified Ad in Country Folks

Tall fescue helps protect peach trees from nematodes Planting tall fescue grass as a ground cover in peach orchards helps protect peach trees from nematodes that attack tree roots, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists.

In a study published in the Journal of Nematology in 2010, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) plant pathologists Andy Nyczepir at the Southeastern Fruit and Tree Nut Research Lab-

oratory in Byron, GA, and Susan Meyer at the Nematology Laboratory in Beltsville, MD, tested several tall fescue varieties to find out if they could thwart four troublesome root-knot nematode species — Meloidogyne incognita, M. hapla, M. javanica, and M. arenaria.

ARS is USDA’s principal intramural scientific research agency, and the research supports the USDA priority of

promoting international food security.

In the study, Nyczepir and Meyer found that a commercial tall fescue, MaxQ, prevented M. incognita and M. hapla from reproducing. M. javanica has a low level of reproduction on MaxQ, but M. arenaria can reproduce on it.

Traditionally, growers have fumigated peach orchard soils prior to planting and then used a nematode-resistant

rootstock. But in recent years, growers have faced tough times that have made it difficult to afford preplant fumigants, such as Telone II or Vapam. Many growers also have difficulty fumigating at the recommended time of year because of conflicts with managing other crops.

In Georgia, rotation with coastal Bermuda grass, which can also be harvested for hay, is recommended for con-

growers to reduce the use of chemical ånematicides.

Preliminary data from the team’s field trials using MaxQ as a preplant cover crop have so far found that peach trees planted after the cover crop are larger than those planted in soil that is not fumigated.

trol of root-knot nematode. According to Nyczepir, their studies show that MaxQ may have potential as a preplant control strategy for M. incognita and M. hapla in southeastern and northeastern areas of the United States. Using this tall fescue as a preplant cover crop treatment may allow

Page 30 - COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST • February 2012

Wisconsin Nursery Association slates Winter Workshop A wide variety of topics will be discussed at the upcoming Winter Workshop, the Wisconsin Nursery Association’s largest educational event of the year. The all-day event returns to the Country Springs Hotel in Waukesha on Thursday, Feb. 16.

Dave Wanninger kicks things off at 8:30 a.m., right after a continental breakfast and registration. Dave is the Horticulturist in Charge at Boerner Botanical Gardens, but you probably know of him from his years at Beaver Creek Nursery and Klehm’s Song Sparrow Farm. He also operated a landscaping company, was the nursery manager at a large garden center and has taught horticulture classes for many years at Blackhawk Technical College.

Calling on his extensive experience with ornamentals, Wanninger will be talking about his “Five Favorite Plants — Some Good Woodies for Wisconsin.”

Social media for some is akin to foreign language. However, when you own your own business you must speak the language of commerce and nowadays, that includes social media. Shane Fell will answer all of your questions and more in his presentation, “Social Media — Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn: How They Fit in Your Marketing Strategy.”

Shane is the vice president of Business Development for Top Floor

Technologies and will enlighten us on how social media can work for you. He’ll be speaking at 9:15 a.m.

Then George Radtke, co-owner of W. & E. Radtke Inc. and Michael Yanny, plant propagator at Johnson’s Nursery, will team up to give an update on NR 40. Both men are members of the Species Assessment Group (SAG) Committee and will report on Wisconsin’s Invasive Species Identification, Classification and Control Rule, as to what has been deemed “prohibited” and “restricted,” and how these decisions impact the green industry in the state.

Dr. R. Chris Williamson returns to Winter Workshop with a presentation about “Insects in the Nursery.”

Williamson is an associate professor of entomology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he is an extension/research entomologist in urban landscape entomology including turfgrass (golf courses, lawns, athletic fields, and sod farms), nursery and landscape ornamentals, Christmas trees and greenhouses. He focuses his extension programming on IPM with alternative, non-pesticide control strategies including cultural and applied plant resistance.

Wanninger will return to the podium to present the candidates for Plant of the Year. Each year, the Plant of the

Year committee goes through an extensive list of top notch plants suggested by WNA members and by the committee members themselves. After much discussion, they put forward a field of four candidates in each cate-

gory — Perennial Plant of the Year and Woody Ornamental Plant of the Year. Wanninger will describe the attributes of these plants and then attendees are asked to vote for their favorites.

The plants with the

Wisconsin 31

Box 44, Adams, MA 01220 Phone (413) 743-2064 Fax (413) 743-2935 E-mail gromor@verizon.net Web www.gro-morent.com See videos of our seeders in operation on our Web site at www.gro-morent.com

SEE OUR NEW PRODUCT ON THE WEB PAVERPLACE.COM VISA, MASTERCARD, DISCOVER ACCEPTED

VIBRO HAND SEEDER® Model VHS-1 $55.00 U.S. Plus $17.00 S&H

Gas burners available to convert your SunDair from oil to LP or Natural gas

GRO MOR WAND SEEDER® Model TM-1 $598.00 plus S&H - call for ship quote TM-2 $275.00 plus $17.00 S&H; Vacuum Adaptor Package; TM-3 $389.00 plus $17.00 S&H Venturi Pump Package PLUG PUSHER™ Model PP-1 Available in 512 PT, 384, 406, 392, 288, 200, 128 and custom sizes. $38.00 U.S. plus $17.00 S&H We can ship up to 3 Plug Pushers for the $17.00 S&H charge.

Wisconsin from 30 most votes in each category will be the 2014 Plant of the Year selections, allowing for a two-year window to give nurseries plenty of time to stock the plants. The winners are announced

at the end of the Workshop.

After a hot lunch buffet, at which WNA will hold its General Membership Meeting and receive an update from ANLA Sen. Ed Knapton,

the day’s events will continue with Dr. Brian Hudelson, director of the Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic of UWMadison. Hudelson will talk about “Diseases in the Nursery.” Hudelson,

Quality Since 1983

Network of Service

WHOLESALE * RETAIL PRIVATE LABEL * VALUE ADDED CONTRACT PACKAGING 100% JUICES & CIDERS ** NO SUGAR ADDED WE MAKE OVER 600 PRODUCTS INCLUDING JAMS, JELLIES, SAUCES, RELISH, PICKLES & BAKERY ITEMS 105 Mitcham Circle, Tiger, GA 30576 www.hillsideorchard.com

See Us At MAFVE,, Booth h 111 1 & NAFDM,, Booth h 24

aka “Dr. Death” because of his interest in plant diseases, received his doctorate in plant pathology.

Finally, two new features take center stage.

Winter Workshop surveys indicated that attendees want to learn from each other and so the Nursery Spotlight and the Gadget/New Idea Spotlight was added to the schedule.

In the Nursery Spotlight, a state operation

will be examined in a short presentation. Pioneering this feature will be Jason Jacobs, who happens to be on the WNA Board of Directors and is the Nursery and Production Manager for Northern Christmas Trees & Nursery. Get to know Jason and Northern in this inaugural Nursery Spotlight.

Then come prepared to share your best gadget or time-saving idea with the group at the

Keep your produce cool and fresh for less New patent pending technology cools your walk-in or insulated room to 35 degrees with just a Window Air Conditioner • 10% of the up-front cost of a cooler compressor • Save up to 65% in electrical operating costs compared to same size cooler Order now and try CoolBot 30-Day * RISK-FREE TRIAL * 1-888-871-5723 • www.storeitcold.com

Alternative Refrigeration

Gadget/New Idea Spotlight. Do you have a gadget you can’t live without? Or maybe you’ve discovered something that saves you time, money, or aggravation? Share your find with the other attendees. You’re likely to go home with something new to try on the job.

Need encouragement?

Those who share their best idea will receive five more raffle tickets, which means a better chance at winning one of the fun raffle prizes.

The drawing for prize winners of the free raffle will close the day’s events at 3:55 p.m., directly after the Gadget/New Idea Spotlight.

The relaxed atmosphere of Winter Workshop provides great opportunities to collaborate with speakers and colleagues. Questions are encouraged, comments welcome, participation encouraged.

To register call 414529-4705.

February 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST - Page 31

Page 32 - COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER MIDWEST • February 2012

SAF welcomes new crop of officers, board, council members ALEXANDRIA, VA — The gavel of leadership for the Society of American Florists passed to a new president and officers during the association’s annual business meeting at SAF Palm Springs 2011. Beginning a two-year term as president is Robert Williams II, AAF, PFCI, of Smithers-Oasis Company, N.A., in Kent, Ohio.

After accepting the gavel from outgoing president Leo Roozen, AAF, Williams used his first official duty as SAF president to answer a question he said he hears regularly: “What has SAF done for me lately?” He described in detail the depth and scope of SAF's member services and made a strong pitch for becoming active in the association. Williams said he realized the value of participating while at his first SAF convention. Impressed by the quality of the attendees and the program he recalled thinking, “‘If you want to get the most out of this, Bob, get involved. And if you want to make a difference — serve.’”

Serving with Williams on SAF’s Executive Committee are President-Elect Shirley Lyons, AAF, of Dandelions Flowers & Gifts in Eugene, OR; Treasurer Dwight Larimer, AAF, PFCI, of DESIGN MASTER color tool, inc., in Boulder, CO; and immediate past president Leo Roozen, AAF, of Washington Bulb Company, Inc., in Mt. Vernon, WA; who is now Board Chairman. SAF Executive Vice President and CEO Peter J. Moran also serves on the Executive Committee.

Newly-elected members of SAF’s Board of Directors began threeyear terms at the close of the SAF convention: Troy Lucht, Plant Source International & Malmborg's Inc., Rogers, MN; David Mitchell, AAF, Mitchell's Flowers, Orland Park, IL; and Shawn Seagroatt, Seagroatt Riccardi Ltd.; Latham, NY. The following newlyelected SAF Council Members also began their terms of service:

Growers Council Doug Cole, D.S Cole Growers Inc., Loudon, NH; Michael Klopmeyer, Ball Flora Plant, West Chicago, IL; and Winfred Van Wingerden, Maximum Nursery Inc., Carpinteria, CA.

Wholesalers Council Ardith Beveridge AAF, AIFD, CAFA, PFCI, Koehler & Dramm Institute of Floristry, Minneapolis, MN; David Gaul, AAF, D.W.F Wholesale Florists, Denver, CO; and Tom Hofeditz, Baisch &

Skinner Inc., St. Louis, MO. Retailers Council Seth Carey, Carey’s Flowers Inc., South Hadley, MA; Doug Fick, Broadway Floral Home and Garden, Portland, OR; and Tara Prior, Silver Fox Florist,

Westlake, Ohio.

The Society of American Florists is the leading organization representing all segments of the floral industry. SAF provides marketing, business and government services to more than 10,000 partici-

pants in the U.S. floral industry — including growers, wholesalers, retailers, importers, suppliers, independent designers, researchers, educators and students. The association celebrated its 125th Anniversary in 2009.

Make Plans Now to Attend the EMPIRE STATE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE EXPO and DIRECT MARKETING CONFERENCE Oncenter • Syracuse, NY

January 24-25-26 2012 LIMITED BOOTH SPACE AVAILABLE CALL TODAY!!

800-218-5586

NEW FOR 2012 • Third Day Added • NYS Flower Industries

TRADE SHOW ONLY ADMISSION $15 AT THE DOOR

Don’t Miss These Exhibitors . . .

2012 SESSIONS WILL INCLUDE:

• Flower Production • Flower Marketing • Labor • Potatoes • Tree Fruit • Tomatoes & Peppers • Cultural Controls • Direct Marketing • Pesticide Safety • Vine Crops • Leafy Greens • Cover Crops • Soil Health • Reduce Tillage • Berry Crops • Cabbage • Cole Crops • Food Safety • Onions • Garlic • Peas & Snap Beans • Greenhouse & Tunnels • Pesticide Safety • Sweet Corn

Acadian AgriTech • 910 Adams County Nursery, Inc • 115 Advanced Sprayer & Water Tech • 931, 932, 933, 934 Agraquest, Inc • 705 Agricultural Data Systems, Inc • 602 Agrisolar Solutions NA • 813, 815 Agro-One Soils Lab • 421 Amaizeingly Green Value Products, ULC • 108 American Takii, Inc • 709 Andre & Son, Inc / Nature Safe • 114 Applied Agricultural Technologies • 214 Arctic Refrigeration Co. • 518 BASF - The Chemical Company • 402 Bayer Crop Science • 201, 300 BCS Shop • 325, 424 BDI Machinery • 403, 405 Bejo Seeds, Inc • 320 Belle Terre Irrigation, LLC • 519, 521, 523 Biagro Western Sales • 700 Blackberry Patch • 106 Burgess Baskets • 107 Business Lease Consultants, Inc • 604 Carovail • 939 CAS Pack Corporation • 103 Chemtura Agro Solutions • 208 Clifton Seed Co • 303 Community Bank, NA • 924 Community Markets • 200 Compac Sorting Equipment • 423, 425, 522, 524 Conklin Agro Vantage • 806 Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison Co • 622 Cornell Pesticide Management Education Program • 804 Cornell University-NYSAES • 100 CropCare Equipment by Paul B LLC • 719, 721, 816, 818 Crop Production Services • 600 Country Folks Grower • 1014 Dow Agro Sciences • 606 DuBois Agrinovation, Inc • 503 DuPont Crop Protection • 909, 911 Durand-Wayland • 205 Empire Tractor • 117, 119, 121, 216, 218, 220 Farm Family Life & Casualty Insurance Co • 101 Farmer’s Choice Foods • 915 FB Pease • 102 Fidelity Paper • 219

Finger Lakes Community Health • 936 Fingerlakes Construction Co • 800 Fingerlakes Trellis Supply • 605, 607 Food Bank Assoc of NYS • 504 Friends of Natural Gas • 811 Frontlink, Inc • 941, 942 Gowan Company • 501 Grimes Horticulture • 304 Growers Mineral Solutions • 319 Growers Supply • 217 Growth Products • 210 GVM, Inc • 723, 725, 820, 822 Hansen-Rice, Inc • 904 Harris Seeds • 901 Haygrove Tunnels, Inc • 307 Hill & Markes, Inc • 808 Hillside Cultivator Co., LLC • 301 Hillside Orchard Farms • 419 InterCrate Inc • 603 IPM Laboratories, Inc • 112 J&M Industries, Inc • 703 Kepner Equipment, Inc • 1005, 1006 Koppert Biological Systems • 805 Kube Pak Corp • 706 Lambert Peat Moss, Inc • 938 Lansing Sales & Service, Inc • 929 Lee Shuknecht & Sons, Inc • 906 Lucas Greenhouses • 520 Maier Farms • 305 Mankar Ultra Low Volume Sprayers • 1000 Marrone Bio Innovations • 701 MAS Labor H-2A, LLC • 203 Mid-Lantic Labeling & Packaging • 903 Mike Weber Greenhouses, Inc • 809 Miller Chemical & Fertilizer Corp. • 316 Monte Package Company • 206 N. M. Bartlett, Inc • 801, 803, 900, 902 Natural Forces, LLC • 221 Natural Industries • 321 New York Center for Agricultural Medicine & Health-NYCAMH • 623 Niagara Label Co., Inc • 925 Nichino America, Inc • 506 Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York • 109 Nourse Farms, Inc • 707 NTI Global • 1001

NY DOL - Rural Employment • 122 NY Farm Viability Institute • 921 NYS Department of Ag & Markets • 1013 NYS Department of Ag & Markets-Crop Insurance Education • 204 NYS Flower Industry • 111 NYS Vegetable Growers Association • 950 O. A. Newton • 819, 821, 920, 922 OESCO, Inc • 525, 624 Oro Agri Inc • 202 Paige Equipment Sales & Service, Inc • 711, 713, 810, 812 PCA - Supply Services • 418 Penn Scale Manufacturing Co • 116 Pennsylvania Service & Supply, Inc • 937 Phil Brown Welding Corp. • 323 ProducePackaging.com® • 502 RE & HJ McQueen • 209, 211, 213, 215, 308, 310, 312, 314 Reed’s Seeds • 407 Rockford Package Supply • 302 Rupp Seeds, Inc • 406 Seedway, LLC • 318 Siegers Seed Company • 400 Sinknmore Div - Polyjohn Enterprises Corp • 618 Spectrum Technologies, Inc • 625 Stanley Paper Co., Inc • 917 Stark Bro’s Nurseries & Orchards Co • 207 Stoke Seeds, Inc • 401 Stokes Blueberry Farms & Nursery • 212 Storage Control Systems • 420, 422 Summit Tree Sales • 507 Suterra, LLC • 505 Syngenta • 702, 704 Targit Sales Associates, LLC • 807 Tew Manufacturing Corp • 935 The Horticultural Society • 907 Tompkins Insurance Agencies • 950 Treen Box & Pallet • 919 Tuff Automation • 802 USDA NY Agricultural Statistics Service • 113 Valent U.S.A. Corp • 306 Van Ernst Refrigeration • 620 VirtualOne • 500 Wafler Nursery • 404 Wessels Farms • 601 W. H. Milikowski, Inc • 722, 724 White’s Farm Supply, Inc • 619, 621, 718, 720

For trade show and exhibiting information, please contact Dan Wren, Lee Trade Shows, P.O. Box 121, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428 800-218-5586 or e-mail dwren@leepub.com

For Registration Information go to https://nysvga.org/expo/register/ For Exhibitor Information go to www.leetradeshows.com

The 2012 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo is sponsored by: New York State Vegetable Growers Association Empire State Potato Growers New York State Berry Growers Association New York State Farmers’ Direct Marketing Association

New York State Horticultural Society Cornell University Cornell Cooperative Extension NYS Flower Industries