Jan 10, 2012

2012 Orchard and Vineyard Show coming to Acme, Mich.

The 2012 Orchard and Vineyard Show, January 24 to 25, will be held at the Grand Traverse Resort in Acme, Michigan. The concurrent wine grape session will be held on January 24, and tree fruit topics will be offered on both days.

Steve Hoying, Senior Extension Associate from Cornell University, will share his expertise in apple and cherry training systems with an emphasis on new high-density orchards. Bernard Zandstra, MSU Department of Horticulture, will address weed management in both the tree fruit and wine grape sessions. George Sundin will speak on tree fruit diseases with special attention on resistance issues in cherry leaf spot, American brown rot, and apple scab. Mark Whalon will be on hand to talk about the potential new invasive insect pests of tree fruit.

January 25, Cherry Marketing Institute (CMI) will host its annual meeting, and will feature speakers that will showcase the work of the Institute over the past year. This session will run from 9 to 12. The CMI luncheon on Wednesday is free to growers that register with CMI. The afternoon will feature presentations on pollination in tree fruit, a new web-based cost of production tool and an IPM workbook for tart cherry growers. Ron Perry will be presenting his work on the importance of mounding Honeycrisp apple trees.

The wine grape session of the show will be held on January 24. Matt Grieshop and Rufus Isaacs will be presenting their new work on the cover crop trial in wine grapes. There will also be a presentation on how cover crops reduce vine vigor and improve fruit quality. Susan Cocciarelli will convene a new topic on how to improve relationships between agricultural entities, such as wineries, and bank lenders. Zandstra will be presenting his work on herbicides in vineyards, and Annemiek Schilder will speak to diseases and her latest research on fungicides for disease management. Tom Zabadal will round out the day with a presentation on the importance of pruning.

The exhibit hall will be open throughout the show and will feature vendors of orchard and vineyard equipment as well as supplies, commodity organizations, and more. A wine tasting and hors d’oeuvre social hour will follow the educational sessions on January 24.

For more information, please contact the NW MI Horticultural Research Station at (231) 946-1510 or via email.