The Fruit Growers News

The International Dwarf Fruit Tree Association (IDFTA) toured six Michigan orchards and facilities, prompting discussion of new techniques, equipment and economics. Tour participants viewed a variety of dwarf trees and planting systems and discussed debudding and pruning techniques.

Royal J Klein Farms

Stopping at Royal J Klein Farms in Sparta, IDFTA members learned about dwarfed sweet cherry plantings and techniques of pruning. The farm owner, Joe Klein, is the second-generation operator of Royal J Klein Farms in Sparta. His father, Royal, 85, and his son, Joe, are also involved with the farming operations. They have 265 acres in fruit tree production including apples and sweet cherries.

IDFTA members looked at the Kleins’ dwarfed sweet cherry plantings that have been put in the last three years. The rootstocks are the Giesla strains numbers 5, 6 and7’s. The Kleins basically work with a central leader system.

On Klein’s farm, IDFTA members were able to ask questions of researchers who had presented findings in the educational sections of the conference. The researchers included Jim Nugent, Northwest Michigan Extension Agent, Greg Lang, Michigan State University (MSU); Lynn Long, Oregon State Cooperative Extension and Martin Balmer, Staatliche Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt Ahrweiler, Germany.

Long told growers that they need to think about how to keep the trees invigorated once they start to slow down. The researchers also discussed the need to debud trees in order to produce better fruit.

Klein said they plan to make the trees available for a u-pick operation in the 2001 season. The Kleins have paid close attention to ground floor management in order to make the planting enjoyable for consumers.

“We have tried to keep our trees to 10 feet in height, having our help pick the top of the trees,” said Klein. “We are trying to gear toward ease of picking for our customers. If they walk through and it is easy picking, perhaps they will come back.”

The plantings are at an 8 by 17-foot spacing and they have several varieties planted. In 1998 they planted their first two acres of 500 trees. Varieties included Sama, Heidelfingen, Hudson and Hartland. Another 500 trees of Ulster, Hudston and a few others were planted in 1999. Last year they added two more acres of 500 trees of Schmits, Sweethearts and other varieties.

Bruce and Joe Rasch Farms

Bruce and Joe Rasch are brothers that have been growing apples all their lives through family farming operations. In 1984, they formed their own partnership and began planting the newest varieties on high density training systems. In total, they operate about 600 acres of apples each year.

Over the years IDFTA tours have visited various plantings of Bruce and Joe’s. During the tour IDFTA members looked at plantings where they moved away from the double V system. This block is a simple, single row Vertical Axe with two wires and bamboo stakes at each tree. The rootstocks are B9 and M9. These brothers are known for their plantings of new apple varieties and this block is no exception. Varieties include Gala, Jonagold, Fuji and Braeburn. The row spacing is 14 feet by 5 feet for a tree density of about 620 trees per acre.

They purchased the land, which had never had apples planted on it before, in 1996. The block was planted in 1997, with a few trees planted in 1999.

Phil Brown Welding

IDFTA tour attendees met with Phil Brown, an equipment engineer, of Phil Brown Welding and asked him questions about design and tool adaptation. Brown provided insight to equipment design and answered questions on tool development possibilities.

One of the more valuable suppliers of equipment in the West Michigan area (and beyond), is Phil Brown Welding. Opening his shop doors to the tour, Brown displayed and discussed a wide variety of fruit harvest and care-related equipment. The Brownie, a three-wheeled swing boom, was a popular piece of equipment with members of the tour. Also on display were a wide variety of economy lifts, a tree planter, a heavy duty brush pusher, a box shuttle, a mini box shuttle, a mechanical bulk loader, and much more.

Phil started a small welding shop about 35 years ago. His dad was a fruit grower and the items he worked on and built were out of necessity for their family farm. Neighboring fruit producers heard of Phil’s talents and brought their business needs to him. As the business grew, he moved it to a small blue pole barn near his home on 8 Mile Road, northwest of Grand Rapids, in the heart of the “Fruit Ridge” growing area. In 1972, his business had outgrown that area and he built an even larger building across the road.

“I started building for my dad and then the neighbors, and then it kind of got out of hand.” said Brown.

Many U.S. fruit producers are familiar with Phil Brown Welding, including the Brownie tree trimmers, brush sweepers and box shuttles. They also manufacture and build box rotators and bow dumpers in four or five different versions. Their latest equipment includes the extended disk mower and the clean sweep spray boom.

Today, Phil Brown Welding continues to be a family-run business. His wife Dorothy assists him in day-to-day office oversight and sons Brian and David help on the floor and with product development and repair. His daughter, Melissa is also involved with the company.

In the past Phil has received the Michigan Apple Pomesters Fruit Person of the Year Award and the Michigan State Horticulture Society’s Industry Award.

Kropf Fruit Company

Stopping at Kropf Fruit Company in Belding, the tour enjoyed a catered lunch and tour of the large packing facility. Hosted by company owner, Roger Kropf, tour participants learned about the packing facility and its construction.

Kropf told IDFTA members that the storage area was built for about $5/bushel storage space. The facility tour included views of an active packing line, CA storage facility and export cooling area.

Kropf’s packing plant, built in 1993, has an automated packing line that can pack several grades and package sizes at one time. The plant also features a large storage facility and a cold storage loading prep area, which is important in the packing of export materials.

Kropf Orchards is a fourth generation fruit producing operation now totaling 2,000 acres. IDFTA members visited the Hart Farm and the newest planting behind Kropf’s new packing plant near Belding.

Chris Kropf showed IDFTA members a wide variety of training systems for the trees. The Hart Farm was planted mostly in 1990 and purchased by Kropf’s in 1997. Much of the farm is a trellised high-density French Axe system on Bud 9 and M9 rootstocks. There are some freestanding trees here also. “Bamboo was a reasonable way to get started,” said Kropf. “But, the crop was too strong for the bamboo.”

The planting behind the packing plant includes a variety of training systems. The basic system is a French Axe with a variety of trellis systems. The systems include a two wire with bamboo system and a three wire system with one wire.

Kropf’s also have a trial planting of a Super Slender Spindle system with a 9-wire trellis. Varieties at both stops include Gingergold, Gala, Jonagold and Golden Delicious.

Klackle Orchards

Steve Klackle and his wife Rosemary purchased the third generation fruit farm in 1979. The late Raymond Klackle Sr. purchased this orchard site in Greenville in 1969 from Ore-Ida Foods.

Klackle discussed the economics of producing fruit in tough times with tour attendees. “It is necessary for every grower to know their growing operation’s economic position in today’s fruit industry,” said Klackle. “What to plant what to pull is just one of the decisions that need to be made. Change is eminent, as it is in every industry. The survivor will be the business that embraces and adapts the changes for their benefit.”

Last year there were about 330 acres in production. Steve has recently removed 30 acres for total production acreage of 300 acres for the 2001 season. The farm also features a retail farm stand with sales focused on fall entertainment. This year, the retail operation will feature a corn maze in an area where he has removed an older block of trees.

IDFTA members saw the progression of plantings that were visited during the last summer IDFTA tour in 1996, when they were just planted. Much of Steve’s high density plantings are on a three wire Vertical Axe system with a tree density of 520 trees per acre. He also has some V systems with double rows where the tree density is 1,040 trees per acre.

The newer apple plantings include varieties such as Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Jonathan and Gala. Currently, new plantings are on hold for Klackle, who has invested $500,000 or more since 1992. In that time he has planted 111 acres.

Klackle said that working with a banker that is not dependent on cash flow is important for growers in trying times. Having recently changed bankers, he suggested growers find an assets-oriented banking organization.

Tom Rasch and Son Orchards

Tom Rasch is a fourth generation farmer started by his father, Tom Rasch Sr. There are about 170 planted acres of apples on the farm with about 50% of it in high-density plantings.

Leading the discussion at the Rasch orchard was the recent Apogee trials conducted on the farm. Trials resulted in a 50% reduction in shoot growth, according to Rasch. Rasch told growers on the tour that the use of Apogee, a plant growth regulator, provided considerable savings both in winter and summer pruning costs. Rasch has done some extensively preliminary testing of Apogee, including more than 7-1/2 acres with various treatments of Apogee last year.

The plant growth regulator resulted in thicker wood with the same amount of shoots as untreated wood. Rasch said Apogee improved fruit color through improved sunlight, giving overall higher quality fruit on the treated trees.

Phil Schwallier, MSU Extension agent, coordinated the trial with Rasch and BASF.

Rasch uses various training systems including double row freestanding as well as with stakes for support. He also uses a modified Axe system with multi-wire and single wire trellis systems.

Their rootstocks include MARK, M9, M106, and Bud 9. In recent years, Rasch has put in a lot of new plantings to keep up with current market demands for new varieties. Varieties planted include: Gingergold, Ruby Jon, Jonagold and Gala. He said he likes to choose the redder strains of newer varieties whenever he can. There is even a variety testing orchard on this farm with two to three trees of over 80 different varieties. This test orchard also has many different dwarfing rootstocks in it that are being monitored.

Rasch’s philosophy is to let the tree do its own training if it can. He usually finds that two-thirds to three-quarters of the tree grows into its own training system by the fourth leaf. He feels this can be achieved with the tree’s own fruit pulling down limbs and keeping the tree size in check.

Local Extension agents consider Tom to be one of the top apples growers in Michigan. He consistently gets annual cropping by paying attention to horticultural details like sunlight penetration, thinning, proper nutrition levels, and irrigation to achieve annual cropping.