February 2020 - 28

NOTES FROM THE FARM
Book has successful launch; products, tools help out
JERRY MILLS
Mills Apple Farm
jerry@millsapplefarm.com
us who have stores to keep our harvests
fresh longer until needed in the store, or
for cider.
I did not see the booth until we were
leaving, but I think it needs looking into.
The website is www.jmt-us.com.
Tool of the month: A one-bladed
Happy days! I was at the Great Lakes
Fruit, Vegetable & Farm Market EXPO
in Grand Rapids in early December to
help launch my new book, " Notes from
the Farm, " a compilation of my columns
published in the Fruit Growers News
and Vegetable Growers News since 2004.
It was great fun and the high point of my
life as a writer.
A percentage of book sales will go the
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's
Disease Research. It would be nice to raise
a ton of money before we all die.
I wish I had the energy to make the
rounds of all the other winter meetings.
Peddling books for a great cause is a good
excuse for traveling, but the real joy is
meeting other growers and making new
friends. There were many in Michigan.
Quite a few folks at the Michigan
event purchased copies of the book
as Christmas presents for their older
friends and family. I know they will enjoy
it. Young'uns could learn something
too. For ordering information, click
on the promotion for the book on the
Vegetable Growers News website, www.
www.vegetablegrowersnews.com.
Best " new " product at the show. A
controlled atmosphere bulk bin system
presented by JMT US LLCC. It actually
has been around a long time but was
new to me.
I doubt if any small grower has the
ability to store fruit much past March
or April without spoilage. It appears to
me that this system would allow those of
tree topper for bringing down trees
with vertical limbs too large for the
regular hedger.
Actually, this is a reprise of a machine
I built 30 years ago. The boys put a cab
on the original tractor and we could not
use it after that. It has hung in the top of
the shop ever since.
The original version had a fivehorsepower
Briggs engine on one end
of a 10-foot bar and a 30-inch sawblade
on the other. Two long belts connected
the two. A long handle extended forward
so the operator could swing it back and
forth, cutting off growth as it moved.
This time, we removed the engine
and installed a hydraulic motor. Hoses
connect to the tractor system allow
control of the blade. A shield keeps
woodchips from hitting the operator.
This is obviously much cheaper than
the big commercial rigs but just as
effective though slower.
We had to remove a side door from
a tractor in order to operate the saw. A
little work but much easier than pruning
by hand and a heck of a lot faster.
I will try to include a photo next month.
Heroes in the night: One night at
2 a.m., I checked on family members
and saw my oldest son had just arrived
home. We have the app Life360 on our
iPhones. It allows us to keep track of
each other, regardless of where we are. In
fact, we can even zoom in and see what
room someone might be in at his or her
location. With the street view, we can
also check out the neighborhood. Ideal
Jerry Mills debuts his new book, " Notes From the Farm, " at the Great Lakes Fruit,
Vegetable & Farm Market EXPO in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Photo: Ana Olvera
for families with roaming children.
I texted him. " Where have you been?
" He replied. " Heart attack, CPR in
progress, on Lower Marine Road. "
Later that day the banker said he, too,
was there and the man eventually died.
Each member of our volunteer
fire department carries a small radio.
Whenever the department gets a 911 call,
everyone is paged. This way, they all know
what the emergency is, and where to go.
Some go to get trucks. Others go directly
to the scene. The emergency medical
technicians always respond, along with the
local ambulance service. The rest respond
according to the type of emergency.
Thanks to a continuous monthly
training program, each member knows
exactly what to do.
We have used our fire department's
services several times. It is a comfort
knowing they are well trained and
available, usually responding within just
a few minutes.
It is a comfort to me, too, to see where
my firefighters are. VGN
"
"
25 Years of columns written by beloved grower Jerry Mills
ORDER ONLINE:
www.fruitgrowersnews.com/book
$20 per copy
(Plus $7.95 shipping)
A portion of the proceeds from book sales will be donated to
the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.
Produced & Published By:
26 | VegetableGrowersNews.com
http://www.jmt-us.com http://www.vegetablegrowersnews.com http://www.fruitgrowersnews.com/book http://www.VegetableGrowersNews.com
February 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2020
