February 2021 - 10

Growers' group builds own research facility
By Stephen Kloosterman
Associate Editor
Most asparagus growers in westcentral
Michigan also grow tree fruit,
and it is no coincidence that the new
horticultural research station built in
that region is located near the Michigan
Asparagus Research Farm.
The Earl & Linda Peterson West Central
Michigan Research & Extension Center, a
$1.5 million project of the nonprofit West
Central Michigan Horticultural Research
Inc., in January was nearing completion of
the buildings and grounds, and getting up
and running.
The next phase of the project -
building the farm - is beginning, with a
deer fence being constructed during the
2020-2021 winter and a new planting of
apple trees being planned for 2022.
The facility, part of Michigan State
University (MSU) AgBioResearch, is
located at 5185 N. Oceana Drive in
Hart, Michigan. The station is located
on 68 acres adjoining the north side of
the Michigan Asparagus Research Farm
in Oceana County, where the group
would also serve growers in Mason and
Newaygo counties. The group is inking
a deal with the Michigan Asparagus
Advisory board and the two groups will
share equipment and staff to operate the
two efforts.
The collaboration between asparagus
and tree fruit interests in the region is
a natural fit for local growers, most of
whom grow both crops.
" We're basically all the same people, "
said the group's president, Andy Riley, a
grower at Riley Orchards in Mears.
While the project is for and largely
led by growers, it's become something
of a community effort with others in
The research station's 68 acres adjoins the Michigan Asparagus Research Farm.
Photos: Peterson Farms
crisp and Sweet!
RED GARNET - Triploid
83 Day, Oval, 16-20 lbs | Gowan Exclusive
Prolific yielder! Deep red, very firm and
sweet. Proven to be a very adaptable
variety in Eastern and Western US.
Strong seedling vigor with a vigorous
plant that produces uniform size and
shaped fruit throughout its extended
harvest. Preferred dark green crimson
stripe exterior and strong rind is
excellent for 45 count bin shipping.
IR:Fon:1
EPIPHANY
74-75 Day, Sh2 Bicolor
Elevated Nirvana with the same unique
flavor and texture but improved with
rust resistance, higher ear placement
for ease of harvest, and larger barrel.
NEW
You and your customers will be saying
" Wow " after the first bite!
HR:Et, MDMV, PS: RpGFJ
NEW
DAMARIS
78-80 Day, Eastern Hybrid ESL, 5-6 lbs
New generation melon that is firm and
sweet. Extended shelf life that can slip
when harvested more like an Eastern
shipper. Excellent quality for local and
shipping markets. Superior yielding
capable of 3-4 harvests. Seed available
in March.
HR:Px:2US, Fom:0-2, MNSV
IR:Ag, Px:3.5, T:S
NEW
JACINTO
Mid-late, 11x1.25 " Imperator
Superior quality roots that are smooth,
straight, sweet and tapered to a blunt
tip. The root exterior is dark orange
with an indistinct core. Strong, erect,
dark green foliage with a small
attachment. Excellent for fresh market
cello, bunching and processing slicer.
Gowan Regional Exclusive!
IR: Ad, Eh
To order or request a 2021 Gowan Seed catalog,
contact your regional sales consultant today:
Jamie Scholten
616-201-9889
jscholten@gowanseed.com
MI, Ontario, Canada
Jay Ruwet
315-730-4448
jruwet@gowanseed.com
CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT
Jason Williamson
260-433-8750
jwilliamson@gowanseed.com
IA, IL, IN, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI
Derek Levy
912-433-4752
dlevy@gowanseed.com
NC, SC, Eastern GA
10 | VegetableGrowersNews.com
Josh Heller
717-940-5440
jheller@gowanseed.com
DE, MD, NJ, PA
the greater produce industry, local
community and regional apple business
taking an interest in the project's success.
The Community Foundation of Oceana
County, the Fremont Foundation and the
Oceana County Road Commission have
all donated to the effort. There are too
many donors to name, but they include
Greenstone Farm Credit, the Michigan
Apple Committee, the Michigan Tree
Fruit Commission, the Michigan State
Horticultural Society and Materne North
America Corp., a local company that
specializes in squeezable food pouches,
called GoGo squeeZ.
Riley credited board member Richard
Raffaelli, the chief operating officer for
Shelby, Michigan's Peterson Farms for
being the driving force behind the project.
" I would like to thank him for his role
and his leadership, and his ability to bring
all industry groups together so we're able
to accomplish this together, " Riley said.
Besides the main facility, there will
be an equipment barn, antique tractor
pavilion, pesticide building and a
bunkhouse. Trails, gardens, a gazebo
and an outdoor meeting space will lend
the location to school visits and other
community events and trade meetings.
The indoor meeting area seats 220.
" We are going to rent out the facility to
receive incremental revenue, " Raffaelli said.
" We need this venture to be sustainable. "
Fundraising also continues. Operating
costs are budgeted at about $35,000 per
year, he said. The project is about $160,000
short of finishing an irrigation system.
The facility will have three parttime
staff: a farm manager, assistant
farm manager and MSU faculty station
coordinator, who have yet to be named
publicly. The area's Michigan State
Extension educator and researcher, David
Jones, left the area about a year ago to
live closer to family, Riley said, and the
growers are continuing to negotiate with
MSU to receive a replacement for Jones.
While there are several other MSU
research stations in the state, growers
in the three-county region say growing
conditions are much different than
the other regions. The soils are sandier
than the Fruit Ridge area in Sparta,
Michigan, and, of course, the area is at a
higher latitude than fruit and vegetable
growers in the southeast part of the
state. The sandier soils are good for
growing asparagus and have even been
found effective for avoiding bitter pit in
Some members of the West Central
Michigan Horticultural Research board,
from left, Andy Riley, Caleb Coulter,
David Rennhack and Gerrit Herrygers.
Not pictured: Mike VanAgtmael, Richard
Raffaelli, Doug Buhler, Nichole Wilcox and
Chris Alpers. Photo: Mason County Press
Honeycrisp, Riley has said.
Variety and rootstock trials are an
objective for horticultural research,
and the Midwest Apple Improvement
Association - developers of the Evercrisp
and Ludacrisp apples - is among the
donors. Riley said that Michigan doesn't
have an apple breeding program, and
cherry breeder Amy Iezzoni, an MSU
horticulturalist since 1981, plans to retire
soon. A few studies were conducted at the
site in the last year on existing stands of
pears and cherries, and peaches harvested
on the acreage were sold, Raffaelli said.
The Michigan Asparagus Research
Farm for years has conducted trials of
varieties and disease, weed and pest
research. Research findings are published
and presented each year at Asparagus Day,
a trade event held in Hart in mid-March.
" The success of asparagus in our area
is just as important as the apples aspect, "
Riley said. VGN
Andy Riley speaks during a farm tour held
by the International Fruit Tree Association in
February 2020. Photo: Stephen Kloosterman
The facility was named for Earl and Linda
Peterson.
http://www.VegetableGrowersNews.com
February 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2021
