FUNDED PROJECT RESULTS

OFRF funding was awarded for this project in Spring 2008.

Midwest Apple Producers Receive Season-long Mentoring
Via Conference Calls

The Apple Grower Hour

Coordinator: Lisa DiPietro, The Wisconsin Eco Apple Project, University of Wisconsin Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems
Stakeholders: Eastern U.S. and in particular Upper Midwest organic apple producers

Summary
Due to their susceptibility to an astonishing number of pests, apples are considered by many to be one of the "final frontiers" of organic agriculture. Most university research and Extension personnel contend that it is nearly impossible to profitably grow organic apples east of the Rockies.

While growing organic apples for market in the Upper Midwest is challenging, organic agriculturalists need to counteract the general supposition that it is not even worth trying. Organic apple growers need more help to succeed and conventional growers need more proof to be convinced that growing apples organically can be a winning game. In this project, a mentoring opportunity was provided to Upper Midwest apple producers to help accomplish this aim.

In the summer of 2008, OFRF sponsored The Apple Grower Hour, a series of free regional community conference calls with expert organic apple grower Michael Phillips with adjunct consultation from Wisconsin apple IPM specialist John Aue. Calls were targeted to commercial apple growers in the Upper Midwest with intermediate to advanced orchard management skills and were scheduled weekly from April 24 through August 28.

On the archive page visitors can browse the summaries and select calls to listen to. Instructions are available on the web page. Or, to bypass your computer and dial the Apple Grower Hour archives direct, call (641) 715-3800, then enter the access code: 95226. From there, a menu allows you to select calls by the week.

A final report on this project was submitted in December 2008.