First Fruit Tour for Spanish-speaking Employees

Tour Agenda:

Stop 1. 1:00-1:40pm: Kast Farms, 15159 Transit Church Rd., Albion, NY14411.  Viliulfo “Vilo” Rosario has more than 29 years of experience and currently co-owns an apple orchard with Kast Farms. He manages a block of Gala, NY2, and NY1 on M.26 rootstock at a planting density of 4x12ft. The entire 9 acres orchard was planted in the Fall of 2011. During the 2013 growing season the block experienced a fire blight epidemic and Vilo was forced to take out more than 250 trees. Trees were replanted in 2014. He has accumulated a significant amount of experience with fire blight recognition and disease management. Vilo will be sharing his experience dealing with fire blight pressure while pursuing his dream to become a successful apple grower.

Stop 2. 2:00-2:30pm. Lamont Fruit Farm Inc. - “On-Farm Nursery - Part I”. 13589 Albion Eagle Harbor Rd., Albion, NY14411. At this stop you will see a nursery planted in May of 2015 with the intention of growing these trees for two years in the nursery.  You will see traditional bench grafts that were grafted with a scion in April.  You will also compare the growth of sleeping eyes from Washington, and check out B.9 liners just days before they are budded.  We will have discussion on labor, nutrition, and machinery needed to make an on-farm nursery as successful as possible.

Stop 3. 2:45-3:15pm. Lamont Fruit Farm Inc. - “On-Farm Nursery - Part II”. 2532 Yates Carlton Townline Rd., Albion, NY14411. Come see the finished product.  Nursery trees in the second year.  Here we will discuss branching, training and trellis systems for nursery trees.  Nursery tools and machinery will be on hand.  Plenty of opportunity to discuss pros and cons of growing your own trees.

Stop 4. 3:20-3:45pm. Perez Farms. 2112 Townline Rd., Waterport, NY14571. Jose Perez came to NY as an orchard worker in 1994 and rapidly positioned himself as a key and reliable Spanish-speaking employee. Today he oversees 160 acres of fruit production for another apple grower and recently started his own apple high density plantings in 2013. At this stop you will see a 12 acre planting of Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji on B.9 rootstock planted in 2013 and 2014. There will also be two NY2 orchards on M.9T337 rootstock planted in 2014 and 2015. Jose Perez will be sharing his experience with drainage issues, clearing of the new property, deer fence installation, and overall management of the new established orchards.

Stop 5. 4:15-5:00pm. Lamont Fruit Farms, Inc. 12703 Stillwater Rd., Waterport, NY14571. Jose Iniguez came to the U.S. and began working as a picker in Mattawa, WA, and then moved to New York in 1994. Today he is production manager, partner, and a critical component of the innovative production team at this farm. At this stop you will hear: (1) the pros and cons of using reflective groundcover fabrics to improve light within tree fruit, and (2) the implementation of mechanical summer pruning with a very narrow fruiting wall and super spindle trees with 8 cultivars.  

After the discussion on management of super spindle trees tour participants will be served food and beverages by Lamont Fruit Farm.