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Fruit Producers Are Expanding Their Crops
| Name | Howard Hiller | | Situation | Commercial apple producers in Oconee County and surrounding counties have been experiencing severe financial impacts on their commercial apple operations for the past several years. Increasing costs and complexity of equipment, chemicals and fertilizer along with competition from Washington, state and foreign countries are reducing options for our producers. Foreign imports of juice concentrate have essentially eliminated our market for juice apples. Very few Oconee County apples are now being packed and graded. There is pressure to do away with fresh cider due to food safety concerns. Equipment to pasteurize cider is expensive and the finished product is considered by many to be inferior to fresh cider. These factors, along with many others, have essentially shifted our growers to roadside stand operations. | | Response | Three years ago our apple committee suggested looking into some alternative crops that growers might pursue that would fit their operation and could utilize equipment already on hand. This would serve to increase sales by offering a wider variety of produce and a longer sale season. At the suggestion of our Extension fruit specialist, peaches were recommended as an additional crop to incorporate into the farm operations.
The summer of 2005 saw our first sales of peaches from growers. Now, every grower has at least a small block of trees planted. In order to refine peach production even further, a peach apple meeting was planned and held on February 26, 2008, in Walhalla for upstate apple and peach growers. Thirty-eight producers from South Carolina and Georgia attended. At the meeting, our fruit specialist conducted a session on looking further into peach varieties suggested to grow here. He concentrated on some recently released varieties including white varieties. There have been many new white peaches developed over the past few years that would do well here. No one has any white peaches planted here yet so this would be a good area to grow. Cultural practices would be the same as yellow peaches.
A field day has been set up at the Musser Fruit Research Farm at Clemson University on July 15 to look at and taste varieties of white peaches being tested there. Growers will get to see and taste many of the white peach varieties recommended. Additionally, they will get to see research on apples and other fruits being conducted at this time. Different pruning techniques will be observed and discussed so growers will be able to decide which varieties and cultural practices they want to incorporate in their operation.
| | Impact | A follow-up evaluation from the growers at the February 26 meeting showed that 100% thought the program was very useful for them and 90% of them plan to participate in the July 15 field day. One hundred percent of the growers said they had gained knowledge in peaches and peach production. All had some peaches planted now but were interested in adding at least one white variety to try. The field day in July should give them a chance to choose the variety that will do the best for them. A follow-up survey for the growers is planned. |
Last update7/8/2008
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