Emerging Crops Field Day Series 2023

Organic Production of Apples, Currants and Gooseberries

June 28 | 1-4pm | Two Onion Farm | Belmont, WI

Join Chris and Juli McGuire for a tour of Two Onion Farm to learn about organic apple, currant and gooseberry production. We will visit their half-acre planting of currants and gooseberries, established in 2020, and view their ongoing trials of the cordon trellis method of growing these plants alongside more traditional untrellised, bush plantings. We will also hear results of a recent on-farm trial on organic methods of controlling gooseberry Anthracnose leaf spot, a troublesome disease in the Upper Midwest. We will then tour their apple orchard, including trees ranging from 1-12 years of age, and discuss site preparation and planting, tree training, groundcover management, pest control, variety selection and orchard equipment. We will hear how their apple growing methods evolved as their orchard changed from a small component of a diverse vegetable farm to their farm's primary focus.

Introduction to Growing Hard Cider Apples

July 26 | 1-4pm | The Cider Farm | Mineral Point, WI

Tour The Cider Farm orchard to see the many apple trees that are used to make their ciders and apple brandy. Learn how they organically manage their many traditional English and French cider apple varieties and enhance the natural environment of their 166 acre farm in Wisconsin’s beautiful Driftless region. Host Deirdre Birmingham will share the farm vision, story, and design of the 18-acre high-density orchard and then lead us on a tour to talk about the attributes of the different varieties that make them perfectly suited for their delicious ciders.