February 2021 - 8

Growers' group builds own research facility
By Stephen Kloosterman
Associate Editor
Fruit growers in west-central
Michigan will have a research station
of their own, due to a fundraising
effort.
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 research station's 68 acres adjoins the Michigan Asparagus Research Farm. Photos: Peterson Farms
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 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
8 | FruitGrowersNews.com

http://www.FruitGrowersNews.com

February 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2021

February 2021 - 1
February 2021 - 2
February 2021 - 3
February 2021 - 4
February 2021 - 5
February 2021 - 6
February 2021 - 7
February 2021 - 8
February 2021 - 9
February 2021 - 10
February 2021 - 11
February 2021 - 12
February 2021 - 13
February 2021 - 14
February 2021 - 15
February 2021 - 16
February 2021 - 17
February 2021 - 18
February 2021 - 19
February 2021 - 20
February 2021 - 21
February 2021 - 22
February 2021 - 23
February 2021 - 24
February 2021 - 25
February 2021 - 26
February 2021 - 27
February 2021 - 28
February 2021 - 29
February 2021 - 30
February 2021 - 31
February 2021 - 32
February 2021 - 33
February 2021 - 34
February 2021 - 35
February 2021 - 36
February 2021 - 37
February 2021 - 38
February 2021 - 39
February 2021 - 40
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/may-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/december-fgn
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/fgn-vgn-40-under-40-class-of-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/buyers-guide-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/november-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/september-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/july-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/may-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/november-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/buyers-guide
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/september-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/may-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/buyersguide-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/december-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/november-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/buyersguide-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/buyersguide-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/may-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/january-2019
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com