John Hendrickson: Attend apple growers school in March
[audio:https://news.cals.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/john_hendrickson_apple_school.mp3|titles=John Hendrickson talks about apple school]
Transcript:
Sevie Kenyon
Learning to grow that apple a day. We’re visiting today with John Hendrickson, Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, University of Wisconsin Extension in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Madison Wisconsin, and I’m Sevie Kenyon. John, welcome to our microphone. Start out by telling us a little bit about learning about apples.
John Hendrickson
Well we are running the Midwest School for Beginning Apple Growers for the second year. It is a three day intensive workshop geared for people who are serious about getting started growing and marketing apples in Wisconsin.
Sevie Kenyon
What do you cover in your school?
John Hendrickson
We feel it is really important to cover a broad base of things that people need to know, so we talk about the business of growing apples, marketing apples, orchard establishment, selecting varieties, picking root stocks, all the disease and pest issues associated with apples, harvesting, post-harvest, management, labor, what it is like to work on a family farm and maybe working along side your partner and conflicts or issues that can arise there.
Sevie Kenyon
John, can you give us an idea what the emphasis is?
John Hendrickson
We are a sustainable Ag research and education unit on campus, so we place a strong emphasis on sustainable production practices. We will be talking both about integrated pest management practices in the school, as well as organic farming practices. Our center has a long standing tradition of working with small and mid-sized family farms, so we will be bring the perspective of that scale operation in the school.
Sevie Kenyon
John, who teaches the School for Beginning Apple Growers?
John Hendrickson
We place a strong emphasis on the practical side of growing apples so we utilize three grower instructors in the school. We are blessed to have Bob Barthel, Jackie Hoch and Tom Griffith, who are all experienced apple growers, teach the school. We balance that out with input and presentation from our excellent University of Wisconsin faculty and extension staff. We have Rebecca Harbut from the department of Horticulture and Patricia McManus from the Plant Pathology department.
Sevie Kenyon
Can you give us an idea where the school is and how connect to it? Little details like how much it costs?
John Hendrickson
The class is held in Madison and the cost is $300 for the 3 days, and that includes a noon meal and breaks and coffee throughout the day.
Sevie Kenyon
Well John, can you gives us an idea, if people are interested in the school, where do they get more information?
John Hendrickson
The easiest thing for them to do is to do a web search for “Midwest School for Beginning Apple Growers” and the first result it us.
Sevie Kenyon
We have been visiting today with John Hendrickson, Center for INtegrated Agricultural Systems, University of Wisconsin Extension in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Madison Wisconsin, and I’m Sevie Kenyon.