MSU Extension Fruit & Nuts

The 2025 Northwest Michigan Orchard and Vineyard Show is scheduled for Jan. 14-15 at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, 100 Grand Traverse Village Blvd, Acme, MI 49610. Registration opens at 8 a.m. on Jan. 14 and the cost for both days is $50 in advance and $55 at the door. The line can be long at the registration desk, so meeting attendees are encouraged to arrive well before the 9 a.m. start time or register online. Both days will feature educational programs and vendor exhibits.

Pre-register for the 2025 Northwest Michigan Orchard and Vineyard Show

One registration (tree fruit or grape session) will give attendees access to both the tree fruit sessions and grape sessions for both days.

The fruit industry luncheon will be Tuesday, Jan. 14, and is open to both tree fruit and grape registrants at a first come, first serve basis.

There will be two separate lunches on Wednesday, Jan. 15. One room will hold the grape industry luncheon and the other will hold the Cherry Marketing Institute luncheon.

The Cherry Marketing Institute annual meeting and luncheon will be Wednesday, Jan. 15. Wednesday’s Cherry Marketing Institute luncheon is free to cherry growers if they pre-register through the Northwest Michigan Orchard and Vineyard Show online registration. If growers do not have access to a computer, please contact the Cherry Marketing Institute at 517-669-4264 to register for the lunch.

The exhibit hall will be open during the show to feature vendors of orchard and vineyard equipment and supplies, commodity organizations and other exhibitors.

Both Tuesday and Wednesday will offer a variety of topics relating to research and information on tart cherries, sweet cherries, apples and wine grapes addressing production and marketing. Cherry, apple and grape sessions will be held on both days. Tuesday’s sessions will conclude with a social hour, and all attendees are invited to attend; the social hour is included with the registration fee.

In addition to the grape sessions, there will also be an educational wine tasting event, and a separate Exploration of Winemaking Styles in Cab Franc tasting event. Both of these are an add-on to the general admission price. If you choose to only purchase tickets for the wine tasting, you will need to purchase general admission tickets to attend the general admission sessions.

The program is presented by the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Foundation in collaboration with Michigan State University Extension and AgBioResearch, Cherry Marketing Institute, Parallel 45, Michigan Wine Collaborative and the MSU Northwest Michigan Horticulture Research Center.

Tentative Northwest Michigan Orchard and Vineyard Show Agenda

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

8:00 a.m. Registration Desk Opens 

8:00 – 10:30 a.m. Coffee and Rolls 

Moderator: Dr. Nikki Rothwell, MSU Extension 

8:55-9:00 a.m. Welcome to 2025 NW Orchard and Vineyard Show
Keaton Foster, President, NWMHR Foundation Board

9:00-9:30 a.m. Groundwater discharge permits: What to know
Tess Van Gorder, Conservation and Regulatory Relations Specialist, Michigan Farm Bureau

9:30-9:55 a.m. Irrigation strategies for high-density apples
Dr. Younsuk Dong, Dept. of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, MSU

9:55-10:30 a.m. Ins and outs of the new water regulations
Phil Tocco, MSU Extension

10:30-10:50 a.m. Watering strategies for new and established Montmorency tart cherry
Jack Sinnaeve, Dept. of Horticulture, MSU

10:50-11:20 a.m. VENDOR BREAK

11:20 a.m. -12:00 p.m. Innovating Tart Cherry Production with Spatial Mapping and Monitoring
Kurt Wedegaertner, Dept. of Plants, Soils, and Climate, Utah State University

12:00-1:00 p.m. Fruit Industry Luncheon

1:00-1:30 p.m. VENDOR BREAK

1:30-1:55 p.m. Using drones to for pest, disease and crop load management
Richard Price, MSU Extension and Dept. of Earth and Environmental Science

1:55-2:20 p.m. Farm Labor Update ZOOM
Dr. Zach Rutledge, Dept. of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

2:20-2:50 p.m. Working to understand lenticel breakdown in apple
Dr. Randy Beaudry, Dept. of Horticulture, MSU

2:50-3:15 p.m. Spray Drones 101
Dr. Mike Reinke, MSU Extension

3:15-3:40 p.m. Effects of netting on pests and fruit quality in sweet cherries and Honeycrisp
Dr. Catherine Lindell, Integrative Biology Department, MSU

3:40-4:10 p.m. Mitigating bitterpit in Honeycrisp
Chayce Griffith, Dept. of Horticulture, MSU

4:10-4:35 p.m. The implications of anti-ethylene products on apple maturity and storage: ‘Ambrosia’ and ‘Honeycrisp’                  
Dr. Harrison Wright, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Nova Scotia

4:35-5:00 p.m. Using different sprayer technologies in tree fruit systems
Dr. Emily Lavely, MSU Extension

5:00-5:20 p.m. Using PGRs to manage apple maturity, drop, harvest timing and fruit quality
Amy Irish-Brown, Valent

5:30-7:00 p.m. Social Hour

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

8:00 – 10:30 a.m. Coffee and Rolls 

8:30 – 9:00 a.m. Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Foundation annual meeting. This meeting is open to all growers.

9:00-9:20 a.m. Thinning apples with Accede in northern New York                             
Mike Basedow, Extension Tree Fruit Specialist, Cornell University            

9:20-10:30 a.m. CMI/CIAB Update
Emily Miezio, CMI Board
Curtis Rowley, CIAB

10:30-11:00 a.m. Optimizing systemic herbicides for perennial weed control                          
Mike Basedow, Extension Tree Fruit Specialist, Cornell University            

11:00-11:30 a.m. Thinking about growing peaches?
Dr. Bill Shane, MSU Extension Emeritus, ZOOM

11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Re-investigating different coppers against cherry leaf spot
Dr. George Sundin, Dept. Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, MSU

12:15-1:15 p.m. Cherry Industry Lunch
CIAB/CMI President

1:15-1:45 p.m. Cherry Marketing Update
Curious Plot

1:45-2:15 p.m. Fire blight shoot blight management
Dr. George Sundin, Dept. Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, MSU

2:15-2:45 p.m. Ambrosia beetle and wooly apple aphid update
Dr. Julianna Wilson, Dept. of Entomology, MSU
Heather Leach, Dept. of Entomology, MSU

2:45-3:00 p.m. Update on the Michigan tart cherry geographical indication
Dr. Chris Bardenhagen, MSU Extension

3:00-3:30 p.m. SWD parasitoid update
Dr. Julianna Wilson, Dept. of Entomology, MSU
Heather Leach, Dept. of Entomology, MSU

3:30-4:15 p.m. What’s new in farm labor apps?
Ashley Reese, Field Clock Labor Solutions

Concurrent Grape and Wine Sessions Agenda

Tuesday, January 14, 2025 – Viticulture Session

8:00 a.m. Registration Desk Opens

Moderator: Esmaeil Nasrollahiazar

9:00 – 9:15 a.m. Welcome and 2024 MSU Extension Educational & Research Initiatives Report 
Esmaeil Nasrollahiazar, MSU Extension

9:20-9:55 a.m. 2023 Annual Grape Pricing Survey Report
Tony Jacobson, Parallel 45 & Mike Reinke, MSU Extension

10:00-10:20 a.m. Vendor Break

10:25-11:15 a.m. Wine Grape Bud Hardiness, Winter Injury, and the Factors that Influence it
Dr. Harrison Wright, Kentville Research & Development Centre, Nova Scotia, Canada

11:20-11:55 a.m. Vineyard irrigation and drought stress management (unconfirmed)
Joseph A. Fiola, University of Maryland Extension

12:00-1:00 p.m. Fruit Industry Luncheon

1:00-1:20 p.m. Vendor Break

1:20-1:50 p.m. Reflections on the 2024 Growing Season and predictions for the 2025 season
Dr. Jeff Andresen, Department of Geography, Environment and Spatial Sciences MSU

1:55-2:10 p.m. Industry Flash talk

2:15 – 2:40 p.m. How is Climate Change Impacting Wine Grape Frost Risk
Dr. Harrison Wright, Kentville Research & Development Centre, Nova Scotia, Canada

2:40 – 3:05 p.m. Red Blotch and Leaf Roll Viruses: Vinifera vs Hybrids
Dr. Harrison Wright, Kentville Research & Development Centre, Nova Scotia, Canada

3:10-3:40 p.m. Introducing SAM Tool Version 2.0: Enhanced Vineyard Management for the 2025 Growing Season
Dr. Karen Chou, MSU

3:40 - 4:00 p.m. Vendor Break

4:00-5:00 p.m. Hybrid meeting - Michigan Wine Collaborative annual meeting and election (will be held in the main meeting room)

5:30-6:00 p.m. Local beverage tasting and hors d’oeuvres social hours

Wednesday, January 15, 2025 – Enology Session

Moderator: P45

9:00 – 9:10 a.m. Welcome – State of the MI Wine Industry

9:15 – 9:50 a.m. Microbial Responses to Climate Change: Implications for Grape Fermentation and Wine Flavor  
Eveline Bartowsky, Lallemand Oenology

9:55 – 10:20 a.m. Vendor Break

10:25-10:50 a.m. Do Fungicides Affect Fermentation?
Dr. Tim Miles, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, MSU

10:55-11:20 a.m. Industry Flash talk

11:25 – 11:55 a.m. Phenolic compounds for hybrid & vinifera varieties
Aude Watrelot, Iowa State

12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Grape Industry Luncheon

1:00-1:50 p.m. Strategic use of heat for red wine fermentation
Jim Harbertson, Washington State University Associate Professor of Enology

1:55 – 2:45 p.m. Strategic use of heat for red wine fermentation – Panel
*TBD*

2:50 – 3:40 p.m. Tannin Management
Aude Watrelot, Iowa State

3:45- 4:15 p.m. Exploring PiWi Wines
Eric Amberg, Amberg Grapevines

4:20- 5:45 p.m. Educational Wine Tasting

Tuesday, January 14, 2025 – Industry Discussion

Moderator: Brian Lillie

8:30-10:00 a.m. Identifying Wine Flaws In Your Tasting Room
Join Cristin Hosmer as she takes tasting room staff through the discovery of wine flaws from the not-so-noticeable to the clearly apparent. Learn the descriptors, the reasons and how to handle it.

10:00 – 10:20 a.m. Vendor Break

10:25 – 11:55 a.m. Wine Orgs Update 
Join Sherri Fenton, President of the Traverse Wine Coast, Jenelle Jagmin, Executive Director of the Craft Beverage Council, and Emily Dockery, Executive Director of the Michigan Wine Collaborative, as they update us on opportunities within the wine industry

11:55 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Fruit Industry Luncheon

1:00 – 1:30 p.m. Vendor Break

1:35 – 2:30 p.m. Work Force Opportunities in NWMI
Evelyn Szpliet of Networks NW to discuss opportunities for developing workforce in NWMI

2:35 – 4:00 p.m. Exploration of Winemaking Styles in Cab Franc
Join Winemaker Lee Lutes as he leads attendees through a Cabernet Franc tasting exploring the nuances between Michigan Cab Francs. We will be exploring vintage, ageability, regional expression, and winemaking styles.

3:45 – 4:00 p.m. Vendor Break

4:05 – 5:00 p.m. Hybrid meeting - Michigan Wine Collaborative annual meeting and election (will hold in the main meeting room)

5:00-6:00 p.m. Local beverage tasting and hors d’oeuvres social hours

For more information on the Northwest Michigan Orchard and Vineyard Show or if you are interested in a vendor booth, please call Jenn Zelinski at 231-946-1510 or email goodr100@msu.edu.