F RUIT AND BERRIES FOR ALASKA

Situation Many Interior Alaska com- One of two munities face an uncertain high tunnels future affected by poverty, set up at high unemployment, high the Univer- energy costs and issues re- sity of lated to nutrition and health. Alaska While vegetables have played Experiment an important role in augment- Station to Western SARE conduct the ing diets, limited planting and trials. testing has been done of fruit Phil Rasmussen, Coordinator trees and berries. Rising costs Utah State University for importing fruits and ber- Agricultural Science Building ries presents an opportunity Room 305 to help rural communities months of winter), a tough ing protocols for tree fruit 4865 Old Main Hill grow low-cost fruits and ber- climate for growing fruit trees and berry production Logan, Utah 84322-4865 ries. and berries. However, recent under high tunnels for phone: (435) 797-2257 Most of Interior Alaska falls fax: (435) 797-3344 cold-climate research has Interior Alaska within zones 1 and 2 for plant shown tremendous improve- 5. Engage local communi- hardiness classification (down ments in technology and the ties and schools in out- Professional Development to minus 60° F and eight Program development of cold-tolerant reach Research & Education fruit and berry varieties. Suc- Michele Hébert Grant cess testing cold- ...continued on next page Alaska PDP Coordinator climate production Title: Fruit and Berry Crop Tanana District Agriculture and could provide an in- Horticulture Agent Trial Program for Native Alas- centive, and serve as a Cooperative Extension Service kan Rural Communities in model, for rural com- University of Alaska Interior Alaska munities.

P.O. Box 75-8155 Project Number: SW06-111 Objectives This “Bob Appleseed” project was initi- Fairbanks, AK 99775-8155 Principal Investigators: 1. Establish test ated in 2006 by Robert (Bob) Wheeler to 907.747412423 Meriam Karlsson plots of cold-hardy seed Interior Alaska with tasty, nutritious fruits and berries. Sadly, Wheeler passed [email protected] Professor of Horticulture fruit tree and ▪▪▪ berry crops under away at age 57 June 29, 2009, in Fair- Department of High Latitude banks before he could see the full fruits of Western SARE Grant high tunnel and Agriculture his labors. Categories outdoor growing University of Alaska Wheeler, who moved to Alaska in 1997, • Research & Education Fairbanks, AK 99775-7200 conditions in Inte- worked for the University of Alaska Coop- • Professional Development 907.474.7005 rior Alaska erative Extension as a forestry specialist. • Farmer/Rancher [email protected] 2. Assess variety His infectious enthusiasm extended deep performance into his work: • Professional + Producer Kendra Calhoun based on climatic “It is easy to get excited about the po- • Graduate Student Research Technician conditions and tential for the trees since they look to be in • Sustainable Farm Tours Cooperative Extension Ser- agronomic needs very good condition,” he said of his SARE vice 3. Assess high tun- project March 31, 2009, in an email to University of Alaska Western SARE. “Success with these apple Go to http://wsare.usu.edu nel management 301 Tanana Loop Rm 201 varieties has really started a small gold Click on: Apply for a Grant performance for Fairbanks, AK 99775 rush of enthusiasm for fruit tree production growing tree fruits 907.474.5420 in the region for both producers and home and berries [email protected] owners.” Wheeler said he had hoped to 4. Develop support seek a follow-up grant to involve producers SARE Grant: $193,324 documents outlin- in the next round of testing. F RUIT AND BERRIES FOR ALASKA Actions High Tunnels A site was selected at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Experiment Farm for two high tunnels, 42 x 96 feet each, based on: • Prevailing wind patterns • Soil drainage • Maximum sun exposure Trees Trees, purchased from Dan SARE’s mission is to Elliott near Wasilla, were The variety PF-12 in bud and ripening. grafted on the rootstock of advance—to the whole Ranetka crabapple, a cold- • High tunnels were 10-15 Parkland, PF-12, Prairie of American agricul- hardy Siberian tree. Thirty- degrees warmer Magic and Summer Red nine apple varieties were ture—innovations that planted in 2007, 60 trees in • Soil temperatures inside • One variety, Trailman, improve profitability, each tunnel and each outside were lower and fluctu- survived better outside plot. ated more than those than inside outside stewardship, and quality Weather monitoring equip- Flowering was not ex- of life by investing in ment Tree survival rate after two pected until the third growing seasons was higher inside the Ten Hobo micro-stations, season, but 12 trees flowered groundbreaking research tunnels (80%) than outside five inside and five outside, in 2008 and 27 flowered in (30%): and education. were placed on trees to meas- 2009. Fifteen of the 27 flow- ure: • Varieties that survived ering trees produced fruit; the two outside trees that flow- • Air temperature and rela- well both inside and out- ered produced no fruit. tive humidity side the high tunnels were Altaiski Sweet, Arc- • Soil temperatures be- Apples harvested in 2009 tic Red, Carroll, Collet The Western Region, tween 5 and 10 inches varied in size from 20 to 200 and Northland grams and in sugar content Two HOBO weather sta- one of four SARE re- • Varieties that survived from 8 to 20 °Brix (a meas- tions were set up, one inside ure of sugar content). gions nationwide, is ad- and one outside. Using data best inside the tunnels ministered through loggers, the stations recorded were Goodland, Heyer Work Remaining 12, Heyer 20, Northland, Utah State University. hourly measures through the The project team will con- winter on: tinue to collect climate and • Air temperature and rela- crop data through summer Western SARE: tive humidity 2010, which should allow for confident recommendations http://wsare.usu.edu • Soil temperature be- tween 5 and 10 inches on apple varieties and high tunnel usage in the Interior • Soil moisture National SARE and throughout Alaska. • Wind speed www.sare.org Outreach Planned • Solar radiation • Prepare a Cooperative • Photosynthetic active Extension publication radiation focusing on high tunnel Weather data from these construction, establish- tests can be compared with ment and management similar sites in rural communi- • Prepare a Cooperative ties. Extension publication Results with recommendations These observations were Data loggers recorded hourly for apple varieties suit- made after the 2008-09 measures through the winter on able for the Interior and growing season, during which several climatic conditions, includ- other locations with simi- outside temperatures dipped ing temperature, wind speed and lar climatic conditions to minus 50° F: solar radiation.