NOVEMBER 2016 CELEBRATING 137 YEARS AS CANADA’S PREMIER HORTICULTURAL PUBLICATION THEGROWER.ORG PARTNERSHIPS Apple growers learn to love terroir and tourists Why are these apple growers working with a grape press? Greg (foreground) and his brother Liam are partners with father John Ardiel in Georgian Hills Vineyards near The Blue Mountains, Ontario. The Georgian Bay area is apple country, in fact the largest apple-growing region in Ontario. But it’s also a second home to thousands of skiers in winter and cottagers in summer. Their venture into grapes – which have no history in the area – is a calculated business move to take advantage of terroir and tourists. Photos by Glenn Lowson. KAREN DAVIDSON marketer and promoter of wines experiment in grape growing. with a new reality of year-round INSIDE in New Zealand and Canada, First, the Grey Roots Museum tourism that’s flowed from the John Ardiel has been growing Robert Ketchin, was so has archives chronicling the Blue Mountain Resort. Alberta potato growers mark apples for 40 years, so when his convincing of the possibilities of successful harvest of tomatoes The table was set for the 50th anniversary pg 6 wife suggested branching out to the Georgian Bay area, that and tender fruit from a century venture which has evolved with a hobby, she never imagined a Ardiel became a partner. What ago. Secondly, longtime apple the wine-making expertise of a Electricity prices vineyard and winery. What was appears to be a wild gamble farmers are well acquainted Niagara grape grower, Murray examined pg 8 he thinking to plant 18 acres of dating back to 2010 is now well with the microclimate that Puddicombe. Until this year, grapes, adding Marechal Foch along in its business plan. moderates temperatures he was a grape and wine partner Focus: Seed and grapes to his vocabulary of “It’s uncanny but we’re just throughout the year. And most who provided expertise on rootstock pg 12 McIntosh apples? $200 off our target this year,” importantly, the famed Niagara planting, pruning and harvest- “A stranger drove into my says Ardiel. “We plan to break escarpment runs through the ing while his daughter Lindsay yard and asked if I had ever even in 2018.” valley, its limestone soil Puddicombe continues as head considered a trial block of A few agronomic facts make providing a good base for winemaker. grapes,” recalls Ardiel. A this area worthy of an grapes. These facts intersect Continued on page 3 Volume 66 Number 11 P.M. 40012319 $3.00 CDN PAGE 2 –– NOVEMBER 2016 THE GROWER AT PRESS TIME… NEWSMAKERS Ontario premier listens The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) to horticulture’s has named Alison Robertson as its concerns new executive director, effective October 17. “The OFVGA is On October 11, the Vineland active on a number of files Research and Innovation ranging from energy to labour to Centre hosted Ontario’s nutrition,” said Jason Verkaik, premier Kathleen Wynne for a chair of the board of directors. facility tour and roundtable. “We believe that Alison Vineland’s CEO, Dr. Jim Robertson, with her previous 11 Brandle chaired the roundtable years of service to the association, will move with confidence and which included the following Alison Robertson representatives: Ontario Fruit clarity on these issues while and Vegetable Growers’ providing leadership to our staff.” Association (Jason Verkaik, Jan Pictured (L-R) Jim Bradley, MPP St. Catharines: Dr. Jim Brandle, Most recently, she’s been executive director of the Agri-Food VanderHout, George Gilvesy), Vineland’s CEO; Hon. Kathleen Wynne, Ontario premier; Jan VanderHout, Management Institute and also serves as chair of the board of Grape Growers of Ontario, vice-chair, Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association. directors of the Ontario Food Terminal. (Debbie Zimmerman) Flowers Canada Ontario; The Ontario BC Tree Fruits, based in Kelowna, has terminated the contract of Greenhouse Alliance; the Wine yet not have access to enough member associations are CEO Alan Tyabji. He has held the position since November Council of Ontario and Ontario water when needed.” providing the fruit and 2012, leading the 500 family-farm members of the cooperative. Produce Marketing Association The grape sector brought vegetables to be used for The (Virgina Zimm) and others. forward its issues of narrow Royal’s High School Chef Vineland Research and Innovation Centre has appointed three In the premier’s opening margins on wine products and Competition and the Girl new directors to its board: Karen Belaire, president and CEO, remarks, she reassured the the need to look at taxation Guides’ cooking badge event.” Shared Services West; Christy McMullen, store manager, industry that natural gas would issues. If you’re attending the Summerhill Market; Ray Price, president, Sunterra Group of still remain a vital component of As this was the premier’s first Royal, here’s who to expect in Companies. They join: Paul-Andre Bosc, president of Chateau Ontario’s energy mix, while visit to Vineland, it was a the booth space: des Charmes; Dr. Jim Brandle, CEO, Vineland; Greg Devries, outlining the province’s future chance to showcase president of Truly Green and Cedarline Greenhouses; Rory direction for cap-and-trade. The horticulture’s innovation and to Nov 4 -- Apple Marketers’ Francis, executive director of Prince Edward Island BioAlliance; greenhouse industry, highly explore both threats and Association of Ontario Dr. Warren Jestin, former chief economist at Scotiabank; Marilyn energy-dependent, voiced opportunities for future Nov 5-6 – Ontario Apple Knox, president of Trillium Health Partners Institute for Better concerns about its ability to sustainability. Growers Health; William Stensson, CEO, Sheridan Nurseries; Phil transition to a cap-and-trade Nov 7-8 – OFVGA Tregunno, owner of Tregunno Fruit Farms; Allan Visser, environment. Royal time is here Nov 9 – Ontario Potato Board president of Visco Holdings Limited. Another horticultural concern Nov 10 – Vineland Growers is access to water in a timely The Ontario Fruit and Cooperative/Cold Snap pears The Sunset brand of greenhouse way. Vegetable Growers’ Association Nov 11-12 – Ontario vegetables continued its winning ways “After a summer of drought, (OFVGA) is coordinating a Greenhouse Vegetable Growers with two awards at the Produce it became obvious that the booth for the duration of the Nov 13 – Fresh from the Farm Marketing Association (PMA) event Oct infrastructure to access water for Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, – healthy school fundraising to 14-16 in Orlando, Florida. The Dill It crops, particularly in the November 4-13. “We will be more than 4,000 Ontario schools Yourself Pickle Kit, a convenient at-home Niagara region, needs to be back in the Love of Food For more information, go to: pickling experience with greenhouse- upgraded,” said Brandle. “It’s a Pavilion booth #1023,” says Dan www.royalfair.org/foodlifestyle. grown cucumbers, won the PMA Impact conundrum to be within a Tukendorf, OFVGA program html Award as well as a Best of Show award for stone’s throw of Lake Ontario manager. “OFVGA and Best Product Promo. The PMA Impact award is based on marketing, food safety, supply chain efficien- cy/functionality, sustainability, and consumer convenience. “The beauty is its simplicity,” said CEO Paul Mastronardi, Kingsville, Ontario. Key players in Ontario’s agri-food sector have joined the new 2016/2017 board of directors of the newly branded AgScape, formerly Ontario Agri-Food Education Inc. New chair is Keith Currie, farmer and vice-president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. Vice-chair is Audrie Bouwmeester, currently dairy education program manager with Dairy Farmers of Ontario. Treasurer is Carolyn Hill, financial administrator of Ontario Broiler Hatching Egg & Chick Commission. Past chair is Lorie Jocius who has served for four years. Two advisers are Catherine Mahler, Ministry of Education and Helen Scutt, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Community seats on the board are held by Heather Blackwell, Western Fair District, Deb Campbell, Agronomy Advantage and Natalie Walt, Ceres Global Ag Corporation. Five additional corporate seats are filled by Kathryn Doan, AgCareers.com, Peter Hohenadel, Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Mark Kerry, Monsanto Canada Inc., Jennifer Peart, Farm Credit Canada and Meaghan Ryersee, Syngenta Canada Inc. Colleen Smith serves as executive director of AgScape which is celebrating 25 years of delivering education programming about food, farming and agriculture in Ontario. Best wishes for a happy and healthy retirement to Marilyn Sewell, marketing analyst with the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission, who retired October 31. She has been responsible for apples, greenhouse vegetables and potatoes. Becky Hughes, manager Superior Plant Upgrading and Distribution (SPUD) Unit, New Liskeard, Ontario, retires on November 30 after 32 years in this role. For more on her contributions, see page 14. NOVEMBER 2016 –– PAGE 3 THE GROWER COVER STORY Apple growers learn to love terroir and tourists Assistant winemaker Vanessa McKeen supervises the transfer of a Seyval Blanc grape must into the press to make juice. It’s very expensive to grow grapes here,“ but it’s the proximity to a year-round tourism area that allows us to do this. “ ~ JOHN ARDIEL A lineup of Georgian Hill wines also includes new canned products such as Big John hop cider and Ardiel Cider House dry cider. Marketing partner Robert Ketchin is banking on a continued consumer love affair with local ciders. Continued from page 1 shaky ground. Prince Edward County growers do,” says farmland is under development pressure, “It’s very expensive to grow grapes Ardiel. with many properties sold for weekend “For us, the biggest challenge has here, but it’s the proximity to a year- These vagaries in vineyard practices homes. For farmers, the dilemma is to been adopting the horticultural practices round tourism area that allows us to do are background to the winemaking and earn enough income to maintain and of grapes,” says Ardiel.