Fruit project features apple diseases at Carrington Research Extension Center field day

The Northern Hardy Fruit Evaluation Project orchard will be the site of a tour and featured presentation during the North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center’s annual field day set for July 16. Topics of other tours include beef production, agronomy and specialty crops, and organic and sustainable agriculture.

The center’s 65th annual field day begins at 9 a.m. with registration, coffee and a welcome address by NDSU leaders, including NDSU President David Cook, and special guests. At 9:30, attendees will have the opportunity to choose from four tour options that run concurrently. Lunch will be served at noon with an afternoon tour on specialty crops available from 1:15 to 3 p.m. 

Kathy Wiederholt, Carrington Research Extension Center fruit project manager, will lead the tour of the center’s fruit orchard. The featured presenter on the morning fruit tour is Dr. Jim Walla, retired NDSU woody plant pathologist. Dr. Walla’s presentation will focus on black rot disease in apple trees. Walla owns and operates Northern Tree Specialties which provides selective tree health consulting, specialty trees and shrubs from a backyard nursery, and contract research.

The Northern Hardy Fruit Evaluation Project was established in 2006 to introduce and demonstrate alternative, economically viable fruits that will grow in North Dakota. The project plantings include apples, aronia, hardy cherries, black and red currants, grapes, haskaps and honeyberries, juneberries, pears and plums.

No preregistration is needed. The noon meal is free of charge thanks in part to support from Green Bison Soy Processing and the Carrington Research Extension Center.

The CREC is 3.5 miles north of Carrington on U.S. Highway 281.

For more information, contact the center at 701-652-2951 or visit ndsu.ag/crec-field-day.