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  • People enjoy Cherry Connection in years past. Special to the Record-Eagle/Northwest Michigan Horticultural

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  • People enjoy Cherry Connection in years past. Special to the Record-Eagle/Northwest Michigan Horticultural

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  • Nikki Rothwell

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July 7, 2012

Ag forum: Join us for Cherry Connection

By Dr. Nikki Rothwell ----

If you can't answer the following five questions, you should head up to the Cherry Connection at the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Station during the National Cherry Festival:

"¢ What is a briner or a canner?

"¢ What percentage of the nation's tart cherries do we grow in northwest Michigan?

"¢ What is a shaker?

"¢ How can cherries help marathon runners?

"¢ Is there a difference between a pie, tart or sour cherry?

Each year during the National Cherry Festival, the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Station opens its doors to welcome the area's visitors. Michigan State University Extension, horticultural station staff, Cherry Festival staff, and the Cherry Marketing Institute work together to showcase the fruit region's signature fruit. Since 1995, we have treated Cherry Festival participants to a five-day cherry promotion event at which we combine the extension's work in 4-H and research and outreach programming that serves the cherry industry. All of these groups come together to provide Cherry Festival-goers with a behind-the-scenes look at the cherry industry.

Cherry Connection participants can take a guided wagon tour through the horticultural station's orchards and learn why the Grand Traverse region is the best area to grow cherries. MSU Extension educators share information about harvest procedures, best practices for growing cherries, and the use of integrated pest management to help make cherries safer for the environment and for consumers.

The Leelanau County 4-H staff organizes a petting zoo with animals from 4-H youth; we never know what to expect each day, but we have had llamas, bunnies, chickens, and even a dairy calf. This year, Cherry Festival staff and the marketing institute will serve many tastes of local cherries: cherry salsa, cherry salad, cherry ice cream — you get the picture.

The main goal of the Cherry Connection is to educate participants about the varied uses of cherries, introduce them to cherry production and the industry, and to present an opportunity for a greater appreciation of the role of farming in the region and its importance to the Cherry Festival. We want visitors to go home with a better understanding of the cherry industry and provide a glimpse of the farming life.

The horticultural station is located in Leelanau County at 6686 S. Center Highway, Traverse City. Cherry Connection will be open daily from July 9th through July 13th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thanks to Shoreline Fruit, there is a shuttle available to the horticultural station from downtown Traverse City. We welcome everyone to come out to the station for this year's even. Please call 231.946.1510 for more details.

Dr. Nikki Rothwell is a district horticulturist and director of the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Station.

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