Please read this newsletter carefully and save for future reference as crop
conditions vary greatly from season to season.
We will open the retail market for the season this Saturday, June 4, with black raspberries and blackberries.
THE 2011 SEASON:
While the weather has been devastating to farmers in many areas of the country, for most fruit growers in upstate South Carolina it's been okay.
Right now our 2011 fruit crop looks good! From here on the major threat for severe crop damage
is hail from one of the strong afternoon thunderstorms that come off the mountains.
BERRIES:
We have our best crop of Jewel black raspberries ever and will start picking them first. Have
a rather light crop of traditional spring bearing red and purple (Royalty) raspberries. Fall bearing
red raspberry should be pretty good. Dorman Reds, which ripen right after the other spring bearing
will have a nice crop.
Our new early ripening thorn-less blackberry variety, Natchez, are loaded and should be ready
for picking when open. Then we will be picking Quachita, Navaho, Triple Crown and Chester.
STONE FRUITS:
The peach, nectarine and plums crops are excellent--in quantity, size and overall quality.
Should start picking our first peach variety - Red Havens - about July 1. For those who
like fresh apricots, the trees are loaded and should be ripe for picking mid-June.
POME FRUITS:
Encountered terrible Fireblight infections in our apples, standard pears and Asian pears last year.
We did extensive pruning and brush removal during the winter to eliminate as many infections sites as possible. The trees have recovered extremely well! So far have not found a single Fireblight strike. Because of the heavy pruning a number varieties have set small crops. Ginger Golds, the first variety we will start picking (about August 1) have set a good crop. Will be providing much more Pome fruits crop and harvest details in later newsletter updates.
GRAPES:
The three new, earlier ripening muscadine varieties (Early Fry, Sugargate and Darlene) are growing real well and have set their first harvestable crop. This season we will be able to start picking the large
very sweet muscadines about three weeks earlier.
Very bad news for some customers; we have removed all of our bunch grapes. More about later in
this newsletter.
CHANGES-IMPROVEMENTS-NEW PLANTINGS:
BERRIES:
During the winter removed three thorn-less blackberry varieties (Arapaho, Apache and
Hull) and replaced with three much better performing varieties--Natchez, Quachita and
Chester.
Having difficulty getting our new spring bearing reds into good productivity. Last year's dry
weather and the root fungal disease (phytophthora) are the main problems. Must get both
under adequate control to grow successfully. From a moisture standpoint this spring has been
great. Growth on all varieties is very good.
STONE FRUITS:
Finally have gotten over my stubbornness towards planting earlier ripening peach varieties.
Have rather strong dislike for clingstones. Have identified and planted two earlier ripening
semi-freestone varieties: Sentry and Gala.
In two to three years will be able to start picking peaches
when we open retail early June. Also planted a new yellow peach variety--Gloria to fill in a harvest
void after Loring.
Have been working all along to plant peach and nectarine varieties that
ripen later in September. Planted two later ripening peach varieties--Big George and
September Snow (white sub-acid). Planted one new later ripening nectarine--Ambre.
 When you visit our orchards this year you will see peach and nectarine trees planted in wooden
bushel baskets. Most of our soil contains oak root rot fungus (Armillaria), that will kill peach trees.
Dr. Guido Schnabel, Clemson University, has developed a cultural approach for controlling.
He calls them "walking trees" - after two years we will remove the basket and the dirt contained
by the basket leaving the tree standing on its exposed roots (see photo).
Planted a new plum variety--Bubblegum, which stone fruit variety developer, Paul Friday,
says is his best plum variety ever. We'll see!
POME FRUIT:
Most of our efforts with apples were concentrated on recovering from last season's
severe Fireblight infections. Did start planting a new mid-season ripening sweet/tart variety--
Crimson Crisp.
We are making a major change in how we grow/train Asian pear trees. These trees are highly
susceptible to Fireblight. Fireblight infections severely damage and kill trees. Also fruit
thinning and picking have to be done very carefully. In the US, most grow Asian pear trees
using the central leader structure used for apples. During one of my business trips
to Japan had opportunity to visit small Asian pear orchards near Mount Fuji. Trees are grown
using a "open vase" structure similar to that used for peaches; with the addition of a pole by the
trunk and guide wires to support the heavy limbs. I'm pretty well convinced it will provide for
more successful growing of Asian pears in our climate. So during winter we cut off the central
leader of our trees just above the bottom ring (swirl) of limbs and tied down or removed most
vertical shoots.
GRAPES:
My grandfather grew many acres of Concord, Niagara, Fredonia and Delaware grapes.
So when I started this farm was confident (too confident) that I could easily grow bunch grapes (table).
Now after 15+ years I turned out to be very wrong. Year in and year out to grow such grapes
with commercial success is very, very difficult. I'm certain we have never made a profit!
On the other hand it has taken me several years to start growing muscadines. I've been surprised
how easy they are to grow and the huge amount of delicious grapes each vine produces.
Also at the strong and growing demand for eating as a finger food, like we do with table grapes.
Even people from the North and Midwest quickly learn to like!
This past winter we removed all our bunch grape vines. This and next spring will be planting
the area where the bunch grapes were removed to our present six muscadine varieties.
FIGS:
Like my experience with muscadines, if you select the correct variety, figs are rather easy to
grow. The consumer demand for eating as a finger food and for preserves is much larger than
I ever expected. This spring we increased our fig bush plantings.
HONEYBEES AND HONEY:
Like muscadines and figs; the consumer demand for fresh truly local honey is much larger
than I thought and is growing.
If you remember, Mr. Black Bear got into our beehives last spring and destroyed 12 hives.
His activity severely decreased our ability to supply the demand for local honey.
To control Mr. Bear, installed a solar powered big animal electric fence around the beehives. He has been back and so far the fence has kept him out.
To rebuild our number of beehives, last summer bought five new swarms from a local beekeeper.
This spring bought five more swarms from the same beekeeper. So far this spring have caught
eight swarms from our beehives.
STAFFING:
All of our people - Jill, Dianne, Nikki, Jeremy, Frankie, Rosie, Jake and Dan -will be back
this season. Stephanie Hobbs of Pixel and Paper Designs continues to do a great job with our
email newsletter!
We all look forward to seeing you real soon, for a very good and enjoyable fruit harvest season!!
Dick and Betty Perdue
Special Class from Clemson Extension:
Received the following announcement from Clemson and wanted to pass along in case any email subscribers are interested.
Let Clemson Extension's Carolina Yard & Neighborhood Program show you the steps towards having a low maintenance yard.
Learn about 9 principles that will decrease the time you spend managing your home landscape, lessen dollars spent on irrigation and fertilizer, & teach you key tools & ideas towards having a more attractive & even a more environmentally friendly landscape.
Couldn't we all use some time to do things other than mowing, weeding, fertilizing & comparing our yards?
With these ideas in hand, get your yard certified as a Carolina Yard!
ATTEND THIS ONE DAY CAROLINA YARD CLASS!
WHEN: Thursday, June 16th, 9am until 4:30pm
WHERE: Nature Learning Center, SC Botanical Gardens
COST: $65 per person includes instruction, hands-on demonstrations, course materials, lunch, snacks and drinks
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED by June 10th:
For questions, contact Vicki at 864-656-9999 or email vlandre@clemson.edu
 RETAIL FARM MARKET HOURS
JUNE 4 THRU JUNE 30:
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, 10:00am til 5:30pm
CLOSED Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
JULY 1 THRU ABOUT NOVEMBER 26:
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10:00am til 5:30pm
Sunday 12:30pm til 6:00pm
CLOSED Monday and Tuesday
FARM ADDRESS FOR INTERNET DIRECTIONS AND MAP
2400 S.C. Hwy 11
Travelers Rest, S.C. 29690
See Map
Retail market phone: (864) 895-0608
View past newsletters, including the first newsletter of the season, and print out our fruit ripening charts online anytime at http://carolinafarmers.com/perdue/.
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