From the Editor

The end-of-harvest season brings a different kind of busyness for apple growers, with final shipments, orchard clean-up, year-end bookkeeping, and equipment maintenance and repair. I'm sure many of you have had that question from non-apple growers - "What keeps you busy after the picking is done?" I'd like to know your standard replies for future reference.

Educational opportunities are a large part of the winter season, and our paths have crossed at some meetings already. I just returned from the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market Expo in Michigan, and found many presentations of interest to apple growers. A full-day symposium on apple thinning and return bloom, in honour of Dr. Art Mitchell, who was one of the pioneers in growth regulator research,

highlighted the accumulated knowledge on apple tree response to crop load management. A take-home message was a goal for crop load - aim for 4-6 fruit/cm2 of trunk cross-sectional area (hint: ask for a set of calipers for Christmas to measure the cross-sectional area of tree trunks next spring!). The Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention in February promises good information for apple growers - be sure to get your registration in and make your room reservations soon.

For now, we hope that the season brings health, happiness and peace to you and your families. Enjoy your personal time before the next "busy" season starts again.

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