Dr. Meriam Karlsson, PI

Kendra Calhoun, Co - PI

OBJECTIVES:
This project aims to provide food alternatives to remote communities in rural Alaska.
The cost of fruit and other produce in these communities can be very high. High food costs can make it difficult to provide healthy food options. We hope that our research will provide communities with better options for food sources while creating community sustainability.
 
OUR PLAN:
Recent cold climate technology research involving the use of high tunnel structures has proven to be highly successful (http://plasticulture.cas.psu.edu/). These tunnels, which can vary in size, can extend the growing season in cold climates enabling farmers to increase their annual yield (Heidenreich et al. 2007, Jett L.W. 2007). We will be testing fruit tree establishment and productivity in high tunnels in extreme cold conditions, similar to conditions in rural villages in Alaska.
 

SO FAR:

We have constructed two high tunnels and planted over 200 apple trees, several berries, and a few cherry, plum and pear varieties. We are in our 2nd season (2009) and anticipate a substantial harvest this fall.

APPLE VARIETIES:

We are currently testing over 30 apple varieties both inside and outside of the high tunnels. These varieties include the following:

8919, 18-10-32, 18-8-9, 21-61-69, Advance, Alice, Altaiski Sweet, Arbordale, Arctic Red, Brookland, Carroll, Chinese Golden Early, Colett, Garland, Golden Uralian, Goodland, Heyer 12 and 20, Lee and 12 and 20, Norcue, Norda, Norhey, Norkent, Norland, Norsen, Northland, Nortley, NovaSibirski, Parkland, PF-12, Prairie Magic, Prairie Sun, Red Heart, Rescue, September Ruby, Shafer, Summer Red, Trailmen, Ukalskoje Nalindje.

(For Apple Variety Information, Harvest Schedule and Sources click here. To be updated as the project advances)

All our varieties are grafted on Ranetka crab apple rootsock which is a cross between Siberian and Dolgo crab apple. Ranetka is a very tough rootstock, able to withstand temperatures as low as -40F.

Our trees came from Dan Elliott who has a small orchard in Wasilla. We also obtained rootstock from Clair Lammers (http://www.alaska.net/~lammers/) who has been growing apples in Fairbanks for 20 years.

OTHER FRUIT:

BERRIES:

We have planted several berries both inside and outside of the high tunnels.

Red Currant, Black Currant (Ribes rubrum / Ribes sativum, Ribes nigrum)

-Cherry Red and Black September

Honey Berry (Lonicera caerulea var. edulis)

-Blue Bird, Blue Sky, Blue Belle, Berry Blue

Arctic Raspberry/ Nagoon Berry (Rubus arcticus L. subsp. X stellarcticus)

-Anna, Sophia, Beta, Valentine

Sea Berry / Sea Buckthorn Berry (Hippophae rhamnoides)

-Baikal, Male Sea Berry, Orange Delight, Siberian Splendor, Sunny

ADDITIONAL FRUIT TREES:

The following additional fruit trees were planted in the high tunnels only:

Asian Pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) Raja P. Bet, Seuri OHXF 513

Plum (Prunus x domestica) Bavay's Gage, Shropshire Damson

Cherry (Prunus avium) Crown Jewel, Crimson Passion

Berry and additional fruit tree materials were obtained from Dan Elliott (Wasilla, AK) and One Green World (Molalla, OR ). (This is not intended as an endorsement of the services or products.)

LOCATION:
Our site is located at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks Experiment Farm (http://www.uaf.edu/salrm/afes/).

HIGH TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION:
We began preparing the site in early May of 2007, shortly after the spring thaw. Once we determined the location and orientation of the high tunnels, they were measured and staked out accordingly (42’ by 96’). Once the side wall posts were pounded in and leveled, construction began.

Once the tunnels were constructed, the plastic was installed  (see film) and the site was prepared for planting. Each tunnel was planted with 60 apple trees, 15 per 4 rows. In addition to the high tunnels, two exterior plots were planted in a similar design. (See the full first year report for planting design/map here : First Year Report)

PLANTING:

Holes were dug twice as deep and wide as the 1/2 gallon or 1 gallon pots that the trees came in. Pre planting, a bit of topsoil was added and the hole was watered. Trees were planted in and a small circular catchment was made around the tree. The trees were then watered in. A small amount of low nitrogen root stimulating fertilizer was added to the water and the topsoil also contained very low nitrogen (Risse’s Triple R).

IRRIGATION:

Trees were watered by hand throughout the first growing season. Each tree received 2 gallons of water weekly until September when watering was reduced to every other week. The exterior plots received less watering when there was significant rainfall.

During the second season, drip irrigation was installed inside and outside of the tunnels. Each tree was set up with two 1/2 gallon/hr emitters and received water weekly for 1-2 hours. Again, the exterior plots received less water when there was high rainfall and watering was tapered off in September to every other week. In both seasons, we tried to ensure the ground around the trees was well saturated before freeze up which usually occurrs in early to mid October.

MAINTENANCE (during the growing season):
Tunnels and plots are weeded daily by hand and rototilled once a week. To keep weeds down around plots and tunnels, the entire site gets tilled once a month with a tractor. Extra care is taken to keep the area around the trees weed free. No chemicals have been used for weed control. It is particularly difficult to keep the tunnel edges and sides weed free since rainfall run off in these areas is common. In the second season corn was planted in the fields surrounding the site which seemed to reduce weeds somewhat. We are hoping to plant some cover crops between the tunnels to help with weed control. We are also considering putting grass in between the rows, which will require mowing, but may reduce weeds considerably and help to retain moisture.

WINTER PREPARATION AND MAINTENANCE:

At the end of each growing season, the end walls are installed, usually in mid October. Metal pipes are installed along the bottoms of the end wall material to help weight them down. Trees inside the tunnels are covered with 1 m pieces of reflective insulation and covered with straw (12 inches).  The first winter, forty trees in each tunnel and exterior plot were covered with either Tubex or a Treepee shelter.

Six ml visqueen was added wherever needed primarily to the sides and corners of the high tunnels. Duct tape and Tyvek tape were used to secure the visqueen before the first frost.

Throughout the winter, the high tunnels are cleared of snow as needed and checked regularly for rips and tears in the covering. We also check for critter activity and make repairs to the structure as needed. We have been collecting climate data both inside and outside of the high tunnels since October 2007.

CLIMATE DATA:

We have been collecting climate data at our site since the Fall of 2007.

We currently have the following equipment in use:

Two HOBO weather stations set up inside a tunnel and in one exterior plot.
These are measuring:

    -Air temp and RH
    -Soil temp (5 inches – 10 inches)
    -Soil moisture
    -Wind speed
    -Solar Radiation
    -Photosynthetic Active Radiation
   

Ten HOBO micro stations, 5 inside a tunnel, 5 in an exterior plot, placed on random trees measuring;
 

-Air temp and RH

-Soil temp between 5 and 10 inches

These are the min and max soil and air temperatures for the 2007 - 2008 season, high tunnels vs. exterior plots.

We noticed that the soil temperatures outside stayed above zero the entire winter while air temperature outside seemed to fluctuate more when compared to the high tunnels.

Soil temperatures in the high tunnels were generally colder than outside despite our attempts to provide some insulation. Natural snowfall seemed to provide better insulation for our trees. However, air temperatures in the high tunnels were generally higher (10 - 15 degrees higher) throughout the winter.

SURVIVAL DATA 2008:

The first season, we had 80 % survival in the high tunnels and 68 % in the exterior plots.

Some of our highest survivors after the first season were (alive/dead) :

             Altaiaski Sweet 6/1                             Nova Siberski 6/1

             Arctic Red 8/0                                     Parkland 7/1

             Brookland 4/1                                     Prairie Magic 5/3

             Carroll 3/0                                           Prairie Sun 5/2

             Golden Uralian 6/2                              Red Heart 6/2

             Goodland 6/2                                      Trailmen 7/1

             Heyer 12 8/0                                       Ukalskoje 7/1

             Heyer 20 5/2                                       18-10-32 7/0

             Lee 17 5/2                                           8919 8/0

Kendra Calhoun, Research Technician

Cooperative Extension Service

University of Alaska, Fairbanks

301 Tanana Loop Rm. 201, Fairbanks, AK 99775

klcalhoun@alaska.edu

907-474-5420

Funded by:

Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) SW06-111