Roots and buds: WSHA looks to the past... and the future

In Washington, fruit is, as they say, a growing business. Besides the apples that are almost synonymous with our state, we grow pears, cherries, peaches... basically anything that hangs on a tree and tastes yummy.

The process is simple on the surface. The tree starts at the root and grows out into branches, then twigs, then buds that will eventually turn into produce. The root is the past, the bud is the future.

But it takes a lot to build a fruit industry like ours. It's important to keep up on technical aspects, the nuts and bolts of orcharding. Those nuts and bolts will be featured next month at the Washington State Horticultural Association Annual Meeting and Trade Show. The theme wil be "With New Discoveries and New Truths, We Advance."

This year is the 110th meeting of the WSHA, but it will also be the last. Next year's meeting will be the first for the newly-minted Washington State Tree Fruit Association, which was formed in September by a merger of the WSHA, the Yakima Valley Growers-Shippers Association, the Wenatchee Valley Traffic Association (WVTA) and the Washington Growers Clearing House Association. The new organization actually commenced operations in September, but the WSHA will be officially merged in after this year's convention.

"Just because of the way our membership structure is set up, it will be easier that way," explained Stephanie Chance, WSHA Communications Director.

It couldn't have happened at a better time. This year's convention is the biggest in the association's history, Stephanie said. Over 200 vendors are scheduled to show their stuff, and there's a long waiting list to replace anyone that pulls out. The new venue is admirably suited to accommodate; for the first time the convention will be held at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick. In the past it rotated between Yakima and Wenatchee.

Fittingly, one of the sessions to be held at the convention is called "Know Your History to Advance Your Future." It will include reflections on the past 110 years of horticulture, as well as pressing concerns like climate change and water allocation, and the market forces of the future.

Speakers will include well-known Washington experts like Prof. Jay Bruner, director of WSU's Tree Fruit Research & Extension Center, and Dr. Desmond Layne, professor of pomology and Tree Fruit Extension Program Leader at WSU. Also presenting will be Dr. Stuart Tustin, Science Group Leader at theNew Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research. Dr. Tustin specializes in temperate fruit crops physiology, manipulation of tree processes to optimise harvest index, fruit development and the physiological basis of fruit quality enhancement, intensive planting systems and rootstock effects on tree architecture and function, principally on apples, according to his official bio at the International Society for Horticulatural Studies.

Of course, between the past and the future, there's still today to cope with. The convention will also include sessions on pears, cherries and the wildly popular Honeycrisp apple, as well as more general education in food safety, precision horticulture and pest and disease management.

New this year will be tractor safety classes, according to Stephanie. These classes will be held in break out sessions on Tuesday, and will be led by instructors from the Department of Labor and Industries. The members who complete the class will qualify for certificates of completion. There is no additional cost for the class, but preregistration is needed.

Also making its debut in the cherry session will be a tour of local cherry orchards in the Kennewick area. Bus transportation will be provided for anybody who would like to visit the Basin's beautiful cherry fields. Finally, the Spanish-language sessions have increased from one session to two, to reflect the changing demographics of the industry.

The schedule of events given here is current as of press time, but changes may have occurred. To keep up to date, download the WSHA's app for iPhone, iPad or Android at guidebook.com/app/wahort14.