Recommended Suppliers from Presenters
Cultivating Organic Fruits and Markets
Organic University - Feb 21st, 2013
Nurseries
Bailey Nurseries, MN – great trees with many branches. A decent selection of most things, though their apple rootstocks are very limited, with no dwarf offerings. Very nice plants for the money. They only sell wholesale, so you have to convince them of your orchard or nursery operation and there is a minimum order amount of around $750. We’ve ordered apples, pears, plums, apricots, cherries, grapes, currants, gooseberries, raspberries, and a few other things from them.
Cummins Nursery, NY – These guys have a great number of disease resistant and heritage varieties of apples, plus many plums, cherries, pears, apricots, and a few other things, They are on the cutting edge as far as rootstocks and you can find many of their apples on the Geneva series of rootstocks. Their plants are somewhat more expensive and less well branched than other nurseries that cater to larger operations, but they have great customer service. If you can get to 100 trees, the price break is significant.
Van Well, WA – well branched trees and fairly low prices. Their varieties tend towards the more commercial ones, but if you find what you want, it may be a good fit.
Double A Vineyards, NY – they have a great selection of wine, table, and juice grapes at very good prices. Plant quality is also very good.
Fedco Trees, ME – a great selection for those trees you can’t find anywhere else. But their prices are higher as they market more towards backyard growers. Also a good source for scionwood and raspberries.
Whitman Farms, OR – Lucille has an amazing (probably the best) selection of various currants and gooseberries and her wholesale prices cannot be beat. The plants may take an extra year to bear compared to some other sources. The plants may also need some additional care as they can be a bit small (albeit healthy) upon arrival.
Jersey Asparagas Farms / Walker Bros, NJ – for cheap asparagas and rhubarb
Natura Farms, MN – visit Paul Otten and dig your own plants. You pay more than you will for wholesale pricing, but the plants have not sat in the cooler all winter. We dug ours and put them in the ground the next day, and the plants didn’t miss a beat. The next year, the black currants we got from him had a saleable crop! That wouldn’t happen with mail order plants.
Nourse Farms, MA – berries at decent prices. Geared towards the larger grower.
Winterhaven Vineyards, MN – a good local source for northern grapevines
North Central Reforestation, MN – natives, anyone? Serviceberry, Aronia, etc. . . nice folks and healthy plants.
Great River Vineyard/Nursery
35680 Hwy. 61 Blvd., Lake City, MN 55041 877-345-3531,
Email:
offers cold climate grape varieties.
Schlabach's Nursery
2784 Murdock Road. Medina NY 14103, 866-600-5203 (voice mail) 585-798-6198 (questions)
orders by mail preferred. Amish family business.
WI Native Plant Sources
While not fruit specific, if you are looking to add habitat at the orchard edge or understory, good source for native plants:
Forest Agriculture Enterprises
P.O. Box 24, Viola, WI 54664 608-627-TREE
Mark Shepard provides consulting and educational services in agroforestry and permaculture. Certified organic producer, specializing in hazelnuts, chestnuts, asparagus, and heirloom apples.
Knights Hollow Nursery, Middleton
4911 Forsythia Court, Middleton, WI; 608-831-5570. Specializes in micropropagated plants, great Aronia source.
St. Lawrence Nursery – Northern Climate Organic Fruit and Nut Trees
325 State HWY 345, Potsdam, NY 13767315-265-6729
Specializes in organic rootstock and cold hardy trees Zones 3 & 4; good source for seaberry and some currant varieties, other species such as saskatoon did not have good luck with. Some growers have commented that the quality of plants ordered from St. Lawrence can be questionable. I know many that have commented on spindly plants. Their growing practices are likely better than most and it is a family run business, on the plus side.
Water's Edge Nursery and Gardens
34320 Old Cty K, Bayfield, WI 54814715-779-0155
Located on the property of the Draw, LLC, a land-based regenerative community on the south shore of Lake Superior. Uses only biological controls, permaculture design/practices.
Adams County Nursery [ACN]
26 Nursery Road, PO Box 108, Aspers, PA 17304
ACN carries a number of scab immune apple varieties and provides a relative disease resistant score on their website for each of these varieties. Knowledgeable staff are able to provide in-depth information regarding varietal characteristics and performance – ask for Tom.
Stark Brothers Nursery
PO Box 1800, Louisiana, MO 63353
Carries some scab immune varieties.
Other Suppliers
MDT and Associates
3319 York Av. No. Minneapolis, MN 55422 (763) 529-4355 & (888) 530-7082
Grape-focused trellising supplies, pruning equipment, high tensile wire, anchors, and much more. Friendly helpful folks
K-Fence
62411 386th Ave, Zumbro Falls, Minnesota 55991
Supplier of high tensile fencing supplies including wire, solar chargers, fiberglass posts, etc
OESCO, Inc.
P.O. Box 540, 8 Ashfield Rd., Conway MA 01341, 800-634-5557
,
(OESCO=Orchard Equipment and Supply Company)
very large inventory; a good source to see what's available.
Organic Input Manufacturers or Suppliers
Crop Production Services, N15721 Schubert Rd., Galesville, WI 54630 Tel: 608-539-2090