The Specialty Crop Cast

In this episode, we sit down with Nikki Rothwell, Coordinator of the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Center and longtime MSU Extension Specialist, to talk about the future of fruit farming in Michigan. Nikki shares insights from more than 20 years of research—including IPM breakthroughs, SWD modeling, climate resilience, high-density orchard systems, and the economic realities growers fa...

In this episode, we sit down with Nikki Rothwell, Coordinator of the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Center and longtime MSU Extension Specialist, to talk about the future of fruit farming in Michigan. Nikki shares insights from more than 20 years of research—including IPM breakthroughs, SWD modeling, climate resilience, high-density orchard systems, and the economic realities growers fa...

On this episode of The Specialty Crop Cast on Pomes and Stones we are joined by Isaiah Wunsch! A Northern Michigan specialty crop grower on Old Mission Peninsula in Traverse City Michigan. He focuses on growing Apples and cherries farming 1000 acres. In this epsiode we talk about the challenges of farming cherries, equipment struggles and his own cherry packing house! All that and much more in thi...

On this episode of The Specialty Crop Cast on Pomes and Stones we are joined by Nate Kulpa! A Northern Michigan specialty crop grower who grows a large variety of crops like tart cherries, sweet cherries, grapes, and much more! He manages 350 acres to bring the highest quality fruits to market! Nate shares his experience launching his own wine brand and reflects on his time with Wilbur-Ellis as an...

On this episode of The Specialty Crop Cast on Pomes and Stones we welcome Nels Veliquette into the studio! A cherry and apple grower in Kewadin Michigan, Nels is passionate and an advocate for the industries he's involved in. He's been featured in the Chicago Tribune and The Wall Street Journal for his testimony in Washington D.C. in an lawsuit in front of the International Trade Commissio...

On this episode of The Specialty Crop Cast on Pomes and Stones we welcome Jake Campeau manager at Cherry Bay Orchards into the studio. A second generation farmer who started on the farm and was always pulled back to the farm through is early 20's. Jake does a variety of jobs across the farm from the field to the shop! Cherry Bay is located in Suttons Bay Michigan, and is large producer of tart...

In this episode of The Specialty Crop Cast on Pomes and Stones we are back in the studio discussing where we have been this summer! We catch up on cherry harvest went and what the apple crops look like on our farms! Were talking drone crashes, harvest stories and much more in this episode of The Specialty Crop Cast! Thank you for listening! Dont forget to follow on all the socials for more content...

On this episode of The Specialty Crop Cast on Pomes and Stones we welcome Travis Bratschi owner of Bratschi Orchards. A first generation farmer started small and has grown himself a beautiful apple farm located in Traverse City Michigan! Travis breaks down what it takes to grow beautiful fruit in a sometimes non-cooperative often volatile growing season. In this episode we will be learning what it...

On this episode of The Specialty Crop Cast on Pomes and Stones we welcome Sadie Merchant owner of Myrtle and Maudes into the studio! Sadie is a 4th generation farmer in Northern Michigan! Not only has her family been farming fruit for generations they also have in the last 5 years opened Myrtle and Maudes. What started out as a small roadside stand has evolved into a local and out of town favorite...

On this episode of The Specialty Crop Cast on Pomes and Stones we welcome Travis Schock from Cherry Bee Inc into the studio! Travis is a bee keeper tending to honey bees here in northern Michigan! Years of bee keeping across the country has landed him here in northern Michigan pollinating specialty crops across the state! We are talking pollinating, honey, saving the bees and , much more! As alway...

On this episode of The Specialty Crop Cast on Pomes and Stones we welcome Alec Altonen from Altonen Orchards into the studio! Alec is a 4th generation farmer in Northern Michigan. Altonen Orchards grows a variety of crop from apples and cherries all the way down to pumpkins and their famous sweet corn! We are talking farming, cider, helicopter rides and , much more! As always, Thanks to Wilbur-Ell...

In this episode of The Specialty Crop Cast we visit with Wilbur- Ellis Technical Nutrition Specialist Megan Barlow! She is very knowledgable in all things plant nutrition, geology and soil sampling. We talk about all those things and more in this episode. This will be the most educational thing you hear today! Lock in and hit play! Thanks to Wilbur-Ellis for sponsoring this video! They have been p...

Welcome to back to The Specialty Crop Cast on Pomes and Stones! Welcome to The Specialty Crop Cast on Pomes and Stones. Where we talk about farming, agribusiness and products from the people who know it best! This week our guest in studio is Brennen Hitchcock! He is a Senior Operations Manager for Wilbur Ellis. He explains the ins and out of managing multiple different locations across the midwest...

This week on The Specialty Crop Cast we are talking about insects, spray programs and protecting your crops! Come along with Talon, Zach and Steve as we tackle those topics and more in this weeks video!

This week Bruce Veliquette from Cherry Ke, Shoreline Fruit and the CIAB. Join us as we talk harvest stories, growing up on the farm and the future of the cherry industry in this weeks episode!

Episode 1: Welcome to the Specialty Crop Cast on Pomes and Stones! In our very first episode, get to know your hosts—three passionate farmers from Northern Michigan—as we kick off the Pomes and Stones Podcast - The Specialty Crop Cast! ! We’re diving into what this podcast is all about: real stories from the orchard, behind-the-scenes farm projects, and honest conversations about growing specialty...