A donation of approximately 100 apple trees will be used for fruit production research in a corner of the new UConn Orchard.<\/p>\n
The orchard is part of the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR<\/a>), and is part of a newly launched effort to reestablish UConn\u2019s longstanding fruit research and education program<\/a>.<\/p>\n The two-year-old Fuji Supreme and Ambrosia apple trees come to the UConn orchard courtesy of Steve McMenamin, a farmer who runs an organic produce farm in Greenwich, Connecticut.<\/p>\n McMenamin worked with Evan Lentz, an assistant extension educator in UConn Extension and the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, to put in a new apple orchard on his farm.<\/p>\n At the end of the project, McMenamin had about 1,700 trees left over, so he and his partner, Ingrid Delson, decided to donate them to UConn.<\/p>\n \u201cThe reason we chose UConn is because [the University] has a wonderful cooperative extension person in Evan Lentz,\u201d McMenamin says. \u201cHe\u2019s been so helpful to us, so when we had extra trees, my first thought was \u2018let\u2019s donate them to UConn because of Evan\u2019s work\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n UConn will use about 100 of these trees in the orchard. The program also held a tree sale for other local growers and homeowners using the trees donated by McMenamin. The proceeds will support educational and research opportunities at the orchard.<\/p>\n \u201cConnecticut Department of Agriculture is proud to support the revitalization of the UConn orchard by purchasing and donating the fruit trees back,\u201d says Connecticut Department of Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt. \u201cOur orchards are a part of our communities and way of life.\u00a0 Having research and education opportunities to support this industry, in the face of climate change, will ensure that they continue to provide fresh, local, and healthy food options for residents.\u201d<\/p>\n Most of UConn\u2019s growing orchard will be dedicated to teaching and UConn Extension<\/a> demonstrations. But the newly planted plot with McMenamin\u2019s donation will be used for research.<\/p>\n The establishment of the orchard will enable fruit research to resume at UConn after a decades-long hiatus.<\/p>\n \u201cThe value is pretty immense,\u201d says Lentz, who earned his bachelor\u2019s and master\u2019s from CAHNR in 2019 and 2022. \u201cWe haven\u2019t had any fruit research going on at UConn in a really long time, and these fruit trees are the first step in getting the fruit program back up and running and giving UConn a name in the fruit production world again.\u201d<\/p>\n CAHNR researchers will be investigating questions such as organic methods of controlling Fire Blight, one of the most devastating diseases for apple trees.<\/p>\n Research on the plot could begin as soon as 2026.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going to be really pushing these trees over the next couple years to make sure that they\u2019re mature enough to bear a significant amount of fruit,\u201d Lentz says.<\/p>\n Helena, an agricultural chemical company has also donated $15,000 to the project. Lentz says the company will have the opportunity to conduct trials of their products in conjunction with UConn researchers in the orchard.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought it was really important to get ourselves up and running, so we\u2019re able to cultivate partnerships with different stakeholders,\u201d Lentz says.<\/p>\n This project will support undergraduate student researchers who will be trained to work in the field after graduation rather than seeking additional training at institutions outside of Connecticut.<\/p>\n \u201cNot only are we getting this infusion of money to our program, but we\u2019re also giving students opportunities for applied, hands-on, experiential learning which is a really important part of all of this,\u201d Lentz says.<\/p>\n This research will reach growers directly through the College\u2019s extension arm.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s important that we\u2019re getting all of this information into the hands of the growers, so they see the impact of this,\u201d Lentz says.<\/p>\n This work would, in turn, support Connecticut\u2019s fruit growing industry.<\/p>\n \u201cWe really hope the new orchard succeeds and hopefully it inspires others to donate and help the UConn project,\u201d McMenamin says. \u201cWe also hope it inspires other Connecticut growers to get back to fruit production.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This work relates to CAHNR\u2019s Strategic Vision area focused on\u00a0<\/em>Ensuring a Vibrant and Sustainable Agricultural Industry and Food Supply.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n