Fruit Program News

  • 2025 REEU internship cohort

    2025 REEU Internship is Underway!

    “Engaging Undergraduates in Research and Extension Training using Technology and Experiential Learning to Enhance Sustainability of Food Production Systems” is a collaboration between the UMass Extension Fruit Team and the Stockbridge School of Agriculture, funded by USDA, NIFA’s Workforce Development initiative Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (REEU).

  • graphic showing the chilling hours required for common tree fruit crops

    Arctic blast got you down?

    Arctic high pressure invaded the country this week. Dangerous wind chills from the Midwest to the East coast and a record snowtorm in New Orleans, LA where they got 10 inches of snow. (That's more than we have had here all season.) Snow from Houston to the Florida panhandle. Meanwhile, here in New York and New England it was just plain cold. Nowhere near record, but flirting with -10 degrees F. where I might expect to see some damage to tender fruit (peaches) buds. How cold did it get across Massachusetts NEWA weather stations which are mostly on-farm? -17 to 16 degrees F., the former (Richmond) being in the Berkshires, the latter (Hyannis) down in the Cape Cod banana belt. See what I have to deal with?

    Read the rest of what Jon has to say.

  • ludacrisp101024

    2024 Apple Maturity Report Updated

    2024 apple maturity report updated: https://ag.umass.edu/fruit/2024-apple-maturity-report

    Last apples harvested include: Evercrisp, Rosalee, Ludacrisp, Suncrisp, Cripps Pink, Mutsu/Crispin, Fuji, and Golden Russet. All that remains is Goldrush!

  • Apples in a box

    How apple farmers are thinking about climate change this fall

    Massachusetts has more than 80 pick-your-own apple farms. But warming weather is hurting apple and fruit crops across New England.

    Al Rose, co-owner of Red Apple Farm, and Jon Clements, an educator with the
    Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment at UMass, talk about this year's apple season and how they're thinking about climate change's impact on future crops.

  • tree-ripe peaches

    Picking and handling tree-ripe peaches (2024)

    Jon Clements Extension Tree Fruit Specialist, UMass Amherst

    It is not necessary to wait for peaches to soften before they are tree-ripe.

    Here are a few pointers for picking tree-ripe peaches, and then for handling peaches when you get them home.

    When picking peaches in the orchard:

    • look for the absence of green skin/background color – any green will have changed to yellow (or white if it is a white-flesh peach) when the peach is tree-ripe; if there is still some green skin, let the peach stay on the tree to ripen more
    • bright red-orange skin color is a good sign of ripeness, however, it depends on the variety – some are very red-orange, some less so; a fully yellow/white background (no green) is still the best indicator of tree-ripeness on peaches that don’t have as much red-orange color
    • IF you must squeeze the peach a bit to assess ripeness, don’t squeeze too hard, that will result in an unsightly bruise; be prepared to buy that peach you squeezed if it gives!
    • larger peaches ripen first and peaches in the tops of the trees also ripen first
    • a ripe peach will separate from the tree easily; if the peach is difficult to pick leave it on the tree to ripen longer

    Once you get your peaches home, here is the proper way to handle and fully ripen them:

    • Do not leave in any kind of plastic bag if that is what you picked into
    • Do not put the peaches in the sun or a hot room or car trunk – they will not ripen evenly
    • Do not put them in the refrigerator unless you want them not to ripen
    • Put the peaches on newspaper in a single layer not touching each other
    • Check to see as they start to soften by feeling them gently – don't push hard on them or they will bruise
    • When the fruit is soft, they are ripe and juicy, so ENJOY! Note this may takeseveral days.
    • This applies to peaches, nectarines, and plums too..
     Thanks to my good friend Annette Bjorge, Fruit Acres Farm, Coloma, MI for peach handling tips
  • mcintosh caliper 5.2 mm

    Current bud stage photos updated

    McIntosh apples are at petal fall as of May 14 at the UMass Orchard. Late blooming varieties like MAIA 1/Evercrisp and Macoun are just past full bloom. Current bud stages photos here...

  • Pear, apple, peach and cherry fruits illustrated over a circular background of black surrounded by green with the text Massachusetts Fruit Growers Association

    MFGA Supports Extension Research

    Massachusetts fruit growers must grow the best fruit they can for market. This requires many production decisions including insect, weed, disease and crop load management.