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Nova Scotia Fruit Growers' Association
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Meet
our Growers
Doug
Nichols - Nova Scotia Fruit Grower
Farm name
and location?
Apple Lane Farm Inc.
Morristown, Nova Scotia
Years in operation?
18 by me; in the family 52 years prior to that
Number of
generations?
Four
Farm history?
The farm was originally bought by my grandfather Stuart
Nichols in 1930. My wife and I purchased that portion of
the family farm from my father, Vaughn Nichols, in 1987.
The farm consists of an apple and pear orchard, raspberries
and a feeder hog operation with 1,000 animals.
Crops grown
(other than apples)?
Pears and raspberries
Acreage?
85 acres of apple orchard, 4 acres of pears, 2 acres of
raspberries
Apple varieties
grown?
Gravenstein, McIntosh, Cortland, Spy, Idared, Jonagold,
Honeycrisp, Clapp pears
Any unique
systems, experiments, machinery, etc.?
In 1985, experimented with high-density orchard systems,
including V-trellis and Vertical ax
Thinning trials
Integrated Pest Management Technologies blocks
Rootstock comparison trials
New varieties planting for the Grower Testing Association
Soils project - orchard establishment
Alternative weed control trial
Future plans?
Have been planting approximately 4-5 acres/year for the
last four or five years. Density ranges from 350-500 trees/acre.
Plans are to do the same for the next couple of years.
Association
involvement, positions held, etc.?
I am a member of the Nova Scotia Fruit Grower's Association
and have served as Chairman of the Orchard Tour Committee,
the Storage and Marketing Committee and the Grower Processor
Committee. I am presently a member of several NSFGA committees.
In December 1998, I received the Golden Apple Award for
best young grower's contribution to the apple industry.
I am also a Past Chairman of the Nova Scotia Tree Fruit
Research Foundation.
Education?
1992 - BSc in Plant Science (Horticulture) - NSAC
2002 - Master of Science in Agriculture
Family info?
My wife Marlene and I have been married for 16 years. We
have four children:
Robert - 8 years old, Allyson - 6, Elaine - 4 and Elizabeth
- 3.
What do you
see as the biggest challenge facing apple growers (local
and/or national)?
The biggest challenge facing local apple growers is to increase
our yield.
Why did you
choose to farm (why do you like it)?
I chose farming because I like to grow apples.
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