The Romeo Observer - Romeo, Michigan: Northern Macomb County's weekly newspaper since 1866

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CURTIS OSTRANDER	DUAINE HARDING
ELEANOR TODD	ELMER "BUD" HAHN
GERVASE KILEY	MARIAN SUTTON
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Westview receives county's
first Enviro-weather station

Data helps growers
maximize management

by CHRIS GRAY
Observer Staff Writer

      Westview Orchards will play an important role in weather monitoring for Macomb County.
       The orchard has teamed up with Michigan State University to install the first Enviro-weather station in Macomb County, filling a gap of coverage and providing up-to-date information for the agricultural industry to optimize material management.
       The station is one of 55 installed as part of the Michigan Automated Weather Network (MAWN) program, associated with the Generating Research and Extension to Meet Economic and Environmental Needs (GREEEN). The group is a partnership between major commodity groups, food processors, state government, the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station and MSU.
       Financial support is provided by MSU Extension, agricultural experiment stations plus interested growers and supporters.
       Members of MSU Extension came to the orchard on March 28 and installed the station despite windy and cold conditions.
       "As an orchard family, we're committed to on-going research," said Westview co-owner Katrina Schumacher. "The weather impacts us all for one reason or another, but especially us in the agricultural industry."
       Information collected by the station will allow growers to determine what type of treatment is required to prevent diseases or pests based on weather patterns.
       Since the `80s, Westview Orchards reduced its material uses by 75 to 80 percent due to the efforts of MSU research and new ways of deterring disease and pests.
       "It's an interesting thing that just keeps evolving," she said. "There was a gap here in Macomb County, and those of us with fruit, veggies, golf courses all utilize this information."
       Bob Tritten, district extension fruit educator for the MSU Extension, said Romeo was chosen for the location due to the area being a hub of fruit growth for southeastern Michigan.
       "These stations started out to be fruit-related," he said. "This is a nice central location for us to be collecting data at."
       He said the station will provide information on precipitation, wind speed, temperature of air, solar radiation, soil temperature and moisture and leaf wetness<monitoring levels of dew or moisture on leaves.
       "It will allow fruit growers to go to their computer and look up weather, then look at disease and insect models, and based on those models, can decide whether to apply a pesticide or not," he said. "Environmentally, it helps save them with things like ground water."
       The particular spot for the station within the orchard was selected for its open space to monitor wind as well as its close proximity to fruit trees.
       "This summer, wires will be run under the ground, and sensors will be in the trees," he said. "We also have good cell service here."
       Data is collected by the station, and every five minutes it is sent to the MSU computers using cellular technology. It is then relayed to other farms, orchards and other interested parties around the county.
       Not only will the data benefit growers, it will also help those who grow vegetables, landscaping businesses, and golf courses to maintain their soil.
       Extension professors and specialists will also benefit, such as Steve Marquie, a MSU research assistant for biosystems and agricultural engineering, geography and a professor of technology systems management.
       "Unlike other states, Michigan has a diverse collection of micro-climates," he said. "A county five miles away may have dramatic uniqueness to one here."
       He coordinated the installation process for the Westview station, working as a Field Operations Manager for the Enviro-weather program.
       "People on staff have developed models to give the best recommendation on how to maintain crops," he said. "We all like an apple without a worm, but we don't want it to taste like chemicals, so there is a balance to maintain, and hopefully we provide the information to meet those goals."
       Information collected by the station can be viewed free of charge at http://www.enviroweather.msu.edu/