The

Small Fruit Update

Week 48: November 23, 2022

A Tribute to Tom Industry News Industry Resources SFU Advertising Industry Calendar

Tom and Anna Peerbolt

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 Julie Pond
NORT H W E ST BERRY FOUNDATION

It is with deep sadness that we announce Tom Peerbolt’s passing on Friday, November 18th at
the age of 71. A Holland, Michigan native, Tom often spoke of Japanese Beetle picking in the
MI berry fields growing up and loved to visit Lynden, Washington which reminded him so much
of his Dutch heritage. After receiving a horticulture degree at UC Davis he opened a small tree
and shrub nursery in Winters, CA which he ran for several years before moving to Oregon in
1990.

His connection to the NW Berry industry was born when

the late Jerry Dobbins pulled him under his wing,
introducing him to the SW Washington berry community
in 1990. With the help of his wife, Anna, he ran a
successful berry crop consulting business, Peerbolt
Crop Management (PCM), for 30 years.

Tom Peerbolt 1950 - 2022​

After a few years working with growers, he realized the importance of a strong berry
community in the Pacific Northwest, and so his vision of connecting the berry industry began.
In 2000, he created the Small Fruit Update which he faxed out to his regional network of
growers. Little did he know that it would reach nearly 1,800 people industry wide like it does
today!

He was a firm believer in communication, technology, and on-farm research. He developed

AgReports software to ease the flow of information to his PCM grower group. He also
collaborated on countless research projects across the Pacific Northwest to ensure applied
results and farm connection were prioritized. In 2014, he realized that his broader regional
efforts needed their own space so, with the help of his wife, established the Northwest Berry
Foundation.

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 There were several things Tom stood for above
money, mainly creating a collective voice for
growers and a strong PNW community. That there
was a shared responsibility to farming, researching
and market success if we work together to solve
problems and share insight/efforts instead of
working in a tunnel.

Outside of work, Tom loved his late wife of 40

years and his Clumber Spaniels who you’d see
joining him on field visits prior to food safety
regulations. His yard was a magical landscape that
would make any horticulturist jealous and board
games and puzzles brought him hours of joy.

It was the people and the simple pleasure of

walking berry fields he missed the most after he
was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
and retired in late 2021. Over the last year he
soaked up personal industry updates from anyone
that would speak on the topic. Just in the week
prior to his passing many people unknowingly
reached out for updates on Tom and sent him well
wishes, unbeknownst to us all that those wishes
gave Tom peace to cross over on Nov. 18. His two
stepdaughters and office staff cannot thank you all
enough for the words of support over the last year.

Tom didn’t want a celebration of life. I'm sure he would be ok with using the channels he
created to commemorate a life well-lived. Here is a memorial page for you to see him from our
eyes. Please make time to connect with growers and walk some fields on his behalf.

While Tom loved the berry industry and believed in the Northwest Berry Foundation, Sisters of
the Road and Northstar Village were both organizations that Tom and Anna believed in and
supported over the years if you’re so inclined to donate in their memory.

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 Industry News

Brought to you by
Our Team is here to guide you through your every need from crop and planting to soil
balance or harvest and winterization

PODCASTS OF THE INDUSTRY

The Business of Blueberries: A podcast from the U.S. Highbush
Blueberry Council hosted by Kasey Cronquist and Rod Cook.
THE IMPACT OF GRAB A BOOST OF BLUE AT RETAIL

PolliNation: A podcast from Oregon State University Extension Service

hosted by Dr. Andony Melathopoulos.
226 - SPENDAL - THOSE AMAZING MASON BEES

NEWSLETTERS OF THE INDUSTRY

Webinar - Autopolyploid Inheritance and a Heterozygous Reciprocal Translocation Shape Chromosome Genetic
Behavior in Tetraploid Blueberry

Oregon IPM Center: IPM News for November 2022

Behind The Blue: Bake-A-Thon, Food Manufacturing Promotion, Export Market Registration Open for 2023

2022 OSU-NWREC Blueberry Pruning Workshop

Recognizing Our USHBC Committee Members With Gratitude

NCSFR - We LOVED connecting with all of you!

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Washington Red Raspberry Commission 2023-24 Request for Proposals: Proposals due December 12, 2022

Oregon Blueberry Commission 2023-24 Request for Proposals: Proposals due November 23, 2022.

SURVEY REQUEST

The Washington State University Small Fruit Horticulture program (led by Lisa DeVetter) has collaborated on research
regarding blueberry machine harvesting for the fresh market. In order to assess impact of the previous research and get
feedback from the industry on the next phases of research on this technology, we request that you complete this short
survey. All answers are anonymous, and the survey should take 3-5 minutes to complete. If you have any questions,
please email Lisa at lisa.devetter@wsu.edu.

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 Industry Resources

FEATURED LINKS

Washington sets another heat record in October (Capital Press 11/8)

Population surge of brown marmorated stink bugs threatens Oregon crops (OregonLive 11/10)
‘Game Changer’ Found for Spotted Wing Drosophila Control in Blueberries (Growing Produce 11/15)
Help on the Way To Better Protect Strawberries from Soilborne Diseases (Growing Produce 11/19)

WORLD

China's strawberry market is on the rise year by year

READ MORE
(FreshPlaza 11/10)

“We are very worried about the raspberry campaign”

READ MORE
(FreshPlaza 11/13)

Moroccan strawberry and raspberry exporters brace for the off-season

READ MORE
(FreshPlaza 11/14)

"By the end of October, around 20,000 tons of frozen Serbian raspberries were sold across
READ MORE
Europe”
(FreshPlaza 11/9)

Peru is once again the main exporter of blueberries

READ MORE
(FreshPlaza 11/20)

"Challenging pineapple market, less supply means strawberry sales more balanced”
READ MORE
(FreshPlaza 11/21)

J&K farmers are increasing revenues through strawberry cultivation

READ MORE
(FreshPlaza 11/22)

Most of the world's raspberries come from Russia

READ MORE
(FreshPlaza 11/22)

Berries now Tasmania's top crop

READ MORE
(FreshPlaza 11/22)

Morocco becomes 15th largest global fruit exporter

READ MORE
(FreshPlaza 11/22)

Lower world market prices for Peru's blueberries despite 28% export increase
READ MORE
(FreshPlaza 11/22)

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NORTH AMERICA

Mucci Farms to use dynamic grow lights for strawberry trials

READ MORE
(FreshPlaza 11/8)

Indoor Berry Boom an Opportunity for Growers To Boost Bottom Line

READ MORE
(Growing Produce 11/14)

Agronometrics in Charts: Price alerts for raspberries

READ MORE
(Fresh Fruit Portal (11/15)

US blueberries in sports marketing push

READ MORE
(Fruitnet 11/22)

TECHNOLOGY

Researchers at University of Córdoba delve deep into genetic regulation of strawberry

ripening READ MORE
(FreshPlaza 11/16)

SAVRpak partners with Mexican company Jüsto, distributing moisture control tech
READ MORE
(Fruitnet 11/22)

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 Small Fruit
Advertising

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 Industry Calendar

November 2022

Washington Small Fruits Conference - 9AM - 5PM

NORTHWEST WASHINGTON FAIRGROUND

29-30 1775 FRONT ST, LYNDEN, WA 98264

VIEW EVENT PAGE ADD TO CALENDAR

Washington Red Raspberry Commission Annual Meeting - 1PM - 3PM

29 DURING THE SMALL FRUIT CONFERENCE IN LYNDEN,WA

VIEW EVENT ADD TO CALENDAR

Washington Blueberry Commission Meeting

30 ZOOM DETAILS TBA. FOR MORE INFORMATION

EMAIL ALAN SCHREIBER.

VIEW EVENT ADD TO CALENDAR

December 2022

Oregon Raspberry & Blackberry Commission Annual Meeting

VIEW AGENDA
12
VIEW EVENT ADD TO CALENDAR

UPCOMING EVENTS

We are only displaying the calendar one month at a time to improve your viewing experience and keep
the SFU at a reasonable page count. Future months calendar information can be found on our
website.

VIEW UPCOMING EVENTS

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