HORTICULTURE
HORTICULTURE Van Buren County has more fruit acreage than any other county in Michigan. Van Buren is located on the Lake Michigan shore in Southwest Michigan. It is the leading blueberry production area in the state. Van Buren County shares many of the same advantages as Berrien County and is a leading county in apple, grape and plum production. Fruit processing plants are located in Paw Paw, Lawton and Lawrence. These plants process apples, cherries and other fruits and vegetables depending on the season. Blueberries are grown mainily in the western and nothern areas of the county. Apples and other tree fruits are grown though out the county, usually on top of rolling hills.
Most of the grapes are located in the eastern portion of the county around Paw Paw and Lawton. Most of the grapes are used for juice but a good portion are used to produce award winning Michigan wines. The National Grape Cooperative has a Welch's grape juice plant in Lawton which processes the regions juice grape crop into juice. St Julian the state's largest winery is located in Paw Paw as is Warner's Winery. Because of Van Buren County,s large grape acreages there is a restriction on using the ester form of 2,4-D in many parts of the county.
Most of the blueberries are located in the western portion of the county, where soil conditions are right for this crop. MBG Marketing, the marketing organization of the Michigan Blueberry Growers Association is located in Grand Junction near South Haven.
The number of fruit farms in Van Buren County declined by 47 between 1994 and 2001, while the fruit acreage decreased by 2000 acres. The acreage of blueberries and grapes increased while all other fruits decreased. The decline in farm numbers is part of a national trend. Growers who retire are not replaced because of farming's low profitability and farm land is sold to development, mostly housing.
For more information on Van Buren County visit The Van Buren County Community Center on the Web.
Van Buren Fruit Plantings |
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1997 Fruit Survey |
2000 Fruit Survey |
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Crop |
Farms |
Acres |
Farms |
Acres |
All Fruit |
367 |
21,465 |
362 |
19,590 |
191 |
6,800 |
191 |
7,250 |
|
97 |
7,100 |
78 |
5,200 |
|
122 |
4,500 |
106 |
4,850 |
|
54 |
1,880 |
36 |
1,450 |
|
45 |
550 |
39 |
420 |
|
29 |
220 |
25 |
185 |
|
17 |
95 |
14 |
80 |
|
20 |
70 |
16 |
45 |
|
11 |
90 |
5 |
60 |
|
The Van Buren Extension Office is in Paw Paw. |
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