All interested individuals are invited to attend the Society's annual convention. This event provides an excellent opportunity to obtain current research information on fruit growing, handling and marketing. Orchardists also share fruit production, handling and marketing experiences and present suggestions to help each other improve their individual enterprises. The meetings provide excellent opportunities for making personal contact with others in the fruit industry.

An official Society registration badge, listing your name and address, is necessary for admittance to the trade show exhibit halls. All attendees must register. The registration desk will be on the main concourse of the Grand Center.

Dec. 6 (Monday) 1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Dec. 7 (Tuesday) 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Dec. 8 (Wednesday) 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Dec. 9 (Thursday) 8:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Life Member $15.00*
Member $35.00*
Spouse $10.00*
Student (ID required) $10.00*
Youth under 12 N/C

Prayer Breakfast (Wed.) $ 8.00
Auxiliary Luncheon (Wed.) $12.00
Banquet & Program (Wed.) $17.00**

*Pre-register before November 10 and deduct $5 per attendee. Pre-registration avoids the long line and wait during registration at the convention. Use a pre-registration form and make checks payable to "MSHS". Mail to:

MSHS
Attn: Sharri German
11767 Fisk Road
Belding, MI 48809

**Pay only $14.00 per Banquet ticket when purchased before Nov. 10, 1999. Pre-registration Form (Adobe Acrobat PDF)

(Individuals become members upon registration for the show. Membership expires in December of each year. Both previous-year members and non-members pay the same rate. Individuals unable to attend the convention, but who wish to receive the Annual Report and/or obtain/retain membership may do so by sending $35 along with their name and complete address to the above address.
Life members are individuals who paid a one-time "life membership" fee earlier on in the Society's history. Life members remain MSHS members and receive the Annual Report throughout their lifetime regardless of convention attendance. Purchases of Life Memberships are no longer available.)

Secure motel accommodations early. The Amway Grand Plaza Hotel (800-632-6120 in-state; 800-253-3590 out-of-state) has reserved a block of rooms at a special convention rate of $80 per night (single or double) through 11/10/99; thereafter, rooms and the special rate are offered only as available.

The Amway also offers free self-serve parking for overnight guests, as space is available. Valet parking is available at an extra charge. Check your bill to be certain you are not charged for self-serve parking if you use it.

The Grand Rapids Convention Bureau (800-678-9859) can provide information about the area and help locate other area motels with rooms available.

• Grand Center Parking Ramp just north of the Grand Center.
• Amway Grand Plaza Hotel Lot just south of the Hotel on Pearl (free to Amway Hotel guests).
• Government Center ramp just northeast of the Grand Center across Monroe Ave.
• Commercial lots within a few blocks of the Grand Center off Pearl, Ottawa, Lyon & Ionia.
• Gerald Ford Museum North Lot off Bridge St. ($3 a day, includes museum admission; may use pedestrian bridge to cross the Grand River directly into the Grand Center).
• DASH Lots: $1 a day with free shuttle, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. every 15 min. and at 3-1/2 min. intervals 7 - 9 a.m. and 4 - 6 p.m. Area 7 Lot off Sumner (1 mile west of US-131 between Michigan and Pearl on east side of street; shuttle stop on Monroe at the Hall of Justice, just north of Grand Center and DeVos Hall) or Area 6 Lot at corner of Wealthy and Century (beneath US-131 about 7 blocks south of Grand Center; shuttle stop on Lyon at Old Kent Bank). Area 6 Lot requires four quarters.

Messages will be accepted and posted on a Message Board located near the registration desk during registration hours. Paging service is not available. Check the Message Board periodically during the convention. Message Center phone no: 616-742-8010.

Presiding: Robert Gregory, Traverse City, MI
Music: Richard Barden, South Haven, MI
Special Music: Marnie Wittenbach, Belding, MI
Prayer for Fellowship: Mike Wittenbach, Belding, MI

Breakfast (Apple juice donated by Gerber Products Company)

Words of Welcome: Robert Gregory
Hymn: "Come, Thou Almighty King"
Old Testament Reading: Doug Olson, Fremont, MI
New Testament Reading: Ray Yeutter, Mason, MI
Hymn: "To God Be The Glory"
Prayer for Family, Industry & Nation: Bill L. Rasch,
Conklin, MI

Message: "Sharing Our Faith Farmer To Farmer"
Dennis Schlagel, Executive Director
Fellowship of Christian Farmers, International
Lexington, IL

Dennis Schlagel grew up on a farm in north central Iowa and attended Iowa State University. Following graduation, Dennis taught Vocational Agriculture for three years before joining the sales team of Ralston Purina Company. It was while working for Purina that Dennis was introduced to the Fellowship of Christian Farmerís organization. His first assignment was to organize a mission trip for farmers to build a concrete block building in Moa Clova, Mexico in February 1990. In 1993, Schlagel joined FCFI as its first Executive Director. Dennis and his wife, Janet, have three daughters and one son.

Hymn: "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"
Closing Prayer: to be announced

Purchase tickets in advance:
$14 before Nov. 10 or $17 at convention registration desk.

Program

Dinner Music by Richard Barden, South Haven, MI

INVOCATION: William Grabemeyer, Dowagiac, MI

DINNER

SOCIAL PROGRAM
Master of Ceremonies: Tom Butler, M.A.C.M.A., Lansing, MI

Introduction of Distinguished Guests
Introduction of Industry Donors*
Announcement of Award Recipients: MSU, Student Scholarships, Apple  Cider Contest, Distinguished Service Awards
"Passing the Gavel": Allan Overhiser, President, South Haven, MI

ENTERTAINMENT
"Old Farm Wives Tales":  Pat Leimbach, Vermilion, OH

Mrs. Leimbach's lively sense of humor will keep the crowd laughing. Wall Street Journal has called her the Erma Bombeck of the Farm Belt. She has appeared on "Good Morning America", "The Today Show", "Larry King Live", and PBS-TVís "Market to Market".

Mrs. Leimbach farms with her son in an Ohio vegetable and grain operation, writes a newspaper column called "The Country Wife" and is author of three books. She also "bakes bread, mends overalls, cans pickles, collects speeding tickets, and quarrels with her family (in that order). She makes her own clothes, knits in church, skis, swims a mile weekly, and in her spare time, dreams fondly of going for parts and sometime returning with the right thing!"
 

We are indebted to the following businesses for their contributions to help underwrite the Prayer Breakfast, Auxiliary Luncheon, & Industry Banquet.

Please thank them for their support. (**Indicates gifts of $500 and up.)

Michigan Apple Queen Pageant
Entertainment: 4^th Avenue, Vocal Quartet

A Coronation Reception will follow the Pageant.

A spouse's activity hosted by the Auxiliary ($12.00*)
*(Tickets must be purchased by Tuesday, Dec. 7.)

1:00 a.m. First bus leaves for Meijer Gardens
12:00 p.m. Lunch Served at Gardens
3:30 p.m. Last bus leaves Meijer Gardens

Everyone is welcome to join the Auxiliary for lunch and a garden tour (indoors) at the beautiful Frederick Meijer Gardens just outside Grand Rapids. (An outdoor tour is also available.) Continuous busing will be provided to and from the Gardens. The bus may be boarded just outside the Monroe Avenue entrance to the Grand Center.

Purchase tickets during pre-registration or at Convention registration desk Monday or Tuesday, Dec. 6 or 7. ($12.00). *(Tickets must be purchased by Tuesday, December 7, 1999.)

Meetings with featured speakers held in conjunction with the convention and open to everyone include:

8:00 pm Michigan Apple Committee
Pantlind Ballroom, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

Featured Speaker: Robb Bertles,  "Fresh Trends 2000"
Group Publisher, The Packer

8:30 am Michigan Pear Research Association Breakfast
Pearl Room, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

Featured Speaker:  to be announced

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The convention program will include poster presentations available for viewing in the lower concourse of the Grand Center. Posters provide valuable information in an easy-to-view form. Authors will be available at scheduled times, as posted at the show, to discuss their posters.

Special cultural practice techniques will be demonstrated in both the East and West Exhibit Halls as follows: Tuesday, December 7, 1999,  1:15 p.m.
and
Wednesday, December 8, 9:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.

Concurrent and/or single sessions will run Tuesday through Thursday. Reports presented during the sessions and other selected material will be published in the Society's Annual Report. This will be printed in early spring 2000 and mailed to both Regular and Life Members of the Society.
 
 

Commercial Exhibits

The Society Trade Show features an outstanding, extensive display of orchard equipment, horticultural products, nursery supplies, packaging and marketing materials, farm management services, and other items to assist in the production, handling and marketing of fruit crops. It is an excellent display for anyone interested in fruit culture.

Our sincere thanks and appreciation to our commercial exhibitors. Firms participating in the Trade show and supporting the Michigan State Horticultural Society Convention (to date of this printing) are listed below.

The convention's size and scope, and the Society's activities would be greatly restricted without their exhibit space rental fees. Their participation provides you an opportunity to observe orchard equipment and horticultural supplies, and receive current information on new and improved products for producing, handling, and merchandising fruit crops.

December 7 (Tuesday) 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
December 8 (Wednesday) 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
December 9 (Thursday) 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Company Name, Hall
Abbott Laboratories, W
Adams County Nursery, W
AGREVO  USA  CO., E
Agri - Quest, E
AgTec. Div. Ag-Chem Equip., E
Agtrol International, E
Alternative Health & Wellness, W
American Fruit Grower, E
Barrett Donut Mixes. Inc., E
Barwacz  Farms, G
BASF Corp., E
Bayer Corporation, E
John Bean Sprayers, G
B.E.I. Inc., G
Berthoud / Korvan, G
Bird Gard/ JWB Marketing, G
Bock Engineered Products, E
Phil Brown Welding Corp., G
Burnips Equipment, E
Centennial Candy Co., W
Century Rain Aid, G
C & O Nursery, W
Coe Orchard Equipment, G
C.S.I. Chemical Corp., E
Daisy  Farms, W
John Deere Company, G
Dillman Farms, Inc., W
Dolav, E
Dow AgroSciences, E
Drexal Chemical Company, E
DuPont Ag. Products, E
Durand Wayland Inc., G
DuRussel Insurance Agency, E
Ecker  Equipment, W
Ecogen, E
Eden Valley Distributing, W
Elf Atochem  Agrichemicals, G
Ellis Sales, E
Farmco, E
Farm Credit Service Centers, E
Farm Markets of Ohio, W
Farmers Choice Foods, W
Firm Yield Pollen & Hort. Supplies, W
Firman Pollen Company, E
First Union Securities, E
Food Bank Council of Michigan , W
P. Friday's Flamin Fury Peaches, W
Fruit Grower News, W
Fruit Picking Equipment Company, E
Gavin Chev-Buick-Pontiac,Inc, G
Gillson's Variety Fab. Inc., G
Goodnatures Products Inc., G
Gowan Company, W
Great Lakes Belting, W
Great Lakes Sales of Prod. Equip., E
Helena Chemical Co., E
Herbruck's Poultry Ranch, G
Herd Seeder Company, E
Hess & Associates, E
Hilltop Nurseries L.L.C., E
House of Webster, W
Hull Lift Truck Inc., W
Hydro Agri North America, E
Innovative Fence Systems, E
International Plant Management, Inc., W
JAM Americas LLC/Agromatica, E
Kent Power Equipment, E
Kilby Manufacturing, W
Klug Korners, E
Krohne Plant Farms, E
Ladder Works, Inc., G
Lake Michigan Packaging Prod.,Inc., W
Ledebuhr Industires, E
3-M Corp. Controlled Delivery Products, E
MACMA, W
Macro Plastics, Inc., E
Maddy Farm Service, G
Michigan Agricultural Statistics Service, E
Michigan Apple Committee , W
Michigan Apple Promoters, W
Michigan Cherry Committee, W
Michigan Chief Sales, Inc., G
Michigan Cider Makers Guild, W
Michigan Dept. of Ag.(Migrant Housing), W
MI Dept. of Ag.(Plant & Pesticides), W
MDA - Select Michigan, W
Michigan Farm Bureau, W
MI Groundwater Stewardship Program, W
Michigan Industrial Equipment Co., E
Michigan Dept. of Career Dev., W
Michigan Orchard Supply, G
Michigan Peach Sponsors, W
Michigan Plum Advisory Board, W
Michigan State Horticultural Society Trust, W
Midwest Arborist Supply, E
Miksanek Enterprises, W
Miller Chemical & Fertilizer, E
Monte Package Company, E
Morrison Industrial Equipment, G
New York Sprayer Supply, W
Nourse Farms, Inc., W
Novartis Crop Protection, G
OESCO, Inc., G
Orchard Machinery Corp., G
PACA Branch, E
Pacific Biocontrol Corporation, E
Paine Webber Inc., E
Parker Foils, Inc., E
PBN Supply, W
Peach Ridge Orchard Supply, E
Pearl Street Design, W
Plummer Supply Company, E
Putnam Plastics, W
R & J Trading, E
Rainbow Industires, W
Reister's Grower Services, Inc., E
Rockford Package Supply Inc., W
Rohm and Haas Company, G
Runkel Orchards, W
Tom Smith Tractor, E
Sara Lee/ Chef Pierre Pies, W
Sparta Farm & Lawn Equip., W
Spectrum Technologies, E
Spring Brook Irrigation Inc., E
The St. George Co. Ldt., G
Stark Bro's Nurseries, E
Storage Control Systems, Inc., E
Summit  Sales, W
Superior Water Solutions, Inc., E
Telmark LLC, G
Tew Manufacturing, G
Thomas Brothers Equip. Sales, Inc., E
TOL, Inc., E
Tree Connection, E
UAP Great Lakes, G
Uniroyal Chemical Company, E
USDA Farm Service Agency, E
Van's Industrial Equipment, G
Van Well Nursery, E & W
Walnut Creek Kitchens, W
Warwick Orchards & Nursery, W
West Michigan Power & Equipment, G
Wilbur-Ellis Company, E
Wiles Sales, G
Willow Drive Nursery, W
The Wright Place, W
Zeneca Ag Products, E
Zirk Welding & Irrigation, E
(G=Grand Hall; E=East Hall; W=West Hall)

Special note:

The above is a partial list of the 1999 MSHS Trade Show exhibitors and their hall location in the Grand Center. A complete list and floor plan showing each exhibitor's location within the hall is posted at the entrance to each of the three exhibit halls.

The following shows the location of the exhibit halls and educational program meeting rooms within the Grand Center complex.

Floor Plan

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Michigan State Horticultural Society Trust Fund

Your tax-deductible donation will support horticultural research, extension and educational projects. The Trust is organized and operated exclusively for educational and scientific purposes.

The Michigan State Horticultural Society (MSHS) established a perpetual Trust Fund in 1984. The purpose of the trust is to support science and education in horticulture.

The Trust promotes excellence in public and private horticultural research, education and extension by supporting:
• Horticultural research at MSU and similar agricultural research institutions.
• Horticultural extension programs to strengthen and/or expand educational assistance for the Michigan fruit industry.
• Horticultural educational programs at MSU and by the Society to further disseminate scientific information and techniques to horticultural students and the general public.
• Public informational materials and programs to further educate MSHS members and the public at large.
• Funding of educational scholarships in the horticultural field of study.
• Distinguished lecturers and speakers at MSHS annual meetings.


Contributions to the Trust offer you an excellent opportunity to help improve the fruit industry and its competitive position.

The Society encourages contributions to the Trust from members, friends, and organizations interested in promoting the fruit industry.

MSHS is classified as a nonprofit, tax-exempt, educational organization, being organized and operated for educational purposes. Donations to the Trust constitute a deduction for U.S. federal income, estate and gift tax purposes. Similar deductions are available for most corresponding state taxes in the United States.

In addition to regular contributions, MSHS urges you to consider special gifts that can be applied to large or particularly noteworthy projects. Requests from an estate or trust can include gifts, unencumbered property, or income. Substantial one-time donations can be applied to designated programs, projects, or equipment. The Trust accepts one-time or annual giving programs to commemorate an individual. MSHS urges corporations and organizations engaged in activities related to the fruit industry to contribute to the Trust.

The Michigan State Horticultural Society is an educational organization dedicated to encouraging among the people a greater love for choice fruit products, to awaken a larger interest in Michigan's horticultural possibilities, and to offer practical suggestions along modern cultural and marketing methods.

The Society has about 1,700 members who are actively engaged in horticultural pursuits. The Society sponsors an annual convention with education programs and a trade show, and regional educational meetings. It encourages improved production, harvesting, handling and marketing practices.

Progress Reports on research projects that received a Trust Fund grant in 1999 may be presented in poster format (lower concourse) or as an oral presentation.

D. Dilley & Z. Wang: Enhancement of anthocyanin production

S. Ries & R. Baughan: Plant derived animal repellents

J. Tew & D. Ferree: Evaluation of honeybee attractants

L. Gut, et al: Pheromone-based control of apple pests

Allan Overhiser, President, South Haven
Mark Evans, President-elect, Frankfort
William Grabemeyer, Vice President, Dowagiac
Sharri German, Treasurer, Belding
Lynnell Sage, Executive Secretary, Morrice
Ronald Perry, Education Coordinator, East Lansing

Burnett Hersey II, Casnovia
Clifford Foster, Greenville
Eleanor Dietrich, Conklin
Robert Gregory, Traverse City
Jerry Jollay, Coloma
Will Pugsley, Lawrence
Paul Grantz, Shelby
Chris Hodgman, Grand Junction
James Koan, Flushing
William Erwin, South Lyon (representing past presidents)

Wayne Loescher, MSU, East Lansing (Ex-officio)

Charles Stein, Chairman, South Haven
Alan Bakker, Suttons Bay
Fred Koenigshof, Coloma
Nick Nyblad, Kent City
Ray Porter, Goodrich
Robert Steffins, Sparta

1:30 p.m. Mon., Dec. 6, 1999, Resolutions Comm. Meeting
Campau Room, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

Submit issues, concerns and items for consideration by the committee to a committee member, to the Society President, or to HortShow@aol.com before that time.

Mark Evans: Chairman
Eleanor Dietrich: MSHS Board Rep.
Ron Perry, Educ. Coordinator: FQPA, Apples, Organic Production
Joyce Wendzel, Auxiliary President: Committee Rep.
James Bardenhagen: Grower Innov. Panel, Labor Issues
Jon Clements:  Posters
Glen Cole: Labor Issues
Mira Bulatovic-Danilovich: Peach/Plum Session
Eric Hanson: Small Fruit Sessions
Amy Irish-Brown: Grower Innovation Panel
Mark Longstroth: Grape Session
James Nugent: Cherry Session
Don Ricks: Apple Session, Cherry Session
Philip Schwallier: Apple Sessions
Bill Shane: Peach/Plum Session
Gary Thornton: Tree Fruit Pests, Cherry Session
Robert Tritten: Farm Marketing, Cider Contest & Session 

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