The quest to develop alternative agricultural crops in Flathead County continued last week with a new dark fruit research plot planted at Flathead Valley Community College.

The study is a collaborative effort between FVCC and Montana State University. It follows on the heels of similar research studies of cherries, grapes and hops, shepherded by the Flathead County Extension Office to help local farmers increase profits.

“There are over 85,000 parcels of land in Flathead County that are between 5 and 10 acres, MSU Flathead County Extension Agent Pat McGlynn pointed out. “These smaller-acreage landowners are looking for innovative ideas to maintain their agricultural landscape. They need something nontraditional with higher value.

“You can’t grow a 10-acre wheat field and have all equipment needed for that, so I’m looking for crops that fit with our new landscape,” McGlynn said. “I am excited about the potential for growing considerable acreage in small, dark fruits. These plants are cold-tolerant, do not require expensive infrastructure and can produce within the first two to three years.”

During a Made in Montana assembly at the state capitol three years ago, McGlynn interviewed a number of business owners about the fruits used in their products. Barbecue sauces, wines, ice cream, granola mixes, cookies, jams, jellies, salsas and candies are being assembled in Montana, but the fruit was purchased out of state.

“The quantity of fruit needed was just not available in state,” she said. “Here was an opportunity for Flathead farmers to grow high-value fruit and sell to Montana businesses eager to buy local ingredients.

Many of the small dark fruits grow in extremely frigid temperatures from North American into Canada, some in Northern Europe.  

Small dark fruit in the MSU/FVCC study include Saskatoons, black and red currants, aronias, shrub cherries, haskaps, elderberries and gogi berries. The fruits can be juiced, dehydrated, used fresh, made into jams and jellies and maintain their health benefits, McGlynn said.

“I do not anticipate issues with cold hardiness. It will be most informative to study the economics of these crops,” she said. “How many tons per acre can we achieve, what harvesting equipment will be needed, will businesses contract with growers to obtain local ingredients and what type of processing will be needed? The bottom line is, does it make money for the grower?”

Through the cold-hardy wine grape research trials initiated by McGlynn locally in 2012, growers learned where wine grapes can be grown profitably in Montana.

“This allows growers to make a profit and wineries to purchase local fruit,” she said. “The new hybrids developed in Minnesota made that a possibility.”

Heather Estrada and Julian Cunningham, instructors of the integrated agriculture and food systems curriculum at FVCC, will use the dark fruit study as a learning lab for their students.

“I am thrilled to have the research located at FVCC where there will be no accidental herbicide drift,” McGlynn said, citing the challenges of conducting on-farm horticulture studies. “Fertilizer recommendations will be followed and fruit will be removed when appropriate.”

McGlynn had intended to start the dark fruit study in 2013 when the hops project jumped ahead in priority. She said she’s now glad she waited because there are similar trials underway in Helena, Bozeman and Corvallis.

“It’s a benefit to our region and to the state to have these trials located across Montana and to be able to pool our expertise,” she said.

The small, dark fruits in the trials are considered “super foods.” The anti-oxidant and vitamin benefits surpass almost all other fruit, McGlynn pointed out.

Aronia, one of the plants in the study, is a native North American plant in high demand for its health benefits and natural disease-fighting qualities.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.