Eye on Ag - Fruit Harvest

It never fails to surprise me what a person can find growing in North Dakota if they just take the time to look Take this backyard in Burlington for example Richard Starke Fruit Farmer Look at that Have you ever seen anything like that before 25 years ago Richard Starke purchased the lot next to his house and planted a few fruit trees Today he has his own orchard that is boasting a bountiful harvest of some very unusual fruit for North Dakota Starke Those are valiant grapes right there the bartlett pair and behind that is another cherry tree These are domestic plums here one is red and the other is yellow They re falling down now Shaun Sipma KX News That s day fresh fruit Richard says the trees not only survive North Dakota s harsh winter but do very well at weather all the elements but it s the local wildlife that he has to keep his eyes on Starke The rabbits they love to run around in here and chew on things and then the deer come in here during the winter and they prune my trees down here pretty well With all this fruit and more coming every year Richard has his work cut out for him just gathering it all up after it ripens A task made even more difficult by Richard s Emphysema a lasting reminder of the Agent Orange he endured while serving in Vietnam Starke This is quite a challenge But Emphysema isn t about to slow him down lawn mower starting his lawnmower is all he needs to get out to his orchard Starke It s a lot of work When the moment is ripe he shakes his trees and gathers his fruit and hauls them inside to be processed Starke We can a lot of stuff Ann Hoffart Canner First of all I wash the pairs and cut them in half The canning job goes to Ann Hoffart a friend of Richards together they ll preserve close to 80 pints of pears alone With all that fruit he says he certainly has more than he needs Starke We just have too much so we give it away Along with the fruit he says he ll offer up advice on just how to grow your own if you don t mind a few years wait until the tree matures enough to produce fruit Starke Just plant it and stand back that s what I say because things like to grow In Burlington with your Eye on Agriculture Shaun Sipma KX News Cam 1 - 2Shot Break Sports