The 2026 Wisconsin Apple Growers Association field day occurred on Tuesday, July 14 2026 at Eplegaarden located in Fitchburg, WI. While it was quite warm (90° F+), there was an excellent turn out, and the cold cider and lemonade most certainly helped. Huge thank you to Dave Wildes for hosting this year!

Eplegaarden, formerly Appleberry (2001-2021), was planted initially in the mid-1980s on M7 rootstock. High density blocks were added between 2005 and 2010, with Bud9 and M9 rootstocks. In 2020, new varieties were added on Geneva rootstocks, as well as upgrades to the farmstore, kitchen and offered various food and beverage options for customers. Rami Aburromia (Atoms to Apples, WAGA Board President) also managed the orchard for about 17 years in the mid-2000’s. The orchard is primarily pick-your-own, and is a popular location for Madison area residents.

This year’s field day featured four rotating in-field sessions, a mulching demonstration, a tasty lunch and ended with a grower panel discussing small/medium sized operation sales diversification.

Rotating field sessions included the following topics:

• Recognizing and Managing Apple Rots, Cankers and Leaf Spot Diseases
  Dr. Leslie Holland, UW-Madison
• Bees and Pollination
  Dr. Hannah Gaines Day, UW-Madison
• Pest and Disease Scouting in Mid-Summer
  Peter Werts, IPM Institute; John Aue, Threshold IPM Services
• From Harvest to Dormancy: Managing Apple Trees for Strong Growth
  Dr. Amaya Atuch, UW-Madison

Thank you again to all attendees, Eplegaarden and the Wisconsin Apple Growers Association for attending the field day! Best of luck to all growers as we approach harvest.