AppleTalk is a 17-session, weekly, call that supports sustainable and organic apple producers between green tip and harvest with regionally unique information needed to tackle tough pest management and production issues. The sessions run from green tip to the last sprays applied before harvest.
AppleTalk is ideal for any grower or farm manager; beginning or experienced; conventional or organic, AppleTalk has something to offer. AppleTalk offers participants real-time information about regional pest conditions, answers to pressing questions and a space to learn about other growers’ approaches to IPM. Subscribing to AppleTalk provides access to a community of local growers with their own knowledge and experience. These calls require some basic understanding of growing apples.
AppleTalk calls are facilitated by John Aue from Threshold IPM Services and Peter Werts from the IPM Institute. John and Peter offer a wealth of regional knowledge and experience from their work as IPM consultants for the tree fruit industry in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. John has been consulting for over 40 years, and Peter has been scouting and consulting with orchard operations since 2008. Guest experts from universities around the region are invited to discuss a wide range of relevant IPM and fruit production issues including insect, weed and disease management, thinning and tree nutrition.
The call discussions emphasize the role of using orchard ecology and pest biology to inform insect and disease management. The program also addresses fruit thinning, tree nutrition, pesticide selection and application timing of low-risk conventional and organic-approved pesticides. For example, if codling moth is a pest of concern in your orchard, AppleTalk guides participants through uses and timing of mating disruption, degree day models and timing of pesticide applications.
AppleTalk is conducted using the Zoom platform with a call in option. If you miss a call, a link to the call recording and a call summary are emailed to all registered participants within 24-48 hours of each AppleTalk.
AppleTalk Pricing
Special promotion for all 2026 registered AppleTalk growers
- $800 for 2 visits
- Orchards more than two hours from Madison or La Crosse, WI will be charged the additional travel time that exceeds two hours.
- Two 1.5-hour scouting visits early in the season–first visit around pink/early bloom and the second visit once fruit thinning is complete.
- First visit includes assistance with season planning: review of last season’s records, pest and disease concerns from previous season and written scouting report after each visit. Reports include observations of the orchard including layout and landscape, condition and age of trees, pruning, rootstock and current pest and diseases of concern.
- Second visit will be scheduled once thinning is complete, generally after fruit are 18 – 20 mm in size. Scouting activities may include plum curculio, first-generation codling moth, apple scab, and powdery mildew.
- Optional: Assistance with placement of traps (traps not included in price). Templates to organize trap data.
Interested in learning more about the IPM Institute’s scouting promotion? All are welcome to inquire.
| Early Bird Renewal – Through February 15th | Access to live call, newsletter and recording link. | $225 |
| AppleTalk Subscription | Access to live call, newsletter and recording link. | $250 |
| New AppleTalk Subscriber | I have never been a paid AppleTalk subscriber and want to join. Access to live call, newsletter and recording link. | $210 |
| AppleTalk Newsletter | Does not include access to live calls. Access to newsletter and recording link. | $210 |
