Sophomore Gabe Olsen-Jensen is making great strides as a young man who is fascinated with Pomology.

In seventh grade he became interested in fruit trees and contacted UC-Riverside requesting information about citrus seedings. He ended up being mentored by the Director of the Citrus program and learned the process of grafting.

At 14, he began working at Maple Leaf Orchard, a local orchard where he learned much about apples. He then began his own research on his parent’s acreage, planting 75 rootstocks, grafting all to produce Honeycrisp apples.

When he entered high school, he became involved with the FFA and his interest in fruit research grew. He contacted several fruit experts from around the nation, including professors from Cornell University, University of Minnesota and UW-River Falls. All of these experts helped Olsen-Jensen do research on apple trees.

Soon after collaborating with various universities, Olsen-Jensen decided to take his research to a higher level. He wrote two grants and received $10,000 from the FFA and SARE (United States Department of Agriculture) organizations.

Olsen-Jensen has just started a new apple orchard with the help of the Alumni FFA, River Falls High School FFA and friends and family. Land has been cleared at the River Falls agriculture plot owned by the district and ground is being prepared for apple research. Research will focus on organic disease and pest control.

Plans for April include plowing ground and securing fencing. Trellises will be used rather than the traditional method, similar to grape growing. Growing apples with the trellis method will make apples easier to pick and prune, ensure color quality, produce higher yield per acre and be more efficient, according to Olsen-Jensen.

On May 1, 130 trees will arrive and be planted. Wiring of trees and organic treatments will begin soon after.

After the third or fourth year, it is estimated that 1,400 pounds of apples will be produced. The fruit will be sold to the community to help fund the FFA and ensure the orchard’s sustainability for decades to come. Apples may also be donated to the River Falls Food Pantry and used in the school district lunch program.

Courtesy of River Falls School District.