Fruit Ridge, also called The Ridge, is a landform and farming area in West Michigan. The region is named for its large amount of farming, especially because it is known for growing fruits.
Agriculture
This area is known as an important agricultural region because its special features make it one of the best places in the world for growing fruits. The rich clay loam soils here hold water well, the land is higher than 800 feet (240 m), and its closeness to Lake Michigan helps create a special climate. These conditions offer good soil and land for growing high-quality fruits and vegetables.
The Ridge is famous for growing apples. In 2006, this area produced 65% of all apples grown in Michigan.
Geography
The Ridge is about 8 miles (13 km) wide and 20 miles (32 km) long, covering an area of 158 square miles (410 km²) in parts of Kent, Newaygo, Muskegon, and Ottawa counties. It stretches from Walker in the south to Grant in the north and is mainly located in Sparta, where the Old Orchard Juice Company is found. Fruit Ridge Avenue was named after the Ridge.
Renewable energy
Fruit Ridge is also being considered as a place where people might build wind farms that produce electricity for sale. A company from Spain called Iberdrola Renewables has placed a tower that is almost 200 feet (61 meters) tall on the ridge to check if the wind is strong enough to generate electricity consistently. Company leaders plan to build 30 to 35 towers in the area. Fruit Ridge is of interest because it has straight-line winds, existing high-voltage transmission lines, and farmers who want to keep growing crops there. Another company, Heritage Sustainable Energy from Traverse City, has been working to get agreements to use the land for wind energy in the Fruit Ridge Area. It is estimated that landowners could receive between $3,000 and $5,000 each year for every megawatt of energy produced.
Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program
In 2005, Gerber Products Company, Pacific Biocontrol, and Michigan State University worked with local apple packers to develop a program to control codling moths. These moths have been a major problem for apple growers for many years and are becoming resistant to certain insecticides called organophosphates.