Fruit Belt

FRUIT BELT

"The remarkable adaptability of this belt of country for the purposes of fruit cultivation is ascribed in part to the nature of its soil, but . . . is principally due to the proximity of the broad, unfreezing expanse of Lake Michigan." – History of Berrien and Van Buren Counties, Michigan, 1880

Michigan's fruit belt runs along the entire Lake Michigan side of the Lower Peninsula. The Anishinaabe were the first to harvest its blueberries, cranberries, nannyberries and grapes. Early settlers purchased apples from the Odawa.

A Growing Industry

A locomotive, smoke billowing from its stacks, chugs from left to right in a black and white photo. The rail line runs next to a rippling pond.

Image Credits: Dick Godfrey

A black and white postcard titled 'Southern Fruit Exchange.' In a long, narrow room, men and women stand or sit behind simple wooden tables displaying wood crates and baskets of peaches and other fruit. The walls are open, exposing wooden beams and supports; high windows let in sunlight. Pieces of fruit lay smashed on the dusty wooden floor.

Image Credits: Dick Godfrey

Chicago's rapid growth after the 1871 fire created an expanding market for Michigan produce. Fruit growers formed exchanges to ensure produce quality and facilitate sales. Inland farmers could use trains to transport fresh perishables to the coast. From there it was a short trip by boat across Lake Michigan.

A man and woman stand together in front of a house in a mid 1960s black and white photo. He wears a dark suit and tie; she, a sleeveless white tea-length dress, waist belt, heels and a pearl necklace. The couple is next to a historical marker that reads: 'The Haven peach varieties were developed here by Michigan State University's South Haven Experiment Station, under the direction of Professor Stanley Johnston. From 1924 to 1936, eight yellow-fleshed freestone varieties were selected from more than 21,000 cross-bred seedlings. They were named Halehaven, Kalhaven, Redhaven, Fairhaven, Sunhaven, Richhaven, Glohaven, and Cresthaven. Redhaven was the first red-skinned commercial peach variety. It is now the most widely planted freestone peach variety in the world. The Haven peaches have provided an orderly supply of high quality peaches extending over a seven-week period. Prior to the development of Haven peaches, harvests had been restricted to a three-week period.'

Image Credit: The Historical Association of South Haven

Michigan State University scientists at the South Haven experimental station crossbred trees and vines to improve fruit varieties. Dr. Stanley Johnston (standing with his wife Laura beside a Michigan Historical Marker) led the work at the station from 1920 to 1969.

The Science Behind Lake Effect

A graphic shows Lake Michigan and its sandy shores. Thin wavy horizontal lines indicate wind movement from west to east, while thicker wavy vertical lines indicate air movement upward from the lake. Raindrops fall on a blooming fruit tree on the eastern shore. Typeface reads: 'warm air + cooler air = cool breezes and rain.'

Image Credit: Michigan History Museum

In spring and summer, Lake Michigan's deep water cools the air, hindering premature budding and bringing rain.

In fall and winter, the water warms the air, lengthening the growing season and preventing lethal frosts. The extra snow it brings in winter insulates the soil, keeping it from freezing and damaging roots.

What else is special about Michigan's Fruit Belt?

The sandy-loam soil drains well after heavy rains or rapid snowmelt, yet still retains essential moisture. When it isn't windy, cold air flows down the rolling hills, leaving hilltops two to five degrees warmer. This small temperature variation can be the difference between failed or successful crops.

It's true! It's warmer in Michigan than Wisconsin!

A graphic shows Lake Michigan bordered by Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. Beloit, Wisconsin, on the west side of the lake, and South Haven, Michigan, on the east side of the lake, are marked by location pins. Lines indicating wind are above the lake. A cloud with a bold arrow indicates movement from Wisconsin to Michigan.

Image Credit: Michigan History Museum

Beloit, Wisconsin, is almost directly west of South Haven and 66 miles from Lake Michigan. Over an 8-year time span, Beloit winters were 16 to 24 degrees colder than those in South Haven.

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