Thomas Skernivitz

John Deere’s Smart Apply Intelligent Spray Control System uses LiDAR to detect individual trees and vines and automatically adjusts spray volume based on foliage density, reducing unnecessary chemical and water applications. This was on display at the inaugural Great Lakes Tek Flex in Benton Harbor, MI. Photo: Thomas Skernivitz Agricultural technology may be advancing at breakneck speed, but specialty crop growers are not necessarily following at the same pace. And maybe they shouldn’t.

Technology took to the field at the inaugural Great Lakes Tek Flex. I was there. Held Sept. 10-11 at Michigan State University’s Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center in Benton Harbor, the event showcased labor-saving technology for specialty crop growers, including autonomous machines, robotic mowers, precision weed-control systems, intelligent sprayers, and orchard equipment.

Hilary Porter, CEO of Erick Nielsen Enterprises in Northern California. Photo: Paprika Studios Before harvest begins, Hilary Porter likes to slow down. Walking through a prune orchard in late summer, she takes in more than the fruit. She notices the sweetness in the air. “When you walk into a prune orchard that is ready to be harvested, you can smell it,” Porter says. “You can smell the ripeness. You can smell the sugar.