Tender Fruits: Agriculture In A Microclimate

Tender Fruits: Agriculture In A Microclimate. Grimsby Nature. For more than a century after the arrival of the first Loyalist Settlers in the 1780s, the land at this location was used as farmland. Smith, Hunter, Bigger, Ingleheart and McGill are the names of the farming families who tilled the land in this area, and it proved to be very profitable. Given the unique location, climate and soil of the Niagara region, farmers were able to grow many varieties of tender fruit including grapes, peaches, pears, plums, apricots, berries, and cherries. , The microclimate in the area is a result of the agglomeration of the moderating effects of Lakes Erie and Ontario and the fertile soils that were laid down during the glaciation era. The lands surrounding the Niagara Escarpment have experienced excellent growing conditions, thus forming Ontario's prime fruit growing area. In particular these microclimatic effects have promoted the growth and maturing of Ontario's wine industry. , As the ground warms up in the spring, cool air is drawn inland from Lake Ontario. Flowing in a circular pattern down the Niagara Escarpment and along the ground, this cool air delays bud burst on the vines, preventing potential damage by late spring frosts. In the fall, the air circulation works in reverse. Air is warmed over the lake and moves inland along the ground. When it reaches the Escarpment it rises, drawing more warm air in behind it and giving the region the long, warm fall days needed to develop optimum sugar content in the grapes. With its annual sunshine hours and rainfall, the Niagara Peninsula enjoys a climate during the growing season very similar to Burgundy, France. , The Niagara Peninsula, and Grimsby in particular, also has a long history of highly developed industries related to the growing, processing and shipping of tender fruits. Local industries manufactured tools and baskets and supplied nursery stock for the farms. The need for fruit storage and shipping in Grimsby gave rise to experimental cold storage facilities as well as many marketing and shipping organizations. Local canneries, preserving factories, wineries and distilleries preserved large quantities of tender fruit. , For most of the past two centuries, the dominant sector of the local agricultural industry was in tree fruits such as peaches, pears and cherries. Since the 1970s, and the growth of the Ontario wine industry, large sectors of farmland on Niagara's north shore have turned over to grape production. Whether it be grapes or peaches, however, the microclimate and high quality soil make the north shore of Niagara an ideal location for growing tender fruits.