THE FRUIT BELT BLOSSOMS
In the 1840s, David Byers in Bainbridge Township grew the first peaches sold commercially from Berrien County, and a new industry was sparked. By the time of the Civil War, many local farmers were planting more abundant orchards. As they had learned, ideal soils and topography and the climactic moderating effects of Lake Michigan allow an unusually wide variety of fruits to thrive in this region. Most importantly, the city of Chicago was a nearby market, easily reached via lake steamer, and was endlessly hungry for the produce grown here. Wheat and corn were reliable, standard crops, but growing apples, peaches, strawberries, and other fruits could be much more profitable. Many farmers took advantage of the ability to produce an incredible diversity of crops. Both immigrants and Americans continued to arrive to invest their lives in the land, and seasonal migrant workers sustained the industry’s growth. Even in the face of constant threats such as pests, crop diseases, and extreme weather, independent family farms multiplied and thrived throughout the Michigan Fruit Belt.