A family farm in central Minnesota is breaking new ground with organic peach production, defying the challenges of USDA hardiness zone 3, where winter temperatures can plummet to -35°F. What began as a single backyard peach tree in Bloomington, MN, has blossomed into a promising venture at Stone Creek Farm, thanks to Dan Sheild’s innovation and dedication.
Overcoming the Cold with Innovation
Supported by an $8,840 NCR-SARE Farmer Rancher grant in 2021, Sheild developed a peach-growing system tailored to Minnesota’s harsh winters. He created a stable environment for peach trees to thrive using a 54x34-foot high tunnel equipped with a light-proof silage tarp and thermostatically controlled heat tape. These methods helped mitigate extreme cold while addressing common peach-growing challenges like fruit cracking and pest damage.
In 2021, Sheild grafted 14 peach cultivars onto four rootstocks, planting the trees in May. By fall, some reached heights of up to 66 inches. The following year, he applied organic foliar nutrient sprays and soil amendments to optimize tree health and growth.
Sheild closely monitored the system’s performance, discovering that snow coverage significantly impacted temperature stability. In 2022-2023, snow surrounding the high tunnel created a temperature difference of up to 26°F between the interior and exterior. Without snowfall in 2023–2024, the difference dropped to 7–10°F.
Interestingly, the heat tape proved to have minimal impact, and working without it reduced costs while still maintaining survivable conditions for the trees.
Fruitful Results
With this growing method, Sheild says the peach trees can produce 70 pounds of peaches per tree within 27 months. With peaches valued at $3.75 per pound, a 1,768-square-foot high tunnel housing 24 trees could generate $6,300 annually after Year 2— scaling to $50,400 per acre.
Sheild’s efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. Field days and workshops at Stone Creek Farm have drawn over 70 farmers and agricultural professionals, and media coverage, including a feature on WCCO-TV, has sparked interest in high tunnel peach production in Minnesota.
A Peachy Forecast
Now in his 12th year of peach-growing success, Sheild is optimistic about the future of stone fruit production in the upper Midwest. With more than 40 peach cultivars to evaluate and a proven system for overcoming cold climates, he envisions a thriving regional industry.
“The project was such an overwhelming success that it proved again, after eight years of growing peaches at this location, peaches can be grown as far north as central Minnesota. It’s exciting to think that we may have another fruit growing industry in the upper Midwest that has not been considered,” said Sheild. “I envision a connective association just for stonefruit growing in the near future.”