Growing Wisconsin Conference - Member public profile

January 18-20, 2026 | Wisconsin Dells, WI

Back

Aland Orchards

Member profile details

First name

Mike

Last name

Bloomquist

Company / Farm

Aland Orchards

Title

Nut Orchardist

Profile Picture

About Me

Mike Bloomquist is a nut orchardist and an avid believer in perennial agrarianism who grew up in eastern Indiana. He owns 12 acres of farmland in the Driftless area of Wisconsin (south of Viroqua) and is always looking for new ways to propagate useful food-bearing tree species for cold climates. In 2022, he and his son built a half acre deer fence using railroad ties, 12 gauge steel wire and concrete made in buckets with water from the Kickapoo River. He brings a fresh enthusiasm for building 8 foot deer fencing along with a spirit for MacGyver-like engineering projects. He attends the Wisconsin Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Conference this year with tips and tricks to help you build a sturdy, cost-effective and well-done deer fence to keep your fruits, nuts and other perennial crops safe.

Products

Seedling chestnut trees, seedling hazelnut trees.

2023 Session Descriptions

Building Your Own Deer Fence:
Using MacGyver-like engineering and improvisational thinking, Mike Bloomquist (avid nut orchardist and perennial farming specialist) will lead you through the steps he took in 2022 to build a half acre deer fence out of railroad ties, steel wire and concrete mixed in buckets. The idea is to build a fence with horizontal wires using ratchet strainers along the fence row that can be tuned like pianos. We will avoid talk of electrification for now and instead focus on the fundamentals of fence bracing, the audacity of welding your own farm gate and the tenacity it takes to see a deer fence project all of the way from start to finish.

The Growing Wisconsin Conference is run by the Wisconsin Apple Growers Association. For more information please contact us. Thank you for your interest in the Growing Wisconsin Conference!

Call Us: 262-206-8442
Email Us:

melissaonbb@gmail.com

Address:
28520 7th Street

Burlington WI 53105