from "Pieces of the Past" 2017 at the OSH An indispensable tool for the fruit-belt farmer. Patented in 1891 by Henry H. Hutchins of nearby Ganges, Michigan, the Hutchins Fruit and Vegetable Assorter used gravity to remove stems, leaves and other debris from just-picked produce and then quickly and accurately sort the items by size for efficient packing. According to satisfied customer J. R. Goodrich, “I can say regarding your fruit assorter that I assorted during 1891 eight thousand bushels of peaches with it. One man does the work; it turns easily, occupies a small space in the packing house and I have realized no damage to the fruit. It has saved me several times its cost and I can cheerfully recommend it to all fruit growers.” Saugtauck-Douglas has the good fortune of residing within the Michigan Fruit Belt, a slim slice of land along the eastern side of Lake Michigan with late springs, cooler summers, and warmer winters. These lake-effect conditions create a micro-climate good for growing fruit. According to Henry Hutchins, in the late 1850s most fruit was grown for home use. But by the early 1870s, local farmers noticed the thriving fruit industry in St. Joseph, Michigan and followed suit. Soon boxes, baskets and barrels of fruit were being sent to population centers by railcar and steamship.