BAYFIELD - As Bayfield prepares for the 48th annual Apple Fest, many of its growers have been working hard to provide a safer and healthier fruit for consumers.

A statewide program is helping farmers use fewer and less toxic chemicals to keep pests off of their produce.

Eric Carlson has been using eco–friendly practices on the Blue Vista Farm since he bought the land in 1988.

But now that he's participating in Wisconsin's Eco Apple Project, his efforts to protect the environment and grow cleaner, safer apples, have reached a whole new level.

"Its just basically a little computer," said Carlson.

A tall poll stands in the middle of one of Carlson's orchards.

It's a data collector and records leaf wetness, rain, temperature and humidity every 15 seconds.

"It'll take all that information and it'll actually crunch the numbers and it'll tell us whether or not we've had an infection period," said Carlson.

Now, Carlson can use his recorded data to determine whether or not he needs to use pesticides.

"So its not just indiscriminant use. We're not just looking at a calendar, loading the spray gun and going," said Carlson.

Jason Fischbach is the Ashland and Bayfield County agricultural agent for the University of Wisconsin Extension and is helping eric apply these new methods.

"To be real effective at controlling the pests, its important that they understand what pests they have," said Fischbach.

And Eric Carlson has been doing his homework.

"It's been a learning experience," said Carlson. "We're monitoring whether or not there are Codling Moths and when they're emerging."

Holding up a plastic apple covered ina sticky substance, Carlson says, "And this thing is just covered with Apple Maggot Flies."

While these new methods will save Carlson the cost of buying more expensive pesticides, they haven't made his work load any lighter.

"So what it means is, we need to be out here a lot more," said Carlson.

Using new technologies in his orchards has meant a lot more work for Carlson, but its worth it.

Over the past three years he's been able to reduce his chemical use by over 60 percent.

"It's pretty exciting to see the changes that they've made," said Fischbach. "We've come a long way."

Blemish free apples means controlling pests and in the future, Carlson hopes to use pesticides only as a last resort.

Another way county agents are reducing pest populations in Bayfield is by removing dead and dying apple trees in abandoned orchards.

Bayfield's famous Apple Fest begins Friday.