A series of 4 day-long sessions, covering theory and hands-on practice in organic fruit tree and orchard management. Designed for beginner to intermediate orchardists managing backyard plantings to larger orchards
Pre-registration is required for all workshops
Saturday, March 20: Pruning Fruit Trees and Early Spring Orchard Care
Locations: Blue Hill, Unity, Waterboro * Fee is $30 per person
Learn to prune fruit trees to encourage vigorous growth, heavy fruit set, and quality fruit yield. Collection of scion wood and storage will also be discussed. Please bring a bag lunch, course will run from 10-3 pm. A snow date of Sunday, March 21 is planned.
Saturday, April 24: Grafting Fruit Trees Workshop is SOLD OUT!
Location: Unity * Fee is $50 per person
Learn to propagate and reproduce your favorite fruit tree varieties. Instructor Delton Curtis of Curtis Pond will explain why to graft and demonstrate Whip & Tongue and T-Budding (indoors) as well as outdoor grafting (top working) of established trees. Participants will graft stock to take home and plant. Care for seedlings will be discussed. Please bring a grafting knife and a bag lunch. Course will run from 10-3 pm.
Grafting Knives (model #475v Victorinox Grafting) can be purchased in advance from A.M. Leonard
OR can be purchased the day of the course.
Saturday, May 8: Organic Orcharding 101 with Michael Phillips SOLD OUT!
Location: Unity *Fee is $40 for members, $50 for non-members
Join Michael Phillips, author of The Apple Grower, for a comprehensive exploration of organic disease and insect strategies, including lectures, discussions, question and answer periods inside and out. Learn what to expect in your orchard and how to manage it. Please bring a bag lunch, course will run from 10-3 pm.
visit Michael's website
Saturday, July 31 : Bud Grafting SOLD OUT!
Led by Delton Curtis at Curtis Pond Nursery
Location: Thorndike * Fee is $50 per person
Bud grafting is a great way to start your own fruit trees as well as many ornamentals. "Budding" uses individual buds from this year’s new growth to graft onto rootstock already set in the nursery. Taught by Delton Curtis of Curtis Pond Nursery. Delton grafts thousands of trees every year for Fedco. He has been bud grafting for many years focusing in particular on peaches. All major tree fruit species will be covered.
Course will run from 10-1 pm.
Participants should bring their own knives.
Pre-registration is required
or
download a registration form (PDF)
or
call 207-568-4142