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
All workshops are $30.00 unless otherwise noted.
Pre-registration is required
Pruning Fruit Trees and Early Spring Orchard Care
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 March 22nd is planned.
Saturday, April 25: Grafting Fruit Trees Event is sold out!
Location: Unity
Learn to propagate and reproduce your favorite fruit tree varieties. Instructors Delton Curtis of Curtis Pond Nursery and Tim Seabrook of Five Star Nursery 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 sharp knife and a bag lunch. Course will run from 10-3 pm.
Saturday, May 16: Organic Orcharding 101 with Michael Phillips Event is sold out!
Location: Unity *fee is $35 for members, $40 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 10-4 pm.
visit Michael's website
Saturday, August 1: Bud Grafting
Led by Delton Curtis at Curtis Pond Nursery
Location: Thorndike
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.
MOFGA will supply the buds and the rootstock. Participants should bring their own knives. Knives will also be available for purchase at the workshop.
Pre-registration is required
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call 207-568-4142