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February 2020
SEMAP’s 13th Annual Agriculture & Food Conference
Learn more about the conference here.
Find out more »March 2020
UMass Extension: Home Orchard Pruning – a Hands-on Workshop
For full details, go to UMassGarden.com. The joy of growing fruit in the home garden is enjoying a renaissance. One of the key steps in successful fruit growing is the act of pruning the trees. This can seem daunting and complicated, but it’s not! Not once you understand the principles involved. Come learn how to properly prune your fruit trees (apples, pears, peaches, etc.). Participants will have the opportunity to conduct actual pruning and gain both experience and confidence in…
Find out more »UMass Extension: Pruning Blueberries – a Hands-on Workshop
For full details go to UMassGarden.com. Blueberries are among the most popular fruits to grow in the home garden. They are healthful and well suited to grow in our New England conditions Come learn the basics for pruning blueberries for your home landscape. Participants will get some hands-on pruning lessons. We’ll learn about tool maintenance and sharpening, too. Bring your own tools or use ours.* Ms. Sonia Schloemann 10:00am to 12:00pm Sholan Farm
Find out more »UMass Extension: Home Orchard Establishment & Basics – a Classroom Workshop
For full details go to UMassGarden.com. Horticultural topics covered will be the basics of planting fruit trees, including site selection, choice of variety and rootstock, planting best practices, tree training and pruning, fertilization and ongoing fruit tree care. (In-depth pest management will be covered in the afternoon session.) If weather permits, there will be a hands-on demonstration of planting fruit trees at Red Apple Farm. Mr. Jon Clements & Ms. Liz Garofalo 10:00am - 12:00pm Carlson Orchards This workshop…
Find out more »UMass Extension: Home Orchard Pest Management – a Hands-on Workshop
For full details go to UMassGarden.com. One of the most challenging thing about growing your own fruit is knowing how to identify the insect pests and diseases that might afflict them. Learn the basics of pest and disease identification and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in the home orchard. Hands-on, scouting, monitoring, placement of traps, etc. will be covered.* Dr. Jaime Piñero & Ms. Liz Garofalo 1:00pm - 3:00pm Carlson Orchards This workshop can be combined with the Home Orchard Establishment…
Find out more »April 2020
UMass Extension: Introductory Hard Cider Appreciation – a Classroom Workshop
For full details go to UMassGarden.com. Cider is one of the fastest growing craft adult beverage markets in the country! There are many different styles of cider from the stuff your grandparents made in the basement to top shelf ciders that compare to fine Champagnes. Come and learn a brief history of cider and dive in to understanding (and taste) why cider really is the best thing you can do with apples. (Must be over 21 to participate in the…
Find out more »UMass Extension: Fruit Tree Grafting – a Hands-on Workshop
For full details go to UMassGarden.com. Many people do not realize that all apple varieties are reproduced by grafting - they are not grown from seed. For horticultural enthusiasts, one of the most satisfying techniques to master is grafting. Wes Autio will present a hands-on workshop on “bench grafting” and “cleft grafting” of apple trees. Other grafting techniques will be discussed. Proper tools and sharpening will be included. All workshop participants will graft several apple trees to take home! Dr.…
Find out more »UMass Extension: Native Pollinator Biology & Conservation – a Classroom Workshop
For full details go to UMassGarden.com. Native pollinators are an essential resource in our wild and managed landscapes. Come to this workshop if you're interested in learning more about their biology and conservation. We'll mainly be talking about different species of bees but other types of pollinators will also be mentioned (flies, birds, bats, etc.). We'll learn about the different families of pollinating bees ranging from the tiny beautiful sweat bees to the big and endearing bumble bees. We'll learn…
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