Fruit Research Foundation & Protecting Pollinators

[Heather K]

Western Washington Fruit Research Foundation ( WWFRF ) holds the best educational & hands on events of our region!   Our members bring in the best speakers & instructors at least twice a year!  These events take place in Skagit county at their fruit research gardens. http://www.wwfrf.org/  .  This year was the best ever Winter Field Day with presenters on pollinators including mason bees, honey bees, bumble bees, and pruning demonstations!

Also, greatly beloved Sam from Raintree Nursery travels north each year and brings scion cuttings & rootstocks from his nursery to sell.  http://www.raintreenursery.com/catalog/producttype.cfm?producttype=...

These events are not to be missed if you're caring or planting an edible forest garden!

 (Future dates posted below).

*** One of the highlights was learning about a blue mason bee project from Dave Hunter with CrownBees.com!

Bee sure to create more bumble bee & mason bee habitats in your home zone!

To receive Dave's timely emails on caring for your mason bees sign up on his website - http://www.crownbees.com/faq/troubleshooting-general

 

Below is a list of the topics & great speakers that were present for March 2011.

 Thanks to Christy Nieto & Fruit Research Foundation friends for a great day!

 

To be notified of future Fruit Research Foundation events, join the Earth Gardens network- https://transitionwhatcom.ning.com/group/organic?xg_source=activity

 

And also read the Garden E-News that Shannon sends out.

Or become a member of the Western WA Fruit Research Foundation, like myself & many other fruit loops.

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March 6^th 2011 Program & Speaker Names posted below:

The Marketplace in West Room

8:30 – 10:00 & ROOTSTOCK & SCIONWOOD SALES (No apple scionwood from the

FruitGarden due to anthracnose, but other uncontaminated apple

scionwood will be available from other sources.) Sam from Raintree Nursery Comes each year and brings scions & rootstocks from his nursery to sell!

* HONEY TASTING TABLE

* GRAFTING OF PURCHASED SCIONS & ROOTSTOCK (with Bill Davis, Greg Giulani, Bernie Hilgart)

 

Workshops, Lectures and Panels in Auditorium

* RELIABLE GRAFTING (with Bernie Hilgart)

* HONEY BEE COLONY COLLAPSE SYNDROME (with Tim Lawrence)

* BEYOND HONEY BEES: the Other Pollinators (with Dave Hunter)

* PANEL ON POLLINATORS (with Tim Lawrence, Dave Hunter, David Feinberg, James Tunnell, Bill Davis)

 

Demonstrations in the FruitGarden

* HONEY BEES (with David Feinberg & Tim Lawrence)

* PRUNING PEACHES, PLUMS, YOUNG TREES (with Bob Norton)

* TOP GRAFTING OLDER TREES (with Bernie Hilgart)

* ESPALIER (with Kristan Johnson)

* PRUNING OLDER TREES (with Bob Baines)

* PRUNING THE ODDITIES: gooseberries, currants, et al. (with Diane Hall)

* WORKING WITH MASON BEES (with Dave Hunter)

* PRUNING BLUEBERRIES (with De Arborgast)

* PRUNING GRAPES (with Jim Taylor)

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Whatcom Friends- Possible speaker for someone to bring up north in the future. 

Speaker Timothy Lawrence, PhD, County Director, Island County Extension WA State U 

Coupeville, [e-mail]  [phone]

 I think the master gardener foundation could pursue this with our local extension, or maybe someone will host event at Inspiration Farm.

 

Dave Hunter with blue mason bees and CrownBees.com said best time for him to travel north would be February.

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Annual WWFRF Events:

Winter Field Day, held on the 1st Saturday in March, consists of:  Hands-on pruning in the Fruit Garden, Scionwood and rootstock sale.  Pest control.  Soil fertility.  Grafting, learn how to graft your own fruit tree!

 

Summer Fruit Festival, held on the 4th Saturday in August, covers:  Morning lectures, Afternoon: Food & fruit tasting.  Garden tours

Sample the Harvest Days: (open to members only)-Two dates- 

Cherries (2nd Saturday in July).   Apples & pears, cider tasting (2nd Saturday in October)

Fruit Garden: (under construction and maintained by volunteers)- often meets Thursday afternoons to maintain..  The Fruit Garden displays over 11 fruit varieties on 262 trees and bushes throughout our 7 acres.

Volunteer members from Whatcom sometimes carpool down to work in the gardens. - http://www.wwfrf.org/volunteers.htm

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I'll add/organize more on this blog later.

Link from 2011 event page here-  https://transitionwhatcom.ning.com/xn/detail/2723460:Event:42403?xg...

 

 

Share your thoughts, ideas & experiences!