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Event
Fruit and Nut School!
Join radical horticulturalist Bill Whipple at Vine and Fig and Blacks Run Forest Farm for a two-day class focused on pruning and grafting fruit and nut trees, orchard site analysis and species selection, and a scion swap! This event follows up on Bill's workshop on March 16th at the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum, where he'll lay out a vision for a local nut economy: which species of nuts are desired and their highest uses, the most efficient means to harvest, and the infinite things that can be used for! See these links to register for their events:
http://www.jmu.edu/arboretum/native_nuts_workshop_registration.shtml
http://www.jmu.edu/arboretum/wine_and_cheese_registration.shtml
See dates and fuller descriptions below! Tax-deductible checks can also be made payable to Vine and Fig, 715 North Main St., Harrisonburg, VA 22802, subject line "Fruit and Nut School."
March 17th Saturday
8:30- 9:00 (Coffee and tea)
9:00 Orchard site analysis and species selection Get off on the left foot and the right brain with a different approach to observation, site planning, taking a good look at native and other hardy plants, and how to incorporate all this into an orchard design that will work best for you. This will be the foundational class for the series. Starting from the ground up, we'll discuss planting, soil, and understory management, and learn to create healthy plants, food, and incorporate them into our communities.
12:00 Lunch
Afternoon 1:00-5:00
Pruning I & II "Can you make the cut?": From new plantings to adolescent trees
This section will be mostly hands on pruning of younger trees so bring your pruners! We will cover establishing a young tree from planting to fruit bearing, pruning of bearing trees, and rejuvenation of mature trees.
Saturday Night Scion and story Swap- Details to be announced
March 18th Sunday
8:30- 9:00 (Coffee and tea)
9:00- 12:00 Do you know yer nuts?
Fridays workshop at the Arboretum focused on what to do with nuts from all ready bearing trees. This workshop will be talking about strategies for actually establishing those nut bearing trees in efficient orchard settings. Hickory, walnut, chestnut, hazel, and oak all have much to offer in many farmscape settings. Long lived nut trees may be the most valuable legacy we can leave for future generations. What are some of the challenges and benefits of growing these trees? Why not do it right with optimal species selection and genetics to fulfill as many mutually beneficial functions as possible?
12:00 Lunch 1:00- 5:00 Grafting and Cloning around
Bench grafting The whip and tongue graft is a foundational technique for fruit trees, and from there you can springboard into a vast world. In this class you will learn to build a tree with rootstock and scion* wood. The more comfortable you are with this technique ahead of time, the more quickly you will progress through the many advanced techniques explored in the succeeding class.
Top working nut trees and the taming of the shrub The "vast world" expands quickly, as well as its advantages for you, by learning to graft trees in "situ" (where they are already growing). You will learn the many benefits to top working, identify graftable trees growing in the woods or weeds, and choose the appropriate graft. Imagine turning your wild hedgerow into a diverse orchard of fruits and nuts.
* scion- a piece of first year wood from a desired variety of tree to be grafted on a desired rootstock
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LocationVine and Fig and Blacks Run Forest Farm (View)
715 North Main Street
Harrisonburg, VA 22802
United States
Categories
Kid Friendly: Yes! |
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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Contact
Owner: Vine & Fig |
On BPT Since: Jan 10, 2017 |
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Jonathan McRay |
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Attendees
Ilse A.
Linville, VA United States
Mar 09, 2018 12:53 PM |
David M.
Harrisonburg, VA United States
Feb 22, 2018 10:09 AM |
Daniel G.
Wingina, VA United States
Feb 15, 2018 11:04 AM |
Grayson P.
Harrisonburg, VA United States
Feb 15, 2018 8:32 AM |
Sarah K.
Harrisonburg, VA United States
Feb 15, 2018 8:32 AM |
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