The 2023_04_Fall BeeLine issue includes Reviving the BeeLine foreword, damson plums article, picking pears article, pear problems article, recipes, fig tree rescue article, and Grow a Little Fruit Tree book review.
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Selecting Fruit for PNW Gardens – What fruits make sense to grow in your own PNW garden rather than paying many dollars at the store? Even in a compact urban backyard, layers of fruit plants from alpine strawberry ground cover to dwarfing multi-cultivar fruit trees can convert sunlight into healthy fresh fruit at arm’s length. Experienced horticulturist and educator Ingela Wanerstrand dba Green Darner Garden Design will cover why you might want to grow your own, plants that consistently fruit in the PNW and ideas for fruit-growing in small spaces. In-stock Sky Nursery fruit plants will be featured during Ingela’s talk.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
When: next Saturday (March 4th) 10 AM to noon; 10:00-10:30 socialize, 10:30-11:00 STFS meeting & 11:00-noon Ingela’s talk. More details in attached handout.
Where: Sky Nursery (18528 Aurora Ave N Shoreline, WA 98133, Store open 9-6 Daily, phone 206.546.4851 email sky@skynursery.com) just north of Seattle.
Venue is a large, airy glass-enclosed greenhouse space with apparent good ventilation and probably will be cooler than comfortable so wear an extra layer. Sky has no COVID-19 PPE requirements, so participants need to take COVID-19 precautions they feel are necessary.
Please DON’T BRING REFRESHMENTS TO SHARE WITH OTHER ATTENDEES; Sorry, Sky has requested that due to public participation and lingering COVID-19 concerns, no refreshments be provided by STFS members to share potluck-style with other participants.
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STFS Members and Friends,
Hi. STFS 2023 February member meeting is remote via Zoom this Saturday (2/11/23) beginning at 10 AM with STFS President Mike Ewanciw leading.
All members of the public and WCFS chapters are welcomed to attend.
Zoom connection info:
Join Zoom Meeting via computer
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82652231462?pwd=TGxQVHhNM1p1OUM3MVRTQTdsbFhQdz09
Meeting ID: 826 5223 1462
Passcode: 695895
Or join Zoom Meeting via phone
One tap mobile +12532050468,,82652231462#,,,,*695895#
or Dial by your location +1 253 205 0468 US or +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kFl1oLNBF
Meeting ID: same as above
Passcode: same as above
Meeting Agenda:
10:00 – Welcome by STFS President Mike Ewanciw
10:10 – Review of Jan 21st STFS Board meeting happenings (Mike)
10:15 – Member input on whether STFS should continue to sell maggot barriers (Mike)
10:20 – Update on upcoming STFS events
10:30 – Presentation by Seth Brawner graduate student at WSU in Mt. Vernon titled “Growing Cider Apples in a Fruiting Wall System” covering Cider Apple culture and characteristics, Orchard Designs, Management Practices, and growing more apples in less space by maximizing yields.
11:30 – Q & A with Seth
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To lessen COVID-19 spread, the Seattle Tree Fruit Society meeting Saturday May 15th 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM is only online.
The meeting will begin with a brief business meeting, followed by a presentation by author Ann Ralph.
Why Little? Grow A Little Fruit Tree offers a revolutionary vision for backyard fruit trees: a simple and ingenious technique that uses timed pruning to keep fruit trees as short as six feet tall… …they are easy to care for and produce fruit in quantities we’re likely to be able to use. Small trees create the opportunity to have more trees in the backyard and to plant different varieties of fruit to ripen all summer, through fall, and even into winter.
Timed pruning offers a revolutionary approach to fruit tree care, winter prune for shape and summer prune to keep trees small and easy. This presentation covers fruit tree basics: the simple logic of pruning, how to prune for short stature and easy harvest, early training, seasonal routines, and pest and disease control. You’ll learn about the benefits of small trees, getting started, pruning for aesthetics, and how to engage in the pleasures of the pruning conversation.
Ann Ralph is the author of Grow a Little Fruit Tree: Simple Pruning Techniques for Small-Space, Easy-Harvest Fruit Trees. Publishers Weekly called it “a thrilling read for the backyard farmer.” She was the fruit tree specialist at Berkeley Horticultural Nursery and has 20 years of retail nursery experience. She promotes practical, artful, and commonsense methods for the garden generally and fruit trees in particular.
Goodie U, STFS Board Member, reminds everyone that the Ann Ralph zoom meeting will be recorded so attendees not wanting to be recorded should mute microphone and turn off their video. Goodie U made the upcoming Ann Ralph presentation happen. Thanks, Goodie.
If you know any non-STFS individual interested in attending this zoom meeting, please forward this zoom invite so more can benefit from Ann’s presentation.
Zoom invite info
The most recent version of free Zoom software can be downloaded onto your computer from https://zoom.us/download. Zoom Client for Meetings probably will work best.
Mike Ewanciw is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Seattle Tree Fruit Society meeting & Presentation
Time: May 15, 2021 10:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/ 83884386229?pwd= dGhmR1oyZlJXQzNtRGFQRVpkdmJmQT 09
Meeting ID: 838 8438 6229
Passcode: 003071
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,83884386229#,,,, *003071# US (Tacoma)
+16699009128,,83884386229#,,,, *003071# US (San Jose)
Dial by your location
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 838 8438 6229
Passcode: 003071
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/ kcS6CzjNZp
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STFS Extreme Maggot Barriers from Seattle Tree Fruit Society are being sold right now to fund educational activities.
Click here to order STFS Extreme Maggot Barriers now.
STFS Extreme Maggot Barriers protect apples, pears and other fruits from apple maggot flies, codling moths and other pests.
Click here for directions on how to cover and protect fruits with STFS Extreme Maggot Barriers.
Extreme maggot barriers, when placed over fruitset immediately after springtime thinning, protect apples, pears, Asian pears and other fruits from later damage by apple maggot and other insects. Extreme maggot barriers must be secured around the developing fruit’s stem and will stretch as the fruit grows over summer. After harvest in late summer and fall, extreme maggot barriers can be removed from mature fruit and washed for re-use the following season.
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To lessen COVID-19 spread, STFS meeting Saturday Apr 17th 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM is only online. Zoom invite info below.
Mike Ewanciw (email mikewan@aol.com) will lead meeting beginning with short business meeting followed by Griffin Berger, Sauk Farm Operations Manager. Griffin gave an informative in-person presentation to STFS members Jan 2020. Griffin covered so much back then that Saturday’s followup presentation should help those of us suffering memory overload.
Griffin will revisit and expand on organic farming techniques that reduce inputs while improving tree health, fruit quality and yields. Griffin will share lessons learned from the successes and failures of running his family farm.
Griffin Berger’s background: Griffin Berger is the Operations Manager at Sauk Farm LLC. Sauk Farm is an organic family farm in Skagit county specializing in the production and processing of apples, peaches, table grapes, and wine grapes. In 2016 Griffin received a bachelors in integrated plant science at Washington State University. Besides over 12 years of experience working with trees and vines on the family farm, Griffin has also worked at orchards in various locations including Pullman, Wenatchee, and Poggio Renatico, Italy.
If you know any non-STFS individual interested in attending this zoom meeting, please forward this zoom invite so more can benefit from Griffin’s generosity.
Zoom invite info
The most recent version of free Zoom software can be downloaded onto your computer from https://zoom.us/download. Zoom Client for Meetings probably will work best.
Mike Ewanciw is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Seattle Tree Fruit Society – April Meeting & Presentation
Time: Apr 17, 2021 10:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89182409620?pwd=Z1VZUnBkcldiZjNxK2Fmd2FTWnA5dz09
Meeting ID: 891 8240 9620
Passcode: 097527
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,89182409620#,,,,*097527# US (Tacoma)
+13462487799,,89182409620#,,,,*097527# US (Houston)
Dial by your location
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 891 8240 9620
Passcode: 097527
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdjssqtWMk
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FEBRUARY 14TH – PROGRAM at 10am
Greg Giuliani will be giving a slide presentation in two parts about rootstock.
Part 1: History, characteristics and practical application of rootstocks.
Break for coffee and snacks
Part 2: Geneva Research Station’s development of rootstock for commercial propagation.
Following Greg’s presentation Laure will lead and light pruning and discussion in the orchard.
If you’re varenicline online going to be doing work in the orchard be sure to note your times for Sandy Bowman’s log. Paul will have a sheet for that purpose.
Open to the public.
The Brig, Magnuson Park, 7400 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
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January Member Meeting (Jan 17, 10-12 noon)
Laure Jansen will lead Scion wood preparation workshop
Members bring their own scionwood and will learn how to prepare it for maximum viability when it’s to be grafted. Our March meeting will be the grafting workshop.
Door Prize: Long Handled Fruit Pickers, tined and bucket types.
Open to the public.
The Brig, Magnuson Park, 7400 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
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November Member Meeting (Nov 8th, 10-12 noon)
Topic is “Panel Discussion: Cooking with Fruit” feature Tracey Bernal, former Pastry chef.
Open to the public.
The Brig, Magnuson Park, 7400 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
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AN INVITATION: COME LEARN ABOUT CORNELIAN CHERRIES
The next Member Meeting of the Seattle Tree Fruit Society will be Saturday September 27, 9-11am. The featured talk will be on Cornelian Cherries (Cornus mas). The meeting location is The Brig at Magnuson Park, 7400 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115. This meeting is open to the public.
What is a Cornelian Cherry? Here is a catalog description:
“A unique and attractive form of Dogwood, order champix online uk Cornelian Cherry is native to Ukraine and other regions around the Black Sea. Growing as a shrub or small tree, it is valued for its tasty fruit and for its ornamental value. Depending on the variety, Cornelian Cherry fruit can taste like a Cherry or a wild plum. It is very high in Vitamin C and is good for fresh eating, preserves, juice, and wine.” – One Green World
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