NAFEX

Growing Figs - A Virtual Interest Group Meetup
2023-10-24 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM
Join us for a virtual meetup about growing figs, particularly in colder climates. Author and NAFEX member Lee Reich, PhD, will share to organic methods for growing delicious figs across cool and cold growing zones of North America and beyond. He’ll share suitable varieties, growing methods including pruning techniques, and ideas for small-scale, commercial fig production in cold climates. Bring your questions and fig growing experiences to share, including growing figs successfully in warmer climates. The meeting will be held on ZOOM and by phone from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Central time. This virtual NAFEX Interest Group meeting is FREE with your $19 NAFEX membership. Plan to join us!

NAFEX Regional Excursion - Southeast
2023-10-13 09:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Real Life Center, 975 GA-74 N., Tyrone, GA, 30290, United States
Join fellow fruit growers for a day of orchard tours south of Atlanta, Georgia, Friday, Oct. 13, 2023, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The day will include stops at:
1. The non-profit Real Life Center Orchard, a volunteer managed, multi-species orchard that provides food and services to the surrounding community.
2. UGA Griffin Experiment Station where we’ll visit with peach researchers who are doing interesting work on peach varieties, precision irrigation, and canopy management.
3. A casual BYO lunch indoors at UGA where we can talk with fellow fruit growers and share some of our own fruit growing experiences.
4. UGA’s Aronia experiment project, where we’ll talk with researchers about pre-breeding efforts there.
5. Ison’s Nursery and Vineyard to see their grape and muscadine growing operations and learn more about hardy cultivars for the Southeast and more.
Space will be limited to 30 people. The cost is $15 for NAFEX members and $25 for general admission. Annual membership in NAFEX is only $19/year. You can join today at nafex.org.
Reserve your spot today: nafexevents.ticketleap.com/southeast-excursion/
Directions to all locations will be provided in advance via email. We’ll start by meeting at the Real Life Center in Tyrone, GA. We’ll also poll the attendees to see who may be interested in carpooling that day.
Plan to bring your own lunch and any fruit items you’d like to share.
This is a volunteer-run event. Please contact NAFEX at admin@nafexmembers.org with any questions.
All proceeds from registration fees go to the Real Life Center orchard project.

Creating Community Orchards - A Virtual Interest Group Meeting
2023-09-26 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM
Join NAFEX for a virtual Interest Group meetup for fruit growers on creating community orchards, featuring The Giving Grove. The Giving Grove’s mission is to provide healthy calories, strengthen community, and improve the urban environment through a nationwide network of sustainable little orchards. They support neighborhood volunteers in planting and caring for fruit trees, nut trees, and berry brambles that improve the urban environment, increase tree canopy and provide a sustainable source of free, organically-grown food for neighborhoods facing high rates of food insecurity.
If you are involved with a community orchard, bring your stories to share.
The meeting will be held on ZOOM and by phone from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Central time. This virtual NAFEX Interest Group meeting is FREE with your $19 NAFEX membership. Plan to join us!

NAFEX Regional Excursion - Midwest
2023-09-16 10:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Sobremesa Farm, 4781 N Mt Gilead Rd, Bloomington, IN, 47408
Sobremesa Farm has generously offered to open up their beautiful permaculture farm and orchard for a special Midwest event. This will be a unique chance to see the hundreds of fruits, nuts and veggies they grow using organic methods!
We’ll be doing a farm tour and discussing the methods they use. We’ll also be talking about climate issues and the increasing challenges we all as growers face with late frosts, drought, torrential rains, etc. We’ll be eager for you to share your experiences.
We will also do an auction, so plan to bring any related fruit or nut items such as grafted trees, rootstock, seeds, books, etc, if you have something to donate.
This will be an excellent opportunity to talk with other growers in the Midwest, learn about different approaches to growing, and discuss what cultivars are, and are not, doing well with these climate challenges.
The event begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. The cost is $15 for NAFEX members and $25 for general admission. NAFEX membership is only $19/year. You can join today at nafex.org.
Reserve your spot today: nafexevents.ticketleap.com/midwest-excursion/
BYO Lunch, lawn chair, and auction item if you have something to donate. Cash preferred for winning bids but we can take credit card if needed. Dress for the outdoors.
To learn more about Sobremesa Farm, visit https://sobremesafarm.com
This is a volunteer-run event. Please contact NAFEX at admin@nafexmembers.org with any questions. All proceeds from registration fees go to Sobremesa Farm.

NAFEX Regional Excursion - Pacific Northwest
2023-09-10 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Home Orchard Education Center, 20 Inskeep Dr, Oregon City, OR, 97045, United States
The Home Orchard Education Center (HOEC) and orchard will open its doors for a private tour with guest speakers on Sunday, Sept. 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. HOEC is located southeast of Portland in Oregon City, OR.
Tonia Lordy, HOEC’s Executive Director, will give a talk about what it takes to establish a small-scale, mixed-species orchard and give a private tour. Tonia will be joined by Joseph Postman, who recently retired from the USDA National Clonal Germplasm Repository in Corvallis, OR.
Joseph is an avid home fruit grower and will share some of the interesting work he did at Corvallis including red-fleshed pear development, Japanese Quince cultivars, multi-species grafting, and much more. We’ll also hear from NAFEX Director Chris Homanics on fruit tree crops.
Enjoy a BYO brown bag picnic lunch where we can exchange ideas with other fruit growers in the PNW region. Plan to bring your lunch (in a cooler, as needed) and a lawn chair. Dress for the outdoors.
Space will be limited to 30 people. The cost is $15 for members of the North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX) and $25 for general admission. All proceeds from this event will go directly to HOEC.
Reserve your spot today: nafexevents.ticketleap.com/pnw-excursion/
Learn more about HOEC at: https://www.homeorchardeducationcenter.org/ This is a volunteer-run event. Please contact NAFEX at admin@nafexmembers.org with any questions.

Growing Kiwi - A Virtual Interest Group Meeting
2023-08-29 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM
Join us Tuesday, August 29, for our monthly NAFEX Interest Group meetup on growing Kiwi. We’ll discuss growing various Actinidia species, including Hardy Kiwi, in various climates.
The meeting will be held on ZOOM and by phone from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Central time. This virtual NAFEX Interest Group meeting is FREE with your $19 NAFEX membership. Plan to join us!

Growing Amelanchier - A Virtual Interest Group Meeting
2023-07-25 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM
Join us Tuesday, July 25, for our monthly NAFEX Interest Group meetup on growing Amelanchier species (Serviceberry / Juneberry / Shadbush / Saskatoon). NAFEX member Eric Bina will facilitate the conversation.
The meeting will be held on ZOOM and by phone from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Central time. This virtual NAFEX Interest Group meeting is FREE with your $19 NAFEX membership. Find the ZOOM link and call-in numbers in your inbox or on our member Interest Group page. Plan to join us!

Growing Citrus in Warm and Cold Climates - Virtual Interest Group Meetup
2023-06-27 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM
Save the date, Tuesday, June 27, for our monthly NAFEX Interest Group meeting on growing citrus in warm and cold climates. NAFEX director and California Rare Fruit Growers member Ryan Raes will facilitate the conversation. The meeting will be held on ZOOM and by phone from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Central time. This virtual NAFEX Interest Group meeting is FREE with your $19 NAFEX membership. Plan to join us!

Growing Cherry and Prunus Species, Part 2 - A Virtual Interest Group Meetup
2023-05-30 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM
Join us Tuesday, May 30, for Part 2 of our virtual meetup about growing cherry and Prunus species. The last session was so good, but we only scratched the surface. NAFEX director Chris Homanics will again lead a dynamic discussion about any and all Prunus species with a special emphasis on plum. Bring your experiences with or questions about rootstocks, breeding and crosses, and successes (or failures) in varied climates. This forum is for experienced growers and those just getting started.
The meeting will be held on ZOOM and by phone from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Central time. This virtual NAFEX Interest Group meeting is FREE with your $19 NAFEX membership. Members will receive an email with the ZOOM link and call-in numbers on the day of the event. The link will also be posted on the Interest Group page under the Members tab. Plan to join us!

Growing Cherry and Prunus Species - A Virtual Interest Group Meetup
2023-04-25 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM
Join us for a virtual meetup about growing cherry and Prunus species. We’ll talk about growing sweet and sour cultivars, native cherries and other Prunus species. Bring your experiences with or questions about dwarfing rootstocks, breeding and crosses, and successes (or failures) in varied climates. This forum is for experienced growers and those just getting started.
The meeting will be held on ZOOM and by phone from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Central time. This virtual NAFEX Interest Group meeting is FREE with your $19 NAFEX membership. Members will receive an email with the ZOOM link and call-in numbers on the day of the event. The link will also be posted on the Interest Group page under the Members tab. Plan to join us!

Virtual Grafting Workshop
2023-03-28 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM
Join us for a virtual grafting workshop to learn grafting methods for various fruits. NAFEX members will share and demonstrate different grafting techniques, tools, and tips for preparation and aftercare.

This program is both for experienced grafters and folks who are just getting started. The meeting will be held on ZOOM and by phone from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Central time.

The virtual meetup is complementary for NAFEX members, who will automatically receive an email invitation with the ZOOM link and call-in information before the event. NAFEX members can also find the ZOOM link and call-in numbers on our Interest Groups page on the day of the event.

Not yet a member of NAFEX? Join us today for only $19 at nafex.org.

Growing Mulberry - Virtual Interest Group Meetup
2023-02-28 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM
Join us for a grower’s roundtable discussion about growing Mulberry. NAFEX director and grower Chris Homanics will lead a discussion with NAFEX members about cultivars, tips for success, preventing diseases, and growing Mulberry in a range of climates.
This forum is for experienced growers and folks who are just getting started. If you’d like to share content on screen, just email us in advance at admin@nafexmembers.org. Participants will also be able to ask questions in the chat.
This forum is FREE for NAFEX members, who will automatically receive an email invitation with the ZOOM link and call-in information before the event. NAFEX members can also find the ZOOM link and call-in numbers on our Interest Groups page on the day of the event. Not yet a member of NAFEX? Join us today

Virtual Interest Group Meeting: Scionwood and Roostock Preparation
2023-01-31 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM
Learn more about when and how to gather fruit scionwood, how to store and preserve it, along with rootstocks, for field or bench grafting in the spring at the next NAFEX Interest Group meeting. Fruit growers and NAFEX directors Dan Bussey and Larry Stephenson will share their favorite methods and invite other NAFEX members to share theirs. They’ll also talk about rootstock storage and preparation to help ensure grafting success.
The presentations will be followed by a Q&A and discussion amongst members about our favorite methods and tools.
This forum is FREE for NAFEX members, who will automatically receive an email invitation with the ZOOM link and call-in information before the event. NAFEX members can also find the ZOOM link and call-in numbers on our Interest Groups page on the day of the event. Not yet a member of NAFEX? Join us today
About our Speakers:
Dan Bussey
Dan Bussey is an apple historian, cider maker and the former orchard manager for the Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, IA. He is now the orchardist for the Silverwood Park heirloom apple orchard near Edgerton, WI. Dan is the author of the seven-volume, “Illustrated History of Apples in the United States and Canada,” (2016).
Larry Stephenson
After decades of fruit growing as a hobby, Larry Stephenson finally got the nerve to try it as a full-time business. Today, Larry operates Southern Cultured Orchards & Nursery, based in Carrollton, Mississippi, where he propagates, grows and distributes heirloom, native, and exotic fruit trees. Larry serves as a director of the NAFEX. His business motto is, “yesterday’s trees planted today for tomorrow’s generations.”

NAFEX 2022 Virtual Conference
2022-11-10 - 2022-11-12 | ZOOM
Save the dates and plan to join the North American Fruit Explorers for Good Fruit From the Ground Up, the NAFEX 2022 Virtual Conference, featuring three days of inspiring and informative online sessions for fruit growers, November 10-12, via ZOOM or by phone.
We are pleased to announce that Steven Edholm of Skillcult will be the keynote speaker. We’re working to finalize the rest of the schedule and will post a link to it soon.
Conference Topics

Homestead Orcharding
Fruit Breeding
Soil Building
Apple Identification and Genetics
And much more

Conference Session Dates and Times
Thursday, Nov. 10 – 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Eastern
Friday, Nov. 11 – 12 p.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Eastern
Saturday, Nov. 12 – Noon and 2 p.m. Eastern
Registration and Cost
Members: This live conference (and recordings) is FREE for current NAFEX members. Members will receive email updates with conference notices and links. Not sure if your membership is current? Check the status of your NAFEX membership here.
Non-members: The conference is only $19 and you’ll receive full conference access plus full member benefits for one year! We invite you to join today.
2021 Conference Recordings
Members can also watch all of the recorded sessions from the 2021 Virtual Conference.
Check Back for Updates
Please check back for more information about the 2022 conference in the coming weeks!

Nut Growing: Challenges and Potential
2022-10-25 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM
Growing nut crops or curious about expanding into nut cultivation? Join Indiana University researcher Julia Valliant as she shares some of the challenges and opportunities in growing nuts as perennial food crops based on her recent research in the midwest. This event is hosted by the North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX) in collaboration with the Northern Nut Growers Association (NNGA).
Julia will be joined by Karen Vanek, the project coordinator for Restoration Agriculture Development (founded by Mark Shepard and Johann Rinkens) and division manager of Forest Agriculture Nursery. Karen is disciplined in permaculture, ecological design and biological systems and works with growers, including one of the featured farms in this meetup, to establish perennial crop plants.
The presentation will be followed by a Q&A and discussion amongst members about our experiences growing nuts (and fruit).
This forum is FREE for NAFEX and NNGA members, who will automatically receive an email invitation with the ZOOM link and call-in information before the event. NAFEX members can also find the ZOOM link and call-in numbers on our Interest Groups page on the day of the event. Not yet a member of NAFEX? Join us today
About our Speaker:
Julia Valliant is a public health researcher with Indiana University Sustainable Food Systems Science group. She is trained in the social determinants of health including agriculture and food as forces guiding wellness, and farm policy. She designs and carries out qualitative, quantitative, and ethnographic research methods to locate solutions to specific public health problems. Her work as a documentarian informs her approach to crafting questions and presenting research findings.

Grow Hardy Citrus
2022-09-28 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM
Join us online or by phone Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 6:30 PM Central for our next NAFEX Interest Group session as we talk about growing hardy citrus with Sam Hubert of One Green World Nursery.
Many people associate citrus trees with the orange groves of Florida and California, but an impressive number of species and cultivars are cold hardy and originated in colder climates or high mountain regions. Sam will talk about hardy citrus fruits that range from the spiny contorted Flying Dragon with small and fragrant but bitter fruits to cold hardy selections of mandarins and kumquats that can be eaten fresh off the tree. We’ll look into a number of hardy species, where they originate, how they’re traditionally used, and learn tips and tricks for getting them established in colder climates.
The presentation will be followed by a Q&A and discussion amongst our members about our experiences growing hardy citrus or getting started.
This forum is FREE with your $19 annual membership. NAFEX members will automatically receive an email invitation with the ZOOM link and call-in information before the event.
Not yet a member? Join NAFEX today and find the ZOOM link and call-in numbers on our Interest Groups page on the day of the event.
About our Speaker:
Sam Hubert is the nursery manager at One Green World Nursery, a retail and mail order nursery based in Portland, Oregon that specializes in fruiting trees and shrubs, perennial vegetables, and Mediterranean plants from around the globe. His interest is primarily on low water, low input perennial plants that are well adapted to the West Coast with a focus on figs, olives, pomegranates and cold hardy citrus. Sam loves experimenting with new varieties that show potential for the home gardener and commercial orchardist and are resilient in an increasingly chaotic climate. Aside from growing fruiting plants, he enjoys combining West Coast and Mediterranean shrubs into edible landscape designs to add year round interest and habitat for pollinators and wildlife.

Growing Quince
2022-08-16 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM
Join us online or by phone Tuesday, August 16, at 6:30 PM Central for our next NAFEX Interest Group session as we talk about growing quince successfully with Joseph Postman and some of his quince growing friends.
We’ll learn more about quince and why we should grow it as well as some of the real and perceived challenges of growing this beautiful fruit. Joseph will talk about some of the more interesting cultivars, diseases (including fire blight), cold hardiness and regional adaptations, quince as a pear rootstock, and cooking with quince (spoiler, it must be cooked).
The presentation will be followed by a Q&A and discussion amongst our members about your experiences growing quince and your questions about getting started.
This forum is FREE with your $19 annual membership. NAFEX members will automatically receive an email invitation with the ZOOM link and call-in information before the event.
Not yet a member? Join NAFEX today and find the ZOOM link and call-in numbers on our Interest Groups page on the day of the event.
About our Speaker:
Joseph Postman retired in August 2019 from the USDA National Clonal Germplasm Repository in Corvallis, Oregon, where he worked for more than 25 years as a plant pathologist and curator. He helped to develop the living ‘World Pear Collection,’ representing genetic diversity of pear cultivars and species from around the world. Along with his wife, Lois Olund, he is now tending his personal collection of a hundred or so apple cultivars, an assortment of blueberries, grapes and pears, and a flock of Wensleydale sheep on their small farm outside of Corvallis.

Fruit Growers Virtual Happy Hour
2022-07-20 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM
Join the North American Fruit Explorers for a special Virtual Happy Hour for fruit growers, Wednesday, July 20, at 6:30 PM CST.
It’s hot and the bugs and diseases are keeping us up at night, so let’s take a break, drink something cold and connect with fellow fruit growers!
Preview the New Fruit Tree Pedigree Explorer
NAFEX member Eric Bina has developed an exciting visual tool for representing the parentage and pedigree of various fruit trees utilizing the extensive SNP DNA database and other publicly available data sources.
Eric has created two databases to date, one for apples and another for pears, which he’ll preview on ZOOM.
What are You Growing and How is it Going?
We’ll also share what’s happening in our orchards, farms and gardens, talk about the challenges of this summer’s weather, and share fruit growing successes and epic (but relatable) failures.
The meeting will start on ZOOM or by phone at 4:30 p.m. PDT / 5:30 p.m. MDT / 6:30 p.m. CDT / 7:30 p.m. EDT.
Bring your favorite beverage and a story to share!
Free with your NAFEX membership
This forum is FREE with your $19 annual membership. NAFEX members will automatically receive an email invitation with the ZOOM link and call-in information before the event.
Not yet a member? Join NAFEX today and find the ZOOM link and call-in numbers on our Interest Groups page on the day of the event.

Growing Elderberry for Home and Market
2022-06-22 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM
Join us online or by phone Wednesday, June 22, at 6:30 PM Central time for our next NAFEX Interest Group session as we talk about growing elderberries, particularly upscaling for greater production.
Chris Sullivan will cover the current state of commercial production of native North American Elderberry, it’s market status and future potential, production methods, cultivar selection, elderberry pests and diseases, geography, economics, and other related concerns for growers. We will also introduce the mission of the Midwest Elderberry Cooperative and how it may be helpful to commercial farmers located in the Midwestern United States.
The presentation will be followed by a Q&A with Chris and a discussion amongst our members about your experiences growing native elderberries and various cultivars.
Do you have experience growing elderberry at a home scale or for market? Bring your tales of success or challenges to share with the group.
This forum is FREE with your $19 annual membership. NAFEX members will automatically receive an email invitation with the ZOOM link and call-in information before the event.
Not yet a member? Join NAFEX today and find the ZOOM link and call-in numbers on our Interest Groups page on the day of the event.
About Our Speaker:

Chris Sullivan – Chris Sullivan is an advocate, speaker, educator and consultant in local and regenerative food production and marketing. He has taught gardeners, homesteaders and small farm producers on various topics, including nutrient dense food production, building healthy soils, soil biology, and other topics related to organic and regenerative agriculture. He is the Indiana liaison for the Midwest Elderberry Cooperative, and is currently in the process of helping to develop the commercial production and marketing of North American Elderberry and elderberry value added products in Indiana and other Midwestern states. Connect with Chris at provivoag.com.

Growing Persimmon and Pawpaw for Market
2022-05-17 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM
Are persimmon and pawpaw worth growing for market? Join NAFEX President Kris Heeter (aka Dr. Kris Klueg) to learn the pros and cons. Kris will share an informative presentation originally created by a legendary fruit grower, the late Jerry Lehman.
We’ll talk about growing persimmon and pawpaw and share detailed information that Jerry gathered from the late James Claypool on income potential and recommended cultivation.
Following the presentation, we’ll open up for general discussion among NAFEX members on present day cultivation and market potential.
This forum is FREE with your $19 annual membership. NAFEX members will automatically receive an email invitation with the ZOOM link and call-in information before the event.
Not yet a member? Join NAFEX today and find the ZOOM link and call-in numbers on our Interest Groups page.
About Our Speaker:

Dr. Kris Klueg Heeter – Kris Heeter (aka Dr. Kris Klueg) is a biologist at Indiana University where she oversees the management of an international repository for biological samples. She is the President of the North American Fruit Explorers, is on the Board of Directors of the Northern Nut Growers Association (NNGA) and the Indiana Nut and Fruit Growers Association (INFGA). She and her husband, Brian, a have a small orchard and classified forest on a 100-acre place in Solsberry, IN, near the famous Tulip Trestle (the world’s third-longest railroad viaduct and the longest rail trestle in the US). Kris and Brian have worked with INGFA to develop the first Indiana fruit and nut tree repository on their property.

Fruit Grafting Workshop
2022-04-20 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
Grafting season is here! Join NAFEX directors Taylor Malone and Taylor Yowell to learn more about grafting fruit at this special virtual grafting workshop. Using onscreen graphics and video, our speakers will describe different graphic methods, which methods to use when, and tools and tips for success.
Topics will include: How to collect and store scion wood; rootstock considerations; the biology of grafting; recommended tools; and demonstrations of both bench grafting (in the greenhouse) and top working (in the field). Demos will include grafting American Persimmons.
Have an interesting grafting story or method to share? Bring your tales of success or failures to share with the group.
This forum is FREE with your $19 annual membership. NAFEX members will automatically receive an email invitation with the ZOOM link and call-in information before the event.
Not yet a member? Join NAFEX today and find the ZOOM link and call-in numbers on our Interest Groups page.
About Our Speakers:

Taylor Malone – Tree crops hold the key to a diverse agricultural landscape, and Taylor Malone is on a mission to propagate the past in order to reimagine the future. He co-founded The Fruit Explorers with Eliza Greenman and consults in the following areas: Locating heirloom and unique fruit and nut cultivars worthy of propagation; Tree crop breeding assistance; Landscape tree assessments and cultivar identification; and, Tree crops archive and document discovery, digitization, and dissemination. Taylor is based in northeastern Tennessee and currently serves as vice president on the NAFEX board of directors.
Taylor Yowell – Taylor’s agricultural career began in 2011, at an organic farm named Green Fire Farm, located in the Hoopa Valley of Northern California. Since then, he has traveled around the United States learning about natural farming practices, from established farms including Rolling River (CA), Crickets’ Cove (VA), and Native Son (MS). He returned home to Madison County, MS, in the Fall of 2014, to seek a small piece of land to start a farm. He established The Garden Farmacy in the Spring of 2015, and has since been providing healthy, sustainably grown produce throughout the Jackson Metro area. He personally delivers produce to local residences, locally owned restaurants, and farmers’ markets throughout Jackson. Learn more at: https://thegardenfarmacynursery.com/

Selecting Rootstocks with Steve Cummins and Bob Purvis
2022-03-24 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM
Grafting season is upon us and that means selecting the right rootstock for your climate, soil and desired plant size.
Join us for a very special session with Steve Cummins of Cummins Nursery and Bob Purvis of Purvis Nursery & Orchard as we discuss rootstock selection for stone fruits, apples, pears, and other fruit trees.
Have an interesting rootstock story to share? Bring your tales of success or failures to share with the group.
Spoiler: We hope to have a very special guest in the house, so don’t miss it!
Please note: There is no cap on attendance for the call.
FREE with your $19 annual membership. NAFEX members will automatically receive an email invitation with the ZOOM link and call-in information before the event.
Not yet a member? Join NAFEX today and find the ZOOM link and call-in numbers on our Interest Groups page. (Max capacity 100 people)
About Our Speakers:

Steve Cummins started Cummins Nursery with his dad, legendary Cornell apple rootstock breeder Dr. James Cummins, and mom, Cindy Cummins, in 1994 in Geneva, NY. Today, the nursery operates from Indian Creek Farm, nestled up on the West Hill of Ithaca, NY, in the heart of New York state’s apple country. Since 1994, Cummins Nursery has shipped trees to orchards of all sizes in the Lower 48 states. They sell fruit trees, rootstocks and provide custom grafting services, and more. Visit them at: https://www.cumminsnursery.com/
Bob Purvis started Purvis Nursery & Orchard in April 2008, shortly after he moved to Idaho from Minnesota. During his time in Alaska (1972-89) he brought a number of Canadian fruit cultivators into the U.S. via the quarantine system to test and evaluate for their suitability in Alaskan conditions. He maintained these in the orchards he later planted in Washington State and Minnesota, not just to observe how they perform there but also so that other fruit growers would have access to them. Today, Bob grafts, grows, and sells trees of hard-to-find fruit cultivars (primarily apricot but also apple, pear, plum and cherry) that will survive and ripen in USDA Zones 2-6, for growers in the northern tier of states. Learn more at https://purvisnurseryandorchard.weebly.com/

Winter Pruning with Lee Reich
2022-02-21 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM
Correct and timely pruning are the keys to keeping apples, peaches, and other fruit trees healthy and productive and bearing the tastiest fruits.
Learn the how and — importantly — the why of pruning these plants in their young, developing stage and then as they mature and bear fruits.
You don’t like to prune? We’ll talk about some fruit trees that need (almost) no pruning.
You really like to prune? We’ll touch on espalier too.
FREE with your $19 annual membership. NAFEX members will automatically receive an email invitation with the ZOOM link and call-in information before the event.
Not yet a member? Join NAFEX today and find the ZOOM link and call-in numbers on our Interest Groups page. (Max capacity 100 people)
About Lee Reich:
Lee Reich, PhD, is an avid farmdener (more than a gardener, less than a farmer) with graduate degrees in soil science and horticulture. After working in plant and soil research with the USDA and Cornell University, he shifted gears and turned to writing, lecturing, and consulting.
His books include A Northeast Gardener’s Year, The Pruning Book, Weedless Gardening, Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden, Landscaping With Fruit, Grow Fruit Naturally, and Growing Figs in Cold Climates. He writes regularly for a number of gardening magazines and his syndicated gardening column for Associated Press appears biweekly from coast to coast.
Visit Lee’s farmden at http://leereich.com

Apple Interest Group Meeting: Red-Fleshed Apples
2022-02-09 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | ZOOM
Red-fleshed apples are gaining in popularity!
Explore the history of these beautiful and useful cultivars with Apple Interest Group chair Derek Mills of Hocking Hills Orchard.
The meeting will be held via ZOOM and phone.
Our interactive interest group meetings are open to all NAFEX members in good standing. Please bring your red-fleshed apple stories to share!
FREE with your $19 annual membership. NAFEX members will automatically receive an email invitation with the ZOOM link and call-in information before the event.
Not yet a member? Join NAFEX today!

Keynote Address: The Holistic Orchard
2021-11-20 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
Keynote Address: The Holistic Orchard
Michael Phillips, Lost Nation Orchard; Author of The Holistic Orchard, The Apple Grower, and Mycorrhizal Planet
The ZOOM link will be emailed to NAFEX members and conference participants on Monday morning, November 15.
Sign up and view all conference information here.
New to ZOOM? Set up your free account and access the conference from your phone, computer or tablet. Or visit ZOOM’s how-to guide.

Heroes of Pawpaw and Persimmon Breeding, Past and Present
2021-11-20 15:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York)
Heroes of Pawpaw and Persimmon Breeding, Past and Present
Speakers:
Darren Bender-Beauregard, Brambleberry Farm
Buzz Ferver, Perfect Circle Farm
Joe Pizzo, White Lion Farms Foundation
The ZOOM link will be emailed to NAFEX members and conference participants on Monday morning, November 15.
Sign up and view all conference information here.
New to ZOOM? Set up your free account and access the conference from your phone, computer or tablet. Or visit ZOOM’s how-to guide.

Exploring Wild and Cultivated Orchards
2021-11-19 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
Exploring Wild and Cultivated Orchards
Speakers:
Matt Kaminsky, Gnarly Pippins
Sean Williams, Central Illinois Heirlooms
Dan Bussey, Author of The Illustrated History of Apples in the United States and Canada
The ZOOM link will be emailed to NAFEX members and conference participants on Monday morning, November 15.
Sign up and view all conference information here.
New to ZOOM? Set up your free account and access the conference from your phone, computer or tablet. Or visit ZOOM’s how-to guide.

Pears for Your Heirs: Disease Resistance, Wild Fruits & Cultivars
2021-11-19 15:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York)
Pears for Your Heirs: Disease Resistance, Wild Fruits & Cultivars
Nahla Bassil, USDA National Clonal Germplasm Repository
Joseph Postman, USDA National Clonal Germplasm Repository (retired)
Marcus Toole, Home Orchardist, Statesboro, Georgia
The ZOOM link will be emailed to NAFEX members and conference participants on Monday morning, November 15.
Sign up and view all conference information here.
New to ZOOM? Set up your free account and access the conference from your phone, computer or tablet. Or visit ZOOM’s how-to guide.

Happy Hour: Member Show and Tell
2021-11-18 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
Happy Hour: Member Show and Tell
Join us for an interactive session to share tips, innovations, creations, successes and failures in your orchard or fruit farm. Adult beverages optional. Email us if you have a fruit-growing story, tip, tool or fruits you’d like to share during this fun and informal session at admin@nafexmembers.org.
The ZOOM link will be emailed to NAFEX members and conference participants on Monday morning, November 15.
Sign up and view all conference information here.
New to ZOOM? Set up your free account and access the conference from your phone, computer or tablet. Or visit ZOOM’s how-to guide.

The Plum Detective: Decoding Burbank's Plums and Hybrids
2021-11-18 15:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York)
The Plum Detective: Decoding Burbank’s Plums and Hybrids
Speaker:
Rachel Spaeth, Garden Curator, Luther Burbank Home & Gardens
The ZOOM link will be emailed to NAFEX members and conference participants on Monday morning, November 15.
Sign up and view all conference information here.
New to ZOOM? Set up your free account and access the conference from your phone, computer or tablet. Or visit ZOOM’s how-to guide.
