NAFEX

Growing Stone Fruits in Cold Climates - NAFEX 2025 Virtual Conference, Session 5
2025-11-07 16:00 - 17:30 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis) | ZOOM
Learn how to push the limits to grow stone fruits in cold climates. Minnesota fruit grower and NAFEX member Dan Sheild has trialed over 60 varieties of peaches and will share his inspiring high tunnel project that has allowed them to survive in temperatures as low as -36°.
Dan’s goal is to create a commercially viable system model that allows peaches of high-quality to be sold throughout the upper Midwest.
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This interactive webinar is part of the North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX) 2025 Virtual Conference, featuring three days of inspiring and informative online sessions for fruit growers, November 6-8, via ZOOM or by phone. Participate and ask questions in real time or watch the recorded sessions later.
The conference is open to fruit growers of all experience levels and will feature 8 sessions and 9 speakers over 3 days. Plan to join us!
Conference Session Dates and Times
Thursday, Nov. 6 at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Eastern
Friday, Nov. 7 at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Eastern
Saturday, Nov. 8 at 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern
Speakers and Session Topics
Check out the full lineup of speakers and topics on our conference webpage.
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.

Annual Meeting and Show and Tell - NAFEX 2025 Virtual Conference, Session 6
2025-11-07 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis)
Bring your stories about fruit growing for the always-fun member NAFEX Show and Tell. Share your successes, challenges and failures. All stories are welcome – as are new members.
Wondering what the North American Fruit Explorers is all about? The 90-minute online session includes an overview by our president, Kris Klueg Heeter, and a brief annual meeting. Join us as we take a brief look back at 2025, look ahead to 2026.
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This interactive meeting is part of the North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX) 2025 Virtual Conference, featuring three days of inspiring and informative online sessions for fruit growers, November 6-8, via ZOOM or by phone.
The conference is open to fruit growers of all experience levels and will feature 8 sessions and 9 speakers over 3 days. Plan to join us!
Conference Session Dates and Times
Thursday, Nov. 6 at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Eastern
Friday, Nov. 7 at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Eastern
Saturday, Nov. 8 at 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern
Speakers and Session Topics
Check out the full lineup of speakers and topics on our conference webpage.
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.

Red Mulberry Search and Rescue - NAFEX 2025 Virtual Conference, Session 7
2025-11-08 13:30 - 15:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis)
Red mulberry (Morus rubra) produces delicious, complex fruit and shows strong potential for both backyard and commercial production — yet they’re slowly disappearing as invasive white mulberries (Morus alba) threaten to hybridize them out of existence.
Working with a team of researchers, Weston Lombard led the Mulberry Search and Rescue Contest to crowdsource pure rubra specimens, DNA-test them, and identify the best specimens for potential distribution. Early results are promising: pure or nearly pure red mulberries still exist, and with preservation and propagation, this important native fruit may yet thrive.
Join Weston to learn more about this ongoing research and how to grow and preserve red mulberry in your orchard.
—
This interactive webinar is part of the North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX) 2025 Virtual Conference, featuring three days of inspiring and informative online sessions for fruit growers, November 6-8, via ZOOM or by phone. Participate and ask questions in real time or watch the recorded sessions later.
The conference is open to fruit growers of all experience levels and will feature 8 sessions and 9 speakers over 3 days. Plan to join us!
Conference Session Dates and Times
Thursday, Nov. 6 at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Eastern
Friday, Nov. 7 at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Eastern
Saturday, Nov. 8 at 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern
Speakers and Session Topics
Check out the full lineup of speakers and topics on our conference webpage.
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

Foraging and Wildcrafting with Wild Fruits - NAFEX 2025 Virtual Conference Keynote, Session 8
2025-11-08 16:00 - 17:30 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis)
Explore the flavor, creativity, and terroir of wild fruits with author, forager and wildcrafter Pascal Baudar.
Pascal will lead us on an exploration of the edible landscape including foraging, fermenting and making natural wine and ciders with wild fruits.
Drawing on his bestselling books like The New Wildcrafted Cuisine, The Wildcrafting Brewer, and Wildcrafted Fermentation, as well as his deep engagement with local terroir, Baudar will showcase how sometimes under-appreciated native, non-native and invasive fruits can be preserved, fermented, brewed, and crafted into vinegars, sodas, condiments, and libations.
These creations capture the terroir’s true flavor—revealing how even the humblest wild berry or seed can evoke a sense of place, enrich palates, and support environmental stewardship through sustainable harvesting.
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This interactive webinar is the closing session and keynote of the North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX) 2025 Virtual Conference, featuring three days of inspiring and informative online sessions for fruit growers, November 6-8, via ZOOM or by phone. Participate and ask questions in real time or watch the recorded sessions later.
The conference is open to fruit growers of all experience levels and will feature 8 sessions and 9 speakers over 3 days. Plan to join us!
Conference Session Dates and Times
Thursday, Nov. 6 at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Eastern
Friday, Nov. 7 at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Eastern
Saturday, Nov. 8 at 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern
Speakers and Session Topics
Check out the full lineup of speakers and topics on our conference webpage.
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

Integrated Pest Management
2026-01-27 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
Join us for our January 27th session with this month’s interest group speaker Rick Weinzierl of Weinzierl Fruit and Consulting, LLC. Rick will be speaking to us about Integrated Pest Management specifically in apple orchards and covering some stone fruit. He will be highlighting conventional and organic methods of pest management for small orchards to backyard growers. A retired entomologist from the University of Illinois Rick has his own orchard and consults with large commercial orchards. Bring your questions and join us!!
The meeting will be held on ZOOM and by phone from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Central time. This virtual NAFEX Townhall Meetup 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!
Not a member yet? Join for $19/yr and get access to this ZOOM meetup and all past recorded meetings and conference settings! www.nafex.org

Grow Your Own Grapes
2026-02-24 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
Have you ever thought about growing your own grapes but felt a little stuck on where to start? Join us on the evening of February 24th for a Zoom session with Alice Wise from the Cornell Cooperative Extension. She’s going to walk us through all the basics—from picking the right spot and the best varieties to tips on getting a great harvest and keeping those pesky pests away. It’s going to be a great informative evening so bring your questions!!
The meeting will be held on ZOOM and by phone from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Central time. This virtual NAFEX Townhall Meetup 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!
Not a member yet? Join for $19/yr and get access to this ZOOM meetup and all past recorded meetings and conference settings! www.nafex.org

Mechanical March
2026-03-31 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
Let’s talk tools! Do you have a favorite tool that makes your life easier? Want to tell us about it? Join us on the evening of March 31st for a Zoom meeting where members share about their favorite tools. Don’t have a favorite? Come anyway and see and hear what others are using!
The meeting will be held on ZOOM and by phone from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Central time. This virtual NAFEX Townhall Meetup 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!
Not a member yet? Join for $19/yr and get access to this ZOOM meetup and all past recorded meetings and conference settings! www.nafex.org
