If you're ready to immerse yourself in the art and science of organic fruit tree growing, this class is for you. This 3-day workshop will give you the tools you need to successfully cultivate fruit trees on a backyard or small-orchard scale. The course takes place February 8–10 at the historic Alan Chadwick Garden on the UC Santa Cruz campus.
Through lectures and hands-on practice you'll learn how to select appropriate fruit tree varieties; prepare the planting hole; plant, fertilize, and prune your trees; set up an irrigation system; improve the soil with cover crops; and control pests and diseases.
The course will be taught by Chadwick Garden manager Orin Martin. Martin has cultivated hundreds of organic fruit trees at the garden for more than 35 years, and taught thousands of students and community members how to establish and care for fruit trees. Zoe Hitchner and Sky DeMuro, organic farmers at Everett Family Farm, will be co-instructors. Class size is limited to ensure a quality experience, with an emphasis on hands-on learning
Friday's class meets from 5-7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday sessions meet from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Cost is $300 general admission, $275 for members of the Friends of the UCSC Farm & Garden. Registration cost includes the Fruit Tree Reader, a selection of articles designed for this course. In case of heavy rain, the class will be rescheduled to February 15–17.
Pre-registration is required. Online registration is available at http://fruittree.brownpapertickets.com. If you prefer to pay by check, please send a check made payable to UC Regents to: CASFS/UCSC Farm, 1156 High St., Santa Cruz, CA, 95064. Attn: fruit tree class.
For more information, call (831) 459-3240, email casfs@ucsc.edu, or see http://casfs.ucsc.edu. Workshops are cosponsored by the Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems and the Friends of the UCSC Farm & Garden.
The Alan Chadwick Garden is located across from Stevenson College at UC Santa Cruz. Free parking will be available at Stevenson College. Directions are available here: http://casfs.ucsc.edu/about/directions-2
