Hi this is a friendly reminder this Thursday is our Fruit Club meeting. 7pm this Thursday January 21st, at the Bainbridge Grange Hall. See full message below.
Incase you miss some of the emails flying lately, I’ve incorporated them into this email one way or another. I hope it makes sense…
Besides the lecture by Chuck Holland we will conduct Club Business and Elections. Please consider volunteering for one of the positions listed below. (See Footnote *3 at bottom of this email.)
Earlier this week Darren sent us: Collection, Labeling and Preserving Fruit Tree Scions Guild. I’ve created a link for it here: Collection, Labeling and Preserving Fruit Tree Scions Guild.
At the bottom of this email see the items to be addressed at the meeting on Thursday besides the Lecture.
Membership reminder ( see footnote *2 below )
Bainbridge Island Fruit Club (BIFC)–State of the Club and Upcoming Club Elections ( see footnote *3 below)
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This Thursday’s Meeting Info –
Dear Bainbridge Island Fruit Club,
We are well into January already and for this month’s Fruit Club meeting we actually have a timely short topic scheduled.
Chuck Holland will give a 30 +/- minute presentation on pruning fundamentals for winter time pruning followed by a Q&A. I know I have raspberries that need pruning so I’m looking forward to hearing his thoughts on this and what else will benefit from a winter time pruning.
After Chuck’s presentation we will have a break (feel free to bring a snack to share) then roll into administrative items. We would like to discuss continuing and new enrollments, feel like taking more of a part in the club? There are openings for VP, Secretary (very much needed), and a Board members!! Darren will talk about the responsibilities of each position and how you can help the club become stronger. We would also like to hear suggestions on topics or speakers you would like to hear this year that will help you and us become better fruit producers!!
Here is Chuck’s Bio –
Past Secretary of the Western Cascade Fruit Society and Seattle Tree Fruit Society member.
Past President of the Western Washington Fruit Research Foundation that serves the WSU Mount Vernon Research Station
Former Edmonds Community College Horticulture Department Part Time Instructor on fruit growing and fruit tree pruning
Former guest lecturer to Garden Clubs and the Northwest Flower and Garden Show
Home orchardist
We are a young club, last year was great, I am looking forward to making 2016 even better with you!
Cheers!
Tami
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*2 – Membership reminder Just a friendly reminder that if you wish to renew in the Bainbridge Island Fruit Club (BIFC)–which I certainly hope you will–we will need your annual membership dues. For those enrolling just in the BIFC chapter, it is $20. For those already enrolled in another sister WCFS Chapter, it is $12. Since our treasurer position is now vacant, please mail your checks to the below address, care of Bainbridge Island Fruit Club. You can also make payment at our next club meeting on Thursday (1/21/16),7-9pm, at the BI Grange Hall.
Membership dues cover an entire family…so only one payment is needed for couples or families/children.
Make Check out to:
Bainbridge Island Fruit Club
762 Klickitat Place, NE
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
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*3 – Bainbridge Island Fruit Club (BIFC)–State of the Club and Upcoming Club Elections
Hi Everyone,
I feel like the last year has been a bit of a whirlwind…with a lot accomplished for our new club. For starters, we put together a club charter…with most of the key positions filled, got accepted into the overall Western Cascade Fruit Society (WCFS), received our non-tax status, and enrolled a total of 26 members. On the activities front, held three garden/local farm tours and had a number of wonderful speakers, including such topics as micro-farming, scion wood preparation/grafting, watering systems, bee keeping, fruit diseases/pests (i.e., SWD), and cider making, as well as several great DVDs on anthracnose and pruning. We also participated in the BI Harvest Fair…sponsoring a fruit tasting booth as well as made significant progress in reaching agreement on how we might help the Friends of the Farm in caring for the Johnson Farm Orchard.
All of this took some time, effort, and persistence from an “all volunteer” organization…and I want to thank everyone who has help in making this our new club such a success!
As we move into this new year, one of the topics that will be addressed at our first meeting on 1/21/16…is enrollment and elections. For many of you that have been part of the club for over 1 year, you will need to pay a re-enrollment fee of $20 for the new year ($12 dollars if you are a member of another WCFS chapter). Your dues go far in helping cover the rent we pay for the Grange Hall, as well as printing supplies and speaker fees. I will be sending out a separate email to those members whose annual membership are due.
As for elections, most of our club officer positions must be voted upon annually (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Communication Director…with board members elected to 3-year terms). Both the VP and Treasurer have indicated they will not be seeking reelection. I am willing to stay on as President and I believe Tami Meader is as well as the Club’s Communications Director…but all the other positions are open as well as one of the three board members.
I want to ask each of you to please consider volunteering for one of these remaining vacancies. I recently joked with one member…that these positions shouldn’t be seen as life-time commitments. Just a one-year stint would be greatly appreciated. Our departing VP and Treasurer both made significant contributions in their year with the club. Moreover, to be honest, it will be difficult to continue this club without most of the key positions being filled…let alone build upon the successes from our first year.
The following entails a description of each position, as described in the club’s by-laws:
The president shall preside over all meetings of the club and meetings of the board of directors at which he/she may be present; shall coordinate the work of the officers and committees of the club in order that its purpose may be promoted; and shall perform such other duties as may be described in these by-laws or assigned by the club or the board of directors.
The vice president shall act as an aide to the president and shall perform the duties of the president in the absence or inability of that officer to so act.
The secretary shall record the minutes of all meetings of the club and the board of directors; shall submit to the proper officers, board members, or committee chairpersons all communications.
The communications director shall be responsible for providing input to the WCFS and BIFC websites as well as alerting local media of upcoming club events/activities.
The treasurer shall have custody of all funds of the club and shall keep a full and accurate account of the receipts and expenditures; shall make disbursements in accordance with the approved budget as authorized by the club or the board of directors; shall present a financial statement at every meeting of the club and at other times when requested by the board of directors and shall make a full report at the annual (November) meeting; shall be responsible for the maintenance of such books of account and records as conform to the requirements of the by-laws; shall make no disbursement of funds in payment of any non-budget claim or bill against the club without first presenting the same to the board of directors for approval.
Thanks again everyone for your help and support this last year. ☺
If you have any questions about any of the positions, please feel free email or call me (206/855-9414).
Darren
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Posted in Meeting Notes
Here is an interesting article on a new and improved “better” apple —
Beyond the Honeycrisp Apple
Posted in Meeting Notes
we are excited to have Tom Mueller as a guest speaker. Tom is an extreme home cider maker and willing to share his expertise, trial and errors with us!
Tom has been home brewing and making cider and fruit wines for 20 years (when he first moved to BainbridgeIsland). He has been involved in backyard fruit growing and was on the board of Western Washington Fruit Growers Foundation for two years. There they worked with WSU in Mt. Vernon to grow various types of fruit trees and bushes to see what worked best in our climate.
Tom plans on talking to us about how he got into making cider and how he learned the process. He’ll go thru the equipment needed and go over the basic recipe for making cider. He’ll talk about various apple and pear varieties that have worked for him and how to mix different varieties to get more complex ciders. He’ll also tell us what works and he’ll share some failures and surprises!
Join us for what looks to be an enjoyable evening!
~Tami
Posted in Meeting Notes
July’s meeting was well attended and less of a meeting and more of a garden tour & social. We toured Darren’s lovely Garden were we saw multiple varieties of plumb & apple trees, grapes, raspberries, corn, cabbage, flowers and chickens! I’m sure I missed something there was really so much! We discussed anthracnose and SWD identification and solutions then enjoyed some samples from his yard. Many of us brought treats from our gardens to share. It was a very enjoyable time.
We hope to do this again before the summer ends. If you have a garden you would like to share with the club let Darren know!
Happy Gardening!!
Tami
Posted in Meeting Notes
Here is a link to the life cycle and biological control. WSU page – Tent Caterpillars
Posted in Meeting Notes
A timely topic for our June meeting!
Presented by Bart Berg of Bart Berg Landscape LLC.
The talk will be based on the different methods to irrigate fruit trees and the irrigation fixtures to achieve that. Also, water sources and distribution of water for accessibility.
The Bainbridge Island Fruit Club’s Monthly Meeting is JUNE 18th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm and will be held at the Bainbridge Grange Hall.
Location Address: 10340 Madison Ave NE, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
This is an all ages, free meeting.
Bring a snacks to share if you can.
We hope to see you all there!
Posted in Meeting Notes
The Bainbridge Island Fruit Club’s Monthly Meeting is April 16th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm and will be held at the Bainbridge Grange Hall.
Location Address: 10340 Madison Ave NE, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
This month’s meeting topic is Fruit Tree Pathogens and Pests presented by Randy Lee. Randy is a member of the Snohomish County Fruit Society (Chapter of the Western Cascade Fruit Society).
This is an all ages, free meeting. We hope to see you there!!
Posted in Meeting Notes
Due to popular demand we will continue the topic of fruit tree grafting!
The next Bainbridge Island Fruit Club Meeting is March19th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm and will be held at the Bainbridge Grange Hall, 10340 Madison Ave., NE
This meeting’s agenda will focus on fruit tree grafting. As with the last meeting, folks are encouraged to bring bare rooted fruit trees (e.g., Costco specials for example) for grafting to making their own multi-variety trees!! We will have a large selection of apple, plear, plum, and cherry scion wood for grafting. There will also be some smaller rootstocks (2 feet long) for doing one variety grafting of apple and maybe pear. There will probably be a small fee for the rootstock (as it had to be purchased), but all the scion wood is free.
We also want to start implementing a plant donation/sale as a way to raise funds for the clubs. Members are encouraged to bring their extra flowers, bulbs, fruit trees, etc. to the meeting. Other attendees can take home…in exchange for whatever $ they want to donate to the club.
This is an all ages, and free meeting with the exception of any rootstock purchases. Membership opportunities are available.
We hope to see you there!!
Posted in Meeting Notes
from Darren Murphy, Club President
Propagation by taking branch cuttings is a method of cloning a mature tree to produce additional specimens. Fruit trees cuttings are required when the fruit is a seedless variety or you need a fast propagation method. Propagate fruit trees by taking softwood cuttings in late spring through early summer or semi-hardwood cuttings in mid summer to late summer. Softwood cuttings are fragile and dry out quickly, but produce roots quickly when placed in the proper environment.
Step 1
Cut a six-inch softwood or hardwood branch section of the fruit tree with a sharp knife. Take softwood cuttings from the end portion of the branch where the stem is beginning to mature and snaps in half when bent. Take semi-hardwood cuttings from the end portion of the branch where the stem is becoming woody and beginning to harden.
Step 2
Purchase rooting medium or create your own by mixing equal amounts of course sand, sterile peat moss and perlite. Add water to the medium to moisten. Fill a rooting tray with the moist medium.
Step 3
Cut off all leaves from the lower half of the fruit tree cutting with a sharp knife. Pour a small amount of powdered rooting hormone onto a piece of waxed paper. Dip the cut end of the branch cutting into the hormone and gently tap to remove excess.
Step 4
Stick the fruit tree cutting into a rooting tray filled with moist rooting medium to a depth of two to three inches. Tamp the medium around the cutting to hold it in place. Place the cuttings in the tray so the leaves are not touching.
Step 5
Mist the cuttings with water and place a clear plastic bag over top of the tray. Secure the covering closed with a rubber band. Set the rooting tray in an area that has indirect, bright sunlight and maintains a temperature of approximately 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 6
Pull on the softwood tree cuttings after three weeks of growth to see if there is resistance from root formation. Pull on semi-hardwood cuttings after six weeks of growth. Continue to grow the fruit tree cuttings until the roots reach a length of one inch. Gently remove the soil around the stem cutting to observe root formation and length.
Step 7
Transplant all cuttings with one inch or longer roots into individual growing pots. Fill the pots with a sterile potting soil moistened with water. Gently remove the rooting cuttings from the tray and plant one in each growing pot at the same depth it was previously growing.
Step 8
Grow the transplanted fruit tree cuttings indoors for a minimum of one year. Transplant the cuttings outdoors the following spring season.
References
North Caroline State University: Plant Propagation with Stem Cuttings
Washington State University: Propagating Deciduous and Evergreen Shrubs, Tree and Vines
Bainbridge Island Fruit Club 