“Growing Rare Subtropical Fruits in Santa Cruz County”
"Growing Rare Subtropical Fruits in Santa Cruz County" Presentation by Nate Blackmore, followed by Q&A Saturday, Nov 14 2020 at 7pm (Join early at 6:45 to ensure your entry!) A meeting of the Monterey Bay, California Rare Fruit Growers Remote video-seminar via Zoom, link to be provided to chapter members at 6:45pm, 11/14 (non-members can …
Holiday “Potluck” Meeting
Our year-end holiday potluck meeting will be held virtually via Zoom this year. Complete details on our email list. Year in review Lightning presentations: Making Hoshigaki (w/ Ken Konviser), Interstem Grafting (w/ Freddy Menge) Member "Show and Tell" slideshow Board elections
Scion Exchange 2021
We are glad to be able to still offer a safe and scaled-back winter Scion Exchange this year pursuant to public health guidelines, on a socially distanced order-fulfillment/pickup model. In order to accomplish this, our 2021 exchange is limited to members (join here) who list their donations/requests sufficiently in advance of our January 31, 2021 …
March Meeting: Avian Pest Control / Elderberries
We have two terrific speakers planned for the evening. First, Jo Ann Baumgartner from the Wild Farm Alliance will speak to us regarding AVIAN PEST CONTROL – encouraging birds to inhabit our spaces to control pest insects, rodents and pest birds. This should be a great presentation – and we will follow her talk with a Q&A session. …
Cider Making Presentation Featuring Jim Rider
Jim Rider will be giving a presentation on September 28 via Zoom on the mysteries of making cider! Update: the recording of this presentation is published here. Jim Rider is a power hitter in the local fruit world and beyond. A 5th generation Pajaro Valley apple grower with a master’s degree in Pomology from Cornell, …
Orchard Tour
Freddy Menge, picking ripe apples. On October 3rd, 1 to 3:30 pm, we invite you to visit Epicenter Orchard in Watsonville, the home of Freddy Menge’s apple, pear, plum, and cherry collection/orchard, the source of many of the apples offered for tasting in the annual MBCRFG apple tasting (cancelled this year due to Covid). During …
2022 Scion Exchange
Soquel High School 401 Soquel San Jose Rd., Soquel, CAJoin us at our Scion Exchange January 30, 2022 at Soquel High School! This outdoor Scion Exchange offers CRFG members and the public an opportunity to select scions that can be grafted to rootstock or to existing fruit trees. Current members of CRFG may enter the event at 11 AM; Non-members are welcome to participate …
How to Set Up a Home Weather Station” and “Prepping Soil Now to Prepare for Planting Fruit Trees in Winter.”
Zoom MeetingJoin us on September 18 for a Zoom meeting on two timely topics: weather stations and soil prep! As we round the final season of the new year, this information should help you be prepared for next year's gardening tasks. MBCRFG member, Jason Sutor, will present information on setting up a weather station – should …
Our Apple Tasting is Back!
Santa Cruz Live Oak Grange 1900 17th Ave, Santa CruzWelcome back to the Monterey Bay Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers' Apple Tasting! We will have over 70 varieties of heritage and rare apples for participants to sample and rate. This extraordinarily popular event will be held jointly with the Santa Cruz Live Oak Grange Fall Festival and 3rd Annual Pie Contest, doubling …
Grafting Knife Sharpening Workshop and Feijoa Tasting
Santa Cruz Live Oak Grange 1900 17th Ave, Santa CruzIt’s time to start preparing for spring, isn’t it? Well, maybe that’s a bit premature, but in the meantime we will be holding a workshop November 12 to learn how to sharpen our grafting knives. This will be a hands-on workshop, the purpose of which is to enable all who are interested (not just knife …