Please join Vashon Island Fruit Club for a very special program by Professor Bruce Haulman,

Vashon’s own historian, on the history of Vashon orchards and fruit growing.

Bruce, a retired professor of history, is author of two books on Vashon History - Images of America: Vashon-Maury Island (2011) and A Brief History of Vashon Island (2016).

Bruce is also the President of the Vashon Heritage Museum, writes the weekly “It’s Your History” and occasional “Time & Again” pieces for the Vashon Island Beachcomber, and gives monthly Second Friday Talks at the Vashon Senior Center.

You must RSVP to attend: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1HfiSeinMKq1YQ4PFqdmNGWSTt4aWRJrMjfb3UJyVBn8/edit

Event will take place at Vashon Land Trust located at 10014 SW Bank Rd, Vashon, WA 98070

Discover Vashon's Heritage Apples at the Autumn Harvest Celebration

Don't miss this chance to immerse yourself in the rich legacy of Vashon's orchards.

Mark your calendar for the Vashon Island Fruit Club's (VIFC) Bountiful Autumn Harvest Celebration on Saturday, October 19th from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Vashon Island Land Trust.

This family-friendly event is free and open to all. Explore a captivating display of heritage Vashon fruit varieties, curated by VIFC and Seattle Tree Fruit Society lifetime member Lorine Brakken, along with VIFC orchardist Laure Jensen.

Bring your mystery apples for expert identification by Lorine and Laure, and turn your harvest into refreshing apple juice to take home. 

To have your apples IDed, please print out the form at: 

https://bit.ly/AppleID24

Before you arrive, complete one form for each apple you bring to be identified. It’s important you complete the process as described.

For more information or to volunteer, email Laure@vashonislandfruitclub.org or visit VashonIslandFruitClub.org. 

Dr. Bob Norton Memorial Orchard (map)

Orchard Maintenance & Mentoring takes place at the Dr. Bob Norton Memorial Orchard and is a community-driven initiative focused on preserving and caring for the orchard while providing a dynamic learning space.

Open to individuals of all skill levels, from novices to experts, the program aims to teach valuable skills in orchard maintenance, sustainable agriculture, and community engagement.

Dr. Bob Norton Memorial Orchard (map)

Orchard Maintenance & Mentoring takes place at the Dr. Bob Norton Memorial Orchard and is a community-driven initiative focused on preserving and caring for the orchard while providing a dynamic learning space.

Open to individuals of all skill levels, from novices to experts, the program aims to teach valuable skills in orchard maintenance, sustainable agriculture, and community engagement.

Please join Vashon Island Fruit Club in welcoming Dr. Jaime Pinero and graduate student Ajay Giri in this exciting IPM workshop targeting CODLING MOTH. 

Discover eco-friendly pest control tips that are suitable for homeowners, small-scale growers, and orchard enthusiasts. Three topics will be covered: biology and monitoring of codling moth; attract-and-kill systems; and organic materials that can be applied to control codling moth.

Dr. Pinero is Extension Professor at the Center for Agriculture, Food and Environment at U. Massachusetts Amherst. His research integrates chemical, behavioral, and biological methods of insect control, including better understanding of the ecology of pests and their natural enemies.

In person at Vashon Library and on Zoom.

Zoom Link: https://umass-amherst.zoom.us/j/97162393210

Dr. Bob Norton Memorial Orchard (map)

Orchard Maintenance & Mentoring takes place at the Dr. Bob Norton Memorial Orchard and is a community-driven initiative focused on preserving and caring for the orchard while providing a dynamic learning space.

Open to individuals of all skill levels, from novices to experts, the program aims to teach valuable skills in orchard maintenance, sustainable agriculture, and community engagement.

Dr. Bob Norton Memorial Orchard (map)

Orchard Maintenance & Mentoring takes place at the Dr. Bob Norton Memorial Orchard and is a community-driven initiative focused on preserving and caring for the orchard while providing a dynamic learning space.

Open to individuals of all skill levels, from novices to experts, the program aims to teach valuable skills in orchard maintenance, sustainable agriculture, and community engagement.

Join us at La Biondo Farm & Kitchen to tour a local farmstand springing into full production

Mark your calendar as Emily McRae and Laure Jensen will guide you through the intricacies of Stone Fruit Pruning.

From peaches to plums, this workshop will equip you with the skills needed to shape and care for your stone fruit trees.

Learn about timing, techniques, and the science behind pruning for optimal fruit production.

Whether you're a backyard enthusiast or an orchard owner, this event promises to elevate your stone fruit cultivation knowledge.

Abby Antonelis and Catherine Johnson will discuss VIGA’s programs, including how Fruit Club members can contribute to VIGA’s food preservation project that serves island families, and present the Mukai barreling plant renovation to create a food and farming innovation center for Vashon.

Spring weather can be hard on orchard pollination, but one way to improve the odds of a good fruit year is to bring in the bees: mason bees, to be exact.  Please join Vashon Island Mason Bee Guru Jerry Gehrke for a timely presentation on the annual cycle of mason bees, including how to obtain, care for, use and propagate bees.  This program is timed to help orchardists get ready for Spring 2024 pollination.