Category Archives: Meetings, workshops, and other events

2014 Winter Fruit School Meeting Dates

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The 2014 Winter Fruit School dates, times and locations have been set. These in-depth meetings focus on commercial tree-fruit production. The schedule will be similar to the 2013 schedule, with the Patrick-Carroll meeting occurring on Tuesday morning, and the Central Virginia meeting occurring on Wednesday evening. The full list of locations is below, as well as the local contact for each meeting.

Presentations by Extension Specialists will include, woolly apple aphid control, minimizing pre-harvest fruit drop in apple orchards, thrips management in orchards, a spotted winged drosophila update, and disease management updates with a focus on Glomerella leaf spot. Additional programing is still being developed at each location and more details are forthcoming. Pesticide recertification credits are usually available, check with the local contact for more information.

Date Location

Registration opens

 Local Contact Contact’s phone number Contact’s email
Tuesday
February 11

Program

 Prime Sirloin
1018 Rockford Street
Mt. Airy, NC 27030

9:00AM

 Steve Pottorff 276-730-3113 pottorff@vt.edu
Wednesday
February 12

Program

 Brambleton Center
3738 Brambleton Avenue SW
Roanoke, VA 24018

8:00AM

 Andy Allen 540-864-5812 geallen@vt.edu
Wednesday
February 12

Program

 The Nelson Center
8445 Thomas Nelson Highway
Lovingston, VA 22949

4:00PM

 Michael Lachance 434-263-4035 lachance@vt.edu
Thursday
February 13

Program

 Grave’s Mountain Lodge
Rte. 670
Syria, VA 22743

8:30AM

 Kenner Love 540-675-3619 klove@vt.edu
Friday
February 14

Program

 Best Western
Lee Jackson Banquet Hall
711 Millwood Ave.
Winchester, VA 22601

8:00AM

 Mark Sutphin &
Marsha Wright		 540-665-5699 mark.sutphin@vt.edu mawrigh4@vt.edu

Commercial Fruit Tree Production Workshop in Southside–December 11-12

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Drs. Yoder, Bergh, Derr, and Peck will be joining several VCE agents to present information on fruit tree production for the Southeastern regions of the Commonwealth. The target audience is new and existing commercial growers. Please see additional information below.

When:     December 11-12, 2013

Where:  Wednesday, Southern Piedmont AREC, Blackstone, VA

Thursday, 278 Florida Road, Crewe, VA

Time:     Wednesday, 8:00 am- 4:45 pm

Thursday, 11:00 am- 12:30 pm

Cost:     $10.00 per person- Lunch included

RSVP and Return Registration Fee by:  November 29, 2013 to Nottoway Extension Office- P.O. Box 22 Nottoway, VA 23955.    434-645-9315

Please visit http://www.arec.vaes.vt.edu/southern-piedmont/contact/ for complete directions to SPAREC

Twilight Meeting at Orr’s Farm Market–August 27, 2013

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Don’t forget; the final Tree Fruit Twilight Meeting of the year will be held at Orr’s Farm Market Tuesday, August 27, 2013. The tour will begin at 5:30 p.m.; the catered supper and seasonal updates will begin at 7:00 p.m.

If you plan to attend, please email Jennifer at jfost@vt.edu or call 540.665.5699 before noon on Wednesday, August 21st , so we will have enough food for everyone’s supper.

Thank you,

Mark Sutphin

Associate Extension Agent | Agriculture and Natural Resources, Horticulture | Unit Coordinator (Frederick)

Virginia Cooperative Extension – Frederick County Office | 107 North Kent Street | Winchester, VA 22601

Phone – 540.665.5699 | Fax – 540.722.8380 | Cell – 540.398.8148 | Email – mark.sutphin@vt.edu | http://offices.ext.vt.edu/frederick/ 

Serving the counties of Frederick, Clarke, Page, Shenandoah, & Warren

Pre-Harvest Orchard Meeting hosted by Drumheller’s Orchard

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Please make plans to attend the Pre-Harvest Orchard Meeting on Wednesday, August 14th, at the Drumheller Orchard, south of Lovingston, Va.  We will begin the informational portion of the program at 11:00 a.m.  Please bring a bag lunch for the meeting.  Dessert and beverages will be provided.

Topics at the meeting will include the current status of pests and diseases and maximizing returns through harvest quality and storage considerations.

Directions to Drumheller Orchard, 1130 Drumheller Orchard Ln, Lovingston, VA 22949.  Phone:  (434) 263-5036; Website: http://drumhellersorchard.com

  • Drumheller Orchard is located in Nelson County between the villages of Lovingston and Colleen.  From Lovingston, go south on Route 29 approximately 2  miles
  • At the main entrance to the Nelson County High School (construction in progress) turn right and make an immediate left on Route 741 (Drumheller Orchard lane) and proceed roughly  ½ mile to the end of the road.
  • We will be gathering at the packing shed

Michael W. Lachance

VCE-Agriculture and Natural Resources
Nelson County Unit
8445 Thomas Nelson Highway
Lovingston, VA  22949
434 263 4035
FAX 434 263 4367
Lachance@vt.edu

AREC to Host Field Tour and Twilight Meeting

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The faculty and staff of Virginia Tech’s AHS Jr. AREC and Virginia Cooperative Extension invite you to a Field day and Twilight Meeting on Thursday, July 18, 2013. In addition to a traditional twilight meeting, there will be a comprehensive tour of the research plots at the AHS Jr. AREC. Growers from throughout Virginia, as well as nearby states are invited to attend. Please note that the mealtime is earlier than in past years.

2:30pm – 5:15pm: Tour of Research Orchards (Entomology, Horticulture & Pathology) – Meet at the main building

5:30pm – 7:00pm: Catered Supper & Seasonal Updates – Equipment Shed

Registration is required.  To ensure that you are provided with a meal, you must email Mark Sutphin at mark.sutphin@vt.edu or call his office: (540.665.5699) before noon on Monday, July 15th.

Directions: The facility is located at, 595 Laurel Grove Road, Winchester, VA 22602. From I-81: take the Stephens City exit (Exit 307). Go west into Stephens City on Fairfax Street. Proceed straight through Stephens City onto Rt. 631 (Fairfax Street becomes Marlboro Road). Continue west on Marlboro Road for approximately 3.5 miles. When Marlboro Road dead-ends at a “T”, turn right (north) onto Middle Road (Rt. 628). Proceed on Middle Road for 1.5 miles. Turn left (west) onto Laurel Grove Road (Rt. 629). Travel 0.8 miles to the AREC, which will be on your left. Parking is available in front of the building.

Drs. Keith Yoder, Chris Bergh, and Greg Peck will be providing seasonal updates at dinner and will be available for discussions and concerns regarding the growing season.

**Please save the date of Tuesday, August 27, 2013 for a joint Twilight Meeting with WVU Extension at Orr’s Farm Market in Martinsburg, WV.**

Many thanks to all of our faithful sponsors for making this event possible!

AgroFresh

Bayer CropScience, L.P.

Bowman Andros Products, LLC

Certis USA, LLC

Crop Production Services

Dow Agro Sciences

DuPont Crop Protection

First Bank & Trust

Frederick County Farm Bureau

Frederick County Fruit Growers

Gowan Company LLC

Helena Chemical Company

Knouse Foods Co-Op., Inc.

MidAtlantic Farm Credit

National Fruit Product Company

Nichino America

Peterson Farms, Inc.

Southern States

Suterra

Syngenta Crop Protection

Trece, Inc.

Valent USA

Valley Fertilizer & Chemical Company

Virginia Cooperative Extension

Virginia Farm Bureau

Winchester Equipment Company

 

Mark Sutphin

Associate Extension Agent | Agriculture and Natural Resources, Horticulture | Unit Coordinator (Frederick)

Virginia Cooperative Extension – Frederick County Office | 107 North Kent Street | Winchester, VA 22601

Phone – 540.665.5699 | Fax – 540.722.8380 | Cell – 540.398.8148 | Email – mark.sutphin@vt.edu | http://offices.ext.vt.edu/frederick/

Serving the counties of Frederick, Clarke, Page, Shenandoah, & Warren

Upcoming Meetings

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The next in-orchard meeting will be held on Wednesday June 12 at 11AM in Fauquier County at Stribling Orchard with a post meeting visit to Heartland Orchard. For more information, contact Kenner Love: klove@vt.edu or (540) 675-3619.

On June 18 at 11AM, we’ll be meeting at Tommy Fitzgerald’s Orchard in Central Virginia. The address is 621 Dillard Hill Road, Lowesville, VA 22967. The main office phone number is (434) 277-5051.

Google map location: http://goo.gl/maps/1UB47

For more information, contact Michael Lachance: lachance@vt.edu or (434) 263-4035.

At both meetings there will be updates from Dr. Peck (horticulture), Dr. Yoder (plant pathology), and Drs. Bergh and/or Pfeiffer (entomology). Horticultural topics will include predicting harvest maturity, pre-harvest drop control, and sampling leaves for nutrient analyses.

These meetings are open to anyone who has an interest in commercial tree-fruit production. A full listing of the tree-fruit meetings being held in Virginia can be found by clicking on the Upcoming programs & events link on the Tree fruit extension and outreach website.

Additionally, the International Fruit Tree Association (IFTA) is still accepting registration for the upcoming Study Tour in and around Adam’s County Pennsylvania. The organizers have put together a fantastic program and growers are highly encouraged to attend.

Reminder: In-Depth Tree Fruit Meeting on May 30

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The fifth Winchester Area Tree Fruit Meeting for the 2013 Season will be held this Thursday, May 30th at the Virginia Tech – Alson H. Smith Jr. Agricultural Research and Extension Center (Winchester Fruit Lab) at 7:00 p.m. with Dr. Tracy Leskey (USDA-Kearneysville) offering the program.  Snacks will be provided.

I hope to see you at the meeting Thursday.

Mark Sutphin

Associate Extension Agent

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Horticulture

Commercial Tree-Fruit Production Meetings for May 15 and May 16

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On Wednesday (May 15) starting at 11AM, we will have the next Rappahannock County In-Orchard meeting at William’s Orchard.

And, on Thursday morning (May 16) starting at 7AM, we will have a breakfast meeting at the Winchester AREC with plant pathology, entomology, and horticulture updates.

Meeting dates, times, and locations can be found at: http://www.anr.ext.vt.edu/tree-fruit/index.html by clicking on the “Upcoming Programs & Events” link on the righthand side of the screen.

Impromptu meeting for Central Virginia on May 8

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On Wednesday May 8, we will have a commercial fruit growers’ meeting at Saunders Brothers Orchards starting at 11AM. The meeting was requested by growers in the Central Virginia area to discuss fruit thinning, as well as current disease and insect management issues.

For more information, please contact Michael Lachance at Lachance@vt.edu or 434 263 4035.