The 2009 Berkshire Roundtable meeting for holistic-minded fruit growers in the Northeast will be held on March 4 and 5. Registrations need to be in to me by the week of February 16. You – that would be you! – need to go to the Connections page at Grow Organic Apples to download the registration information and proceed from there. I’ll actually be going from this meeting to an Upper Midwest Retreat of organic apple growers from Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Here’s some things I suggested for their agenda:

Push and pull strategies for curculio with a “dissipating curveball” finish Allopathic disease control (with “organic” copper/sulfur) vs. holistic disease control Apple maggot fly updates … ball traps of all types, GF-120 Naturalyte nuance, Entrust’s role Moth overlap strategies … playing the right cards in the face of generational timing Soil fertility insight … the ol’ question of pushing yield at what costs?

We will undoubtedly cover similar ground. Every few years I can feel the pulse of our understanding ready to make a leap. We are in such a place again.

John Bunker has offered to deliver an Organic Grower Supplies (FEDCO) order once again to Stump Sprouts where we meet. Teaming up saves money. I will once again coordinate a group order. Please respect reasonable weight considerations as John is good for a half ton of supplies at most (and anyone ordering will be chipping in for the gas according to weight). So look at the catalog, tell me what you need, I’ll tally-ho, and then let you know what you will owe. The cost of Entrust has skyrocketed. Keep in mind we will get at least a 10% discount by virtue of doing a group order. One pound packages of this Dow Agro product comes already broken down into 1/4 pound pouches. That makes sharing a whole lot easier. The cost for each pouch will be approximately $140 each. Payment absolutely needs to be in hand at the start of our meeting.

Our 2010 apple gathering in the Berkshires in Massachusetts will be Wednesday and Thursday, March 3 & 4. As always details can be found on the Connections page at Grow Organic Apples to download the registration information.

Just a reminder that registrations for our northeast networking meeting in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts must be in my hands by Tuesday, February 17. Details are found via the link in the previous post. Growers are encouraged to bring scionwood to share at this meeting. We will not be able to acheive a cooperative order from FEDCO' Organic Grower Supplies this year as John Bunker is not driving over from Maine for this year's meeting.