Spring Orchard Tours

VIFC toured three club members’ orchards this past spring.  Attendance was high at both Saturday events.  On May 16, Ron & Martha Keenan’s orchard was toured by the club.  Then on June 20, both Reimnitz & Russo orchards were toured.  A big THANK YOU to Ron & Martha Keenan, Hartmut & Ilse Reimnitz & Ethan Russo for hosting VIFC at your amazing orchards!  Enjoy the photos!

Maggots & Stink Bugs & Moths! Oh My!

Panelists: Jerry Gehrke, Dick Tilbury, Marilyn Tilbury & Elizabeth Vogt

On Tuesday, April 14th, we had an information-packed meeting on pest control in the orchard with our experts, Marilyn and Dick Tilbury, Elizabeth Vogt and Jerry Gehrke. A big thanks to all of our pest experts! I’ve attached the Tilbury’s two handouts.

Thank you, Dr Bob, for a great Bench Grafting Workshop!

Dr Bob’s Grafting Workshop on March 15 at the Sunrise Ridge conference room was a great success!

Dr Bob Norton

We learned three of the four types of grafting:

A World without Fruit

The morning after Elizabeth Vogt’s, PhD in Entymology, inspiring talk on “Pollinator Habitat Improvement – Bee Trees”, I shared the evening’s highlights with a co-worker over coffee in our office break room, how development & hybridization are the enemies of pollinators,

Winter Pruning at Woodward & Leiter/Oppliger Orchards

Leiter / Oppliger Orchard

Our Winter Pruning Workshop on Feb. 21, 2015, conducted by Dr. Bob Norton and arborist, Michelle Ramsden, was a great success!  Weather cooperated as we observed, then participated in the pruning of several large, older apple trees at the orchard of VIFC President, Anne Woodward.  Not soon to be forgotten was Dr. Bob’s “girdling” technique on a bare branch, as well as, the chain sawing of major height out of an 80 year old apple tree of unknown variety by several of the men.   Then down the street at Nan Leiter & Ina Oppliger’s orchard,

Meeting Feb. 10-Slide Show of Spain Fruit Tour

For our program on Tuesday February 10, Heather Flanagan will present a slide show on her trip to Spain with Dr. Bob Norton, Cheryl Grunbock and Greg Guiliani

Fall Fruit Show Sat November 8th, 2014

Saturday, October 11th at the Village Green– Ciderfest Vashon!

Join in the fun at Vashon Ciderfest on Saturday October 11, 2014. The club will host a public viewing of cider pressing at the Village Green where members gather and press over 3000 pounds of island apples

Thank you Meadow Creature for the Avalon(tm) Cider Press!

The Board would like to recognize and thank Bob Powell at Meadow Creature for the generous donation to the Club of the new Avalon ™ Cider Press! This is a beautifully crafted grinder and press

Quarterly Meeting Summary

On Sept 9th, the membership enjoyed summer strawberries and cream along with salmon appetizers during the meeting at the Land Trust.