2018 Meetings

RIFGA Annual Meeting
March 22, 2018
6:00 at RI Farm Bureau office
16 Nooseneck Hill Rd., West Greenwich

Speakers:
Ken Ayars, RI DEM Chief – FSMA update
Shannon Brawley – RINLA Apprenticeship Program
Eva Agudelo – Hope’s Harvest

Meeting is free with annual dues payment of $40, or $20 for non-RIFGA members.

A light dinner will be served. Please email or call your reservation by March 17th so we have enough food.          hhf@uri.edu; 874-2967

1 – RIFGA Twilight Meeting
April 12, 2018 at 5:30

Steere Orchard
150 Austin Ave.
Greenville, RI

Guest speakers: UMass Fruit Advisors & Heather Faubert, URI
Learn about early season insects and diseases of concern to tree fruit growers. Jon Clements from UMass will also discuss and demonstrate pruning dwarf apple trees.

Meeting is free with annual dues payment of $40, or $20 for non-RIFGA members.
Two hours pesticide recertification credit available.

2 – RIFGA Twilight Meeting
May 10, 2018 at 5:30

Foppema’s Hilltop Orchard
9 McClellan Road, Wilkinsville (Sutton), MA

Guest speakers: UMass Fruit Advisors & Heather Faubert, URI
Ken and Evan Foppema will be our hosts. Light dinner will be served. Bloom time disease and insect management, fruit thinning will be topics of discussion. Two pesticide recertification credits. Pre-registration is not required but $20 meeting fee for individuals getting pesticide credits will be collected at the door.

3 – RIFGA Small Fruit Twilight Meeting
May 24, 2018 at 5:30

Ward’s Berry Farm
614 South Main St.
Sharon, MA

Guest speaker: Dale Ila Riggs, The Berry Patch in Stephentown, NY, will speak on exclusion netting to protect fruit against spotted wing drosophila and other pests.
Sonia Schloemann, UMass Small Fruit Specialist and Heather Faubert, URI, will speak on current blueberry topics such as pruning, nutrition and insect management.

Meeting is free with annual dues payment of $40, or $20 for non-RIFGA members. Light dinner will be served.
Registration is not necessary.

4 – RIFGA Twilight Meeting
June 14, 2018 at 5:30

Barden Family Orchard
56 Elmdale Rd
North Scituate, RI

Guest speakers: UMass Fruit Advisors & Heather Faubert, URI
During meeting we assess this year’s crop and cover topics such as summer pruning, and insect, disease, and weed management.

Meeting is free with annual dues payment of $40, or $20 for non-RIFGA members.
Registration is not necessary. Light dinner will be served.
Two hours pesticide recertification credit available.

5 – Massachusetts Fruit Growers’ Association Summer Meeting
July 10, 2018 from 10-3

Cold Spring Orchard
391 Sabin St.
Belchertown, MA

Visit the UMass fruit research facility and learn about cutting edge tree fruit and small fruit research projects.

Registration for this meeting is $35 for Mass. Fruit Growers’ Association members ($45 for non-members) per person and includes  tour, educational program, pesticide recertification credits, and lunch. They also honor RIFGA membership for reduced registration fee.

For more information and registration:

https://ag.umass.edu/fruit/events/massachusetts-fruit-growers-association-annual-summer-meeting