Lecture: A Year in the Life of an Orchard

A Year in the Life of an Orchard

Date: Wednesday, October 30, 2024

In-Person Event
$7/person | HRMM Members FREE

Program Topic:

One definition of an orchard is "a piece of land planted with fruit trees." Kevin Clark, lead orchardist at Rose Hill Farm, argues that that is a superficial definition, and, in fact, there is a depth of life, elarning , and experiences to be found and had in an orchard. Orchards are one of the unique places where nature and culture intersect. During this presentation, Clark will delve into what life (human, flora, fauna, etc.) in an orchard entails throughout the calendar year. From dormancy through harvest, there is a vast array of activities that take place in order for us to have the opportunity to eat, cook, and preserve fresh fruit. Clark will discuss pruning, pollination, fruit bud phenology, grafting, fruitlet thinning, pest management, orchard health, fruit tree physiology, and will present a range of photographs to enlighten and broaden this experience. Along with the presentation, there will be a display of over 100 different varieties of apples to view. By the end of this presentation, participants will have a deeper understanding of what the orchard calendar looks like and how fascinating orchard life is.

Presenter:

Kevin Clark is the lead orchardist at Rose Hill Farm, located in Red Hook, NY, where he tends to the land that bears apples, cherries, peaches, plums, apricots, blueberries, strawberries, and quince. He is fascinated by whole fruit tree physiology and being immersed in the life of the orchard through all of the seasons. As an orchardist, he interacts with the land and trees in such a way that enriches the biodiversity of the land, as well as nourishes the humans that visit or work with it.

This program is being presented in-person at the Hudson River Maritime Museum's Wooden Boat School. The Wooden Boat School is located at 86 Rondout Landing, Kingston, NY 12401.

Members can recieve their registration discount by logging in. Please note that you must be a current member the date of the event to receive your discount.