Events

Curious about grafting your own trees in the summer? We're happy to offer a grafting workshop focused on chip budding apple trees. While this workshop focuses on apple trees, these same skills can be used to graft other species of fruit trees as well!

Registration includes:

• 1 piece of apple budwood of your choice* and 1 EMLA 106 semi-dwarf rootstock - you will graft and take home one apple tree!
  
• 1 copy of Fruit Tree Grafting for Everyone (co-authored by Steph)
• Exclusive workshop-day discounts on fruit trees, tools, and orchard supplies

*We will be in touch closer to the workshop to let you know what apple varieties will be available for grafting.

Dates & Times:

• Part One: Zoom - Wednesday, August 12th from 7pm-9pm, online via Zoom
• Part Two: In-person – Thursday, August 13th from 6pm-8pm OR Friday, August 14th from 1pm-3pm in our orchard (weather permitting) or in our hoophouse at Silver Creek Nursery (2343 Gerber Rd, Wellesley, ON, N0B 2T0)
  • When signing up, please select the date you will be attending in-person
  • If weather permits we will be out in the orchard so please dress appropriately for the weather. If there is rain we will be in the hoophouse. The hoophouse is covered but please dress appropriately for the temperature. 

During the Zoom call, we will walk you through the theory and application of summer grafting including aftercare, and will answer any grafting questions you may have. On Thursday and Friday (note that participants pick which day to attend in-person) we will go over chip budding techniques in-person, give you a chance to try grafting out for yourself, and by the end of the workshop you'll have grafted your own apple tree to plant at home!

NOTE: Refreshments will be provided (bring your own drinking vessel). We will have some stools/chairs but bring your own if you prefer. 

Join us in our orchard and learn all about of summer fruit tree pruning and why it matters!

So you planted a fruit tree... now what? Are your fruit trees growing vigorously but producing less fruit than you'd hoped? Wondering what to prune, when to prune, and why summer pruning matters?

We have answers, and we're excited to invite you to our Summer Pruning Workshop! This course is great for beginners and those who want to dive more in-depth into understanding fruit tree physiology, for a lifetime of fruitfulness.

Where & When? 

• Part One - Thursday, July 9th from 7pm-9pm, online via Zoom
• Part Two – Friday, July 10th from 7pm-9pm in-person at our orchard at Silver Creek Nursery (2343 Gerber Rd, Wellesley, ON, N0B 2T0)
  • This is a rain or shine event so please dress accordingly!

Who? Steph from Silver Creek Nursery plus YOU!

What? I (Steph) will help demystify fruit tree pruning and show you how strategic summer pruning can improve fruit quality, tree health, and orchard productivity.

Did you know that pruning during the growing season can help manage excessive growth, increase sunlight penetration, improve airflow, help deter pests, and encourage better fruit development?

During this workshop, you will learn:

• Differences between summer and dormant-season pruning, and why we need both at certain times in a trees life:
  • The purpose and benefits of summer pruning
  • How to prune for better fruit production
  • When and where to make pruning cuts during the growing season
• How to identify water sprouts, suckers, and overly vigorous growth
• How to improve light penetration and airflow to reduce disease pressure
• Techniques for maintaining manageable tree size and structure
• Common pruning mistakes and how to avoid them

PART 1 - Online via Zoom, Thursday, July 9^th from 7pm-9pm

We'll begin with an online discussion of basic pruning principles, and then delve into more advanced tree physiology. You'll learn how to assess a tree's growth, identify pruning priorities, and make confident pruning decisions on trees at different stages of development.

You will also be invited to send in pictures ahead of time from your own garden/orchard so we can chat about your individual trees in our Q&A.

You will receive a recording of the Zoom session and a copy of the presentation after the workshop.

PART 2 – In our orchard at Silver Creek Nursery, Friday, July 10^th from 7pm-9pm

Now we'll head into the orchard to put the theory you learned into practice! Steph will demonstrate proper pruning techniques and guide participants through real-world examples, helping you understand not just how to prune, but why.

We will be in the orchard regardless of rain or shine so please dress accordingly!

Why? One of the most common questions we hear is, "My fruit tree grows like crazy, but the harvest isn't great, OR, it's not bearing fruit!" Summer pruning is often a key part of the solution.

While winter pruning encourages growth, summer pruning helps direct the tree's energy into fruit production, ripening, and maintaining a healthy structure. Understanding when and how to prune throughout the seasons can make a significant difference in both the health of your trees and the quality of your harvest.

Join us for a practical and informative morning in the orchard and leave with the confidence to care for your fruit trees all season long!

NOTE: Refreshments will be provided (bring your own drinking vessel). Participants will receive a recording of the zoom webinar and exclusive workshop-day discounts on fruit trees, tools, and orchard supplies.

Winter Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop & Wassail: 2-Part Series

Ever wondered about the mysterious 'Holistic Spray' we mention? Learn all about how we care for our trees without the use of harsh chemicals it in this workshop. Crooked Farmz will also be hosting a compost tea pop-up at the nursery during our workshop, see below for details!

Join us to discuss spraying, the ingredients in a holistic spray, when, where, and most importantly, why we use this method! We will show you our set up and offer advice to make your own spray, for your own localized pest and disease pressures. 

We are offering two different dates this year (select from below), for you to join for our 2026 Holistic Spray Workshop in order to accommodate a growing interest.

We are offering you a choice of either Friday, April 10th, 2026 (5:30pm-7:30pm) OR Saturday, April 11th, 2026 (9am-11am OR 1pm-3pm).

Registration includes a 2 hour mini-workshop, where you’ll learn:

-the theory behind this method/what is a holistic spray
-how to make a holistic spray
-what ingredients you’ll need
-how to tweak it to suit your needs based on your localized pest pressures
-when to spray (seasonally + time of day)

What to Bring: a lawn chair and note taking material. We will pass around a handout with the basic recipe. Michael Phillip’s book will also be available for purchase; it is an 
invaluable resource!

Please also dress for the weather: we will be outdoors or in an unheated hoop house depending on the weather, followed by a quick tour of the orchard when when we do a demo spray.

Crooked Farmz Pop-Up and Workshop

Crooked Farmz will be hosting a compost tea pop-up and a Soil Health & Microbial Life Workshop at the nursery during the Holistic Spray Workshop!

Compost Tea must be pre-ordered ahead of time and the last date to place an order is April 8th. Compost tea must be picked up either April 10th or April 11th. See HERE for more details and to pre-order!

The Soil Health & Microbial Life workshop will be hosted by Sean Smith, owner of Crooked Farmz. This FREE workshop on Soil Health & Microbial Life on Friday, April 10th from 4pm-5pm. See HERE for more details and to register! 

We will  be offering two different dates for you to join us (in person) for our 2026 Grafting Workshop in order to accommodate a growing interest.

We are offering you a choice of either Saturday, April 25th, 2026 (1pm-4pm) & Sunday, April 26th, 2026 (1pm-4pm) for our annual workshop.

This workshop covers dormant whip and tongue grafting! We will walk you through the history and theory behind grafting, we give you a chance to try grafting out for yourself, and by the end of the workshop you'll have grafted five of your own apple trees to plant at home!

We offer both single and paired registration:

Single registration includes:

• 5 scions and rootstock of your choice* - you will graft and take home five trees!
  
• 1 copy of Fruit Tree Grafting for Everyone (co-authored by Steph!)
• Practice material for one person
• Cost - $150 per person plus tax

*Your options will be any of the scionwood varieties we have available for this season and specified rootstock varieties. We will reach out to participants at a later date regarding their selection. Additional rootstock and scionwood can be purchased from the website when available. 

**Paired tickets are an economical option for two people to attend the workshop but each pair only takes home five trees total. If both participants want to graft and take home five trees each, they will each need to purchase a Single ticket.