2024 Haskap Days
Haskap School and/or Tour, July 18 and 19th, 2024
If you plan to attended either or both events, please email us with details on who will be attending and which events people are attending. Send an email with a subject line Haskap Days 2024 to both: Bob.bors@usask.ca and Justin.schaeffer@usask.ca . That way we can plan to have enough seats for everyone. But if you decide to come last minute, it will be probably okay for the field tour but it is uncertain for the school portion. Thank you!
Please note: Bob Bors is retiring as of July 1st, 2024 and is coming back to run this event. This may or may not be the last time Bob gives this workshop at the U of SK. It will be up to the next head of the fruit program to decide what to do.
Haskap School 2024
July 18 th , a thursday, 9am to 3pm
Cost $50, payable by cheque or cash (we have a bank machine in the building)
Location: Room 1E85 Agriculture Building, University of Saskatchewan, 53 Campus Drive, Saskatoon
(note: we had room 1E85 last year and are hoping to have the same room this year, we'll let you know when the room gets finalized)
Description: Lectures and discussion will be about haskap biology, growing, processing and marketing in a classroom setting. Also we will discuss haskap breeding and research at the U of Sask.
Most talks are by Bob Bors but some experienced growers may also give talks. BYO lunch or eat elsewhere on campus.
Haskap Research Tour 2024
July 19th,a Friday, 9 am to 2pm
Cost $40, Payable by cheque or cash (No bank machine) Cost includes a light Pizza lunch, bottles of water and a haskap desert.
Location: Horticulture Research Field: 2909 14th Street, Saskatoon.
Description:
9am to noon or 1pm:
We will visit several research fields to see various experiments, new and old varieties, wild haskap, seedlings and advanced selections from breeding. We have one of the world's most diverse collections of haskap that are being used in breeding.
Attendees get to roam fields, tasting berries and tagging their favourites. We will also be on the look out for pests, diseases and herbicide damage.
There will be a harvesting machine and other equipment demonstrations. We will also demonstrate ways to prune and train haskap.
Noon to 1pm (or so): Lunch and visit tradeshow. We have an area for a small tradeshow where we allow nurseries, organizations and companies to set up booths. We don't charge for being part of the tradeshow, but let us know you are coming so we can arrange a set up time. We only have a few tables but we can reserve a few. We plan for a light pizza lunch because attendees have already been eating lots of haskap in the field!
1pm to 2pm (or so): Open discussion. Sometimes tradeshow vendors or grower group representatives will want to give short talks.
PLease feel free to ask questions. The tour and the open discussion are great opportunities to ask and answer questions. Often new growers don't know the right questions to ask, so hearing what others are curious about works out well.
2024 plant sale
We are going to be having our in person sales and pick up June 7-8. We are still working on if we will be able to have an online sale but if so that would open a week earlier. Check back here for more info later or our Facebook page University of Saskatchewan Fruit Program
Some of what we will have will be hardy grapes, saskatoons, haskap, strawberries, raspberries and apple trees.
Budding & Grafting Workshop 2024?
We might have a grafting workshop if enough people are interested. Typically this occurs in Mid-August. If you are interested in attending email justin.schaeffer@usask.ca .
This is how we described the grafting workshop in 2023:
It is also important to note that we only accept cash or cheque, so please bring that with you on the day of the workshop. Also if individuals have their own grafting knives then please bring them along or else we will have some that people can borrow for the workshop. We may also have some new ones available for sale so bring extra cash if you would like to buy one of those ($20 each).
We will be holding two budding/grafting workshops at our Horticulture Field Lab (2909 14th Street East) on August (to be determined) starting at 12:30 pm. Registration is $40. Grafting is difficult to learn from books but so easy to learn in person! We will be demonstrating budding and grafting techniques that are best for beginners. There will also be a lecture about timelines and preparing budwood. Participants will practice grafting techniques under supervision. There will be apple trees available for purchase ($65/tree) if you would like to try grafting a combination apple tree to take home with you but supply is limited. Please email justin.schaeffer@usask.ca to sign up. We look forward to seeing you there! Note: we only give grafting workshops every 2 or 3 years, so sign up soon or wait quite a while.
2024 plant sale
We are going to be having our in person sales and pick up June 7-8. We are still working on if we will be able to have an online sale but if so that would open a week earlier. Check back here for more info later or our Facebook page University of Saskatchewan Fruit Program
Some of what we will have will be hardy grapes, saskatoons, haskap, strawberries, raspberries and apple trees.
I am retiring. by Bob Bors
After 25.5 years, I am retiring as of July 1st, 2024. I intend to stay involved in the program, continue to give talks and workshops and hope to ease the transition of whoever replaces me. Likely I will complete my partially written Haskap manual and update the Cherry grower's manual within a year. I am planning on staying in Saskatoon when retired so I'll be around.
In early July, the Plant Sciences Department will begin sorting through applications from people wanting my job. If you know of someone with a PhD in plant genetics, preferably fruit breeding, take a look at the job description Click Here.