Home Orchard Education Center

06/15/2026

🌳✨ Turn fruit trees into living art!

Join us for our Summer Espalier – Learn & Work Workshop and discover how to train fruit trees into beautiful, space-saving forms while improving fruit production and accessibility. Through hands-on learning in the orchard, you'll gain practical experience with pruning, training, and maintaining espaliered trees. Espalier is an excellent technique for maximizing small spaces, creating edible landscapes, and growing fruit in creative ways.

👉 Pre-registration is required and space is limited! https://www.homeorchardeducationcenter.org/workshop-store-page
🌱 Fee waivers available! https://www.homeorchardeducationcenter.org/fee-waiver-request

06/13/2026

🍇 Taste the Diversity of the Orchard! 🍇

When most people think of grapes, they think of the handful of varieties found at the grocery store. But the HOEC Community Orchards's CSA is your chance to experience the incredible diversity of flavors, colors, and textures that grapes can offer.

CSA members may enjoy a rotating selection of unique grape varieties grown right here in the orchard and freshly ripened on the vine over the course of 3-4 weeks. From crisp seedless grapes to richly flavored reds, blues, and muscat types, each harvest brings something new to discover.

And grapes are just one part of the experience! Our orchard-focused CSA also features an ever-changing mix of apples, pears, berries, persimmons, quince, and other unusual fruits that you won't typically find in stores.

Learn more and reserve your share: https://www.homeorchardeducationcenter.org/orchard-csa

06/11/2026

🍑🍒 Can you really grow peaches, nectarines, apricots, and plums successfully in the Pacific Northwest?

Absolutely! But choosing the right varieties and understanding our unique climate makes all the difference.

Our stone fruit troubleshooting blog shares practical tips for managing common challenges in the Pacific Northwest.

📖 Read the full article and start planning your stone fruit orchard today. What stone fruit would you most like to grow?
https://www.homeorchardeducationcenter.org/arboretum-blog/growing-stone-fruit-in-the-pacific-northwest

06/10/2026

Last call! Grab your spot soon for our bud grafting workshop!

Have you ever wanted to add a new variety to an existing tree, preserve a favorite heirloom fruit, or create your own custom fruit trees? Bud grafting is an efficient and rewarding technique that can seriously upgrade your orcharding skills.

Join us for a hands-on workshop where you'll learn the principles behind successful bud grafting and gain practical experience using this powerful orchard skill.

👉 Pre-registration is required and space is limited!
https://www.homeorchardeducationcenter.org/workshop-store-page

🌱 Fee waivers available! https://www.homeorchardeducationcenter.org/fee-waiver-request

06/09/2026

Any fruit history nerds out there? Have you heard of the Lewelling brothers and their contribution to fruit growing in the PNW? Surely you have heard of a Bing cherry 🍒 developed right here in Oregon by Ah Bing, one of the Lewelling's nursery workers. Just in time for cherry season!

Author Linda Ziedrich will reveal the fascinating history of the Lewelling family and their legacy within the west coast fruit industry.

06/08/2026

🍎✂️ Want healthier trees and bigger harvests?

Join us for our Summer Pruning Apples & Pears Workshop and learn the art of summer pruning through hands-on instruction in the orchard. Summer pruning helps improve light pe*******on, manage tree size, increase air circulation, and encourage better fruit production. 🌳🍐

Whether you're new to fruit trees or looking to sharpen your pruning skills, you'll gain practical experience and confidence working directly with apple and pear trees under expert guidance. Participants will have the opportunity to practice on trees matched to their skill level, making this workshop valuable for both beginners and experienced growers.

👉 Pre-registration is required and space is limited! https://www.homeorchardeducationcenter.org/workshop-store-page
🌱 Fee waivers available! https://www.homeorchardeducationcenter.org/fee-waiver-request

06/06/2026

Spring is such a lovely time in the HOEC Community Orchard. So many familiar faces and some new ones attending our plant sales, workshops, learn and work party's, and we even gave a tour to Portland Community College's Plant Establishment class.

Summer is just a round the corner and we are planning some big events for the orchards 40th birthday 🎉. Details are in the works.

06/06/2026

Join us this season for a rotating harvest of fresh orchard fruit grown with care!

If you love tree-ripened fruit and want to know where it all comes from and how it's grown, we’d love to have you join us this year.

Sign up for a 2026 CSA share before spots fill!

https://www.homeorchardeducationcenter.org/orchard-csa

06/05/2026

Looking for a unique educational experience for your group, school, church, or community organization? 🌳🍎

Request a guided orchard tour at the HOEC Community Orchard, or book a guest speaker for your next event!

Visit our website to inquire about booking opportunities! https://www.homeorchardeducationcenter.org/plan-your-visit