Please see full information for the Spring 2026 Workshops offered by and for food producers in the Chequamegon Bay Area below! Some workshops in this series have a fee or ask that you bring specific items, please take note of what you’ll need for your workshop!

Growing and Storing Veggies for Winter:

Sunday, February 22, 11:00AM-1:00PM at 16550 Nicoletti Rd in Herbster

Dr. Clare Hintz has run a successful winter CSA for more than a decade at Elsewhere Farm. Whether you want to start farming in an unusual season or improve your homesteading skills, join Clare on her farm to learn about deep winter greenhouse production, passive root cellar design, and crops and varieties that store best over winter. A winter salad will be provided! A course fee of $20 can be paid at the beginning of class. Class size is limited to 12, so please pre-register by contacting Brian Clements at northcroftfarm@gmail.com

Fruit Tree Pruning 101:

Sunday, March 8, 1-3PM at 16550 Nicoletti Rd in Herbster

Join Dr. Clare Hintz in her pear orchard to learn how to prune pears and apples or improve your technique. If you joined the class in previous years, come see the results of your work! The best way to get a feel for correct pruning is to see your work over several years. Topics will include leading tree shapes, difficult angles, fruiting buds vs. leaf buds, coppicing, and fruit tree genetics to match your pruning style. Tools will be provided, but feel free to bring your own if they are sharp. A course fee of $20 can be paid at the beginning of class, no pre-registration is required.

Maple Syrup Making:

Saturday, March 14, 12-2PM at 79095 Maunu Road in Washburn

Learn the ins and outs of maple syrup making. Erin and William will give you a tour of their maple syrup operation and teach you the process of making syrup including tapping of trees, collection, storage, and bottling. They will also cover the chemistry and some of the financial aspects of running a small maple operation. Participants can bring a mug to sample maple tea! Class size is limited so please contact Brian Clements at northcroftfarm@gmail.com to reserve your spot.

Fruit Tree Grafting:

Saturday, April 4, 10:00AM-12:00PM at 86760 Valley Rd. in Bayfield

Learn the art and science of grafting fruit trees. Tom and Ann, owners of Northwind Organic Farm, will show how to combine rootstock and scion wood to get a new tree. Participants will go home with up to 3 grafted apple trees. Class size is limited to 10 participants so pre-registration is required. A course fee of $15 can be paid at the beginning of the class. Participants should bring a non-serrated knife. Email Brian Clements at northcroftfarm@gmail.com to reserve your spot by April.

Raising Raspberries:

Sunday, May 3, 3-5PM at 86760 Valley Rd. in Bayfield

Want to grow raspberries or have some you just don’t know how to care for? Join Ann and Tom, owners of North Wind Organic Farm, to learn the ins and outs of raspberry care including variety selection, planting, pruning, propagation, nutrient and water management, pests, and more. Special emphasis will include dealing with spotted wing drosophila. Select varieties will be available for purchase or order. A course fee of $10 per person can be paid at the beginning of class. No registration is needed.

If you have any questions, please Contact Brian Clements at northcroftfarm@gmail.com
or Lissa Radke at lissa.radke@wisc.edu

HAVE A QUESTION?

Lissa Radke serves Ashland County as the Community Development Educator. To learn more about Community Development Programming and the role of Extension in Ashland County, send an email to lissa.radke@wisc.edu or call the Ashland County office at 715-682-7017.

In accordance with federal law and its enacting regulations, any person with limited English proficiency (LEP) has the right to request and receive information related to Extension’s educational programming and services in a language other than English. In order to receive assistance with interpretation and/or translation needs, or any other matter related to language access issues, please contact: oaic@extension.wisc.edu