From the end of December to mid-March, one of the main tasks you need to do in Northern Illinois is prune your fruit trees (apples, pears, cherry, peach). By pruning and removing unproductive wood, this will get your trees in shape for better fruit in the summer. If you don’t prune, it is possible that quality and yields may be lower than you expect. The Introduction to Fruit Tree Pruning class will cover the basics of this important task. This will include tools you will need, approaches for old-neglected and new trees, branches to be removed, and other challenges you may encounter. While not hands-on at an orchard, this course does incorporate photos of attendees’ trees to give you a color-coded road map as to what limbs to keep and to remove. “Each winter, I teach this class to help backyard growers, beginning farmers, and others get a better understanding of fruit tree pruning and gain confidence in the cuts they need to make,” states Grant McCarty, Local Foods and Small Farms Educator. “Over the last 6 years, nearly 300 individuals have gone through this class and sent me many photos of their trees to examine and assist with. What I enjoy about this program is that attendees see other’s trees, and they realize they may be dealing with similar challenges in their own orchard.” After registering, Grant will reach out to request photos of your trees to be utilized in his presentation. Tuesday, February 11, 2025, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. at the Talcott Free Library, 101 E Main Street, Rockton