Upcoming Events

The MA 4-H Rabbit and Cavy Advisory is pleased to welcome everyone to the 43rd Massachusetts 4-H Rabbit & Cavy Workshop at Smith Voke! This year's workshop features over 30 different learning activities.  It is going to be a great day of learning and connecting!

This one-hour introductory course, taught by UMass Extension faculty Dr. Jaime Piñero, provides a clear overview of the core principles of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Participants will learn how IPM uses prevention, monitoring, thresholds, and informed decision-making to manage pests in an effective and environmentally responsible way. The session emphasizes understanding systems, timing, and risk rather than relying on routine treatments. Real-world examples will illustrate how IPM principles can be applied across a range of agricultural and home landscape settings. By the end of the course, participants will have a strong conceptual foundation for implementing IPM-based management strategies.

This will be a hybrid meeting with 4 pesticide credits available; you can choose to join via Zoom or in-person. Meeting will be held in the AD Makepeace Meeting Room, at the UMass Cranberry Station. In-person seating may fill up fast due to room capacity allowance. Please contact Robyn Hardy to register as soon as possible to get your preferred attendance choice. 

This one-hour introductory session, taught by UMass Extension educator Elizabeth Garofalo, provides an overview of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles as they apply to orchard disease management. Participants will learn how prevention, monitoring, weather-based risk assessment, and accurate identification are used to manage diseases effectively and sustainably. The session emphasizes understanding disease cycles, timing of management actions, and decision-making rather than routine or calendar-based treatments. By the end of the session, participants will have a solid conceptual foundation for managing orchard diseases using IPM-based strategies.

Title: Management of Up and Coming Strawberry Diseases in the Northeastern United States (credits applied for)

This one-hour introductory session, taught by UMass Extension Educator Dr. Maria Gannett, provides an overview of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles as they apply to weed management in orchards. Participants will learn how prevention, monitoring, and informed decision-making can be used to control weeds effectively while minimizing environmental impact. The session emphasizes understanding weed biology, timing, and ecological approaches rather than relying solely on routine chemical treatments. By the end of the session, participants will have a strong foundation for implementing sustainable, IPM-based weed management practices.

Join UMass Extension, the New England Vegetable and Berry Growers' Association, and invited speakers for a day of educational presentations!

Visual Presentation Judging Training

Opportunity to meet with representatives of the USDA Risk Management Agency, Farm Services Agency, and MDAR to discuss risk management options for specialty growers in the Northeast. Growers from Massachusetts and around the region are encouraged to attend. 

The MA 4-H Dairy Advisory Committee will be sponsoring a tour of Lancaster County and central Pennsylvania dairy farms, colleges, and businesses from Saturday, February 14th to Monday, February 16th, 2026. This event is open to MA 4-H Dairy youth and their families.

Strawberry School is designed to help people who are interested in strawberry production as a commercial enterprise.  Basic site requirements, site preparation, production systems, plant selection, care of young plants, nutrient management, pest management and will be presented by Dr. David Handley, Vegetable and Small Fruit Specialist with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. 

Join Extension Faculty Dr. Jaime Piñero in this exciting Integrated Pest Management (IPM) workshop and learn how to make beneficial insects and insectary plants your garden’s best allies! With these techniques, you can keep your plants thriving with little to no insecticides. Some materials will be mailed to participants for them to implement IPM at home! 

Visual Presentation Judge Training

Climate change is a concern across the Commonwealth. While many communities prepare by discussing improvements to infrastructure and disaster preparedness, managed and natural landscapes will demand attention too. We will highlight some of the manifestations of climate change, plant responses to those changes (trees and shrubs) and the interplay with insects (including pests).

One of the key steps in successful fruit growing is the act of pruning the trees. This can seem daunting and complicated, but it’s not! Not once you understand the principles involved. Come learn how to properly prune your apple trees. Participants will have the opportunity to conduct actual pruning and gain both experience and confidence in pruning apple trees in order to produce a bountiful crop.* This workshop will focus primarily on apple pruning.

During this workshop, led by Dr. Maria Gannett, we will consider what weeds are and why you would want to manage them. Hopefully, you will be convinced that it is important to identify weed species and will understand the traits of some of the species you see in your own orchard. Finally, we will talk about ecological weed management and highlight different strengths and weaknesses of several weed control methods.

Blueberries are among the most popular fruits to grow in the home garden. They are healthful and well suited to growing in New England conditions. Come learn the basics for pruning blueberries for your home landscape. This session will lay down the foundation for Blueberry growers covering horticultural practices, site selection, soil and planting, pruning, fertility, pest management and IPM, and history.

MA 4-Her’s are invited to be helpers at the MA Blue Ribbon Calf Sale!  As helpers, 4-H youth will assist the sale crew with many aspects of the sale: washing, leading, clipping, paperwork, etc.! 

Many people do not realize that all apple varieties are reproduced by grafting - they are not grown from seed. For horticultural enthusiasts, one of the most satisfying techniques to master is grafting. Jon Clements will present a hands-on workshop on ‘bench grafting’ and ‘cleft grafting’ of apple trees. Other grafting techniques will be discussed. Proper tools and sharpening will be included. All participants in the workshop will graft several of their own apples trees to take home. There will be a break for participants to enjoy a BYO lunch.