Tacoma's first Fruit Tree Steward Program begins this February. The Pierce County Gleaning Project and the Tacoma/Pierce County Community Gardens are excited to announce this six part series focused on organic fruit tree care, designed for beginners. From February through June, participants will become competent in fruit tree care, meet like-minded community members and help enhance the health of our urban orchards. This comprehensive, learn and serve program will cover a wide variety of topics taught by knowledgeable arborists and local specialists. Class locations will vary monthly, giving participants a diverse, hands-on experience. Additionally, all students will complete 30 hours of volunteer service within the year after completing the course thus having the opportunity to put their new skills to use. Class schedule * Wed. Feb. 13 6-8:30 p.m. - Class Orientation & Basic Tree Biology * Sat. Feb. 16 10am-12:30 p.m. - Winter Pruning, Plant Health Care & Young Tree Training * Wed. March 13 6-8:30 p.m. - Spring Pest & Disease Control * Sat. April 20 10am-12:30 p.m. - Fruit Tree Varieties & Grafting * Sat. May 18 10am-12:30 p.m. - Permaculture for Fruit Trees * Sat. June 15 10am-12:30 p.m. - Summer Pruning & Thinning The cost is $75 for the entire program (6 sessions). Full and partial scholarships are available. To apply go to http://tinyurl.com/fruitstewards <http://tinyurl.com/fruitstewards> . For questions pcgleaningproject@gmail.com. or call (253) 306-3457. Application deadline is Wed. Feb. 6, 2013. About the Pierce County Gleaning Project: We are a collaborative effort to build community, reduce waste, and fight hunger. In 2012, volunteers harvested over 16,000 pounds of fruit from backyard fruit trees. Help fight hunger by donating the extra fruit on your tree to be harvested for local food banks in Pierce County. We accept apples, pears, figs, nuts, peaches, and grapes. Sign up to volunteer. www.piercecountygleaningproject.org <http://www.piercecountygleaningproject.org/> Emily Garofalo AmeriCorps*Vista Gleaning Coordinator Emergency Food Network P (253) 584-1040 x 111 F (253) 984-9368 emily@efoodnet.org