05/09/05 Water scarity and tree fruits

With drought like conditions looming in much of the Northwest, several interested groups have come together to sponsor seminars Tuesday and Wednesday. According to Kent Mullinex of Wenatchee Valley College's Institute for Rural Innovation and Stewardship, the theme of the sessions is "Dealing with Water Scarcity: Production and Management of Tree Fruit Crops and Grapes under Drought Conditions". MULLINAX: Our goal is to bring folks together & horticulturalists, plant physiologists, irrigation district managements, Department of Ecology personnel, and some farmers who have lived through severe drought conditions before and managed orchards and vineyards through severe drought conditions & to share their understanding, their expertise, their thinking, their experiences about how to manage perennial fruit crops & tree fruits, and vines & under varying drought conditions. Other information to be shared includes timing plans and available drought assistance resources. Seminars scheduled include Tuesday afternoon at the Agri-Plex in Okanogan, Tuesday night at Cashmere's Riverside Community Center, Wednesday afternoon at the W.S.U.-Prosser Research Station, and Wednesday evening at the Buena Grange Hall near Zillah. Mullinex says each three hour session is free to the public. Information on the seminars can be obtained by calling the Institute at (509) 682-6620.