Workshop to be Held on Lake Placid Campus, Saturday, March 22, 2025

North Country School & Camp Treetops is excited to partner with St. Lawrence Nurseries (SLN) to host an Apple Tree Grafting Workshop on Saturday, March 22, 2025, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM on its Lake Placid campus. This hands-on event welcomes both beginners and experienced gardeners to learn the fundamentals of grafting and take home young apple trees.

“We’re thrilled to bring this hands-on workshop to members of our surrounding communities with our great partners at St. Lawrence Nurseries,” Educational Farm Director for NCS and Treetops Kim Smart, said. “Sharing knowledge and skills like grafting helps strengthen local food systems and connects people to plants right in their own backyards.”

During the workshop, participants will:

• Learn the basics of apple tree grafting and its role in preserving heirloom varieties
• Discover how to use scion wood from their own trees for future grafting projects
• Practice hands-on grafting techniques using rootstock, scion wood, and tools provided
• Take home 3-4 grafted apple trees to plant in their own garden

“All apple trees you find in nurseries and orchards are grafted—it’s the best way to grow the exact variety you want,” said Connor Hardiman, co-owner of St. Lawrence Nurseries, who will be leading the workshop. “By learning how to graft, you can preserve a favorite apple variety for generations.”

Workshop participants have the option of bringing their own scion wood to propagate a specific apple variety from their own trees, and during the workshop, light refreshments and an optional tour of the campus’s Forest Garden will be made available—The Forest Garden is a campus space featuring agroforestry practices and a host of 250+ species and varieties of edible, medicinal, and native plants, some from SLN.

Pre-registration is required, and space is limited. Sign up at: bit.ly/AppleGraftingWorkshop25

About North Country School & Camp Treetops

Located on the outskirts of Lake Placid, NY, Camp Treetops and North Country School sit on a 312-acre campus amid majestic mountain peaks in New York State’s Adirondack Park. Since 1921 and 1938 respectively, they have been nationally renowned for pioneering educational programs rooted in progressive practices and experiential learning. Both Camp and School guide children to engage the natural world, take on intellectual and physical challenges in a nurturing community, and cultivate independence and creativity. For more information, visit northcountryschool.org and camptreetops.org.

About St. Lawrence Nurseries

Founded in 1923, St. Lawrence Nurseries specializes in growing cold-hardy fruit and nut trees for northern climates. Based in Potsdam, NY, the nursery is known for its expertise in grafting and its commitment to sustainable, regionally adapted agriculture. Today, St. Lawrence Nurseries continues to provide resilient tree varieties and hands-on education to growers and communities. Learn more at stlawrencenurseries.com.