Two-Day Short Course:
Woody Agriculture: Theory and Hazelnut Practices

Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center, Lanesboro, MN
April 8–9, 2006

Rescheduled!

The short course has been rescheduled! Classes will start Saturday, April 8 at 9 AM and continue through Sunday, April 9 late afternoon. We highly recommend getting there on Friday night—the extra $15 charge is very inexpensive.

The two days we have available are none too long; we're going to be cramming at least a semester's worth of information into this course. Our first meal is breakfast on Saturday, and our first class will start on Saturday at 9 AM. At the moment, it's not clear whether we will be having classes after the evening meal on Saturday or not; if we really need the time, we'll try. Last class should end at 4 PM Sunday. During the weekend, we will arrange for a Monday tour of Badgersett for those who are interested.

The accommodations at Eagle Bluff were primarily designed as school "dormitories", with each room having 2 bunk beds. Photos can be found here. I'm not sure yet how we'll be accommodating the several married couples, but I do know that, due to a cancellation, the facility has some degree of flexibility. You can find more general information about the facility at the Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center home page.

Since most of their clientele arrive in school buses, Eagle Bluff does not have a regular commercial bus service.Please email us if you need help getting there. We are also limited, but we'll do our best to help out here. Several folks are flying in to the Minneapolis airport; we'll try to put you in touch with each other, at the least.

You can refer to Eagle Bluff's directions for maps and instructions for how to get there. Alternatively, detailed directions can be found at these two places: MapQuest or Google Maps.

Basically, Eagle Bluff is on the road (County 8) between Lanesboro and Fountain. Signs directing to Eagle Bluff are good and fairly hard to miss. If you've never been there before, however, it would be good to allow a little extra time to find it.Please be aware that US 52 between Fountain and Preston is closed due to construction.

If this were a formal university class, these would be "required reading". Please do make an effort to read what you can, as it will speed the classes considerably.

On the Badgersett Website:

• Reducing Greenhouse CO2 Through Shifting Staples Production To Woody Plants
• Woody Agriculture: Increased Carbon Fixation and Co-Production of Food and Fuel
• Badgersett Plantings, Projects, and Goals
• Philip Rutter's resume: for those of you who are not familiar with me

Highly Recommended:

• Smith, J. Russell. 1987.Tree Crops: A Permanent Agriculture. Washington, DC: Island Press. This should be available in most university libraries.
• Rosenzweig, Michael, 2003. Win-Win Ecology: How the Earth's Species Can Survive in the Midst of Human Enterprise. New York: Oxford University Press. Go to the Win-Win Ecology website.

More to come soon, including a detailed syllabus.

Day 1: Classes will focus on Woody Agriculture theory and will include:

• Woody Agriculture System Energetics
• Hybrid Swarm Genetics—breeding and selection
• Hazelnut Biology—plant morphology, physiology, genetics, species ecology
• Pest Management—mammals, birds, insects, fungi
• Harvest—hand and machine
• Post Harvest—processing, storage

Day 2: Classes will focus on specific practices with Badgersett Hybrid Bush Hazels, including various paths tried, failures and successes. The intention is to describe the state of the art, with suggestions for specific paths to be tried. Included will be:

• Field Planning
• Establishment
• Field Maintenance/Management—years 1-10, 10-20
• Field Renovation—coppice and other
• Cloning, high and low tech—involving examination of actual plants in class
• Harvest—details of hand harvesting
• Post Harvest handling—This will include all class participation in cracking, analyzing, and taste-testing hazelnuts stored in several different fashions.

It is not recommended to attend only one day.

This Short Course takes place on the weekend of the President's Day Holiday, so a little more travel time latitude is possible. Weather permitting, those who can stay for the Monday following the course will be invited to tour the plantings at Badgersett Farm, for informal observation and discussions.

Philip A. Rutter, MS

Founder, Badgersett Research Corporation
Founding President, The American Chestnut Foundation
Past President, Northern Nut Growers Association

Mr. Rutter created the concept and coined the phrase "Woody Agriculture", and he is the originator of the "poly-hybrid swarm" breeding technique.

Cost: $190 before April 1; $225 after April 1

Includes 1 night lodging and 5 meals, starting with breakfast on Saturday. Additional night's lodging available for $15.

Send fees and participant information (address/phone/email) to:

Badgersett Farm
Woody Agriculture Short Course
RR 1, Box 141
Canton, MN 55922