MidFex

Pruning Workshop at Shelly Kibbler's in Cary IL
2024-09-29 13:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | IL

NRCS Conservation Practices Field Day
2024-10-17 16:30 - 18:00 | IL
Reimbursable conservation practices like cover crops, pest management conservation systems, irrigation, soil carbon amendments, raised beds, high tunnels, and stormwater runoff management are now available to small scale urban growers.
Extension educators Zack Grant and Kathryn Pereira, along with Growing Home Farm Manager Ezra Lee, will discuss the conservation practices implemented on Growing Home’s diversified vegetable farm; and speak of their contract experience with the NRCS program.
High Tunnel Management
Vendors and Equipment
Structures like High tunnels, caterpillar tunnels
We’re thrilled to welcome Joseph Bridges and Alicia Lozano, the USDA NRCS field agents for Cook County who will be on site to meet farmers and answer your questions about applying for these reimbursement programs.
Learn more about the event.

2024 MidFex Harvest Festival
2024-10-19 10:00 - 2024-10-20 16:00 | Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL, 60022
Full details on Harvest Festival are HERE.

Apple Cider Social
2024-11-03 10:00 - 15:00 | Al’s house
Cider Press at Al Cosnow’s House
Sunday November 3rd, 2024 10 am to 3 PM CST
**Note: Daylight Savings Time ends at 2 AM on Nov 3rd
Details in September Grapevine or Members Only page.

2025 Annual Business Meeting
2025-01-26 11:30 - 16:00 | IL
2025 Annual Business Meeting – Sunday, January 26

Event Description: The Club’s annual potluck business meeting day is Sunday, January 26, 2025.
What better way to chase away the winter chill than with a steaming bowl of homemade soup?
Our annual business meeting will begin with our annual Soup Bowl Luncheon. Potluck hot lunch will be followed by election of officers, other club business, and much gabbing about fruit growing as usual.
Date: Sunday, January 26th
Time: 11:30am (setup); noon – 4:00pm (meeting)
Location: See Grapevine or Members Only page
Directions: See Grapevine or Members Only page
Event Details: This is a member only event. See your Grapevine newsletter or the Members Only page for additional details.

2025 Southwestern Illinois Commercial Tree Fruit School
2025-02-11 08:00 - 14:00 | Barefoot Restaurant, 106 S Water Street, Hardin, Illinois, 62047
Event Date(s): February 11, 2025
Event Time: 8:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Location: Barefoot Restaurant, 106 S Water St., Hardin, IL 62047
Event Fee: $35.00

Support the success of your tree fruit operation with practical research-tested best practices from industry experts at the 2025 Commercial Tree Fruit School. Whether you’re a seasoned grower or new to the practice, the program features a wide range of topics to help you meet the challenges of commercial fruit production in Southwestern Illinois. This year’s school will be on Feb. 11 at a new location, the Barefoot Restaurant in Hardin (106 S Water St., Hardin, IL 62047). New this year, there will be no afternoon presentations, and the program will conclude after lunch. Registration will begin at 7:45 a.m., and the program runs from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Full event details are HERE.

Kurle Memorial Lecture
2025-02-23 11:00 - 12:30 | Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL, 60022
Full event details are HERE.

Grafting Workshop
2025-03-23 13:00 - 16:30 | Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL, 60022
Details are here: 2025 Grafting Workshop Sunday March 23

Free Community Orchard Maintenance & Care Workshop
2025-05-15 09:00 - 11:00 | Dean and Barbara White Community Center, 6600 Broadway, Merrillville, IN, 46410
See all details here:
Free Community Orchard Maintenance & Care Workshop, May 15 – Midwest Fruit Explorers

2025 Summer Picnic
2025-07-20 10:00 - 16:30 | IL
Stay Tuned!! The venue will be announced shortly.

Orchard Walk
2025-08-02 13:00 - 14:30 | IL
Tour an eco-friendly suburban garden in La Grange, hosted by Veronica T.
All details are HERE.

Chicago Botanic Garden’s Heirloom Fest
2025-08-23 10:00 - 2025-08-24 16:00 | Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL, 60022
Heirloom fest at the Chicago Botanic Garden 2025 – Midwest Fruit Explorers

Harvest Festival at CBG
2025-10-18 10:00 - 16:00, 2025-10-19 10:00 - 16:00 | Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL, 60022
2025 Harvest Festival – October 18-19 – Midwest Fruit Explorers

Cider Social
2025-11-02 10:00 - 15:00 | IL
Cider Social – Sunday November 2, 2025

Fruit Tree Pruning Fundamentals Virtual Workshop
2025-12-17 19:00 - 20:30 | IL
Click HERE for details.

Pruning Workshop - Winnetka
2026-01-21 10:00 - 12:00 | IL
Learn to cut with confidence at one of Cook County Extension’s fruit tree pruning workshops this winter. After a demonstration and introduction to the principles of pruning, our instructors will guide you through hands-on implementation.
You are welcome to join us for one, or all of these workshops:
Jan 21, 10 am – 12 noon at Backyard Flower Lab, Winnetka
Jan 21, 1 – 3 pm at the Talking Farm, Skokie
Feb 7, 10 am – 12 noon at Farmworks in Chicago (westside), in partnership with Neighborspace
Feb 20, 10 am – 12 noon at 71st & Crandon Organic Garden, SouthShore Chicago; in partnership with Neighborspace
If you have your own tools and gloves, please bring them and be sure to dress for the winter weather. We will only cancel in the event of SEVERE weather. Please include your phone number so we can contact you in case of a short-notice cancellation.
These events are open to the public and free to attend, but pre-registration is required. Please understand that due to insurance purposes, no children under the age of 5 may be permitted on-site.
If you’d like to preview some fruit tree pruning webinars to get a head start, please see:
Introduction to Fruit Tree Pruning
Pruning Old and Neglected Fruit Trees
If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Batka at 217-300-8636 or sbatka@illinois.edu

Pruning Workshop - Skokie
2026-01-21 13:00 - 15:00 | IL

Pruning Workshop - Westside Chicago
2026-02-07 10:00 - 12:00 | IL

MidFex Annual Business Meeting
2026-02-15 12:00 - 16:00 | IL
All details are here: https://midfex.org/2026/01/24/2026-annual-business-mtg/

Illinois Beginning Orchard Academy
2026-02-19 19:00 - 20:30 | IL
First session of this 6 week course. Full details are HERE.

Pruning Workshop - Southshore Chicago
2026-02-20 10:00 - 12:00 | IL

MidFex Grafting Workshop
2026-03-29 13:00 - 16:00 | Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL, 60022
MidFex Grafting Workshop at the Chicago Botanic Garden

Details are HERE.

Social Event- April Wine Club
2026-04-26 14:00 - 16:00 | IL
See event details HERE.

2026 Fruit Exploration- The Great Melon Race
2026-05-01 - 2026-10-31 | Your backyard

Outreach Event- Gardening with our Community at Rolling Meadows Library
2026-05-02 10:00 - 12:00 | Rolling Meadows Library, 3110 Martin Ln, Rolling Meadows, IL, 60008, United States

Outreach Event - Lisle Farmers Market
2026-05-23 07:00 - 13:00 | Lisle French Market, 1001 Burlington Ave, Lisle, IL
See all event details HERE.

Outreach Event- Building Edible Fruit in Landscaping
2026-06-02 00:00 | IL

Outreach Event – Naperville Farmers Market
2026-06-13 07:00 - 12:00 | Naperville Farmers Market, 200 East. 5th Avenue, Naperville, IL, 60563, United States

Lisle Woman's Club 24th Annual Garden Gait
2026-06-14 10:00 - 16:00 | Lisle Garden Gait, 921 School Street, Lisle, IL, United States
See details HERE.
