Events & Volunteer Opportunities

Updated by Marisa at 2:47 pm on Monday, July 7, 2025 


NO VOLUNTEER HOURS on Tuesday, July 8. Elda and I will be out of town.

🍑🍎🍒SUMMER FRUIT TREE PRUNING ✂️🪚 Hands-on workshop at the Los Lunas Ag Science Center. 

Now scheduled for Thursday, July 10, 8-11 am at the Fruit Cocktail Orchard in the Los Lunas Ag Science Center—home to cherries, apricots, plums, peaches, persimmons, quince, pomegranates, pawpaws, elderberries, figs, and apples.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

  1. The hows and whys of summer pruning
  2. Fire Blight: how to spot it and snip it
  3. How to prevent disease spread with proper tool disinfection
  4. Practice using various pruning equipment
  5. Our ongoing multi-year pruning catch-up journey (starting in 2019!)

  

Serviceberries on 6-30-25.
Serviceberries on 6-30-25. Photo: M. Thompson


Page contents:

  • Volunteer Info (where, when, what to bring)
  • Upcoming Events & Other Activities


Volunteer Info (where, when, what to bring)


            Where: NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Los Lunas
                1036 Miller Road
                Los Lunas, NM 87031

    • May-October - Tuesday & Thursday Mornings, 8 am - 11 am. 
      • Our volunteer mornings are at the Los Lunas Ag Science Center, meetings either in the Learning Garden or adjacent veggie rows, or pruning activities in different fruit orchards. Park in the main parking lot and follow the ORANGE TRAFFIC CONES on foot to find the group wherever we're working that day. 
      • We'll be installing the 2025 tomato study under and around solar panel shade. This includes laying the drip irrigation lines, flagging, planting, caging (with rebar for stability), labeling, and irrigating. 
      • What to Bring: Water bottle/canteen/vessel, Sun protection - hat, sunscreen, long sleeves/pants, Sturdy fieldwork shoes that can get muddy, Gardening gloves (we have extras, if needed), Camera! Please help me snap pics of our pruning adventures for posterity 

      • As always, you are welcome to arrive late or leave early on these days. 👍
     
     

    Upcoming Events & Other Activities

    • OW SCHEDULED for Thursday, July 10 - 🍑🍎🍒SUMMER FRUIT TREE PRUNING ✂️🪚 Hands-on workshop at the Los Lunas Ag Science Center. 8-11 am. 
    • Friday, July 11, noon - "Water-Wise Vegetable Gardening" webinar presentation by Stephanie Walker for the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority (part of a series! see flyer below) - https://www.abcwua.org/conservation-rebates-workshops/
    • Wed., July 16, 3pm-4pm - Ready, Set, GROW! Webinar - "Jujube Basics and Production in New Mexico" with Dr. Shengrui Yao, NMSU Extension Fruit Specialist. Register at https://nmsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/dGeSdFRKSlOm_OBqwg2qpg
    • Friday, July 25, noon - "Maintaining Tree Health During Drought" webinar presentation by Joran Viers for the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority (part of a series! see flyer below) - https://www.abcwua.org/conservation-rebates-workshops/
    • Friday, Aug 8, noon - "Creating Drought-Tolerant Refuges" webinar presentation by Laurel Ladwig for the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority (part of a series! see flyer below) - https://www.abcwua.org/conservation-rebates-workshops/
    • Wed., August 20, 9:30 am - "Trees for Albuquerque" presentation by Marisa Thompson for Uptown Garden Club at the ABQ Garden Center
    • Wed., August 20, 3pm-4pm - Ready, Set, GROW! Webinar - "Grow a refuge for yourself and wildlife!" with Laurel Ladwig, ABQ Backyard Refuge Program Director 
    • Friday, Aug 22, noon - "Designing Resilient Landscapes" webinar presentation by Maria Thomas for the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority (part of a series! see flyer below) - https://www.abcwua.org/conservation-rebates-workshops/
    • Sunday, August 24, 11 am-3 pm - 2025 Albuquerque Tomato Fiesta! at the Abq Garden Center. Marisa to present "Tomato Successes & Flops" at noon, followed by Sandy Gomez with "Preserving the Harvest" https://abqtomatofiesta.com/
    • Thursday, August 28 - CHILE RESEARCH DAY at the Los Lunas Ag Science Center. Save-the-date announcement pasted below.
    • Friday, September 5, noon - "Climate-Ready Trees" webinar presentation by Marisa Thompson for the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority (part of a series! see flyer below)  - https://www.abcwua.org/conservation-rebates-workshops/
    • Friday, September 19, noon - "Plant Adaptations to Heat & Drought" webinar presentation by Marisa Thompson for the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority (part of a series! see flyer below)  - https://www.abcwua.org/conservation-rebates-workshops/
    • Friday, October 10, noon - "Hose Bib Irrigation for Trees" webinar presentation by Richard Perce for the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority (part of a series! see flyer below)  - https://www.abcwua.org/conservation-rebates-workshops/
    • Friday, October 24, noon - "Passive Rainwater Harvesting" webinar presentation by Anthony Luketich & Bobby Mullin for the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority (part of a series! see flyer below)  - https://www.abcwua.org/conservation-rebates-workshops/

    • Have another program you'd like me to list here? Email me the details: risi@nmsu.edu












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