Seminars
2026 Calendar of Events
March 5, 2026, Blueberry Seminar. Josh Fuder, UGA ANR Agent in Cherokee County, will be speaking on blueberries. He will cover all aspects that include care, fertility, site selection, varieties, disease control, harvesting and pruning. The seminar starts at 1PM in the GMREC auditorium and will transition to the field where participants will have hands-on experience pruning blueberries.
March 14, 2026 Learn & Burn Seminar (registration only)Learn & Burn- The US Forest Service and partners will conduct a live "control burn" on the GMREC campus to give the public an opportunity to learn about the benefits of this practice. Participants will be involved in creating a burn plan, installing firebreaks, using a drip torch, and burn safety while interacting with forestry professionals utilizing industry equipment. Event will be from 8am-4pm. Contact Kim McCollum at 706-894-1591 or email info.ccrcd@gmail.com. REGISTRATION REQUIRED. Learn & Burn Flyer.
June 12, 2026, 10am – Nature’s Pharmacy with Mark Warren Cherokee Medicines and How They Can be Used Today – a lecture and photo presentation.
The diverse flora of the Southeast once provided everything that was needed by the original inhabitants. This is why native people held in high esteem every plant of forest and field. Our modern day ignoring of these gifts is what separates us from a life of truly interacting with nature on an intimate level. And that loss has, no doubt, contributed to our careless handling of the land. The good news is that this trend can be reversed, one person at a time. This program covers plants that were used by the Cherokee for their common ailments, ranging from minor cuts, stings, head lice, and rashes to gall stones, dysentery, nausea, and skin cancer. Techniques for field preparations are included.
June 17, 2026, 10am-3pm- Small Farm Conference This program is for small farm operations interested in new plant varieties and technologies to diversify their farm. Topics will include: Forest farming, marketing, new and emerging specialty plants, planting media, and more. This event is sponsored by the Chetsatee-Chatahoochee RC&D. Lunch is provided and RSVP required. More details will be added here within 2 months of the event.
July 22, 2025. Georgia Mountain REC Field Day Participants will ride a tram through most of the property to hear from scientists on various crops and their research. Lunch will be provided and registration required. More details will be announced here within 2 months of the event.
August 22, 2026 Tomato Day at Union County Farmers Market For years we have supported UGA researcher Esther van der Knaap with this unique project. The scientist, graduate students, and GMREC personnel will be on hand at the Union County farmers market where the public can learn more about this unique project. Participants will be able to taste the many types of tomatoes and learn more about the history of tomato agriculture and how UGA is using this project to improve commercial varieties.
August 21, 2026, 10am-1pm - Great Southeastern Pollinator CensusCome and join us in the GMREC Ethno-botanical Gardens for the citizen science project that started right here at GMREC. Community & School Garden Coordinator Becky Griffin designed this citizen science project five years ago to increase awareness of all of our pollinators and increase entomological literacy. Attendees will be given instruction and materials before counting in our ethno-botanical gardens. Use the Pollinator link to learn more.
2025 Calendar of Events
February 21, 2025, Heritage Apples and Grafting (registration only)
Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about the 138 heritage apple varieties on the GMREC campus and learn how to graft and take home their own. The trees were found/reclaimed from old nurseries around the southeast and were once favored for the adaptability.On February 21, 2025, we will have our first grafting workshop that will feature many of these old, heritage apples. Participants will sit through a short presentation on the history of apples and grafting theory before grafting their own tree to take home. The hardest part will be trying to decide which one! Thank you to the Chestatee-Chattahoochee RC&D for providing grafting kits, so no knife required! A list of varieties and other resources can be found on our website at www.gamountain.caes.uga.edu. Our trees are still small, so only a selection of our heirlooms will be available for grafting.
There will be two sessions of grafting, one at 10am and the second at 2pm. Participants must call 706-745-2655 to register and bring a $20 check the day of the workshop. Participants will take home 4 heirloom apple trees, care instructions, and a great story.
60 people signed up and enjoyed the workshop, taking home 4 heirloom apple trees. We plan on doing this every year around the same time. Look back here in the fall for registration information.
March 1, 2025, Learn & Burn Seminar (registration only)
June 6, 2025, 10am - Foraging and Wild Harvesting Short Course & Gardens Grand Opening
Holly Campbell is a Public Service Associate with the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, where she is an instructor of several undergraduate courses and also provides community forestry, arboriculture, dendrology, wild harvest, and wildland fire instruction to public and professional audiences outside of the university. In 2021, Ms. Campbell delivered a popular wild harvesting webinar series that led to the development of the UGA undergraduate course, Wild Harvesting in Georgia. Her webinar series and subsequent workshops also inspired several statewide collaborations over the last several years, including the Georgia Master Forager program (Spalding County Cooperative Extension), a wild harvest publication series, and several workshops and webinars across Georgia. A tour of the GMREC ethno-botanical gardens right after.July 11, 2025, 10am - Snakes Alive! Program
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources will have a program on Snakes. This is for those new to our area so they can be informed about our venomous and non-venomous snakes and what to do should you encounter one. More program details to come later.
August 23, 2025 Tomato Day at Union County Farmers Market
For years we have supported UGA researcher Esther van der Knaap with this unique project. The scientist, graduate students, and GMREC personnel will be on hand at the Union County farmers market where the public can learn more about this unique project. Participants will be able to taste the many types of tomatoes and learn more about the history of tomato agriculture and how UGA is using this project to improve commercial varieties.
August 22, 2025, 10am-1pm - Great Southeastern Pollinator Census
Come and join us in the GMREC Ethno-botanical Gardens for the citizen science project that started right here at GMREC. Community & School Garden Coordinator Becky Griffin designed this citizen science project five years ago to increase awareness of all of our pollinators and increase entomological literacy. Attendees will be given instruction and materials before counting in our ethno-botanical gardens. Use the Pollinator link to learn more.