Winter 2024 NEWSLETTER

President’s Message

Welcome to the APA Winter Newsletter! 

An APA member recently shared this video from Essential Craftsman with me, and it relates so directly to what we do, and to the excellence we all strive for as pruners, that it is worth sharing with all of you here. 

The Mindset of Doing High Quality Work

Doing high quality work has broad correspondences among craftspeople, as is made clear in the piece – and I am curious what high quality work means in our field in particular. Many thoughts and moments of recognition were provoked by this piece when I watched it, as I hope will be the case for you, too.

Please enjoy our newsletter, and feel free to share your thoughts and questions in the forum, or to me directly at apapresident@aestheticprunersassociation.org.

Lara Miranda

APA Certified Aesthetic Pruner® #65
President, Aesthetic Pruners Association
510.658.3438

Feature Article

APA Annual Meeting Recap

The APA Annual Meeting was held on Zoom on Sunday, January 21, 2024, and for those of you who missed it, here is a recap. The meeting was emceed by APA Vice President Evelyn Borchert, who led us through the various committee reports and breakout room discussions.

APA President Lara Miranda kicked off the meeting with a summary of the APA's many accomplishments in 2023, including: launching the new website, organizing and presenting our summer Fruit Tree Pruning Intensive, the fall Garden Tour, a Tree Walk, several Tree Talks and New Professionals meetings, certifying 3 pruners, publishing quarterly newsletters, and hosting CAP Mentoring meetings.

Lara next announced the recipient of the Margie Potts Memorial Membership, Wendy Krupnick, who was the lead instructor for the APA Fruit Tree Pruning Intensive last summer, and who also presented a Tree Talk for the APA on fruit tree pruning the previous year. Wendy has shared her valuable expertise with the APA and we thanked her with an honorary APA membership.

We heard from all of the committee chairs, whose reports are at the end of this newsletter. The chairs thanked all of those who have helped out on their committees over the past year, gave a recap of all that their committees did in 2023, and offered a synopsis of the committees' plans for 2024.

New officers of the board were elected, including the Secretary, Treasurer, and Member at Large #2. Lucky for the APA, both Barbara Eaton, Treasurer, and Eric King, Secretary, agreed to stay on in their roles for 2 more years. Ann Owen stepped down as Member at Large #2, and Allison Levin stepped in to fill that position. Thank you to all members who voted. Voting was done by online ballot and sent to eligible voters of the APA membership, which includes Associate and CAP members. Next year’s open board positions will be President, Vice President, and Members at Large #1 and #3. President and VP must be CAP members, and Members at Large can be Associate or CAP members.

Throughout the meeting we divided the attendees into breakout rooms so that they could catch up in smaller groups and meet new members. We started each breakout session with a set question for the groups to discuss. The last question asked which APA resources members have found helpful and encouraged members to share any feedback they had for the APA. The groups came up with some interesting and helpful suggestions. If you have any ideas for the APA, please respond to the anonymous survey that was emailed to you on 1/25/24. We would love your input!

For those of you who missed the meeting, the recording will be available soon on the APA website under the Resources tab, Guest Lectures.

APA Upcoming Events

APA New Professionals

Pruning Considerations Part 1: Your Pruning Plan
with Greg Kitajima
APA CAP #26

Greg will be discussing how to read your clients’ aesthetic and practical needs, communications of vision, and how to evaluate a specimen’s needs and limits.

Free for APA members (Please log in to your account.)

Tickets are $25 for non-members

REGISTER    

Sunday, February 25, 2024

1:00pm – 2:30pm PST

On Zoom

Other Events

NAJGA 2024 International Japanese Garden Conference:
Staying on the Path

The 3-day event includes lectures and hands-on workshops led by Japanese garden professionals.

Tickets are $449 for NAJGA members, $525 for non-members

Wednesday, March 6 – Friday, March 8, 2024

Fort Worth Botanic Garden

Fort Worth, TX

najga.org/24conf 

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Hillside Gardeners of Montclair Spring Garden Tour

The tour raises funds for scholarships and conservation programs. This year’s tour features seven gardens. Order tickets by 1/31/2024 and save $5 per ticket.  

Tickets are $35 ($30 before 1/31/2024)

Sunday, April 21, 2024

Oakland, CA

Hillsidegardeners.com

APA Members-only Videos

Members can access video links to past APA Talks!

Links to Tree Talks, APA Annual Meeting talks, and other archived presentations are available on the APA Members page of the website. 
You must be logged in to your account to see the Members page.

Exciting News for Members!

Video: “Benign Neglect” with Dennis Makishima

A panel discussion with Dennis Makishima, Kenny Murakami, and Takeshi Moro recorded on September 24, 2023 at the Military Intelligence Service Historic Learning Center, Presidio, San Francisco, CA is now available on the APA website!

Pruning Wisdom from Members

"Getting older poses challenges for everyone, and pruners are no exception.  But we also have the opportunity to apply the wisdom which comes with age to our pruning practices. Please share some observations and the wise changes you've made in your pruning practice."

Hmmm…getting older? No, not me…ok, ok – the first thing you might have to do is actually admit you might be getting older, lol! This is a great question because when I started out 38 years ago, in my early twenties, I didn't even know there was a career in pruning. But I did what I loved, even when no one around my area was doing this. I began my career at Lotusland in Santa Barbara, and was lucky enough to have worked with Frank Fujii, a talented Japanese-American gardener who originally designed the Japanese garden at Lotusland. His love and passion for design, maintenance and pruning inspired me to follow this career. What was incredible was that when I began working with Frank, he was already 69 years old! He never let that slow him down, and we worked side by side for the next 20 years.

Back then, I did not know it was going to be my long-term career, but I followed Frank’s lead and kept things very simple. Money was tight for both of us, as we both were supporting our families on our own. I learned that the key was to invest in the few necessary tools that were of good quality and reliable. It is critical when you do something every day that it works well and moves fluidly otherwise your hands or body take that force and it will take a toll. So, to minimize this, look for quality tools that you use every day. Make sure they are a good fit for you. It used to be one size fits all for some things, like hand pruners, but now they customize, so find the right fit. Then, it is very important to keep them well maintained, sharpened and moving smoothly! Also, I always use soft, leather gloves. Many times, I will have the glove off on my free hand so I can touch and feel the plant. However, I always keep it on my cutting hand so it cushions some of the force of my cuts.

Doing something all day, every day, will take a toll. Mix it up if you can. Schedule a variety of clients; if some jobs are big, get a smaller one in, too, to give yourself a little break. Vary your hours and days (know what your body can take and LISTEN) and start your day with the biggest jobs, so you’re not exhausted and trying to do it at the end. If you can, clean up as you go, so at the end of the day you are not having to clean up your worst nightmare of a mess. Of course, try to do things efficiently, not just to save time and money (which is always good) but because this also gives your body that break. For example, work top to bottom when you can or use that tarp for easy cleanup when possible. Also, just because you have a million cool tools, this doesn’t mean you have to pull them all out every time, keep it simple and take what you need.

Remember, you still have years ahead, so keep that in mind. I may not have known it was going to be my long-term career in the beginning, but I am still pruning away. As I have become older, I have become even more aware of taking care of myself. So, yes, every morning I put my sturdy, sensible boots on, throw on my hat, slather on the sunscreen and head out to have another fun day of pruning! Geez, I am starting to sound like my grandmother, so maybe I am getting old after all.    

Time is a funny thing; before you know it, decades have gone by. I told myself at age sixty I would not climb trees anymore. That was a no-brainer! I hold myself to the fifteen feet and lower rule more so now than I did as a young pruner. When I have to use my ten-foot ladder, I always try to have a helper nearby. You can never be too safe. I am much more selective with which jobs I take on – that is a good problem to have. These days, most of my pruning is for repeat customers. I am fortunate to have an understudy I can rely on to take over when I am not able to prune. You must always keep an eye on the future.

I looked up the definition of wisdom because I was wondering what the difference was between knowledge and wisdom. I have certainly gained a lot of knowledge over the years, but wise changes appear to be harder to come by.

A Google search for the “definition of wisdom” showed a lot of search options for “wisdom in the bible,” “wisdom in philosophy,” “wisdom in literature,” “wisdom in proverbs,” “wisdom in psychology,” and so forth. “Wisdom in pruning” didn’t make an appearance. Hmmm.

Then I saw Merriam-Webster’s entry for “wisdom vs. knowledge.” Abbreviated, it went something like this: Knowledge usually refers to information or awareness… Wisdom refers to someone’s good sense, judgment, or insight…the ability to process, apply, or otherwise act on knowledge.

I have made a few small wise changes, such as not overloading my tarp. I have had that knowledge for some time but stubbornly held onto the idea that fewer trips were better. A trigger thumb on my non-dominant hand wisely corrected me. It wasn’t the clipping that got me, it was the gripping.

I would like to think I have made wise changes in the type and amount of work I accept but that skill seems to come and go. Apparently my wisdom battles with denial, boundaries, ego, habit, and wishful thinking. I am counting on the patience of wisdom to eventually win. Come on, wisdom, hurry up!

Welcome New APA Members

Associate Members
Ben Redmond - Portland, OR
Ira Hawkins - Vallejo, CA
Marti Matulis - Lake Oswego, OR
David Ross - San Rafael, CA

Affiliate Members
Kristin Milewski - Pleasant Hill, CA

Student Members
Bernt Georg Wankel - Oslo, Norway

Committee Chair Reports

CRAFT STANDARDS COMMITTEE
Chair: Dina Blackwell, CAP #53

Committee members: Co-chair Allison Levin, Grant Foerster, Walt Fujii, Randall Lee, Maryann Lewis, Lara Miranda, Judy Thomas.

The Craft Standards Committee would like to congratulate our three newest APA Certified Aesthetic Pruners: Shirley Brewin CAP #66, Ethan Coté CAP #67, and Michael Goertz CAP #68!

The committee is working on streamlining the virtual testing process and updating all of the documents required to facilitate the testing process. For each CAP applicant, we have to find three Test Administrators from our pool of CAPs. The committee would like to thank the following CAPs for helping out as Test Administrators in 2023: Evelyn Borchert, Barbara Eaton, Melissa Hyams, Greg Kitajima, and Bruce Thompson. All members of the Craft Standards Committee also participate in the testing process as TAs.  

We are looking for more CAP members to volunteer as test administrators, so please contact me if you can help out. Also, if any CAP members would like to join the committee, please email me, and we would be happy to have you.

If you would like to become an APA Certified Aesthetic Pruner® (CAP), please send in your application by March 1, 2024 to qualify for the spring testing period. We highly recommend joining the CAP Mentoring group for help with your portfolio and preparing for the 3-part CAP Test.

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EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Chair: Ann Owen, CAP #63

Committee members: Jane Chua-Couzens, Judy Thomas, Evelyn Borchert, Joe Ehrmann, Nicole LaPlante, Lara Miranda, Allison Levin.

We have 4 New Professionals meetings planned for 2024 and 2 Tree Talks planned for this spring, with more to follow throughout the year. If you have ideas for a Tree Talk you'd like to see, send me a note!

We are always looking for new ideas from our members on what you'd like to learn more about and discuss! Share your ideas with us! Send any thoughts or comments to apa@aestheticprunersassociation.org, and see you at the next New Pros meeting or Tree Talk!

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FINANCE COMMITTEE
Chair: Barbara Eaton, CAP #60

Committee members: Lara Miranda, Dina Blackwell, Melissa Hyams, Nina Rizzo, Mark Mendell; Shivawn Layne, Accountant; Helga Mahlmann, former Accountant.

In the 4th quarter of 2023, we hosted two successful Tree Talks – one in November by Yuki Nara and the other in December by Bill Castellon – which brought in a total of $900. Over half of our income from the fall Garden Tour came in at the beginning of October; the grand total raised in Garden Tour ticket sales was $2,185. We received a little over $3,450 in membership dues in the last quarter, and we also sold about $160 in APA merchandise (t-shirts and hats) in December. Our main year-end expenses included website and Zoom account fees, insurance, accounting, and Tree Talk speaker fees. The 2024 budget will reflect ongoing expenses for the website and administration, and will include income and expenses related to craft standards, promotions, and educational programs, including a possible hands-on pruning intensive workshop in the fall. The APA will also be contributing $1,000 as the exclusive tote bag sponsor at the 2024 NAJGA international conference in Fort Worth in March, which is an excellent promotional opportunity for us.

Anyone interested in joining the Finance Committee is welcome to email Barb at apatreasurer@aestheticprunersassociation.org.

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MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
Chair: Denise Mason, CAP #61 

Committee members: Dina Blackwell, Evelyn Borchert, Maryann Lewis.

October – December, 2023: 
162 active members, including 10 new members

New members consist of:
4 Associates
4 Affiliates
2 Students

Geographical distribution of new members:
7 from California (Bay Area)
2 from Oregon
1 from Norway

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NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE
Chair: Dina Blackwell, CAP #53 

Committee members: Barbara Eaton, Denise Mason, Lara Miranda.

We meet virtually to put together content for our quarterly publication. If you have any ideas for stories, or would like to write one yourself, please contact Dina at dinasgardens@gmail.com.

The authors of the regular columns like “Fruit is the Essence” and “Pruning for Birds” would love to hear some feedback. Strangely enough, we get no feedback for the newsletter. So if you enjoy a story, or have questions about a story, please let the author know or email Dina and we can pass it along to the author.

The Newsletter Committee would love to get photos from members for the opening image. It could be a seasonal photo that represents the time of year for that newsletter, or just a photo of a nice tree or someone pruning.  

Also, we have a column called “Pruning Wisdom” where 2 to 4 pruners answer a question from members. We would love to hear any questions that you would like answered. All of the past newsletters can be viewed on the APA website under the Resources tab, APA Newsletter.

And if you do look at our archive of newsletters, you will see that the design really changed for the better in July of last year. That’s because we hired Sharna Fabiano, our website designer, to design our newsletter.

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PROMOTIONS COMMITTEE
Chair: Jeff Becerra

Committee members: Dina Blackwell, Jane Chua-Couzens, Barb Eaton, Melissa Hyams, Nina Rizzo.

In 2023, the Promotions Committee helped with outreach for key APA events like the Fruit Tree Intensive and fall Garden Tour. We also staffed a booth at Autumn Lights, supporting the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland, CA.

 Upcoming highlights for 2024 include:

• Sponsorship of the North American Japanese Garden Association conference taking place in Texas in March 2024

• An ad in the Hillside Gardeners of Montclair garden tour booklet

• Members picnic (timing TBD)

• Public event staffing (the Solano Stroll and Autumn Lights are possibilities)

• Short promotional videos on YouTube highlighting Tree Talks

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SACHIKO UMEHARA SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE
Chair: Randall Lee, CAP #3

Committee members: Melissa Hyams, Dina Blackwell.

The APA’s Sachiko Umehara Scholarship was created in memory of Sachiko Umehara who, in partnership with her husband Mike Umehara, owned Momiji Nursery in Santa Rosa and strongly advocated for the Aesthetic Pruning program at Merritt College in Oakland, CA.

The Umehara Scholarship Fund is designed to be used toward tuition costs of horticulture and aesthetic pruning students for both academic classes and Aesthetic Pruning series classes offered through the Merritt College Landscape Horticulture Department.

The scholarship is funded through individual contributions (aestheticprunersassociation.org/scholarships) and a percentage of proceeds from past APA garden tours. As of November 2023, the scholarship fund’s balance was $2,863.90. 

We awarded the 2023 Sachiko Umehara Scholarship to Rachel Bennett. Rachel is the third annual recipient of this scholarship and is majoring in Nursery Management.

Applications for 2024 are available at the Peralta Colleges Foundation website www.peraltafoundation.org. The deadline is March 1, 2024. Please contact Randal Lee at randallalee@yahoo.com with questions.

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WEBSITE COMMITTEE
Chair: Jeff Kowalski

Committee members: Dina Blackwell, Melissa Hyams, Lara Miranda.

At last year's 2023 Annual APA Member Meeting, we showcased a preview of the new design for our website. Then in May, we launched the new website. I hope you are all finding the new experience to be easier to navigate and a positive representation of the beauty and creativity of our pruning profession.

Since launch, we've seen 30 new members join, and many of you existing members have had the chance to renew using the new portal. Regrettably, 91 members are missing out on content and on being discovered in our directory due to lapsed membership. You can check your account status at any time here: https://www.aestheticprunersassociation.org/sign-in#myaccount.

Discussion forums are part of the new website, and are set to automatically forward messages to members' emails. Participation on the forums has been slow – 15 new topics and 21 total messages since May. If you have topics you think could be useful for others, feel free to post at https://www.aestheticprunersassociation.org/member-forum.

Most recently, we've added a new membership level, which allows Certified Aesthetic Pruners to retire, retaining all of their access privileges and their CAP number while hiding their profile from the CAP search that clients might view. This new level is available to CAPs only, at a discounted rate. If you're interested in this new "retired" status, you can select it at https://www.aestheticprunersassociation.org/become-a-member#myaccount.

While the appearance and functionality of the website has changed dramatically, some of our back-end services remain with the same providers. Nonetheless, Barb Eaton has negotiated more favorable pricing for this year's renewal. Thank you, Barb. We're now operating more effectively and efficiently in 2024.

The website committee meets as needed. If you have questions or would like to help or contribute to the website, please contact Jeff at jeff.kowalski@gmail.com.