PRESS RELEASE

Release Date: March 2003

Home Orchard Society Event Makes for a Fruitful Future.

Portland, Ore., March 8,  2003 - The Home Orchard Society (HOS) 
of Oregon hosttheir annual Scion Exchange at Clackamas Community 
College's Randall Hall, March 8, 2003 from 12 - 4pm.  Tickets to 
the event are $5.00 at the door.

The Scion exchange, a four hour event, that brings home owners, 
orchardist and the curious together to learn the art of grafting 
fruit trees.  "We grafted our first tree while still living in an 
apartment and stuck it in a 5 gallon plastic bucket" states HOS 
member Rick Reid, "Later we ended up creating an edible landscape 
around our home with the help of HOS."

Participants get guided hands on grafting experience or can choose 
to have custom grafting done by HOS experts. In addition, 
Consultations from members, fruit growing publications and Integrated 
Pest Management kits for the orchard are available.

HOS offers over a hundred different scions (the part of the tree 
that determines the variety of fruit) for apples, pears, Asian 
pears or stone fruits such as plums, peaches and nectarines for 
free and several rootstocks (the part of the tree that controls 
size and characteristics of the tree) for a nominal cost.

"HOS is the best kept secret in the country and we're trying to 
change that," explained Ted Swenson, President of the society.  
Membership in the society is only $15.00(US) and provides members 
with events, publications and a network of fruit growing enthusiast.

About The Home Orchard Society : 
Incorporated in 1976 as a nonprofit educational organization in 
Portland, Oregon. HOS 650 members exist to assist both the new and 
experienced fruit growers in the science, culture and pleasure of 
growing good fruit in the home orchard.

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For More Information Contact:

Rick Reid
503/625-5258