Saffron Winter Survival and the Next Step in Cultivation
Event Details
Date
May 27, 2021
Time
3:30pm - 4:30pm
Location
Calabash Gardens
1831 Fish Pond Road
Wells Rover, VT 05081
Host
University of Vermont North American Center for Saffron Research & Development
Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. Many New England growers are cultivating saffron as a component of their diversified farming program. They are selling their saffron for $25-50 per gram! Want to learn more about this high value crop? Come to our FREE Saffron Demonstration Event coordinated by the University of Vermont (UVM) North American Center for Saffron Research & Development. It will take place in Vermont but anyone from anywhere is welcome to attend if they are willing to drive to it. This is one of several demonstration events we will hold over the year at different Vermont grower locations. Each event will feature different key topics coordinated with the saffron production cycle.
How to register: https://na.eventscloud.com/ereg/index.php?eventid=622305&
As per UVM policy, attendees must have completed their covid vaccination. Masks must be warn.
When: Thursday, May 27, 2021
What time: 3:30 - 4:30 PM
Where: Calabash Gardens, Newbury, VT https://calabashgardens.com/ (Actual address is: 1831 Fish Pond Road in Wells River, Vermont.)
Who is speaking: Jette Mandl-Abramson & Zaka Chery (Owners)
Jette and Zaka planted over 100,000 corms last September (2020) and harvested 750,000 saffron flowers (300 grams of saffron) with lots of help from their friends and relations. They have already sold 200 grams. They will show off their saffron operation and describe their plans for the future.
Who else: Arash Ghalehgolabbehbahani, Univ. of Vermont
Arash will describe the life cycle of saffron and show how the secondary corms develop above the primary corm. He will demonstrate how to sample corms to assess their productivity and will provide guidelines on how to prepare saffron beds for planting this fall. He will also give an update on progress on his quality testing research.
Who should attend: Growers growing saffron or interested in producing it in the future or home gardeners who want to learn more about this fascinating crop.
How much: Free, but registration is limited to 40 so register now!
If you have additional questions, email Margaret Skinner: mskinner@uvm.edu or call: 802-656-5440

Upcoming Events
New York State Agritourism Conference
November 10 - November 11, 2025 : New York State Agritourism Conference
Saratoga Springs, NY
The first-ever New York State Agritourism Conference, hosted by the CCE Agritourism Program Work Team, is designed to support farms in growing successful visitor experiences. This statewide gathering will feature expert-led sessions, peer networking, and practical tools to help farms expand direct sales, education, hospitality, and entertainment offerings.
Date:
- November 10: A full day of educational sessions targeted at beginning or experienced agritourism operators.
- November 11: A half-day, interactive networking session with fellow attendees.
ASL 104sp Seleccion y organizacion del personal (Staffing and Organizing Your Team) taught in Spanish
November 12, 2025 : ASL 104sp Selección y organización del personal (Staffing and Organizing Your Team) in Spanish
ASL104-SP: Selección y organización del personal (Staffing and Organizing Your Team - impartido en español) ¡Inscripciones abiertas!
En este curso identificamos cómo escribir descripciones de puestos disponibles en el trabajo para atraer a los mejores candidatos. Aprenderá a encontrar empleados con un perfil deseado, cómo entrevistar y seleccionar a las personas adecuadas. Descubrirá cómo completar la documentación de nuevos empleados, la autorización de empleo y la contratación de personal (on-boarding): es decir, cómo efectivamente incorporar nuevos empleados al rancho en una manera exitosa y productiva.
Los temas incluyen:
- Convertirse en un lugar de trabajar preferido
- Planear cuántos y qué trabajadores se necesitan
- Diseñar descripciones de trabajos para un mejor reclutamiento
- Cómo evitar favoritismos y discriminación
- Cómo buscar y entrevistar los nuevos trabajadores
- Cómo decidir a quién contratar
- Y cómo dar una buena bienvenida al nuevo trabajador
Inicio del curso: miércoles, 12 de noviembre de 2025
Discusiones en vivo por Zoom: Cada martes 18 de noviembre - 23 de diciembre, de 1:00 a 2:00 p.m. (hora del Este)
ASL 105 Employee Development and Training
November 17, 2025 : ASL 105: Employment Development and Training
ASL105: Employee Development and Training
Three leadership practices are essential for supervisors: setting clear expectations, employee training and development, and providing performance feedback.
In Employee Development and Training you will learn best practices to plan and conduct training that engages employees, supports retention, and helps ensure great quality work. You will also learn how to create a culture of continuous learning and performance improvement through employee development, coaching, and career planning. This is a 6-week online course, taught in English.
Topics include:
- Planning effective training programs
- Onboarding new employees
- On the job training
- Staff development
- Creating a culture for continuous learning
- Coaching and career planning
Course begins: Wednesday, November 12 Live Zoom discussions: Tuesdays, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM ET beginning November 18 through December 23.
Registration closes November 17 at 5 PM ET.
