Category Archives: Fruits
Early Spring In the Orchard
Well it took about a week and the snow is gone, the ground is thawing and I think it won’t be long for the trees to start their budding process.
Orchard in Late Winter
A view from the top of the orchard on March 7, 2015. Pruning is complete.
For The Birds
Every year we have been adding birdhouses to our pest management and conservation efforts. We have 12 swallow boxes and 4 kestrel boxes currently and will be making more this winter. Last week I cleaned out most of the boxes … Continue reading
Collecting Scions For Grafting
Rose and I are out collecting scions from plum, Asian pear and peach trees. We will try our first attempt at grafting in the spring. I have a few trees that failed to take and only the rootstock is flourishing. … Continue reading
Trellis Up
I was able to do a trellis test section a couple weeks back. On the end and center brace posts I mounted a five foot oak 3×3 with 10 inch J bolts to extend the post between 9 and 10 … Continue reading
The Apple Orchard at Sweet Rose Farm
After seven days, two blizzards, one heat wave, wind gusts to 50 mph, 4000 holes, and one unexpected day off, the apple orchard at Sweet Rose has been planted. The forecast turned cold and snowy when we started planting the … Continue reading
Just Being Neighborly
As much as we say it all depends on the weather, it actually depends more on who is there for you when you can’t make it without help. My neighbor Ivan was there for me today. The trees arrived today … Continue reading
Waiting for the Weather
Well everything is in place for the apple orchard planting scheduled for next weekend. Up to a crew of six consisting of sons, friends and wives (I’ll leave you guessing on how many of each!) will be on hand to … Continue reading
Apple Orchard Prep
I have been working steadily to get the apple orchard ready. I have driven all the end posts for the trellis and have opened the soil in order to facilitate the actual planting of trees. I have scheduled the delivery … Continue reading
Post Position
I completed moving the locust posts into position alongside the rows in the apple orchard. I hope to drive all these posts as the main supports for the apple trellis. I moved some last week but had to wait for … Continue reading