Sticks of Rhubarb

It seems like we never get the time to type anything on this at all!! So much to do here on the farm and the other properties, but somethings just became easier. We have a wonderful new intern for the summer, Annie. She just graduated from Lewis and Clark and was in search of a little adventure in the Pacific Northwest. The warnings of hard work and long days could not sway her from coming!! Now our gardens have a new hand to deal with as Annie is attacking the weeds with a burning furor!!!

Its been lesson after lesson with the orchards. Trying to make things work that other people see as just impossible. Its worth the strains and pains for a warm sweet summer fruit picked in the mid afternoon.

The fruit settings are looking good, but the Asian Pears didn't put out much this year. Going to be thinning the rest of this month. It's hard to devote time to the orchard for non essential things, when it makes literally no money. But we love it and we know other people love our fruit. Still just not sure why small local farmers growing lettuce can do better financially than those growing fruit. Lettuce is going for around $10/lbs here!!! The investment into a tree is vastly different than just doing row crops. The ecological benefits of the tree are much larger than the fruits it provide. From the birds to the shade to the carbon sequestering and more.

Another two apricots died. That leaves us with just 9 trees and only 5 healthy trees out of the 14 originally planted. I think I know where things went wrong. All with pruning and planting. Next winter I am going to be putting in another 10 and see where that gets me. We also moved a fig that took a heavy beating this winter in a storm. Its still alive, but didn't put out any new growth this year. As for the peaches and nectarines, some issues came up as well. The curl this year was atrocious due to all the spring rains. Plus, I am certain I sprayed too late this year. I've read you can spray in late autumn or mid winter. I have always opted for mid winter, just because less is going on here on the farm so time is easier to come by. However, I think the autumn spray is essential and has a better return.

More for next time.