Today in the orchard
Cammy and I pruned most of the day. It was sunny until mid-afternoon, and the temperature was in the high 20’s—perfect for being in the orchard. I worked entirely in the orchard we call the BRC. My strategy is to work around the entire perimeter, then continue in a progression of concentric circles getting closer and closer to the center. Most of the pruning I do is not on the apple trees but on the hundreds of “companion” plants that fill the orchard and surround the apple trees. The companions play an integral role in creating what we hope will be a balanced ecosystem in the orchard. As we prune the apple trees, we collect scionwood for grafting. If you’re interested in obtaining scionwood from us this year, place your order soon or it will be too late. Once the prunings are scattered and mixed up on the snow, they become nameless trimmings, valuable for chipping but not for grafting.
