TODAY IN THE ORCHARD

This morning we ate the first apple sauce of the season made from Duchess drops. Tart but delicious. A big crew, including two of our grandchildren, descended on the larger hoop-house and picked a bucket of hornworms off the tomatoes. All agreed they are disgusting. Laura worked in the “Jurassic Park” BRC orchard, clearing path edges and mulching young trees with the trimmings. We also cut Gracious, Grenville, Hanska and Pembina plum budwood for Seth Yentes of North Branch Farm who will bud graft plums for Fedco. Budwood is the same new wood as winter-cut scionwood but is actively growing and therefore quite tender. We immediately snip off the foliage, leaving the petiole (leaf stem) and then put it in a cooler. Unlike dormant scionwood, it doesn’t keep long so it must be grafted as soon as possible after cutting.