william
as it's 45'F and currently drizzling i find myself in side and on the computer.
you might say 'funny that's what the weather is doing at my orchard too'. i
live the next valley south from you in apple valley. sue and lou are friends of
mine and they have grown many fine and varied apples in your new orchard. i
don't believe that they were grown organically. keeping the trees mowed was a
very good thing to do in the interim. and yes, you do have some very rare
varieties.
i have 100 tree orchard of heirloom and popular apples grown ecologically. just
this side of 100% organic- but that can be explained more fully at a later
date. i grow about 500 bushels per year. was hit with hail 4 times this year
(only once in past 20) ouch. 50% hit, alot of money. so it goes- making compost
from the apples to feed the trees next year and playing the cards dealt me.
i've been told to quit also, but that was 30 years ago (smile).
i will offer my services as an orchard consultant to you. i have experience in
both commercial and organic and biodynamic methods of growing apples. my
orchard has 30 varieties (pale beside lou and sue's numbers). my apples ripen
from late july till late october.
let me know if you are interested and/or would like to come here and see my
orchard- still a dozen varieties left to pick.
i think i just saw the sun poke it's head out, time to go.
alan surprenant
brook farm orchard
947 apple valley rd
ashfield ma 01330
625-9615
i also deliver your propane in the winter months> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> To:
apple-crop@virtualorchard.net> Subject: Apple-Crop: Advice in Western
Massachusetts> Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:23:44 -0400> > To All,> > I hope this
is the proper form for this type of question, if not I > apologize for
contributing to the volume of your inboxes.> > Last fall my wife and I
purchased a small hillside apple orchard in > Buckland, Massachusetts with the
intent of getting all the buildings > in shape and then focusing on the
orchard. The orchard has about 400 > trees and an estimated 106 varieties of
apple. I have been told that > some of the varieties are quite rare/unusual.
Many of the trees are > grafted and some are pretty old. The previous owners
maintained the > orchard very well, and last fall the fruit was tremendous and
we were > so overwhelmed most of it unfortunately fell to the ground or was >
eaten by the numerous deer, beer, etc. Since then very little has been > done
to the trees besides keeping the grass mowed underneath. This > fall the fruit
amount on some tress is great, but the apples are in > bad shape at best, and
some tress (especially about 20 tress of the > same variety and in the same
location produced no apples.)> > So my questions is.....I am now looking to
focus on the orchard and > try to get it in the best shape possible, yet I know
very little. I > only signed up for this email about 6 months ago and I have
been > trying to learn as much as I can, but I am looking to hire someone who >
can help me. I am also open to any and all advice (I have been told by > many
to give up now!! But I am not taking that advice.) I am also > looking for
someone in the area who may want the bulk of the fruit > each year as I am not
planning on getting in the apple business yet. > My main concern for the next
few seasons is to get the tress and fruit > in top shape and preserve as many
of the varieties as possible. I like > the idea of organic, but I am not sure
what the previous owners used.> > Thanks for your time.> > William Corbin> > >
> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------->
> The 'Apple-Crop' LISTSERV is sponsored by the Virtual Orchard >
<http://www.virtualorchard.net> and managed by Win Cowgill and Jon > Clements
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>.> > Apple-Crop is not moderated. Therefore, the statements
do not represent > "official" opinions and the Virtual Orchard takes no
responsibility for > the content.> > > > >
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