July 11, 2014: Springtime In Orchard & Hopyard

July 11, 2014: Springtime In Orchard & Hopyard

It is the first week of June and we have finally (almost) completed Spring chores in the hopyard!

The orchard is still a work in progress but will certainly get there in the next week or two. The feel and pace of Windhover’s hopyard sits in juxtaposition to that of the Orchard.

The hopyard shouts out “hurry up, we are growing! We are growing!! No time to waste!!” and the Orchard responds with “Don’t worry, there is lots of time to get around to what needs to be done. Don’t worry be happy, We can wait…”

Hops can stretch inches during a good growing day where the apple trees respond with a slow opening of blossoms.

This contrast is lovely but certainly influences where we put our attention. At the end of a busy day in the hopyard, the calm of the orchard beckons.

The orchard now has additional members other than the juvenile apple trees… it has a flock of chickens and a small clutch of turkeys. Check out ‘Poultry Pasturing’ and ‘Chicken Tractors’ for the idea of integrated management with which we are experimenting.