It’s A Game Of Mistakes
October 20, 2018
Why didn't soccer coaches ever have anything positive to say at halftime? Because they had just watched 45 minutes of errors. Even the pros only complete 57% of their passes in the final third of the field. I often feel this…
Guarding the Grapes
September 23, 2018
The predictable announcement was, "Yum!" from anyone who tasted our Interlaken table grapes. One taster cocked her head and let her eyes drift upward, savoring the sweet with a little tart sensation.
We were thankful…
Tulle – A Cool Tool
September 3, 2018
Stretching the parameters of our climate is part of gardening. We add row covers or netting to keep out a pest or alter sunlight transmission. But it's not that simple is it? These tools can affect soil and air temperature,…
In Praise of the Power of Pollinators
August 5, 2018
Gardening is hard work. It is rewarding, but the task is never over. That’s why we should always remember to give thanks to all the help we get at the orchard. Our wonderful volunteers help keep us going. But our hardest…
Water Conservation in 2018 – Is It Working?
August 2, 2018
Please visit us this Saturday, 10-noon, for a tour of our new watering system. We will have signage throughout the orchard and we will be anxious to get your ideas about how we can manage water even more efficiently.
Our…
Water Conservation – Ideas are still percolating in …
June 21, 2018
Yesterday I set out to water the fruit and nut trees for the first time this year. I thought it would be a lot of work because 1) it has been hot and, 2) because May precipitation was a record low .3 inches and June is just…
Soil Camp
May 27, 2018
Last week I attended a five-day soil science class with research scientist Dr. Elaine Ingham, just outside of Oroville, CA, where they say Ahmonds when referring to Almonds.
Seven of us hovered over microscopes much of the…
Let ‘er Drip
April 17, 2018
Last summer, as most of you know, we carried water around in buckets to water the plants. A few times each summer, we got help from a dozen 5-8 year olds.
One hot August day, we gave each of the kids a yogurt container,…
FECO Water Conservation Grant – Step Three – Ollas and Perforated Pipe
March 19, 2018
Our efforts this year center on water conservation and we are attempting three different methods to deliver water to plants: gravity fed drip irrigation (coming soon), ollas, and deep perforated pipe. All of these methods will…