What’s been happening at the orchard? Well, that’s simple to answer, pruning, pruning and more pruning. We have finished pruning the apple trees and at this point of the process, we are most happy about that achievement. Our next endeavor is our peach trees. Not quite as many peach trees as there are apples but still a challenging undertaking. Pruning is indeed a very labor intensive chore and not as easy as it looks, especially if you want to do it right. 
This past winter has been more mild than the last two years, so our pruning is somewhat ahead of our schedule. After trees are pruned a flail mower is used to mulch the “aisle ways” of the orchard. The “aisle ways” is the open space between the rows of trees. After we mulch, we rake under the trees to remove any limbs or debris from the previous harvest season. This debris is again placed into the middle of the aisle ways for another round of using the flail mower to mulch. We cut any limbs of significant diameter which were removed in the pruning process into firewood. Several local individuals request this wood for use in their “smokers.” Culinary smoking is popular in our local area.
Our local Food Growers’ Association has had their annual meeting and workshop. This was an interesting and educational forum of local growers as well as consumers. In our tenth year now, this organization has indeed come a long way. Perhaps the most inspiring aspect of the group is the role the Food and Growers’ Association has played in making local consumers more aware from where their food comes. “Food transparency,” support of local growers, concern for our environment, organic production of food, all were topics for discussion. Ten years ago we were fortunate to attract maybe twenty-five attendees and now the annual seminar drew the interest of over one hundred individuals who are trying to make a difference in food production, consumption and distribution.
Again we espouse the benefits of your local Farmers’ Markets. Farmers’ Markets are an excellent venue to buy good food. There is complete transparency at the market. The consumer can meet the producer face to face and is able to ask questions, express legitimate concerns and learn about the value of producing food locally. Consumers are beginning to realize the connection between good food and good health. “We are what we eat,” so as a consumers let’s learn to make good food choices when we shop for ourselves and our families.