In the Orchard 2

 Back in 2018 June, we started our hazelnut planting. Our "older" orchard refers to the first trees we put in the ground, all 4000 of them, in the winter of 2018-19. One year ago from now, back in 2022, we planted 6000 more filbert trees with the help of many family members and some hired hands. This bigger orchard is what I will refer to as the newer orchard. 

This week in the older orchard, we are nearing the end of pruning! I feel like we should have some kind of celebration when we finish. We have about 200 trees to go. I think by Saturday we should be able to finish completely. I have high hopes. 

But wait, there's more. There's always more to do on a farm. We have the newer orchard that may or may not be pruned and this year. We just planted these little trees a year ago and I'm not sure if the Boss wants to prune or not. Either way, he will probably be doing the majority of that pruning, while I work away on the suckers in the older orchard. Suckers are these wonderful little shoots that grow up from the base of the tree, or sometimes the roots. If not taken care of they will grow into another tree, taking needed energy from the main tree, which in theory, reduces the production of nuts from the main tree. So now is a good time to clip them. In the past we have done it by hand, kind of like pruning, using hand snippers as we kneel down to cut them off as close to the ground as possible. In the summer months the Boss can spray the suckers so they don't get away from us. But we don't want to put too much spray on our little trees and stunt their growth either. I get a great workout when I'm clipping those suckers. Each time I kneel down it's like doing a forward lunge. And walking all those rows is good exercise.  The Boss has a battery powered hedge trimmer that he is using on the suckers while I finish up the pruning. This saves so much time. Unfortunately, I'm not at the point where I can use it .. my arm strength would last about one or two trees. Fortunately, our son can help run it. 

The pollen is starting to fly in the orchard also. Our faces, our clothes, our hats were nearly all yellow by the time we stopped for the day. Thankfully I am not allergic to this pollen!