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Commenced:
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01/01/2005 |
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Submitted:
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08/04/2011 |
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Last updated:
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16/02/2016 |
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Location:
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Cherokee, Victoria, AU |
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Climate zone:
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Cool Temperate |
(projects i'm involved in)
Project: Fernglade Farm
Posted by Chris McLeod over 10 years ago
Some weeks at the farm you feel like you are on top of the
world. I mean that literally too. Spring and autumn always bring fog which
rolls in from the Southern ocean. The farm sits on a mountain saddle about two
thirds of the way up to the top of the ridge. Practically speaking this means
that during winter, cloud can hover just above the tree line here for days on
end, but below the farm people are experiencing severe frost. I’ve now been
told that the recent snow and frost were some of the most severe in the past
two decades. Had I known that fact in advance, I probably wouldn’t have
complained to the local gardening group that the coffee shrub and babaco which
are both tropical plants died here in the recent frosts. Things were much worse
elsewhere.
This morning however, I awoke to another fog and the
mountains around the local area poked their heads out of the fog like islands
in a sea.
| Fog over the Barringo valley |
The deciduous trees are in the slow process of breaking their dormancy. This week the earliest pear which is an ornamental snow pear, started to blossom and put on some leaves.
| Snow pear breaking it's dormancy |
The apricot trees which are now in their second year on the very sunny side of the orchard have put on even more flowers this week. Apricots are one of my favourite stone fruits and they are excellent for both bottling (canning) and for jam making so I look forward to getting harvests as the year’s progress.
| Apricots are continuing to put on more blossoms |
Not every fruit tree operates on the same annual cycle though. Occasionally the conditions favour a particular tree or variety and this year it seems that the almonds have set fruit really early, even whilst other trees are still dormant or only just breaking their dormancy. I have no explanation for this behaviour on the part of these fruit trees other than using it to justify the 300 different fruit trees here on the basis that something has to produce at sometime!
| Almond fruit set |
In other farm news the final post for the blackberry enclosure was cemented into the ground over the past few days. The steel gate which is actually a recycled security door also received a lick of paint. The next step for the enclosure is for me to install the rails and then I’ll screw on the pickets which will be made from local saplings.
For the rest of the entry visit: http://ferngladefarm.blogspot.com.au/
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