As soon as we returned to the ranch, Doco set to work on "the orchard". He loves being up there, with the view down the lake and of the mountains behind Silverton. Now after three days of Doco labour, the orchard looks marvellous. Many of the main-line strawberry plants had been replaced with young ones in October, then killed by some very cold days with no snow. Doco has reconstructed the strawberry row, weeded the patch, and prepared a bed at the end of the row for some volunteer squashes of unknown sort from the compost box.
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| the orchard view … the backdrop for Rachel and Eric's wedding in 2004 |
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| the contented strawberrier at his labours ... |
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| … then surveying his completed row in the late-day light |
The fruit trees are actually beginning to look like trees and, hence, "the orchard" is beginning to look like an orchard. Aside from the two nectarines (dead) and the two apples that have just turned up their heels in mid-bloom for no reason that we can see (even having done the fruit-tree workshop in April!), they all look marvellous. So do the two gooseberries. The flowering currant (now over) was reported to be full of bees. Norbert's grape vines are shooting. An Italian prune plum and a pear are waiting for us at the Heritage Nursery in Nakusp. Maybe tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the patch of garden in the "lower orchard" is growing. Saturday, Chris and Christiane planted sunflowers for winter micro-greens (as last year), interspersed with corn, beans, "bee-mix" flowers. Monday, Ana and Chris planted potatoes, with Jeff, recovering slowly from unexpected quadruple-bypass heart repairs a month ago, supervising.
Today, Chris is adding a third row, heaving out quack grass with a broad-fork and lots of elbow grease.
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| Doco and Susie 'supervising' this step |
… and this is all in just "the orchard". Phew!
Lovely!
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