Today in the orchard
Red Delicious destined for the stove, c 1975.
Another hot, dry one in central Maine, the first day of summer firewood season. I cut the trees in the wintertime, a couple of hours at a time. All our firewood this year is coming from along the edges of the orchards and from the side of Finley Lane, the old road that leads to our largest orchard and two very old abandoned homesteads beyond. Keeping the edges trimmed back maximizes the light in the orchard and minimizes competition with the apple trees. It’s also a great form of winter exercise followed by a good way to spend a few days in August. Laura came over and helped me bring in several truck-loads of wood. Within the next couple of weeks we’ll cut it up to stove-length, and then in another month or two we’ll bring it into the basement, where it will await its ultimate end. Eventually we’ll spread the ashes back in the orchards where they will help feed a future apple crop. It is a circle, isn’t it?
Today’s photo is from Steve and Marilyn Meyerhans of the Apple Farm in Fairfield. When they purchased Wentworth’s Orchard about 50 years ago, one of their first projects was cutting down most of the Red Delicious trees. (Need I say more?)
