I left New Haven and drove up to western MA for the annual, apple-orchardists round-table known as “Stumpsprouts”. It’s an informative, thought-provoking and fun event where 40 of us sit in a large circle overlooking the beautiful hills of Franklin County and talk about growing apples - for two days.

Some people say a lot (hopefully not too much), and others don’t say much at all (more, please). There’s no pressure either way. Often the person who doesn’t say much winds up sharing the most profound and valuable insights. Mostly it’s about getting inspired and jazzed up to try some new practices in the orchard.

A few thoughts from this year’s meeting (some of them pretty far out there):

Farm as ecosystem
What animals and plants to add to the orchard
Paramagnetism in the orchard
The trap of repeatability (wow)
Out of the impossibility (double wow)
The influences coming into the orchard from Outer Space (in-streaming cosmic forces)
Suctional space (Yes, suctional)
The fourth phase of water

Lots to think about as I headed north on the long drive home. Meanwhile Cammy was pruning our BRC orchard. Way more practical!