orchard

2012 was the year that the area between the two driveways became the orchard.  It began with a failed attempt to grow a couple apple trees.  We lost those new young dwarf apples to caterpillars and the current replacement trees were purchased by Mom and Dad.  We are not sure what their varieties are and one might be a full size tree and the other a dwarf but it should be a fun mystery to unravel should we start to get apples.

apple blossoms May 2013

In 2012 we added two pear trees and two plum trees.  One of the pear trees did not grow and was replaced in 2013.

We also have a grape arbor that was built years ago and has four grape vines growing up over it.  We have used those grapes to make grape jelly in past years.  The most established of the vines has small dark purple seeded grapes.  They are not easy eating but make great jelly. The other, newer vines are also seeded grapes.  I would like to try making a few bottles of wine from our grapes and have a spot that would be perfect for a small Italian style vineyard.  Just a couple of rows of grapes on wires. 

Goals for the hobby farm are to add new fruit to the landscape each year and to attract pollinators to the yard in the form of mason bees and other beneficial insects.

In 2014 the berry box was made from the kid's old sandbox.  The north portion is planted with four cranberry bushes and the south portion holds the six blueberry bushes that were transplanted since they were not doing well in the old location.  Four sand cherries, two elderberries, one gooseberry and two hazelnut trees were planted.