The
plans for a fruit orchard began mulling around in Steve’s head almost as soon
as we bought the farm property in 2007. As he made his way through the
multitude of necessary improvements on a new piece of property, the idea of an
orchard stayed with him. So in 2011 after much planning and soil preparation,
28 apple trees were planted. Since then, 2 pears, 2 cherries, and 3 figs, have
been added. Looking at the trees soon after we had planted them, they certainly
looked small, but we trusted that with proper care and a little time, they
would grow. As we compare our memory of them then to what has become of them
now, we are amazed at the amount of growth that has taken place in two short
years. Those slight trees that barely had leaves to speak of are now ready to
be pruned for the first time.
Steve
read a good bit about pruning, and he consulted with a friend in the
landscaping business. He learned that there’s a pretty specific process
involved when it comes to pruning, and it requires making some drastic cuts of
some limbs. After gathering all the information that he could, Steve began the
pruning process in our orchard. As he came to each tree, he would carefully
study the tree, paying close attention to the angles of the limbs and the
direction of their growth before he made each cut. The whole process required
careful consideration, and when it was all said and done, he had pruned back
all the limbs that needed to go.
This
reminds me of when our boys were young, and we would go to see Harold, the
barber. Nearly everyone who had walked the streets of downtown Chattanooga had
either met or heard of Harold. I’m sure he must have been working on his 3rd generation of customers when our boys came
along. To our sons’ delight, they would climb into the big chair and be lifted
to see themselves in the huge wall mirror. Then they would take turns to get a
“buzz cut” for the summer. As the hair fell to the floor and the bristly, blunt
haircut emerged, so did a more interior change. The new cut seemed to give them
a sense of freedom that manifested in smiles that were brighter and a bounce
that was lighter. It was more than a shedding of hair; it was a sense of new
things to come- summer camp and fishing and swimming in the lake. It’s as if
they knew they were being pruned for a season of growing! Our sons are grown
now, and their haircuts (or lack of haircuts!) are as different as they are.
They are all strong young men who have made us proud each in his own way.
So,
how does this remind me of pruning trees? Well, the way I see it, as beautiful
as all those branches on the trees were, they were not ultimately serving the
purpose of creating a strong tree for generations to come. Some parts just had
to go in order to make way for stronger branches. While the pruned trees may
look a bit stark on a winter day, we understand that the purpose is to create
the strength within. We are imagining how beautiful the trees will look as they
bud leaves and flowers this spring. It takes courage to prune and patience to
grow an orchard. When we planted it, we knew it would be a lifetime venture,
and that it would be full of faith and growth, just like raising our sons. The
reward of growing an orchard is long-lived: with continued love and careful
pruning, a healthy orchard can produce apples for 30-75 years (sometimes even
longer)! We
hope to enjoy and share with you our first crop in 2014.
The
orchard, like everything we choose to do at the farm, is with the intention to
take care of the earth and to provide the healthiest food for our family and
our customers. We choose to farm in a sustainable way so that the soil can
continue to produce nutrient rich fruits, vegetables, grains, and gorgeous
flowers.
In
2012, we started our first Community Supported Agriculture with 5 members. It
was extremely rewarding to feed these 5 families and to hear the various
exclaims over what they received in their bucket each week. One young couple
shared their love of cooking together and awed us with their creativity in the
kitchen. Another family loved sharing their goods with a neighbor. All
appreciated eating the healthiest, seasonal food available!
We
are happy to say, because we love growing food to share with our community, we
are expanding our CSA to include 5 additional families. It may not seem like a
lot, but like I said, we are in it for the joy of taking care of the land and
serving a few families at a time. Besides, it is just the 2 of us and we want
to continue to enjoy what we do!
We
expect the 10 memberships to fill quickly, so if you think you are interested,
please contact us at risingfawngardens@gmail.com or
send us a facebook message, and we will send you an application. You can check
out our website www.risingfawngardens.com, as well as previous blog entries below, for photos of CSA buckets and farm-life!
Here’s
to another year of joy, work, and healthy eating!
Karen
 |
| A newly pruned apple tree on a winter day. |
Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
