Raising and Growing Our Organic and Not- So-Organic Foods

[Leahs Mom]

I started listening to some of the 3 hour. My thoughts -

-If I had to do all that to keep an apple tree, I wouldn't keep an apple tree.

-For a small, backyard orchard, it seemed like letting the chickens run in the orchard would take care of many of the pest problems he sprays for. I can do that.

 

[Arielle2]

Which pests do you think the chickens would clean up????
Did you watch the one at the woman's farm?, she is tall very lean and in a faded red shirt? I dont think she needed to do much.

Also remember the Michael is teaching a class and needs to cover a wide range of potential problems. Not everyone has a bad case of everything. It is about knowing your own problems.

Definitely go for the apple varieites put out by PRI and a few others. ALl developed with disease resistance in mind. Each variety is diferent.
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/pri/default.html

Cultivars (varieties) named by PRI include Prima (1970), Priscilla (1972), Sir Prize (1975), Jonafree (1979), Redfree (1981), Dayton (1988), Williams Pride (1988), Enterprise (1993), GoldRush, (1993), PristineTM, (1994), Scarlett O'HaraTM (2000), SundanceTM (2004), Pixie CrunchTM(2004), and CrimsonCrispTM (2006) .

 

[Arielle2]

FOR DOGS
Sulfur on Dogs
Sulfur is not a pesticide; it is merely a natural prevention method for flea control on dogs. The best way to use sulfur as flea control is to incorporate small amounts of it into the dogs diet, which gives the dog's skin a distinct scent that fleas and other parasites avoid. Natra Turf recommends 1/2 tsp. every three days for smaller dogs and a full teaspoon for larger dogs.
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Could not find a Natra Turf that was the likely source.

Thought of this as I bought sulfur for the chickens.
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https://www.organicsulfur4health.com/2016/03/08/how-can-organic-sulfur-help-dogs-and-other-animals/
suGGESTED DOSAGES FOR PETS
Aside from horses, one serving of organic sulfur per day is sufficient for most pets

Birds: Dash of sulfur in their water container every day to stop them from pulling their neck feathers
Cats: 1/4 teaspoon per day added to their main meal or water bowl.
Dogs: Dosage varies according to weight:

Big dogs 100 lbs or heavier: 1 teaspoon per day
Medium sized dogs 20-99 lbs: 1/2 teaspoon per day
Small dogs under 20 lbs: 1/4 teaspoon per day
Horses (assuming weight of about 1000 lbs or 453 kg):

First week: 1 tablespoon or 15 grams twice a day
Maintenance level after first week: 1/2 tablespoon twice a day
In the many years that organic sulfur/methylsulfonylmethane has been commercially available as a supplement, trainers have noticed that their racehorses tend to recover much more quickly after a strenuous workout when their feed or water trough includes organic sulfur. Because of their weight, horses must be given a rather large dose, as noted above.

In comparison, the recommended dose for healthy people weighing under 200 pounds is one teaspoon twice a day. Individuals who weigh over 200 pounds or suffer from a serious disease like cancer should take a larger dose (if this applies to you, email Organic Sulfur For Health to obtain our dosage recommendation). Please be advised that neither I nor my organic sulfur supplier are licensed physicians and our product has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

Organic sulfur promotes the transportation of oxygen across cell membranes, and our bodies need a fresh supply of the mineral every 12 hours to maintain optimal health. Customers typically dissolve their organic sulfur crystals in a glass of hot or warm water and wait 10 minutes or so before drinking their beverage with their breakfast or evening meal, although the crystals can be taken as-is on an empty stomach at any time of day. Others have found that brushing their teeth with organic sulfur improves the health of their gums.

The Cellular Matrix Study has learned over the years that most people can tolerate taking in more sulfur than necessary rather than too little. If you experience diarrhea, dizziness, headaches, or flu-like symptoms when you’re starting the protocol, immediately take another dose of the product with food. DO NOT STOP taking organic sulfur and be sure to stay properly hydrated (drink one ounce of water for every two pounds of body weight)! If you consume an insufficient amount of the product and are not drinking enough water, you are liable to incur a herxheimer reaction where your body attempts to dispose of toxins at a faster rate than it can handle. Once your body has adjusted to taking the product as prescribed, the adverse reaction should dissipate within a short amount of time.

Finally, Hesh Goldstein hosts a health-oriented radio show out of Hawaii every week and sells the identical brand of organic sulfur that I do. The following link describes Hesh’s 20 top reasons to take organic sulfur as a daily supplement:

20 Reasons To Try Organic Sulfur
By Andrea Donsky
Naturally Savvy
http://bit.ly/1C8pu19

 

[Arielle2]

Eggs. Eggs are not only a rich source of protein, they're high in sulfur, with the white, or albumen, containing the majority. Each egg yolk contains 0.016 milligram ofsulfur, and the white contains 0.195 milligram, according to B. Srilakshmi, author of "Food Science."Oct 3, 2017
List of Foods High in Sulfur | LIVESTRONG.COM
https://www.livestrong.com/article/289250-list-of-foods-high-in-sulfur/
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Daily intake is usually 800 to 900 milligrams of sulfur per day. Certain health conditions, such as arthritis and liver disorders, may be improved by increasing the intake of sulfur to 1,500 milligrams per day in supplemental form (most commonly as methylsulfonylmethane, or MSM).
What is the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for sulfur ...
https://www.sharecare.com/health/healthy.../recommended-dietary-allowance-for-sulfur
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Daily intake is usually 800 to 900 milligrams of sulfur per day. Certain health conditions, such as arthritis and liver disorders, may be improved by increasing the intake of sulfur to 1,500 milligrams per day in supplemental form (most commonly as methylsulfonylmethane, or MSM).
What is the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for sulfur ...
https://www.sharecare.com/health/healthy.../recommended-dietary-allowance-for-sulfur
=========================

The 12 Best Food Sources of Sulfur - Dr. Jockers
https://drjockers.com/the-12-best-food-sources-of-sulfur/
Icelanders are known for their low rates of depression, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease (1). Researchers are attributing much of this to the line of volcanoes that formed the island nation. These volcanoes are full of sulfur ash which blankets the soil after an eruption. This enriches the ground and makes drinking water, ...

ulfur: Critical for Optimal Health:
Over the last 2 decades, the US farming industry has shifted into a highly technologized mega farms. These farms are entirely focused on producing high yield per acre and thus they have depleted many vital nutrients such as sulfur from the ground. These farmers also apply artificial fertilizers to the soil. These fertilizers are enriched in phosphates and very low in sulfur. These excess phosphates interfere with sulfur absorption.

Sulfur amino acids are extremely important for the maintenance and integrity of the cellular systems. They strongly influence the ability to manufacture glutathione and the capacity to neutralize free radicals, reactive oxygen species and detoxify poisonous compounds. Could your diet be deficient in these critical amino acids?

ulfur Boosts Anti-Oxidants:
There are 2 sulfur containing amino acids; cysteine and methionine. They are not stored in the body. Any dietary surplus is oxidized to sulfate and excreted in the urine or is stored as glutathione (GSH). Glutathione is one of the bodies most important anti-oxidants. Lowered GSH levels are associated with degenerative disease, lowered immunity, & toxic build-up (2, 3, 4). Cysteine levels appear to be the rate limiting factor for the synthesis of GSH (5).



The internal triage system of the body typically spares the brain since it is the most critical organ. However, in cases of low sulfur containing amino acids the brain will deplete its stores of GSH in order to maintain cysteine levels. This reduces the brain’s antioxidant defenses and accelerates the degenerative processes.

lfur Helps Repair the Joints:

Sulfur plays a very important role in joint, cartilage, skin & blood vessel formation through the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) compounds. Some of the familiar GAG compounds include glucosamine, heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate. When sulfur levels are depleted the body is unable to replace the old and inferior GAG molecules in the joints. With inadequate repair materials the joints, blood vessels, & skin cells suffer and degenerate faster.

Sulfation is a critical detoxification pathway in the liver. This is particularly necessary to detoxify pharmaceutical drugs such as acetaminophen. The sulfation process of detoxification depletes the body of sulfur containing amino acids (6). This is why individuals taking pharmaceutical medications need even more dietary sulfur.



Best Food Sources of Sulfur:
The best plant foods for sulfur are found in the Allium family which is high in allyl sulfides and sulfoxides. These include onions, garlic, leeks, shallots, & chives. The cruciferous vegetable family has sulfur containing isothiocyanates that are potent cancer fighters. These foods include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts, radishes, watercress, kale, & collard greens.

Animal foods rich in sulfur containing amino acids include organic eggs, wild-caught fish, & grass-fed beef. Raw dairy from grass-fed cows (particularly sulfur rich grass) is a great source of sulfur containing amino acids. Bone Broth protein is also a rich source of key sulfur containing amino acids. .



Sulfur Rich Meal Plan:
These are some ideas to help you get a lot of sulfur rich nutrients into your system each day.

Breakfast: Option 1: Protein shake with almond milk, berries and bone broth protein – you could also put an avocado in this to make it thicker and creamier and add more sulfur compounds. Option 2: Veggie omelet with 3 eggs and 2 oz of grass-fed cheese and onions, tomatoes and kale inside

Lunch: Green juice with bok choy as the water rich vegetable and turnip or mustard greens as the chlorophyll rich greens. Have this with an avocado salad with grass-fed cheese and/or organic chicken or if you want to eat lighter you could do guacamole and flax crackers

Dinner: Steamed broccoli and cabbage (could also do brussel sprouts, cauliflower, asparagus, etc) with grass-fed butter smeared all over. Grilled garlic lemon chicken cooked in coconut oil. Top with herbs on both and you may want to include a small sweet potato with grass-fed butter and cinnamon on top. Instead of the sweet potato, you could always do double veggies.



Sources For This Article Include:
1. WestonAPrice: A possible Contributing Factor in Obesity, Heart Disease, Alzheimer’s and Chronic Fatigue Link Here
2. Cohen SM, Olin KL, Feuer WJ, Hjelmeland L, Keen CL, Morse LS. Low glutathione reductase and peroxidase activity in age-related macular degeneration. The British Journal of Ophthalmology. 1994;78(10):791-794.
3. Ballatori N, Krance SM, Notenboom S, Shi S, Tieu K, Hammond CL. Glutathione dysregulation and the etiology and progression of human diseases. Biological chemistry. 2009;390(3):191-214.
4. Lang CA, Mills BJ, Mastropaolo W, Liu MC. Blood glutathione decreases in chronic diseases. J Lab Clin Med. 2000 May;135(5):402-5. PMID: 10811055
5. Rathbun WB, Murray DL. Age-related cysteine uptake as rate-limiting in glutathione synthesis and glutathione half-life in the cultured human lens. Exp Eye Res. 1991 Aug;53(2):205-12. PMID: 1915676
6. Hartzell S, Seneff S. Impaired Sulfate Metabolism and Epigenetics: Is There a Link in Autism? Link Here

Dr. Jockers
Dr. David Jockers is a doctor of natural medicine, functional nutritionist and corrective care chiropractor. He currently owns and operates Exodus Health Center in Kennesaw, Georgia. He has developed 6 revolutionary online programs with thousands of participants.





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[Arielle2]

I can see the value of spraying the fruit trees with sulfur ( not apricots) and the extra sulfur will improve the mineral profile of the land.

Then I made the jump to the foods high in sulfur as valuable foods for us and our chickens. That is growing the vegies in the same area as the sprayed fruit trees.

 

[Arielle2]

How To Grow Organic Peaches


How We Grow Peaches Organically at Woodleaf Farm

Woodleaf Farm is a small organic peach farm at 1300’ elevation in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains north-east of Sacramento. The farm contains 1200 peach trees, including 40 white and yellow flesh varieties and 1,000 misc. fruit trees. The first trees were planted in 1985. The farm has been certified by California Certified Organic Farmers since 1982.

Soil testing and Fertilizer Applications

Peaches need a soil high in nutrient and mineral content. In order to have a clear understanding of which fertilizers are necessary we take regular soil samples. The amount of biological activity, ie. soil micro-organisms which are responsible for the release of nutrients in soil and hence (affect fertility ratings), varies depending on the time of year. In order to obtain a consistent reading it is important to take soil tests at the same time each year so we have a concrete basis for comparison. It is important to be able to read and understand the results of the soil tests. If you are doing your own soil testing and are unsure how to read the results, consult someone who does so that you can reap the greatest benefits from the test. May and June are the months that show the highest nutrient reading.
Optimal levels of calcium in the soil should be 65-70%, magnesium should be 10-15%, potassium at 3-7%, hydrogen at 5-10%, and sodium at less than 3%. The pH should be between 6.3 and 6.8. This is ideal because at these percentages the minerals are at their optimum availability for use by the plants.
The calcium-magnesium balance is particularly important. When there is too much magnesium present the soil particles bind together tightly so that less air gets into the soil. Other minerals also have difficulty binding to the soil colloid, and there is less biological activity. For most California soils yearly applications of gypsum, a sulfur source at a minimum of 250 lbs. per acre will help lower the magnesium which will in turn allow calcium levels to increase and will add enough sulfur for the year.
Nitrogen plays a different role in an organic system as compared to a conventional farming system. For example, instead of simply adding a concentrated dose of soluble nitrogen to maintain appropriate nitrogen levels, as conventional farmers do, organic farmers focus on the soil ecosystem as a whole. With an organic matter percentage of 4% – 5% in the soil and a leguminous cover crop (ie. clover) a peach orchard soil could additionally use about 100 lbs. of actual nitrogen per acre. 2-6 tons of good compost per acre/per year should provide plenty of nitrogen. With a compost which is 1.5% nitrogen, 6 tons of compost provides 180 lbs. of actual nitrogen, a little over 1/2 of which is available in the first year. Therefore, 6 tons will provide the desired 100 lbs. per acre. Too much nitrogen will prompt excessive growth.
Based upon the results of our soil tests, the average amount of fertilizer we use per acre per year is about six tons of compost, 250 lbs. of gypsum, 10 lbs. of Solubor(boron source) and three foliar nutrient bloom sprays. The cost of the fertilizer per acre is about $250 for the compost, $20 for the gypsum, $12 for the Solubor and an average of about $30 per sprays for each acre. The total for the year is about $340 per acre .
We apply all our composts and rock minerals on top of the soil without working them into the soil. We let the nutrients penetrate the soil through irrigation. The irrigation, the micro-organisms, and the earthworms work the nutrients into the root zone. When you disk in the orchard you risk damaging the tree’s root system and creating compacted soil through which air, nutrients, and water cannot penetrate. Also, when a disk is used the soil becomes exposed to the sun which destroys organic matter and inhibits the growth of beneficial micro-organisms. Phosphorus doesn’t move through the soil very well and so it is important to add as much as a ton per acre of soft rock phosphate into the soil when the orchard is first being prepared for planting.
When a peach tree is kept growing vigorously by maintaining soil fertility, it is able to produce large crops and stay healthy with a small amount of disease pressure.

How to Start a New Orchard

Start preparation for planting a new orchard in the summer or early fall. Rip the soil if necessary. Take a soil sample and add any needed minerals. Add 10 to 50 tons per acre compost and disk it in. Install irrigation and seed a low growing perennial grass and perennial clover. Seed by mid-October. Irrigate as needed to germinate seed. With irrigation it is fine to place the seed on top of the ground without harrowing it in.

First, buy trees that are healthy and have good root systems. We use Lovell rootstock because it can tolerate wet soil better than Nemaguard. In clay soils, plant the trees on high ground. We use a hump and hollow drainage system where the entire tree row is raised about 4 inches higher than the drive row. It is best to have the trees in rows that run north to south. This catches the morning and afternoon sunlight without shading much of the tree.
Plant in January or as early in the spring as is possible. The soil should not be too wet. Dig a hole just wider than and as deep as the roots on the tree. Cut off any broken roots and rub off any sprouts below the bud union. Plant the tree at the same soil line as it was grown in the nursery, spread the roots as you add all of the soil, pack the soil around the tree to get rid of air bubbles. The cut where the tree was budded onto the rootstock should point north to prevent sunburn. Water the trees if you packed dry soil around them. Prune the newly planted tree to a good bud on the trunk at 24” to 32”. Paint the newly planted trees with a white latex paint on the east, south and west side to protect against sunburn.
When the tree growth begins, add 2 to 5 lbs. of a slow release nitrogen source such as alfalfa meal around the drip line of the new tree. Next add 3 gallons of compost over the alfalfa meal. In May or June again add 3 gallons of compost around the base of the tree. The following year in April add 3 gallons of compost. At 400 trees per acre, each time 3 gallons of compost is applied it takes approximately 4 tons per acre of compost. This may seem like too much compost (or too much work!), but it can give the tree a strong start which is important for early production and disease resistance. Young trees are delicate, so we hand weed around trees the first year and put the mulch around the tree to help slow the grass or clover growth.

Foliar Nutrient Sprays

Over the years we have discovered the value of a foliar spray program. When the trees became stressed during the wet spring of 1995, we applied foliar sprays every three to seven days. The trees responded with healthy new growth. Foliar applications provide a direct nutrient “hit” which the leaves take in almost immediately through the stomata. Foliar feeding has been said to feed the plant 10 to 20 times more efficiently than the same amount of nutrients applied to the soil. Foliar fertilization can also correct a soil nutrient deficiency quickly or add helpful nutrients in a stressful season.
Normally we apply 3-4 bloom sprays and 1 – 2 spring foliar nutrient sprays. We apply the foliar sprays in the evening or very early morning because at these times the moisture stays on the leaves the longest and the leaves stomatas are able to absorb the nutrients most efficiently.
We use a 300 gallon, air-blast sprayer and apply about 300 gallons per acre. When the ground is too wet we have a 240 foot drag line on the sprayer that we drag into the orchard and spray by hand so as not to compact the soil.
We use a number of different spray materials including:
Maxi-crop – for enzymes and trace minerals, applied at 1/2-1.5#/acre.
Azomite – for soluble nutrients and trace minerals, applied at 5-10#/acre.
Micronized sulfur – applied at 3#/acre, or up to 15#/acre when needed for disease suppression.
Sulfate of potash – (soluble fines) – for potassium, applied at 5-8#/acre.
Solubor – for boron; applied at 1/2-1.5#/acre (use only 10#s total per acre per year).
Thermax 70 – for sticker-spreader, applied at 2 – 4 oz./acre.
Nutramin – for micronutrients, applied at 1 – 2#/acre.
Activate – for humic acid, applied at 1#/acre.

For the brown rot bloom sprays in 2014 the mineral mix at bloom per acre was 10lbs. micronized sulfur, 10lbs. gypsum, 10lbs. Azomite, 10lbs. ferrous sulfate, 6lbs. sulfate of potash, 6lbs. manganese sulfate, 1.5lbs. Solubor, 1.5lbs. Maxi-crop, 1lb. Nutramin, 1lb. Activate and 4oz. Thermax 70 mixed with 300 gallons of water with constant good mechanical agitation.



Brown Rot Blossom Blight

Brown rot blossom blight is the main problem that we face as organic peach growers. Brown rot can cause twig damage that will continue to create problems at harvest and into the next growing season. Warm moist weather at bloom will create the worst brown rot problem.
Our choices of fungicides are very limited. By being very diligent in our cultural practices we are able to limit our reliance on the fungicides. The nutrient and mineral content of the soil, tree, and the ripening peach need to be kept at high levels through soil amendments and foliar sprays. This creates a healthy tree and nutrient rich peaches which are less susceptible to brown rot and also have the best taste. At harvest time brown rot can become a major problem when humidity is high or when there is rain. At these times we use foliar sprays of rock dust, micronized sulfur, and kelp as a defense. It is important to apply the foliar spray before there is any rain. This spray will decrease the brown rot population before it has a chance to explode.
The micronized sulfur and rock dust sprays in the spring are helpful at lowering the incidence of brown rot.
Varietal difference can be great in peach trees. We have a number of varieties that have fewer brown rot problems year after year. These varieties are: Springcrest and Suncrest. The varieties that are the most problematic are: Red Top, Red Haven, 49ER, and O’Henry.

Peach Leaf Curl

Peach Leaf Curl can be controlled with a late fall and pre-pink bud lime/sulfur spray.
It is not necessary to always use lime/sulfur in the fall and spring. I have gone several years in one test block using only kelp and rock dust sprays with no leaf curl until the fourth year. Unless you have a history of leaf curl problems, you will usually only get a small leaf curl problem the first year, then if that problem is left unchecked it can grow into a horrible leaf curl problem the following year.

Insect Control

Peach twig borer was a problem in the past and now is pretty much gone. I monitor for western flower thrip when the peaches are pea size by tapping a branch with a stick with a piece of paper underneath to count the thrips. When each tap yields a few thrips, then there is enough pressure to spray every other row with a spinosad like Entrust. I recheck every few days and sometimes need a second spray.
Yellow jackets have created a problem in the past. With the small, yellow Sterling trap with the Sterling attractant lure inside, it is possible to trap all of yellow jackets around the farm.
Birds have become less of a problem over the years, even though there are more birds each year that make their nests here.
Bees have been a problem in the early varieties because there is so little wild nectar around at that time of year. Bees prefer flowers to peaches therefore, by not mowing the clover in the orchard it will go to flower and the bees will feed on the nectar.

Pruning

Peach trees produce fruit on one year old wood. Pruning is done to encourage the tree to continue to produce healthy new wood that is 12” to 18” long and 1/4” to 3/8” in diameter. We cut out branches that are too close to each other and any dead or sick, branches or twigs. The best fruiting wood will be horizontal wood.
We do two major pruning each year, the winter pruning and the summer pruning. The orchard spacing is 6’ X 16’. The trees are pruned to be able to harvest all the fruit from the ground without the use of any ladders. We prune out any wood that is from the ground up to about 2 feet. Above 7 1/5’ we leave 2’ of vertical wood that we strip of all fruit. This will take the excess vigor from spring and summer growth. Every year we replace that tallest 2’ of growth.
The winter pruning is done either at the end of the growing season (October), or toward the end of winter(January or February). In October it is easier to see the dead wood. Dead wood harbors more fungus sites than healthy wood and therefore it is important to prune it out. The whole tree needs to be pruned enough so that the branches have space around them. Leave branches that will shade the trunk of the tree with leaves, which will decrease the chance of sunburn. Leave uncut as many 12” to 18” long whips as possible, this is where the majority of fruit will be next year.
Two prunings a year is not a common practice for most peach growers, but by doing a summer pruning you are helping the fruiting wood that will be supporting next years crop. The summer pruning also rids the tree of wood that is too vigorous and branches that are too close together. It is also necessary to reduce the height of the tree to the same height that you pruned during the winter pruning.
To train a newly planted tree the first year, rub off any shoots below 18”. Start pruning when there is about 12” of growth in the spring. Do a small amount of pruning 4 or 5 times during the first summer to get the shape you desire. For central leader shaped trees, select the tallest, straightest shoot to be the central post. Cut a few inches of growth off of all the other branches that are just below the central post. This will give the central post an extra bit of dominance. Start shaping the lower scaffolding by cutting back a branch with a heading cut, making sure that the new branch you are choosing will maintain an angle of 30 to 45 degrees. Too flat an angle combined with a heavy crop could break the branch. In a heavy crop year, it is necessary to tie some of the lower scaffolding branches to the central post.

Thinning

By spending the time to do a good job of thinning we help insure a good crop of large fruit. We thin in early April. Our thinning practices are a little different for each variety. After thinning, we go through the entire orchard again in 3 or 4 weeks and take off all the fruit that is too small. In general, we keep the peaches about 8” apart but this varies by variety. Some years are wet in the spring and the trees are slow to start growing, in these years June drop could be a problem so we leave more peaches on our first thinning pass and thin to what is ultimately desired after June drop has occurred.
If we thin too soon after bloom we run the risk of having split pit in some varieties so we start thinning when the peaches are cherry size.
It requires a lot of energy for the tree to harden the pit in the peaches, so it is best to have all the thinning done before pit hardening time, about 6 weeks after fruit set.

Water

The sprinklers we use are mini-sprinklers. At 20 psi each sprinkler uses 35 gph with a 22’ diameter. We use pressure compensated sprinklers spaced 12 feet apart in the row and the rows are 16 feet apart. With sprinklers at a height of 16”, we can go months before needing to weed around the sprinklers. Every week during the hottest summer months we put on 12 hours of irrigation or about 3” of water split into two applications. Rainbird type sprinklers throw larger droplets of water and beat the ground more than mini-sprinklers do. This can glaze the surface of the soil and not let as much oxygen into the soil.

Harvest

It takes more labor to harvest the peaches the way we do it, but our markets demand ripe, sweet peaches and we get a premium for delivering them that way. During harvest, we will pick through each variety 3-4 times. We only pick the peaches that have good size and color. If left on the trees for a couple more days these peaches would be overripe. We pack the peaches in a single layer box try to sell them the next day. If storage is needed for just one or two days we use a 60 degree cooler. If storage is for 3 or 4 days we store them in a cold storage at 35 degrees and keep the humidity up above 90% by using a humidifier or pouring water on the cement floor.. Within 3-4 days we sell all the peaches at the farmers market. We pick about 3 to 5 days later than we would if we were picking for wholesale.
Any mummies left in the trees will become brown rot fungus sites in the spring. At harvest throw all mummies on the ground. With good biologically active soil the mummies should rot into the soil by fall. In the fall, after the leaves have fallen, any mummies left on the tree need to be picked off and burned or disposed of away from the orchard. If in the fall the mummies are thrown on the ground they will grow through the winter and sporulate in the spring with a mushroom type release of brown rot spores and can cause a terrible brown rot outbreak.

Summary

Talk to other growers and learn what works for them. What varieties, what markets, who pays on time. Go to as many field days and workshops as you can, and when you still don’t have an answer, hire a consultant to help with soils or farm design. It is worth spending the money to learn some more.

Woodleaf Farm is as unique as your farm. The soil here is shallow, the rain is heavier here than in the valley and the frost can damage bloom late into the spring. With the coming of every season there are new challenges that need to be met with thoughtful action. To be successful requires a combination of growing and marketing skills.

Farming can bring great joy if it is done for your soul and to nourish the world and not just to make big money, enjoy!

Carl Rosato
Organic Farming Consultant; soil testing and balancing
[email protected]

 

[Arielle2]

Written in 1973, some information may be archaic but thought it worth posting anyway. May hold a gem or two, at the very least.

Growing Peaches
A short guide to growing peaches, including methods of planting, pruning, and harvesting.

By Richard W. Langer
| January/February 1973

This is what successful cultivation might look like when you've established yourself growing peaches.
PHOTO: FOTOLIA/M. SCHUPPICH
Peaches present the paradox that they'll grow in almost any part of the country, but can be grown well in very few. Still, the smallest peach from your own tree will be tastier than most store-bought ones, even though peaches ship better than many fruits.

The peach needs both cold (below 40°F.) and warmth. Without a winter cold snap, the trees skip their dormant period and become too exhausted to bear. On the other hand, the early-flowering buds are very cold-sensitive. One frost and you're wiped out. And without summer warmth the fruit will not mature. Even so, the geographical range for homegrown peaches is almost nationwide, so try a few trees if at all possible.

Peach Tree Stock
Since peach trees are so widespread but variable in adaptation, it's important to get stock suitable for your region. There are literally thousands of varieties, and although there is none best suited for downtown San Francisco or mid-Manhattan, there is a variety best for your farm. The trees are for the most part self-pollinating. But it's never a good idea to have less than two or three trees of any given fruit.

You'll get your first peaches after three or four years . . . the big yields will take another three. At that stage of the game you can count on four bushels per healthy tree. Spring planting is the best. A sandy or gravelly loam is preferred. Use a northern slope to delay blossoming if you're in an area of late frost.


Pruning Peach Trees
Prepare to butcher your peach tree when you plant it. Peaches don't take too well to transplanting, so you will have to cut back the tops severely in order to encourage root development. Trim the leader back almost a third of the total plant height, making sure to cut just above a branch. The new leader will emerge from the junction and you don't want dead wood above it. Prune all the branches back to one and two-inch stubs. The effect you want is a spiked mini-flagpole. From the stubs eliminate all but three or four of the new buds that appear in the summertime. The object of the game is to develop a tree with three or four main branches rising together . . . in other words, a treehouse tree rather than a climbing one.

Regular spring maintenance pruning is the same as for other trees. Get rid of dead branches and shape the tree to be open and without crisscrossing branches. Also, when the tree begins to bear, you will have to thin out fruit growing too close together. One peach to every four or five inches of branch is plenty for it to bear. Even so, if a mature tree lets its branches droop heavily with fruit, you may have to support the branches with braces. Peach trees are prone to natural pruning; that is, branches break off from the weight of too much fruit.


Tree Problems and Solutions
Most peach tree problems will not strike a healthy tree. And those that are serious enough to destroy the tree won't be stopped by all the chemicals or anything else around, unless you kill the tree first anyhow. So sit back and let nature take its course. Fertilize your trees with nitrogen-rich compost in early spring to boost plant growth. Mulch the orchard, but keep the mulch at least two feet from the trunks to minimize peach tree borers. Prune away dead branches and those with injured bark, and pick off any strange bugs or their nests that you spot.

Harvesting Peaches
Pick peaches when soft enough to give slightly under light thumb pressure. You've squeezed peaches at your local green-grocer's. Same principle, different fruit . . . the ones you pick ripe off the tree are much more nourishing. Twist fruit up and out as with others.

Peaches not fully ripe can be picked for storage if the season is running out on you, but be sure not to bruise them. Even gently harvested, they won't store for more than three or four weeks in a cool cellar. Make jam of the extras . . . peach jam rivals apricot for sheer lusciousness.

 

[Arielle2]

https://woodleaffarm.com/improvements/

WOW, with a change in methods look at the improvement in healthy trees, better fruit quality, and LESS spraying!!


INSECTS: Insect problems have generally diminished over time. Aphids and Lepidopteran pests (especially, peach tree twig borer and oriental fruit moth) have decreased over time at Woodleaf farm. Bt was applied in the early 1990s for peach tree twig borer and oriental fruit moth, but has not been used since the 1990s. Thrips have been a problem at Woodleaf, but damage has decreased since Carl began to manage his ground covers to provide habitat for predators and parasites of insect pests. Carl manages the mowing timing of his ground cover/living mulch and allows the ground cover to flower and seed in the orchard until harvest. The flowering ground cover provides food and habitat for predators and parasites who provide biological control of pests. In 2012 the only insect spray applied at woodleaf was a half spray (every other row middle) of a certified organic microbial material (Spinosad) for western flower thrips and Drosophila.

DISEASES: Disease problems and spraying for disease have decreased over time at Woodleaf farm. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Woodleaf sprayed certified organic fungicides pre-bloom and during bloom (2-3 sprays) for brown rot and leaf curl on peaches. After his brown rot research (1992 through 1996), Carl began a new spray program utilizing a micro-nutrient mineral mix 1-3 times during bloom. His disease management system also includes management of the living mulch/perennial ground cover and attention to orchard hygiene (including removing diseased fruit/mummies as well as pruning timing and tree size).

WOODLEAF FARM DISEASE MANAGEMENT

DISEASE MANAGERMENT HISTORY: Disease problems and spraying for disease have decreased over time at Woodleaf farm. Brown rot was the main issue, causing up to 30% damage to ripe fruit some years in the 1980s and early 1990s. In the late 1980s and into the late 1990s, Woodleaf sprayed copper pre-bloom for leaf curl and wettable sulfur (15-20 lbs. per acre) during bloom (2-4 sprays) for brown rot on peaches. In the late 1990s, Carl was concerned about a rise in soil copper levels. Hence, informed by his 1992-1995 brown rot research (see Experiment below), Carl began a new spray program in the mid-1990s, dropping copper and utilizing a mineral mix (including kelp, minerals, and micronized sulfur at 8 to 15 pounds/acre) 1-4 times during bloom, depending on precipitation (more sprays during wet springs). Micronized sulfur, which is a standard practice material used by organic peach growers for brown rot management, is part of Woodleaf’s bloom spray mineral mix. However, sulfur is now used at a lower rate (8 lbs/acre in 2013, 10 lbs per acre in 2014) due to the greater efficacy of micronized sulfur (compared to the old wettable spray sulfur materials) and Woodleaf’s success with its mineral mix bloom sprays.

Brown rot bloom sprays in 2014 were a mix of: 10lbs. micronized sulfur, 10lbs. gypsum, 10lbs. Azomite, 10lbs. ferrous sulfate, 6lbs. sulfate of potash, 6lbs. manganese sulfate, 1.5lbs. Solubor, 1.5lbs. Maxi-crop, 1lb. Nutramin, 1lb. Activate and 4oz. Thermax 70 mixed with 300 gallons of water with constant good mechanical agitation.

The marketable peach crop in 2013 was 79% premium grade, 17% off-grade (lower price), and 4% lost to brown rot damage.

Woodleaf’s disease management system also includes managing the living mulch/perennial ground cover (mowing during wet/humid weather) and strict attention to orchard hygiene. Orchard hygiene includes: removing all diseased fruit/mummies as well as pruning timing, and a smaller, open tree size and shape. In three fields with deficient soil copper levels, Carl is considering spraying copper pre-bloom for brown rot in 2014 or 2015. Woodleaf still manages for Fireblight on apples and pears regularly at bloom, using Carl’s mineral mix, Seranade (Bacillus subtilis), and Blossom Protect (Aureobasidium pullulans). Peach leaf curl is treated every fall, using lime sulfur. Other diseases, such as powdery mildew on peaches and apples and apple scab have decreased or remained stable at approximately 5-10 % cosmetic damage annually over time. The micronized sulfur in Woodleaf’s 2-4 bloom sprays on apples and pears may be helping to manage apple scab and powdery mildew on apples. Apple scab is a disease that Woodleaf’s apple-growing neighbors spray for regularly throughout the growing season.

Experiment: Peach Brown Rot Control 1992-1995 (Organic Farming Research Foundation Grant # 92-26). Two rows of a very Brown rot susceptible peach variety (O’Henry) were divided into three replicated sections and sprayed with 11 substances for brown rot suppression in 1992 and 10 substances in 1993 (see total list of tested substances below). The most successful treatments, resulting in the least brown rot and highest yields in the experiment plots were: dry kelp plus basalt rock (55% marketable fruit); dry kelp alone (42%); compost tea + pink mucoid yeast (Aureobasidium pullulans) (41%); and hydrogen peroxide + pink mucoid yeast (40%). These treatments out-performed the common practice organic disease controls, used alone at the following rates: copper (10 lbs. /acre) and sulfur (20 lbs. /acre). The Aureobasidium pullulans yeast was found on the leaves of Woodleaf peach trees and cultured by Chuck Sellers.

In 1994 20 Royal Glo test trees were sprayed with the 4 substances that had performed best in 1992 and 1993, compared to a control of the standard practice sulfur treatment (three replicates of each spray treatment, with an unsprayed buffer tree between each sprayed tree). Test trees were sprayed four times during bloom and four times at weekly intervals before harvest with:

1. Basalt rock dust at four lbs. per acre.

2. Wilbur – Ellis Spray sulfur at 15 lbs. per acre.

3. Aureobasidium Pullulans yeast (at 10 to the seventh power concentration) 1.5 gallons per tree.

4. Algrow kelp at three lbs. per acre.

5. A mixture of the rock dust, yeast and kelp.

Results were not statistically significant in 1994, but the basalt rock, kelp, andAureobasidium Pullulans performed as well as the 15 pounds of sulfur. In 1995, the whole orchard received 8 mineral and kelp foliar sprays from just after bloom until harvest; foliar sprays consisted of: Hydrolyzed fish meal, Algrow kelp, basalt rock dust, Azomite, Soluble gypsum, corn calcium, apple cider vinegar, and sulfur. Before application of these 8 foliar sprays, at peach bloom, three spray treatments and a control plot of sulfur were compared on 12 Red Haven peach trees (three trees of each spray treatment). All test trees were separated by an unsprayed buffer tree. Four bloom sprays were applied every five to seven days from pink bud to petal fall to test the following materials:

1. Basalt rock dust at four pounds per acre of dust.

2. Wilbur – Ellis Spray sulfur at 20 lbs. per acre.

3. Nutribiotic (grapefruitseed extract) at 1,000PPM

In 1995, the basalt rock dust trees yielded more than twice the control trees, with 2 1/2 times less brown rot.

Overall, from 1992 through 1995, the most successful treatments, resulting in the least brown rot and highest yields were mixtures of materials with rock dust, minerals (including sulfur), and kelp. These treatments out-performed common organic disease controls, normally used alone at the following rates: copper (8-16 lbs. /acre) or sulfur (15-20 lbs. /acre). Both are standard practice for organic peach growers in California, however neither sulfur nor copper are recommended for brown rot control by university of California Extension or IPM programs (http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r602100111.html#MANAGEMENT). Woodleaf now uses sulfur only as part of the bloom spray mix and at a lower rate of 8 – 10lbs. per acre. If there is a wet spring year Woodleaf will go as high as 15lbs per acre of sulfur during bloom.

The total list of substances tested at Woodleaf 1992-1995 included:

• Kelp (dry and liquid)
• Basalt rock plus dry and liquid kelp
• Rado rock plus dry and liquid kelp
• Compost tea #1 ((liquid kelp, molasses, basalt rock, and 10 gallons of finished compost)
• Compost tea #2 (liquid kelp, molasses, basalt rock, and 10 gallons of finished compost/acre plus brewer’s malt and fish meal)
• Compost tea plus pink mucoid yeast (Aureobasidium pullulans)
• Hydrogen peroxide plus pink mucoid yeast (Aureobasidium pullulans)
• Blend of basalt rock, dry kelp, hydrogen peroxide, compost tea, white wine vinegar, and pink mucoid yeast (Aureobasidium pullulans)
• Azomite (montmorillonite clay) and liquid kelp
• Copper 10 lbs. per acre.
• Wettable sulfur 20 lbs. per acre
• Citicidial grapefruit seed extract
• Wine and raw apple cider mixed with water to a pH of 2.8 and applied at 300 gallons/acre
• Irrigation water applied at 300 gallons/acre (control)

Thanks to Rodale Institute’s Your 2 Cents Fund and Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education who funded this project.

WEEDS: Handweeding and tractor cultivation has significantly decreased over time at Woodleaf. Mowing of living mulches has increased. Mowing to manage weeds/competition is also part of the disease, insect, and fertility management system. Timing of mowing the living mulch and the prunings (which are the “chipped branch wood” organic residue amendment part of the fertility management system) revolves around best timing for enhancing insect/disease biological control.

 

[Arielle2]

Those garden boxes seeded a month ago are just popping now. THe potatos hae broke domancy and are 2-4 inches high now. Peas are 6-8 inches.

The seeds just waited for warmer weather to start. Cool weather crops are not as cool weather as I beleived. lol

 

[Arielle2]

Planting those 3 cherries has been a time challenge, injury challenge and crisis challenge.
First of 3 holes are dug and ammended. First tree is soaking in very dilute liquid fertilizer ( miracle grow) and buds are breaking. Praying they are planted in time to survive.

Planning to keep all the roots from the digging to add back into the soil to up the woodland fungi microbes.