Leaf It To Me

Joseph Imre

It is once again autumn in Ontario. While the leaves have only begun to change colour, work at the farm is ramping up before colder months settle in. Our walnut orchard has fought hard to live through one of the hottest and driest summers on record. Maintenance of the orchard over the next few months will require regular weeding to give our saplings the most sunlight possible, and install tree guards to protect the trees from unwanted pests who often chew the young bark. Here are some photos of the orchard and the farm as fall takes hold. Enjoy.

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Some of the walnut trees have grown enough to tower over the weeds below. Without weeding however, the weeds would quickly cover our walnut saplings.

 

We will be spending the good part of the fall weeding and maintaining the orchard to keep weeds at bay.
We will be spending the good part of the fall weeding and maintaining the orchard to keep weeds at bay.
Seeing the trees survive such a harsh summer has brought us so much happiness at the farm.
Seeing the trees survive such a harsh summer has brought us so much happiness at the farm.
Another beautiful fall day at the farm affords us a productive and rewarding day of work.
Another beautiful fall day at the farm affords us a productive and rewarding day of work.

Waiting on Mother Nature

Joseph Imre

For those in Ontario, you will be familiar with the fact that this summer has been one of the driest on record. We have had a lot of issues at the farm as a result of a lack of rain and we worry that the orchard will suffer. Our greatest concern at the moment is that we could lose more than twenty percent of the walnut trees. There hasn’t been a solid life-giving rain in our area for months and our farm still lacks a usable well. Our next plan of action if no rain arrives in the area is to bring in a few truck shipments of water. A costly venture but a necessary one at this point. Otherwise, we are at the mercy of mother nature. Here are some photos of the dry conditions at the orchard. Having recently weeded the orchard you can see how dry the grass is between the rows. Let’s hope we get some rain soon.

The walnut trees appear to be holding up against the dry conditions, but the grass has turned yellow and the soil is like dust.
The walnut trees (and some weeds as well) appear to be holding up against the dry conditions, but the grass has turned yellow and the soil is like dust.
With no solid rain for months the orchard and surrounding fields have become bone-dry
With no solid rain for months, the orchard and surrounding fields have become bone-dry
The walnut trees are still doing well amid one of the driest summers on record.
The walnut trees are still doing well amid one of the driest summers on record. You can see that the leaves are still green. If yellow leaves start appearing at the top of the tree then it will most assuredly not survive.