Planting the Blueberry Bushes

Our good friends, the Heplers, got us hooked on the high bush Patriot Blueberries. Bruce's father, Dr. P.R. Hepler, developed the Patriot Blueberry bush when he was a faculty member at the University of Maine at Orono. For years I have picked berries at his mom's house where the blueberry patch is as large as a tennis court. My family has always gobbled them up before I have been able to do anything with them.  This year I made low sugar blueberry jam for friends and family. I can't count the compliments I have received on this jam, so we are starting our own blueberry field ourselves in the fruit orchard.

Another Farmall Tractor for Parts

Earlier this week we discovered that the old Farmall tractor had a flat tire! Just when we thought we were going to remove the pine tree stumps from the new garden area. So it was time to scour Craigslist for a parts Farmall tractor. We found one in New Hampshire that has beautiful tires and a sickle bar.

Thanks Dad and Jake for sacrificing your day in travel for this beauty!

Starting the Orchard

The time has finally come, we've just purchased our first 6 apple trees from O'Donal's Nursery: Honey Crisp Gold,Liberty Gold,McIntosh,Royal Gala, Freedom, and Cortland. We are very excited to start our apple orchard. In order for an apple orchard to be successful, you need two different varieties of trees for cross pollination. We decided to get six different trees for variety.

We also purchased three blueberry bushes, two Patriot and one Northland. They too need at least two varieties to cross pollenate. Maybe it's time to be thinking about asking our friend Doug to bring his bees over to pollinate our new fruit trees and bushes.