The New trees are late

The new trees that had been ordered are not going to arrive on time.

I had planned on getting the additional trees planted this coming weekend. But unfortunately due to the severe weather in some parts of Britain in the past couple of weeks its not going to happen. The Nursery has not been able to take the trees out of the ground.
The trees should arrive on 4th December, with some luck. The later half of National Tree planting week.

I have various friends and family coming to help, and have had to let people know that this weekend's work is cancelled. Lets try next week. I hope everyone turns up.

I wanted to get everything done ASAP, so that all the trees are in the ground before the frosts take a grip or really bad weather hits Warwickshire.

My wife and I have already put markers in the ground so we know where the trees are going to be planted.

I have also seen on Google maps that when doing a street view you can see the trees. This is nice, and a little scary.

I have recently read Harmony A New Way of Looking at Our World by H.R.H. Prince of Wales, Tony Juniper, Ian Skelly. The book was great, I really enjoyed it, even orchards get a mention, as do bee's and so much more. Its almost a gateway to lots of ideas and thoughts. I plan to re-read it and make notes, on ideas and people that deserve more research.

After reading this book, I felt that Prince Charles is in a very fortunate position of being able to talk to some of the leading experts in various fields and bring ideas and thoughts together. He seems to have been at the forefront of many ideas, for the past 20 years, organic farming, traditional crafts, slow food etc. He in his position is able to meet and learn from experts that they are doing the real work discovering and protecting things, in a way that most people can't. He can then implement the suggestions and ideas.

I kind of long for that; access to those people, so that I to can learn what we should be doing and how things are progressing.

Replaced broken posts

Checked on the trees yesterday morning. It was a beautiful morning, bright, not that cold, quiet and the sun was pushing its rays and forcing them to refect the light on the tree leaves.

I have replaced a number of posts and checked on the trees. Some of the original posts have started to deteriorate but I have a number kept in storage. Just in case. I hope the trees will not need this level of protection for much longer.

I have seen a number of additional mole and worm mounds, this means that the land has had time to rest and is attracting the insects and animals that should be in an orchard. Its nice to see.

I have started to talk to people to help out with the next round of planting which will be on the 27th. I have a number of volunteers hopefully the weather will be nice, if its like its was on Sunday it would be perfect.

Today since I awoke it has been raining and it still raining.

I want to talk to my local Councillors to plan more trees in Birmingham, especially as they are planning on redeveloping the city centre. A small orchard, 20 trees or so that people can walk by, and and enjoy. But large glorious trees. Perhaps some other types of traditional trees, Oaks, chestnuts etc.

The pretty leaves are falling down

Its autumn the leaves are bright and colourful, I know its getting colder but its beautiful. The colours of the trees are varying, some of the trees have lost all the leaves but most still have leaves which are gold and yellows, some browns and the occasional red.

I have fed the bees and incurred a single sting.I noticed that one of the peach trees has had lots of digging around it. I have also seen lots of mole mounds. All seems well and very pretty.

As the photograph shows lots of ladybirds still around. I have noticed a number of the posts used around the trees are broken and need replacing.

More work getting ready for winter

I've been doing more routine tidying up and getting ready for winter. I have put wood shavings around the roots of trees, that should rot down and become compost. I had my son with me and he was not happy, it was cold and windy and he just wanted me to take him home. I have done a couple of rows and have to apply some compost and bone-meal to encourage the trees to grow this will take a couple more weekends.

I had to work with my son sat on my shoulders, that was hard. I wouldn't recommend it. I have had some rabbit damage and have now pee'ed around the tree and put on a new rabbit guard. I hope that will deter the blighter's.

I also visited Ryton Gardens spoke to a couple of people about what I should be doing to prep up for winter. It was apple day. Tried some apples and juice. I did a taste test with my wife of egremont russet one organic and one not, we both thought the organic was much better sweeter, softer. However it had a lot more bumps and wasn't a nice circle shape.

The picture shows my wife holding an organic egremont russet at Ryton Gardens, in the orchard.

Getting ready for winter

Its been a busy day today, however the past couple of weeks have been slow. The bees are taking down the sugar syrup and they have now consumed over 45 kg's of sugar.

I have been doing lots of weeding, today and getting ready to put the trees to sleep for the winter. Clearing out the area around the trees; clearing them of weeds etc, as the pictures show.

Next week I will put wood shaving and straw around the trees to absorb water and rot down and become compost. I have done three, rows of clearing and will finish the process hopefully next weekend.

I listened to the food program on Radio 4 which was on Northern Orchards. Very interesting. Julian Templeton was mentioned, Julian is an orchard owner and cider maker that I met last year at his orchard in Dorset. He is a bit of a legend in the orchard/cider world. He s famous for supplying cider to Glastonbury, war with the tax man and so much more.

Also at the orchard I have seen loads of ladybirds, snails, spiders etc. The weather was beautiful blue sky's, green grass and just me and the trees. Listening to music and enjoying the day, and the trees.

I noticed a couple of things, I have seen some blossom on a couple of apple trees, and it smells beautiful. Some dandelions and daisy's still in flower. This is strange but in general the trees are starting to lose leaves etc. While watching the bees I noticed them still bringing in pollen. not bad for the time of year.

More Trees ordered

I made a mistake this week, I spilt some sugar syrupy in the roof of the hive. This could be disastrous. It could attract other bees or wasps and mean that my bees would have to defend themselves from other insects, perhaps even birds.

I have also ordered additional trees, all fruit, apple, pear, plum and cherry.

Last week we had the grass cut, my brother did most of the work, and that should be the last cut of the year. At the same time we put about 10 kgs of flower seed and grass seed down.

Microscope Course

This week I attended a course on Bee Microscopy. I used various microscopes; dissection and compound microscopes. I used the dissection one to dissect a bee and examine it for bee illnesses like Acarine and using the same microscope I would be able to see Varroa.

Then I used a compound microscope to look at other bee illnesses like nosema. The day was a success. I found it interesting and difficult. Need more practice though.

I then looked at identifying pollen both on its own and in honey. I have been given a number of chemicals to help me further my studies on my own. I already have a basic compound microscope and am looking to get a dissection microscope. It will be useful not just for the bees but on the orchard as a whole.