Author Archives: Biologicalenrichment

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About Biologicalenrichment

I started a farm in the early 1980’s called Oikos Tree Crops. It was once a 13 acre pasture and overtime became a forest. Today I am dedicated more than ever to finding, preserving, creating and disseminating a wide variety of food plants. At my farm I explore new plants and healthy ways to raise them. I currently focus my attention on my seed repository while providing seeds and bring these new discoveries to the public at large. My farm is one of the oldest and most diverse maintained tree crop plantings in the U.S. using many plants from around the world as a form of global agroforestry applied at a local level. Every plant grown on my farm is grown from seeds. I use the tree crop philosophy as a means to expand the use of perennial, woody tree and shrub crops raised from seed without the use of chemical and high energy inputs.The two story agriculture is alive and well at Oikos Tree Crops. This blog highlights ecological enrichment as a means to improve human health and raise awareness of the possibilities of creating a healthy earth and a wealthy farmer. My story is told by describing my 50 years of farming and life experiences surrounding agriculture filled with my love of nature and my constant search for a greater diversity beyond the cultivar on a global stage.

Chinquapin Chestnut On the Move

In the shadow of the hardwood forests of North America lies a well kept treasure rarely cultivated. It is a small nut shrub called the chinquapin. Unlike any number of chestnut trees cultivated or wild, the chinquapin is mostly thought … Continue reading

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Hog Peanut Moves to the Light

Once a seed repository is built up including varietal selections like Crispy Snack, seeds can be used for the production of the tubers. You can pelletize the seed for greater uniformity and inoculate it with appropriate nitrogen fixing bacteria. It … Continue reading

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The Perfect Plum

One of my early nursery experiences with another nursery owner on the west coast was with plums. He was producing an Asian species from seed like gangbusters. I started seeing them in the some of the giant retailers like Gurney … Continue reading

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The Edible Rose

Starting in the early 90’s I started a collection of species roses at my farm. I would plant different cultivated rose seeds that I found in my area or wild roses I found on vacation. I placed the seeds in … Continue reading

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Beautiful Orderly Plants

Under a powerline ground to sawdust by the tree services of Consumers Power is an autumn olive bush which resprouted creating this one bud sport or sprout which is variegated. From a hundred sprouts only one is variegated. Variegation can … Continue reading

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Seeds Create-For the Love of Water

“Seeds are a source of wonder. They are objects of ernest inquiry in man’s ceaseless search for understanding of living things. Seeds protect and sustain life. Seeds are wealth. They are beauty. They are a symbol-a symbol of beginnings. They … Continue reading

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Discovery from Seeds

Sometimes its the small things that matter. Growing plants from seeds and finding traits that are inherited over time in a population of plants is a joy for me. I have no idea why I like it. I just find … Continue reading

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Full Seeds Ahead

Every time I see seeds on a rack in a store I stop. They are always very organized. The packets jump off the rack. They are small and easy to pick. It is like the space between your hand and … Continue reading

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Seeds: River Cane, Pawpaw, Apple, Sloe Plum, Soybean

There is always something new to learn from plants. Growing them from seeds adds to the anticipation of discovery and connection to the natural world. When I grew plants in my nursery we use to routinely sell seeds along with … Continue reading

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Meanwhile Back at the Grocery Store

For many years I would keep the pits of some of my favorite grocery store fruit and try to grow them at my farm. Everything looks so spectacular coming exclusively from California. Everything is also patented and totally illegal to … Continue reading

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