Tag Archives: agriculture

Cuppa Tea?

Anyone that has worked for me or comes to my farm in any capacity, knows I will ask them if they would like a cup of tea. I would always ask. There is a Kinks song, I would sing to … Continue reading

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The Island of Plant Production: Small Nursery

When I first started my nursery, I soon found many nursery people who were in the plant business from their family. They had large farms devoted to plant production. Some were connected to the Christmas tree industry while others came … Continue reading

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Wild Strawberry Sense of Humor

Everyone loves wild strawberries. It’s a universal fruit with universal appeal. The flavor is always rich in gold. They are impossible to resist. Here grows a small perennial plant that effortlessly skips along the ground rooting as it goes through … Continue reading

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Yew and I Will Grow It

I have always been fond of yew. It was one of those species that inspired me to grow trees in my mind. Where in creation is yew?  For me it was only in photographs. Like the one above, I saw … Continue reading

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Diversity Rises in the Forest: Wild Black Cherry

I did not grow the wild black cherry at my farm.  It grew by itself. Today it self-seeds freely under my tree crops. It is a native tree found from Guatemala to Canada. This huge range has great diversity. Almost … Continue reading

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Peach Nirvana: Peaches from Pits

The very first peach I had ever seen growing on a tree was from a backyard gardener next to my family home in central Michigan. Peaches were not common there because of the late frosts and cold winters. My neighbor … Continue reading

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Regeneration of the Land

USING THE LAWS OF NATURE FOR MAKING DIVERSITY SPONTANEOUS My 13-acre nursery was a very tiny island amidst the retail oceans of the plant world. I wanted to expand it to larger proportions but that was not possible. I always … Continue reading

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Diversity Discovered: The Wild Goose Plum

North America is filled with wild plums.There is no shortage nor threat to the wild plum. They can be increased in number very easily. There are seeds available from many seed companies and individuals who love to find them as … Continue reading

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Canopy Closure: A Hickory Tree Makes That Happen

The first trees I planted outside of my nursery into the pasture were hickories. It was in the early 80’s that I acquired the property and began my nursery. The snap shot above tells the story. At that time, people … Continue reading

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Explorations of Diversity: The Sloe Plum is Not That Slow

Within the first decade of my tree farm  I planted many wild seedling fruits on my farm. Some of these are the wild crop relatives of sour cherry, sweet cherry, plums and apricots as well as species that are wild … Continue reading

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