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Seasonal Progress In 2009

We though it might be nice to update people on what happens during the year at MacKie Farms. It's quite interesting if your up for the challenges! We pride ourselves in every step we make in producing the ripest peaches.

Winter is a time of rest for the fruit trees and a lack of rest for the orchardist! Cleaning  around the trees, pruning, and shaping them are the main chores.

Some of the challenges is the prevailing wind in the high desert and the very cold night temperatures. The wind not only shapes the trees by turning the limbs but burns the new growth to a point where that growth may freeze or die back. We also take the opportunity to clean the bowls around the trees to be sure no wood borers have an opportunity to damage young trees. Weeds and brush are easier to remove during this time as well.

On the warmer, dry days we paint the trunk up to the lowest limbs to protect from sunburn and little critters that love to eat the young bark. We call it “prepping for the season”. As winter draws to a close, a last look at each tree for splitting or other winter damage is important. Loss of sap or possible disease is to be avoided if at all possible. We have chosen not to use sprays so a good “manicure” is very critical to the health of each tree during the time when the cold will assist in controlling insect and disease issues. A good clean bowl eliminates the competition for the fertilizer in the spring and allows the tree to use all the water available to it. I must say, it’s much easier to see the tree structure and to make the necessary corrections when there isn’t leaves hiding the little evils you look for. Very peaceful and rewarding work.

Throughout the Spring and Summer we have been working mostly on the water irrigation and weed management. Although we have no harvest this year due to a frost in April, it has allowed us more time to to develop the trees to a much more healthier state. With added fertilizer they appear to be much more vibrant than the prior year. We continue to seek options to help us during the winter months to protect the blooms from freezing next year.

Here is our latest addition to the orchard. It is the first time we have ever seen a rust colored lizard. We have consulted a herpetologist and, they too, are at a loss of how it got it's color. We are waiting to see if it sheds it's skin.