Note from the Founder: March

What gives you hope?

Normally one wouldn’t think that an annual report would inspire hope. But when I read the annual report (written by our Program Director Rachel Levi) summarizing the progress we’ve made on establishing an organic pear orchard at EarthDance, I got butterflies in my stomach.

A big smile appeared on my face as if someone had just handed me a pie. We’re changing the way even we think of farms and orchards, and nature is once again our lead instructor.

In the winter of 2013, we applied for a $7,500 grant to establish an organic pear orchard of 60 trees at EarthDance, to carry out a market research survey with area produce buyers, and to host two workshops for growers in our region on orchard site and variety selection, and fruit tree grafting. Why pears? Because they’re one of the fruits that tend to perform better in our region under organic growing conditions.

A year later, we have had a paradigm shift. We have realized a few things:

  • The orchard doesn’t need to be in one big block stuck off in a corner somewhere
  • It will perform better if it does not contain only pears
  • The fruit trees also don’t need to be planted on even ground; why not take advantage of the contours of the farm?

We decided to mix it up!

Instead of only planting pears, Assistant Farm Manager Matt Lebon created a planting sequence of species that mixes various European and Asian pears, as well as a smaller number of apple, cherry, prunus (peaches and plums), pawpaws, and a mix of native trees with edible fruit or nuts.

Instead of planting all of the fruit trees in one square block, we’re planting them all across the farm, creating “alleys” where our veggies are growing. (This aptly-named technique is called “alleycropping.”)

Instead of planting the trees on even ground, we’re planting them in berms, just downhill of swales that slow the flow of water, allowing it to sink in for nearby plants, which will both reduce our irrigation expenses and help stabilize the berms themselves.

“We have transformed our plan from a segregated pear orchard to a mixed orchard, integrated with vegetable crops. We are confident that this altered plan will make the orchard more resilient against disease, and the farmscape more beautiful.”

Which reminds me….there are two permaculture principles at play here!

  • Integrate rather than segregate.
  • Use and value diversity.

Can you see how permaculture can apply to social systems as well?

A big lesson for me here is that while an established plan is super duper helpful, keeping your mind open to new insights leads to unexpected, important contributions. Guided by long-time growers Guy Ames and Mark Shepard, as well as the intuition and research of our farmers, we have altered our plan towards a course that will produce greater yields, increase resilience to beauty, pest, disease, and drought, and make the farmscape more beautiful.

If you’re interested in learning more about our “permaculture orchard,” I encourage you to attend the free film screening we will be hosting on March 27th/or to come plant fruit trees with us on Saturday, March 28th!

From a farm in Ferguson,