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| Oxen enjoying the sun |
This morning our group returned to blueberry pruning. This day was different than the other times at Blue Ox Farm for one reason. The sun was shining!!! Here's a photo of the oxen at Blue Ox, enjoying the sun as well as the pruners, heading to the van to enjoy a treat left by the farm's generous cookie maker, Michael. Thanks again, they were delicious!
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| Heading back for the van |
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| Red barn at Cold Spring Orchard |
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| Juice extracting machine |
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| grape crushing machine |
In the afternoon, we had the surprise pleasure of being invited to tour and prune at Cold Spring Orchard and Research Center, a part of the University of Massachusetts' agricultural extension. We met up with Sonia, who had come last week to work with us on small fruits cultivation. She showed us the commercial area as well as some of the tools for grape juice and wine making. She also offered to send us home with some of her trial wines and ciders.
We then went out to the vineyards where Sonia explained the varieties being grown and how best to tend to them. Then we partnered up to reduce tangled masses of vines into tidy cordons (the horizontal trunk) with 10 spurs on each cordon and 2 or three buds on each new growth on the spur. See the "before" and "after" photos of Justin's and my work.
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| Sonia explains the research trellising systems |
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| The trellis facing west. |
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| BEFORE pruning |
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| AFTER pruning (note Emily and Sophia's progress) |
On our way to Cold Spring Orchard, the University of Massachusetts's working and research fruit farm, we had a treat. We found out that Kiyoshi, quiet runner, hard-working farmer and exquisite needle-felter, has a wonderful singing voice!
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