life & loss on the farm
Last month, we hosted a fruit tree grafting workshop with our friend and neighbor Richard. Participants were shown a few trees that we had grafted in previous years (under Richard’s guidance), as well as a couple of failed grafts to learn from. Next, Richard demonstrated for us how to graft a fruiting pear tree onto an invasive (non-fruiting) Bradford pear tree. It was a privilege to watch this master at work, as he thoughtfully explained each step of the process to us. We’ve included some photos of the workshop below. Thanks to everyone who made it out, and especially to Richard for generously sharing his expertise!
A few days after the grafting workshop, our area was hit by the most intense hail storm seen in decades. The force of the storm stripped leaves from every tree and bush, leaving the ground covered in green. Our elderberry trees were stripped nearly bare, and we lost most of this year’s developing fruit, including pears, apples, mulberries, and blackberries. While we don’t expect much of a harvest this year, we are hopeful most of the plants will survive. We feel fortunate to have preserved harvests from last year in our freezer and jars so we’ll have plenty of elderberry treats for the concert this month.
It is also with heavy hearts that we share the loss of our beloved dog, Arvo, earlier this month. As many of you know, Arvo was the loyal guardian of Farmata, protecting our livestock and crops from predators. Arvo was good at his job and more importantly, he was so good to us. We miss our dear friend more than words can describe.
There is a lot of death on a farm, to be sure. But there is also so much life. We’re surrounded by it. Surrounded by trees (and so much grass…), birds, insects, ducks quacking, and our child laughing. We will continue to press on and try our best to cultivate life here at Farmata. We’ve planned some really special concerts for this summer - we hope to see you there.
