Apple Tree

Last spring, a friend and I went to Garfield Farm for an apple tree grafting seminar. We left with 6 apple trees - which my friend graciously donated to our future orchard. I planted all 6 of them in our Chicago yard so that I could water them regularly and keep an eye on them.

Well, we must not be very good grafters, because only one lived. But the one that did - it is looking mighty fine! It is a Gala variety. It is still in my Chicago backyard and I plan to give it one more year of TLC and then it will relocate to Wisc with us.

Here are a couple of photos of the trusses from the hoophouse field day. I was pretty busy working so I didn't take as many photos as I should have.

Apple Tree Grafting

What fun! We used the Whip graft. The instructor has authored a book (not yet published) that researches heirloom apples and he has gotten permission to use 2500 water color depictions from the USDA archives. He said that often these watercolors are the only record of some of the heirlooms that we have lost. I'll keep my eye out for that for sure!

We had three scions to chose from. Gala (a good eating choice), Hornberger Pancake (cooking) and Summer Pearmain (eating and cooking). Dan said that all 3 should be self-pollinating.

My friend Mimi went with me. She doesn't have any space or desire for apple trees, so she gave me hers. So I have six trees (2 of each variety). I was instructed to keep them in the refrigerator for one month and then plant in the garden for one year to baby them. Next year we can move them to their permanent location. This works great - since Bill and I haven't quite decided where to place the orchard at the farm.

After we grafted, we took a walk around the farm.

There were four Milking Devon Cattle steers.

Garfield Farm is working to restore a 370 acre, former 1840s Illinois prairie farmstead and teamster inn as an 1840s working farm and inn museum. To say that it is cool is an understatement!

And, the best part was that I got a farm fix! Its been almost 5 weeks since we've been to our farm in Wisc! Luckily we are going this weekend.

Seed Starting - is there such a thing as too many?

I may have overdone it this time. I told Bill that I can always give extras away to friends and family.


Ground Cherry (5)
The Grow the Change blog had the brilliant recommendation to dry ground cherries - she says they are similar to raisins. Now this I have to try!

Peppers - 45 plants
Czech Black (5)
Hot Portugal (5)
Paprika Alma (5)
Serrano (5)
Jalapeno (5)
Mini Red Bell (5)
Chili de Comidia (5)
Quadrato d'Asti Giallo (5)
Romanian Hot (5)

Tomatoes - 50 plants
Sweetie (5)
Yellow Brandywine (5)
Principe Borghese (5)
Purple Russian (5)
White Beauty or Snowball (5)
Caro Rich (5)
Green Zebra (5)
Illini Star (5)
Costaluto Genovese (5)
Santiam (5)

I haven't even begun to think about herbs yet.

On Sunday I am going to a heirloom apple grafting seminar at Garfield Farm (http://www.garfieldfarm.org/) - I have never been to this farm museum but I am greatly looking forward to seeing it and learning how to graft. The instructor specializes in heirloom trees in Southern Wisc! I look forward to meeting him!