Cycles of life

It has really being a long time since the last post.  I don't really have an excuse but if I have to make an attempt just walk pass the new orchards and vineyards planted.  

All is in the soil and the first buds already showing.  The new plants are really looking healthy and very happy in  their new enviroment.  Our new irrigation system out of the VanDerMerwe dam is working well.

The new harvest for apricots really looks promising with the orchards which didn't produce any fruit last year trying to make up for it.  Lots of fruit on the dried apricots cultivars and the Bullida orchard maybe less fruit but nothing to complain about.  We will be hammering them with fertilizers the next three weeks to enhance size and quality to make this a succesful season. 

The peaches a lot less fruit than the promising flowering period.  Not a bad thing because you have to thin peaches.  This means nice big peaches.  The people that know tell me that you don't always loose that much yield if you thin effective and early.  We will be finishing the thining process this week.  The rule of thumb for the guys with peach trees in the garden is a peach every 15cm with not more than 4 peaches per cane. 

We also started our spraying with mostly attention keeping down the primary population of fungi and insects.  For those in town you can really help your local friendly farmers by also supporting it by spraying the necessary Mercaptithion with sugar mix.  Buy it at the local AgriVillage or just putting out a mixture of Petrol,  Diesel and water.  Put this in a plastic holder with a hole in.  The fruit flies are attracted to the smell of the mixture and will drown in it.  But it out under all those citrus,  peach and apricot trees in your garden and remember to refill it once every two weeks. 

It really is funny thinking it is 5 weeks and we will be harvesting our first apricots and plums.  The year that just passed really flew by.

I must also comment on the beautiful veld.  The Calitzdorp succulent plants really contributed to a very nice introduction into the new season.  Our veld is really thankful. 

I will try and keep you up to date with the growth and ripening of the fruit this summer.