Prune, Pruned, Pruning

Saturday, March 27, 2010

A bright, sunny morning after about 7 degrees just before daybreak. A light 4 mph wind is keeping the temperature under 30 right now but that's fine for cutting wood and pruning apple trees which is what I am up to today. Karl the Wonder Dog begged for a long walk this morning so I took him out twice, first down the road and then out back into the fields. The wild turkeys had already been through and he found an errant feather to chew on before I chased him for it. He can smell out a turkey with ease and the feathers are toys to him.

Apple trees are easy to prune but they take a while and there's a certain amount of up and down the ladder. I use a hand saw for most of the bigger work and the chain saw for any bigger work that I can do from the ground with the saw bar never higher than mid chest. I often see people do some scary things with chain saws and I try to remind myself they are serious instruments of death even if you are careful. I have been using chain saws since I was probably 14 or so--long before chain breaks and other safety features. Experience is not a substitute for thinking with each project, with each cut. This is not an tool you need to work quickly with.

Later today I'll convince Gail and Alex to bring out the truck and we'll begin bringing in the blocked wood to the pile by the splitter. They may vocally resist the job a little but they know it's part of the way we live--cleaning up the woods, waste not want not.



Enjoy the day and get out and about if you can. Fresh air cleans leftover winter thoughts in preparation for busy spring gardening.

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where one red squirrel competes on the platform feeder with two "we're not scared of you fella" mourning doves.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm

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