North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["MARIE ASHTON" <bwoodtx@verizon.net>]

I thought this might be worth sharing. It came from a Cambridge, UK Beekeeper named Peter on a beekeeper's list. He is referring to an apple orchard.

 

" My 30 acre orchard owner hates chemicals, he's 80 years old and third generation owner of the orchard so he knows his stuff, he sprays with 'garlic and citrus' which apparently sorts out codling, scab, canker, and other problems and is bee friendly. He the mows sections of about 5 acres once a month in rotation so that there is a good variety of wild flowers for the bees to forage. He also uses insect traps that employ pheromones to target specific species (sorry I can't be more specific, but I'm just a beekeeper!)

 

His orchard has much wider diversity of wildlife than any other I know of in the area, especially those that keep the ground beneath trees clear using herbicides and insecticides.... there is another way! "

 

Regards,

Richard Ashton

Oak Creek Orchard

www.oakcreekorchard.com

bwoodtx@verizon.net