North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[<dmnorton@royaloakfarmorchard.com>]

Hello Brian!

 

In response to some of your questions, you may want to visit my blog at http://www.theorchardkeeper.blogspot.com where I cover the various planting systems and you can download more information on tall (slender) spindle as well as vertical axe.

 

Here at Royal Oak Farm we started out in 1992 with M7, M111 and Mark rootstocks.  We planted around 10,000 trees using those 3 rootstocks, all trained to standard central leader.  The Mark rootstocks began to decline in 2003 and we started replacing them with M26 trained to central leader.  In 2004 we planted an additional 1,000 trees on M26 replacing some Red Delicious and Braeburn on M111.  Between 2005 and 2006 we planted an additional 2,000 trees on M9 and B9 trained to the vertical axe at 8' spacing.  In 2007 and 2008, we planted an additional 2,000 trees on M9 and B9 trained to tall spindle at 4' centers, went back and converted the vertical axe to tall spindle and interplanted another 2,00 trees between the original trees to double our density.  From a pure cost standpoint, i believe that the tall spindle system is the most economical to use.  There would be those that disagree, but we have adapted our existing trellis system so we don't have to use the recommended 4 wires and can therefore cut that expense.  With the higher density, we use the same amount of TRV in our sprays so we are spraying twice as many trees without having to increase our TRV.  We removed 12' to 14' trees and replaces with max 8' trees.  Our pruning time has been cut in half. 

 

Our soil content her is northern Illinois silty loam with some clay content.  M9, B9 and M26 does well.  Regardless of your soil makeup, soil testing is necessary and any additional supplements, if needed,  can be determined from the soil tests.  If you are planning on using existing farm land, it will probably be already heavy in nitrogen, good for the B9.

 

There are many places to go for orchard supplies, in the Midwest, many of them in Michigan.  Indiana Irrigation or Trickl-Eez in St. Joseph, Mi can handle your irrigation.  Trickle-Eez designed and installed our drip irrigation system and I have handle all additions or revisions since the initial install in 1992.  Peach Ridge Orchard Supply, A. M. Leonard or Michigan Orchard Supply can supply most materials.  For trellis posts, you can use Woodstock, Inc.  out of West Branch, MI.  The 12' posts are hard to come by, but we have had no problem getting them here.

 

For your chemicals try United Agri Products.  They recently merged with Crop Production Services and can assist you with your chemicals.  The reps can be found at  http://www.uap.com/uap/index.cfm?cid=7662.  If you have issues with them, call me and I will get you in contact with my reps at both UAP and Wilbur-Ellis and they can guide you to your closest rep.

 

We produce our own cider and will be happy to talk to you about our process.  In fact, if you would like to come visit us and look over our operation, I will be happy to spend as much time with you as you need.  We have new trees arriving the week of April 13 and will be preparing to plant that week or the next using the tall spindle system.  We are selling some trees to the Indianapolis Museum of Art for the restoration of the orchard at Oldfields-Lily House and Gardens that they will be removing around the same time.  Also, the annual Illinois State Horticultural Society Field Day will be held here at Royal Oak Farm this summer on June 11 and we will be covering our planting systems, cover crop program and tree training.

 

I hope some of this information has been helpful to you.  Please feel free to contact me at any time. 

 

 

Dennis Norton
Royal Oak Farm Orchard
Office (815) 648-4467
Mobile (815) 228-2174
Fax (609) 228-2174
http://www.royaloakfarmorchard.com
http://www.theorchardkeeper.blogspot.com
http://www.revivalhymn.com

----- Original Message -----

From: Raby, Brian

To: North American Fruit Explorers

Sent: Monday, March 30, 2009 10:05 AM

Subject: [NAFEX] Orchard Supplies and development

All,

 

It's been several years since I've been on this Listserver but I glad now to be back.  Y'all have a wealth of information that I would like to tap into.

 

I am located just north of Indianapolis.  A friend of mine and I were recently talking about starting up a farm orchard business and I need to assistance.

 

1.  What is the opinion of the orchardist regarding Slender Spindle, Vertical Axis, or other techniques when pruning an orchard?  I have read several articles regarding most of them, including labor input vs. fruit output.  What has been favorable for you and why?

 

2.  Rootstock to use for the somewhat clayish soils we have in our area.  Would like to keep it to dwarf only (B-9, M-26, etc)

 

3.  Where does one go for Orchard Supplies in the midwest for posts/stakes, irrigation system?

 

4.  How about a  chemical supplier I could contact?  I called a person in the central Indiana area who is a supplier.  I found him, however, to be rude and condenscending so I would like to find a business elsewhere (I don't want to mention his name or company less he is on this listserver).

 

4. Cider apples varieties for both sweet and hard that grow well in our area.

 

5.  Any hard cider producer in our area that my friend and I could go visit and exchange information.

 

I think that would be enough for now.  Thank you for your time that it took to read this.

 

Brian Raby

Sheridan, IN