Valley to Valley to Valley: Winding Down

Winter has reared her head recently, not entirely, but well enough to make everyday a long-johns kind of day. I find this time of the year very calming because the season sort of demands it, by keeping you inside by the warm fire versus plodding or post-holing around the farm.

This past week we spent much of our time cleaning up the farm trying to get a few things done that we would hate to see languish all winter then have to complete them in the busy spring months. I worked on building up swales along one of the driveways to divert and slow melting or falling water. We painted every single trunk in the permanent orchard (~600) . What I mean by painted, is whitewashed. Whitewashing tree trunks helps prevent winter damage from sun scald. This is especially important in the higher climbs of the Southwest where winters are cold and the sun is bright. In winter months, bark is exposed directly to sun light which can cause the bark to heat up. When ambient temperature is low and the bark is heated up by the sun, this can cause the cambia (the green living tissue beneath the outer-bark) to lift up from the sapwood. The cambium cells can crack from each other creating damaged or dead cells, and eventually lead to dead sections of trunk, branch, or the tree itself. I've read that the cells become dehydrated because the whole tree has yet to come out of dormancy, meaning the flow of water is limited.

Another benefit to whitewashing is that the tree's core temperature is lowered, leading it to remain dormant longer. Keeping the tree cool and dormant can increase your chances of not loosing blossoms to late spring frosts.

We use indoor latex paint and a dilution ratio of 1:1. We painted over 600 trees with a little bit more than a gallon of paint. It is important to use indoor latex because you want it to succumb to the elements over time. We paint the trunk on all sides, especially well on the south facing side and any low branches that might receive reflected light from snow.

Another, not so interesting, thing I've been up to is cleaning and oiling all the tools for storage. Farming has instilled in me our need to tend and care to our equipment. Especially the tools we use each and every day to make our livelihood. I wouldn't say that my generation has grown up with this mentality. When something breaks you just go out and buy another one,right? BUT probably in the long term that viewpoint cost your pocket more and you're probably buying junk each time instead of a well made tool that should outlast you.