By Topf Wells
This was one of the best outdoor experiences I’ve had. Lisa Johnson – Thank you, Lisa! – did an excellent job in teaching us pruning with a concise, helpful Powerpoint and with in- the- orchard examples and guidance.
We had about a dozen folks out including TU volunteers, Audubon volunteers, Master Gardeners and Master Gardener students. We worked for a couple of hours in lovely weather and made a great start at returning the orchard to health. It went so well that we agreed this should be an annual outing that Lisa has agreed to lead at least until we can get the orchard in better shape. Everyone was productive and a pleasure to work with. Those of us new to pruning were surprised how much we learned. One TU member with a 600 apple tree orchard said he came because he knew he’d learn something new and worthwhile from Lisa and he did. Much thanks to Howard Cosgrove and Susan Troller Cosgrove, the owners of Cluck, the fabulous chicken and more store in Paoli, who let us have the initial instruction in their store. I didn’t do an exact count but I’m guessing we pruned over 15 trees, mostly apple but at least one of the pears and all of the pie cherries.
The cherry on the Sunday (or the apples in the pie?) occurred after we had finished pruning. Two TU members and a Master Gardner had just finished a tour of the stream restoration with me when we met two anglers at the bridge. They were just starting so we did not get a fishing report but the older gentleman asked me if we were some of those Trout Unlimited people. Oh no, I thought but I fessed and said yes. He said he had been a friend of Mrs. Neperud for many years and had been one of the very few folks she allowed to fish their property. He had had “the place to himself.” He quickly added that he loved our and the DNR’s work on the stream and it made a huge improvement. I asked if he minded that the stream was now open to the public and he said absolutely not. I then said that since he was close to the Neperud family he might want to know that we had spent the morning pruning the orchard and trying to restore it to better health. He seemed genuinely moved at that and said he thought the Neperuds would really appreciate that.
Photos courtesy Jim Beecher. View the full album.
Special Orchard Pruning Workday at Neperud Easement
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Last Updated: March 7, 2018 by Drew Kasel
By Topf Wells
This was one of the best outdoor experiences I’ve had. Lisa Johnson – Thank you, Lisa! – did an excellent job in teaching us pruning with a concise, helpful Powerpoint and with in- the- orchard examples and guidance.
We had about a dozen folks out including TU volunteers, Audubon volunteers, Master Gardeners and Master Gardener students. We worked for a couple of hours in lovely weather and made a great start at returning the orchard to health. It went so well that we agreed this should be an annual outing that Lisa has agreed to lead at least until we can get the orchard in better shape. Everyone was productive and a pleasure to work with. Those of us new to pruning were surprised how much we learned. One TU member with a 600 apple tree orchard said he came because he knew he’d learn something new and worthwhile from Lisa and he did. Much thanks to Howard Cosgrove and Susan Troller Cosgrove, the owners of Cluck, the fabulous chicken and more store in Paoli, who let us have the initial instruction in their store. I didn’t do an exact count but I’m guessing we pruned over 15 trees, mostly apple but at least one of the pears and all of the pie cherries.
The cherry on the Sunday (or the apples in the pie?) occurred after we had finished pruning. Two TU members and a Master Gardner had just finished a tour of the stream restoration with me when we met two anglers at the bridge. They were just starting so we did not get a fishing report but the older gentleman asked me if we were some of those Trout Unlimited people. Oh no, I thought but I fessed and said yes. He said he had been a friend of Mrs. Neperud for many years and had been one of the very few folks she allowed to fish their property. He had had “the place to himself.” He quickly added that he loved our and the DNR’s work on the stream and it made a huge improvement. I asked if he minded that the stream was now open to the public and he said absolutely not. I then said that since he was close to the Neperud family he might want to know that we had spent the morning pruning the orchard and trying to restore it to better health. He seemed genuinely moved at that and said he thought the Neperuds would really appreciate that.
Photos courtesy Jim Beecher. View the full album.
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