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Power of the Pivot and Failing Fast

Engineers who develop new products often use a term called “fail fast”. The idea behind failing fast is that you develop a plan, build a prototype, and then test the prototype. Instead of trying to build the perfect product you build a prototype with the knowledge that you have available now. This approach especially works when the cost of building a prototype is fairly low and the cost of waiting to build a prototype is fairly high. Farming is a situation where the cost of a small scale test is fairly low but the cost of waiting is high (because of seasons and when you can plant different crops, trees and bushes).

One of the examples of our “fail fast” mentality on the farm is our approach to planting trees. Depending on the species, it can take 3-10 years to get a harvest from a tree that you plant. It only takes a few minutes to remove a tree if it is the wrong tree in the wrong place, but it takes years for it to grow. The cost of planting a tree is usually fairly low in labor, materials and the cost of the tree itself.

We have some very different situations on the farm when it comes to

  • soil
  • water
  • sun
  • wind
  • size of the area which determines the cost and effort of installing an anti-deer fence

The same trees, bushes and plants will thrive in one area but struggle in another. There is a value in learning your land. Things like how wet the soil consistently stays or how microclimates impact different plants.

4 Main Areas on the Farm

Aerial view of the farm including the Food Forest, Cushaw Patch and Field #2
Aerial view of the back field

We break down the 4 areas on the farm into

  • food forest
  • cushaw patch
  • field number #2
  • back field

The conditions in these fields are very different when it comes to soils, health of the soil, sun, water retention, etc. The back field has been the most challenging area for several reasons.

  • the soil is depleted from decades of growing and cutting hay from the field (approximately 50 years) without much effort to improve the soil
  • the low amount of organic matter (which determines how well the soil retains moisture) in the soil means that the conditions swing wildly back and forth between dry and standing water
  • full sun and it can be windy
  • lack of a thick layer of top soil means roots have to work hard to penetrate the hard soil

This means that some species of trees and bushes will thrive in the harsh conditions and some really struggle. Usually the conditions that different plants need is well known and best heeded when selecting and preparing sites.

The Approach

Adding mulch to fig tress in the back field

Generally we plant comfrey with any new tree plantings. We keep going back and forth on whether or not we want to put an anti deer fence around the entire back field or just part of it. The advantage of fencing in the entire back field is that we can plant companion plants (like comfrey). The downside is that we have to install the fence (time, money and effort) and maintain it (which is the much higher cost over time). Mowing around the fence and weed eating around fence post takes a surprising amount of time and effort.

While we were deciding about the fence, we put anti-deer tree cages around bushes bushes and trees that we planted in the back field. This accomplished several things

  • allowed us to provceed with test plantings of several different types of trees and bushes (native and non-native)
  • allowed us to plant comfrey around those trees and bushes (deer like usually like comfrey)

Considerations

We are working to establish a small grove of black walnut trees in the back field. Black walnut trees are native to NC and release chemcials at their roots that inhibit other plants from growing around them. We don’t know if comfrey will thrive at the base of a black walut tree. Once a black walnut tree gets beyond the seedling size, deer usually don’t browse on them. As the tree gets to sapling size deer may rub their antlers against the tree which can damage or even kill the tree. Older trees have tougher bark and less susceptible to damage by deer

We need to keep grass from growing in close proximity to the young trees (especially seedlings). Curretly we use wood chips around the base of the tree. If I have my act together that day. I put down cardboard first then wood chips. The cardboard is a biodegradeable weed barrier. The wood chips also help maintain a more consistent moisture level at the tree roots and eventually compost and add to the organic matter and nutrient levels in the soild.

Time to Pivot

We probably do not need an anti-deer fence around area with the walnut trees, especially if we can protect the tree from the weedeater and deer antlers (later as the tree reaches sapling size). Converting from tree cages to tree tubes shown below would make it much easier to trim around the trees.

Tree tube with stake and black walnut tree
Tree tube with stake and black walnut tree

So I’ve started converting the tree caged black walnut plantings to using a tree tubes. This will make it easier to mow around them and maintain them. We also plan to add wood chips around the trees as mulch with cardboard under the wood chips as a biodegradeable weed barrier. I’ve seen vidoes from other farms that have taken a similar approach. Since these are native trees, they should do well. Now time will tell.

Lessons from the Farm

Even on a small farm like ours the variety of situations, plants, and labor requirements prevents us from using a one size fits all approach. Our approach to finding solutions follows this path

  • develop preconceptions – example: how we think a plant might to in an area if planted in a certain way
  • build a prototype – plant a bush or tree in test location with a specific method – example: plant a tree and put it in an anti-deer cage or in a tree tube with wood chips around it
  • test the preconceptions by observing how the planting performs over a season
  • evaluate the results

I’ve said many times that “I can’t impose my will on the farm”. Following a design thinking approach where we dream, prototype, test, pivot helps us innovate and have happy, healthy plants that produce lots of fruits, berries and nuts.

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Rain is Good / Elderberry Season is Coming

We are happy to see the elderberries starting to flower. As you are driving across eastern NC and you see a clump of white flowers this year, it might be elderberry. They are super common in NC.

I enjoy growing and harvesting elderberries. They make such a distinctive syrup and jelly. This year we have started harvesting a limited number of elderflowers. The picture you see below shows the elderflowers that we freezed dried for use in salve and infused honey.

Right now I’m infusing coconut oil with comfrey, elderflower and beewax to make a salve. This is my first time making a comfrey salve. It will be interesting how the salve turns out.

Sometimes I worry that pictures will get repetitive when I show similar scenes. The trees, bushes, fruit and berries are definitely growing and hopefully that comes through in the pictures. Some of the flower blooms are amazing right now.

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Watching the Fruit Grow

As the springs days progress, the trees and bushes are growing like crazy. I keep thinking I shouldn’t show similar pictures, but I realized those pictures show the progression of the fruit and berries growing and ripening

Activities included weedeating around the honey locust saplings and the trees in the back field. Also adding mulch to trees on the farm. We added a trickle charger to the golf cart. That wil make keeping it charged so much easier.

It is nice seeing our first Medlar tree blooms. It would be nice to have a few medlar fruit to try this fall.

The mulberry trees have sooooo many fruit on them. It will be nice to enjoy the mulberries.

This year we plan to harvest a few of the elderberries and freeze dry them. I’ve ordered an infuser from Levo so we can make elderflower infused honey. Using an infuser will also be a great way to make comfrey salve.

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Creating a Robust Orchard

Guiding the shape of the trees is important from the very beginning. The best fruit trees that have branches that are robust and don’t shade other parts of the tree. A properly managed tree produces lots of high quality fruit. Getting a tree limb to follow the desired shape may require gentle pressure or pulling the limbs in the desired direction when they are younger and more flexible.

Helping create a shape that is sustainable and healthy for the tree
Biodegradeable stick (ha ha) used to help spread out the branches of the young tree for a better shape

We recently received a quantity of 10 of english walnut seedlings. They went into pots where they can grow this summer and get ready for planting in the fall

English walnut seedlings in pots ready to grow this summer

Cannas and comfrey growing near the tractor shed. I’m really surprised the deer haven’t eaten the comfrey since this area isn’t protected by an anti-deer fence

Canna and comfrey growing together
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Scenes from the Farm

Sometimes the pictures are better than the words

Lady bug!
Lady bug running away
Bug having a bad day

It is amazing how fast the young fruit trees are growing

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Berry Bonanza

The berries are growing. There is no doubt about that. This year we have even more varieties of berries growing.

Aronia berries (chokeberry) have even more anti oxidents than blueberries especially the black chokeberries. We have our first aronia berries on the farm and they are growing nicely. Can’t wait to try some later in the summer.

Black Chokeberries (aronia) forming

Our blueberries are still young but they are growing quickly. Hopefully we’ll have enough to enjoy and share

The raspberry bushes have really surpised us with how quickly they are growing.

The blackberries are loving the warm weather and really growing quickly. We have reduced the amount of blackberries on the farm due to how often they need to be picked. It is so nice to have off-the-vine blackberries when we are working on the farm in the summer, so we have kept a few bushes.

The mulberry trees are really getting tall. It is nice seeing young berries on them. Mulberries are very different than all other berries in how they taste, how we pick them and how the berries form on the limb of the trees

Mulberries are coming
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Showing the Blueberries Some Love

This is a busy time of year on the farm. One of the tasks is getting the blueberries ready for summer. We use pine straw as a mulch. Using pine straw as a mulch is a good example of function stacking. The pine straw helps to lower the soil ph (blueberries like low ph soil), regulate moisture in the soil, supresses the growth of weeds and amends the soil as it breaks down adding nutrients and organic matter. The pine straw settles during the next few months, so we pile it deep.

The iris, comfrey, clover and wildflowers are blooming. This year we created a natural area. This was a previously cultivated area that is now fallow. The wildflowers that came up are great.

The last couple of days have been spent mowing grass (grows amazingly quick this time of year), trimming under fences and around plants. We’ve also been watering new plantings and fertilizing. Sometimes new trees and plants don’t thrive but that is vastly offset by the wonderful growth on the farm right now.

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The Plan, So Far

Our plan with the trees and bushes we planted this fall and spring has 4 elements

  • co-plant with comfrey
  • use metal tag with a plant number, type and variety
  • protect the tender trunk with a plastic cage or tube
  • placing wood chips around the trees and bushes

Metal tags everywhere

We have used the metal tag system from the beginning of our farm. This has been a great way to track trees and bushes on the farm. We also have maps where the individual plant locations are noted.

Spreadsheet where we track planted trees and bushes

One of the tasks for today was installing metal tags on trees that were planted last fall and this spring. The plastic tag that came with the tree is removed and a metal tag is put in place. This gives us a permanent way to identify a plant and know its history.

Using lots of wood chips

We are still in the process of putting woodchips around all the new trees and bushes. The woodchips helps regulate the moisture of the soil, while keep summer temperatures down at the root ball. They also amend the soil with nutrients and organic matter as the wood chips break down. All of these items help to build healthy soil, which greatly improves the conditions for the tree as it grows. The goal is to put at least woods in a circular pattern around the tree to depth of 8-12 inches.

Metal tag with a number, tree type and variety plus a plastic guard against critters
Tree with tree protector, tag and comfrey
Metal tag with unique identifier and tree type and variety
Comfrey at the base of young tree, growing through the mulch

Here are some pictures from today on the farm

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Grow, Grow, Grow and Peace

It is really nice to spend the day surrounded by all of the springtime explosion of blooms and new growth. The weather this time of year is spectacular and it makes the hard work on the farm seem much easier. Being outside and having the privilege of managing this property is wonderful. Watching everything grow is nice. Sometimes things don’t grow and there is a lesson to be learned. Sometimes that lesson is a technical one. Other times, it becomes obvious, once again, that I can’t impose my will on the farm.

Working on the farm also gives me time to think. It is humbling to know that I’m just a caretaker of the farm. There are trees that we have planted that will still be growing and thriving long after our season has passed.

A great feeling comes as standing in the middle of a growing ecosystem. The goal is to build abundance. Part of that abundance goes back to the land as a way to build better soil and strong plants and trees for future abundance. The rest leaves the farm as food.

Standing there and looking at the trees and plants at the end of the day with sun getting lower, there is a peaceful feeling. What is happening in a crazy world, is still important but is in perspective. That is such a blessing. You can’t buy peace. Sure having a farm is a lot of work and expense but having peace in our lives is priceless.

Orchard with young pears, nectarines, peaches and plums
Hugelkultur mound with blueberries, raspberries and goji berries
Driving back across the field at the end of the day, tired but relaxed
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Fruit Trees Blooming Like Crazy

What a beautiful day to plant trees and work in the orchard! We installed medlar, quince and jujube trees. The trees came from Burnt Ridge Nursery as bare root plants.

We are experimenting with using goumi berry bushes as a nitrogen fixer that also produces a crop.

Trees and bushes that we planted

  • Jujube, Li- Ziziphus jujuba
  • Jujube, Qiyue Xian – Zizyphus jujuba
  • Quince Aronmatnaya – Cydonia oblonga
  • Quince Krimskaya – Cydonia oblonga
  • Medlar, Brenda Giant – Mespilus germanica
  • Medlar, Royal – Mespilus germanica
  • Goumi Berry, Carmine – Elaeagnus multiflora

The last plants we needed to prune for the season were the black berries and raspberries on the farm. Connie knocked those out, so they are ready for summer.

Update from the trees planted in November

We were pleasantly surprised by the amount of growth from trees that we planted last November. The picture below shows a tree that has more than doubled in diameter and grown nicely in height. The tree protectors we installed will help keep small critters and deer from damaging the young tree calipers. We already had one plum tree that had damage (maybe 6 inch above the ground) from a critter chewing on it, maybe a rabbit.

Tree protectors help keep the caliper of the tree safe from critters and me with the weed eater
Tree protector in place
Raspberries growing
Raspberries growing
Bare root plants ready to install
Bare root plants ready to install
Blackberries after pruning
Blackberries after pruning
Blackberries after pruning