Hard Working Farmers

[Old McDonald]

About 15 to 20 minutes before it became dark this afternoon I finished a task that I had set myself a deadline to achieve by Christmas Eve - the planting of 814 almond trees.

As I was finishing off I thought of the following story, despite not being 80 for a few years:-


Once, a king came upon an 80-year-old farmer hard at work in the field. ‘What are you doing?’ asked the king, surprised to see such an old man working so energetically.

‘I am planting date trees, Your Majesty,’ was the reply. ‘How long will it take for each tree to bear fruit?’ asked the king. ‘Many, many years, Your Majesty. I will not live to see the fruits of these trees.’

‘Then why are you planting them, old man?’ asked the king. The old farmer paused for a moment and then replied, ‘Past generations planted trees the fruits of which I have enjoyed all my life. I, therefore, plant trees for the benefit of those who will come after me.’

Pleasantly surprised at the answer, the king immediately rewarded him with a gold coin. The old farmer thanked the king and quipped, ‘Actually, these trees did not take many years to bear fruit. I have hardly finished planting them and already they have brought me a reward from my king.’
..................................
Unfortunately no King came past with a gold coin, but then I remembered I do have a few date trees to plant that I grew from seed a couple of years ago, so that there is still a chance! If not, then I do expect to harvest the fruit of the almond trees I have planted, failing which at least I will have done something useful for future generations. A pleasant thought at this time of year. I do have one date palm that has been planted about 5 years and I am not quite so hopeful of seeing that or the new ones bear fruit.

Now I am in no way religious but I also remember the odd verse from the Bible, and felt that this one was particularly apt. It is applicable to you all, whether you are religious or not, and I hope that you all prosper sufficiently to be able to do as it says. It is from Timothy 2:6. I have quoted the King James version first and then a more modern version which I found via the internet:-

The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. 7Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.


A hard-working farmer should have the first share of the crops. 7Understand what I'm saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.
.....................................
So, whether you have to work all day tomorrow, or are able to take some time off, reflect on this and believe that you are entitled to a profit and to enjoy that profit.

 

[Henarar]

About 15 to 20 minutes before it became dark this afternoon I finished a task that I had set myself a deadline to achieve by Christmas Eve - the planting of 814 almond trees.

You didn't leave yourself much leeway Old Mac

 

[Old McDonald]

It was not by choice. I took delivery of the trees (850 to leave some spare) on 8th October. It was too dry to plant without being comitted to watering them. Olive harvest began before it rained enough and then it became too wet. A big flush of wild radish and a few sundry weeds that had to be sprayed off, losing another week due to witholding period. Intermittent heavy rain from time to time also caused disruptions, but a few longish days, which my back and knees did not enjoy, and I felt by Wednesday that I could make it. I did, but only just. Despite tomorrow being Sunday and Christmas Day I would have finished planting if I did not quite make it today.

 

[Johngee]

There's a Greek proverb that says a society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they'll never sit in. Not that I'm saying you're old of course!

 

[Kevtherev]

Those who plant pears do so for their heirs

 

[Old McDonald]

There's a Greek proverb that says a society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they'll never sit in. Not that I'm saying you're old of course!

Depends on what you mean by old. I use the name Old McDonald from when I owned Hazza Farm. One consolation is that the majority of people are dead long before they reach the age I am now.

Somebody told me I was too old to "start a new life" when we moved here in 2003. We still think we might have at least one more move in us before we eventually meet the knacker man.

 

[Pond digger]

Th

There's a Greek proverb that says a society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they'll never sit in. Not that I'm saying you're old of course!

That proverb immediately came to my mind on reading the post: makes me smile every time I read it.

Many years ago, my grandfather said to me that hardwood trees weren't worth planting, because of how long they took to grow. I'm glad I took no notice.

Old Mac, how many years before you get a meaningful crop?

 

[glasshouse]

Legend has it the duke of hamilton did some heroic deed for the king, or his soldiers did, so he was awarded the lands of hamilton for two crops.
So he planted oak trees.

 

[marcusthehat]

Excellent work OM, and quite jealous of your Portugese Almond growing weather,
I too am planting trees, in whose shade I will not sit, and also nuturing naturally seeded Oak and Beech where they occur in our cut-out moss, simply because gives me pleasure and satisfaction to give something back to nature.
I can imagine it named as "Mad Hatters Wood" when I am dead and gone.
Regards,
Marcus

 

[Old McDonald]

Old Mac, how many years before you get a meaningful crop?

Hopefully there will be a small crop in the third year (3rd leaf as the Yanks call it - being the 3rd time the tree has come into leaf since planted) with enough for our own use - about 50kgs a year, but the trees were just grafted onto the rootstock this past summer, so it might be another year. The 3rd fruiting season should see them covering variable costs with increases up to about the 8th to 10th year when they level out for 20 to 25 years - subject to the possibility of biennial on and off years, or good and not so good yields. They continue to yield after that but with slightly decreasing quantitities.

Prolonged rain at flowering can devastate expectations and it is possible to have no fruit set. That happened with the olives this year, but being in leaf the side of the tree sheltered from the rain events did bear fruit.

After all, it is farming, and as we all know there are numerous sayings to explain why we never harvest everything we might expect in any year.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Life goes on

 

[Old McDonald]

Well, I planted out my date palms this afternoon, but still no King with his gold coin. Disappointing.

 

[Kidds]

I was talking about collecting seed for trees I want to grow for firewood.
The frowns I got were disappointing, I'm only 52.

 

[Old McDonald]

Kidds, Heaps of time. I have sown some ash seeds for the same purpose. I am only 72.

 

[Kidds]

Kidds, Heaps of time. I have sown some ash seeds for the same purpose. I am only 72.

Mum says she'll help plant them and Dad says I can borrow his chainsaw when the time comes. You are younger than them.

 

[Old McDonald]

Mum says she'll help plant them and Dad says I can borrow his chainsaw when the time comes. You are younger than them.

Remember that many species will regrow so you will be able to harvest them a second, and possibly even third time. Make sure you buy a new bar and chain for the saw though whilst you can. They might become obsolete.

 

[Kidds]

My plan was Ash but dieback made me think Sycamore instead, both of which thrive in this area and both lend themselves to coppicing while being relatively quick growing and make good firewood.
I have planted some Ash already which are doing well.

Have you encountered Silky saws? More expensive than a good bowsaw but worth the money as long as you take a little time to learn how to sharpen them.
A bit like Felco or Rolcut, both do the job but the Felco are much nicer.
I gave Mum a Silky a year ago, she has deforested her neighbourhood.

 

[oil barron]

Hopefully there will be a small crop in the third year (3rd leaf as the Yanks call it - being the 3rd time the tree has come into leaf since planted) with enough for our own use - about 50kgs a year, but the trees were just grafted onto the rootstock this past summer, so it might be another year. The 3rd fruiting season should see them covering variable costs with increases up to about the 8th to 10th year when they level out for 20 to 25 years - subject to the possibility of biennial on and off years, or good and not so good yields. They continue to yield after that but with slightly decreasing quantitities.

Prolonged rain at flowering can devastate expectations and it is possible to have no fruit set. That happened with the olives this year, but being in leaf the side of the tree sheltered from the rain events did bear fruit.

After all, it is farming, and as we all know there are numerous sayings to explain why we never harvest everything we might expect in any year.

Did you plant them in 14ft * 12ft spacing for an orchard for shaking onto the floor or in a high density hedgerow for harvesting with a linear grape harvester?

 

[Old McDonald]

Have you encountered Silky saws?

Not so far as I know, but I do use similar saws for pruning. I prefer a folding one so I can carry both a saw and secateurs whilst pruning a tree - stick into a pocket whichever is not being used at the time.

 

[Old McDonald]

Did you plant them in 14ft * 12ft spacing for an orchard for shaking onto the floor or in a high density hedgerow for harvesting with a linear grape harvester?

Neither. I will not be using a shaker for a few reasons. First, they need too much space at row ends to make it worthwhile on a small area. The same goes for using an over the top harvester. Secondly, they are too expensive for a couple of hectares. Additionally I do not like the way they shake so many leaves off the trees. The same goes for olives. We harvest the olives by hand and will do the same with the almonds. We do miss the occasional fruit which is seen when pruning, but have an almost 100% harvest and is a much better clearance than mechanical harvesters. We sell all the olives for table use too, so quality is of the utmost importance.

I decided to use a 6m row spacing, not least because they are lined up as a continuation of rows of olives with an access track between the two crops and it makes it convenient to work both crops in many operations so that I have less turning at the row ends. It also suits an irrigation extension from the olives to the almonds. In row spacing is 4 metres. The variety is Soleta on GF677 rootstock.