Mulberries are a fruitful crop to grow in Maine, but plan their placement carefully so that the berries don’t stain walkways, entryways, decks, etc. Illustration from Handbook of Plant and Floral Ornament from Early Herbals, by Richard G. Hatton, Dover Publications, N.Y., 1960. By Roberta Bailey As a child I knew where every ripening fruit
Shadbush blossoms (Amelanchier). Kerry Hardy photo. One Tree-Hugger’s Opinion by Kerry Hardy It’s hard not to notice the foliage on our beautiful native trees at this time of year, and it’s worth remembering that “the spring of the leaf” in May and “the fall of the leaf” in October are the sources of those seasons’
Edie Johnston and her son, Geo, have started Eldertide Pharm and Maine Medicinals in Dresden to develop medicinal products from organic elderberries and other antioxidant-rich berries that grow in Maine. Photo by Tina Fisher-Dark. By Rebecca Goldfine Edie Johnston is the kind of entrepreneur who doesn’t just focus on one idea. Instead, she’s cultivating several
After their organic cranberries have gone through a sorter, Rick and Linda hand sort the fruits for color, size and firmness. by Joyce White You don’t need to wait for Nature to establish a cranberry planting: You can create your own cranberry farm from scratch! Richmond and Linda Woodward have done just that on land
Fruit of mixed cultivars of kiwis at the Teltane Farm booth at the Common Ground Country Fair. Hardy kiwis are not difficult to grow and can be very productive. English photo. by Tom Vigue If you think kiwis are all brown, fuzzy and can be grown only in New Zealand or California, think again. Although
Elderberry makes good juice, wine, jam, syrup, medicines and more. Photo from Conservation Plants for the Northeast, Soil Conservation Service Program Aid No. 1154. By Roberta Bailey My first memory of elder bushes was in my best friend’s yard. Her father had a neat row of the plants, mulched with peanut hulls. He made wine
Growing cranberries from seed can result in unusual fruits – such as his albino that Harker grew. English photo. By Jean English John Harker thinks that our native cranberry, Vaccinium macrocarpon, is “probably one of the better crops to grow organically.” He explained its culture at the 2004 Common Ground Country Fair. When he isn’t
Ribes Species and White Pine Blister Rust – An Update, June 9, 2015 Over the past several years, interest has increased throughout the Northeast in growing and cultivating currants, gooseberries and other species in the genus Ribes for backyard and commercial fruit production. Stimulated by development of varieties that were either resistant or immune to
Grazing Pigs Vs. Plum Curculio Jim Koan, owner of the 150-acre AlMar Orchards in Clayton Township, Michigan, grazes Berkshire hogs in his organic apple orchard, obtaining almost complete control of plum curculio within a few years. Plum curculios lay eggs in fruits in the spring, and the resultant larvae later cause fruit drop. On the
Elderberry flowers make a soothing tea. Photo by Thomas G. Barnes @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database. by Joyce White Robert Henderson comments in “The Neighborhood Forager” that the elderberry (genus Sambucus) “is a case study in the dramatic conversion of North Americans from largely self-sufficient peoples to consumers.” Because of its variety of uses, elder bushes
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