Margaret and Charlotte enjoy a camp fire in our new fire pit, constructed out of boulders and rocks excavated from the garden.

It was a great weekend, and we got much accomplished. Not our entire list, but enough to feel pretty good about our work. The biggest and most satisfying accomplishment of the weekend by far was the construction, inaugural lighting, and marshmallow toasting over our new fire pit. Earth and rock was moved, arms and backs bruised and sore, but when it was all said and done, the joy the kids took in roasting marshmallows made it all worthwhile.

Charlotte enjoys her first toasted marshmallow. Bea looks on with anticipation.

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Family, Garden, cute kids chores, firepit, hoop houses, marshmellows, permaculture, skillshare, work

Dave Homa demonstrates some tree pruning skills during our Tree Pruning Workshop on Sunday

As Margaret mentioned in the previous post, I spent my birthday pruning our apple trees, or I should say learning how to prune our apple trees. Dave Homa from the Lakes Region Permaculture Group held a skill share here on Sunday — it was a great experience, and everyone who attended got a tremendous amount out of it. I knew some of the basics already such as removing suckers and water sprouts, and although our long neglected trees need some dramatic pruning– “big cuts” as I think Dave might have said — it was the little techniques that Dave showed us that made me the most excited to get back out there this weekend with my hand pruners to finish the job. Here are 6 quick reminders from the beautiful handout that Dave put together:

1. Remove water sprouts and suckers first

2. Remove dead wood

3. Trees should have space and be open

4. Prune for “heaven and hell” (branches pointing up or down)

5. Do stiffening cuts to help the tree handle the weight of the fruit

6. Prune back to a terminal bud

Workshops apple trees, Dave Homa, permaculture, skill share, tree pruning