One of the greatest steps in being self-sufficient is to grow your calories and there is nothing better out there than an orchard.Orchards last for several generation and give the most bang for our buck with little labor. The fruits and nuts that can grown are nothing but full of health and energy for our bodies. Thus, it was a no-brainer that our family would make this decision to plant one. --We can eat fresh off the tree once there is ripe fruit. --We can make fresh fruit pies.--We can…

Make the most of your 2 acre homestead with a well-planned layout. Learn how to optimize space for gardens, livestock, and self-sufficiency.

Essential guide to planning an orchard. Choosing the right size tree, selecting your favourite varieties and general planting advice.

Year Zero - Before You Plant Planning and installing an orchard can be a daunting project, with the sweet rewards years and even decades out. But like the Heirloom Orchardist says: You're Never Too Old To Plant An Orchard! Especially with cultivars grafted to grow on dwarfing root stocks, one could be eating their own, sweet peaches, apples, and plumbs within 3 to 5 years. Considerations I am still a while away from planting my next small orchard; however, the following are some of the…

Don't wait to plan your homestead orchard. Having a backyard orchard is a great way to grow more food with less work. You plant your trees and bushes, and then they produce you food for years to come! From picking the best fruit trees to finding where to plant the trees, I show you the steps you need to take to plan an orchard.

Fruit trees can be an attractive part of a home landscape, as this carefully planned orchard shows. The orchard space is about 16x16 feet on the west side yard of a historic home in my city's downtown. In the center is a pear tree flanked by two apple trees and two peach trees. The five trees are laid out in a circular cross design with islands of light brown bark mulch separated by black edging and light colored gravel paths. This ground design is striking all year long, perhaps even more…

Planting an orchard has long been a dream of mine, and this spring, that dream came true. Of course, it’s not a massive commercial sized orchard. To-date, I have 94 fruit trees and shrubs planted (not counting raspberries and strawberries!) with about another 125 to be planted by this fall – most of those, haskap. Everything is planted in a 2-acre field inside an 8ft tall fence (to keep the deer at bay) and for the most part, I’ve followed the plan for my Abundant Zone 3 Orchard that I told…

A home orchard can supply you with delicious, low-cost fresh fruit, attract pollinators and provide shade and beauty. It requires a small investment of money and a large investment of time and patience. Choosing Orchard Trees Select trees adapted to your climate. Consult your local Cooperative Extension about varieties suited to your area. Visit USDA […]

So in part I of starting an orchard, I went through why I want an orchard, but in this post, I will go through the planning and prepping I did. First off, this project almost didn’t get pulle…