Black Horse Cherry Orchard

03/16/2022

How things change and still remain the same drives me crazy. A lot of things have happened in the past couple years that caused me to take a break but I think it's time to start sharing again.

11/03/2017

A bunch of the orchards have been sold but I still have a few left. I had hoped to head down south by now but plans are constantly changing. At this point I just don't know what to do. I may just stay here and see what tomorrow brings...

06/10/2017

What a ride it has been..time to tra el the world now and enjoy the time I have left. All is being g sold..amen

06/21/2016

The extension office will be having an arborist make a visitthis thursday to see if they can test some of the trees . The massive tree dieoff in my area has gotten worse.

06/17/2016

Pie cherries 3 dollars per quart .free local delivery. Large quantities available.. 309 883 4634

04/09/2016

We have all noticed that the weather is more than strange. we had such a heavy freeze that I doubt any of the peaches will produce at all this year. I'm doing my best to get copper on the trees but it's really hard with the amount of wind and very cold days and nights. Funny how every year it gets harder and harder to do the most simple things and how the weather has been changing even more drastically yet I'm the only one that seems to see it.

On the bright side most of the replacement trees field in The Orchards and current dead loss looks to be minimal but again it all depends on the trees reaction to the latest freeze

04/06/2016

Heavy frost last night,peaches were starting to bloom as well as the apricots. I dont know enough about the seasons yet to know what I am doing or what the trees are doing. I Can tell you that peaches seem to be a bad idea so far and we are in Kewanee ill. I may get some yet but they die easy. I lost several over the last few years. Same as the paw paw. They dont seem to take it well either but the ones tht do survive are prime specimens for sure. If they could be cloned they would probably have a better survival rate.Heck ,just harvesting and replanting would do the trick. I hope to have more time in the orchards soon to do some of this stuff..

04/05/2016

Does anybody know what is going on with the weather? I cant seem too get copper spray on the trees and have mechanically pruned but not by hand..
Nothing on the experimental trees other than the small ones under 10 feet will all need to regenerate from the ground. None actually reached the 25 foot tall mark so all will most likely die and need to regenerate from the ground and even then , only a few will reach the min 25 foot per year min to survive the winter

03/26/2016

Trying to get time to prune and spray copper while building a house is nearly impossible. I guess I should be thankful I dont have a family or a job to get in the way.lol
All kidding aside I need to win the lottery just a bit so I can hire some help or something. I am spread way too thin and attempt to give away the orchards or sell them have failed so far. I cannot seem to sell the fruit and havent forced the issue but it was never my intention.I really dont know what to do at this point other than force forward and see what happens. I am running out of options and money. I can live without food for around 400 a month but I must come up with enough time to get a job to do it. I dont know exactly what to do..Prayer is my only hope. I may have to stop working on the house and hope I can get back at it before winter.Ugg its so hard to live here in winter..

03/15/2016

Happy P I day everyone! So I have started pruning and im just so happy to have the opportunity to have the trees. They should do better than last year..As it shuld be. I have to get a job soon,im nervous.lol I normally have more money than time,now its reversed..

03/02/2016

really, its time

01/13/2016

Bamboo in the middle of winter and its still green. I planted this along the waterway and its of an edible variety. It's a low temp variety but I always fear survival of new plants. Excited to see how much it has grown over the last few months. This particular variety will reach an estimated 20 foot in height.

12/16/2015

I cant believe the rain and warm weather.I am actually nervous that the wind has uprooted some of the trees and 5 foot post are pushed totally into the ground by hand.I have Faith the trees will be safe but I fear drowning of some of the lower lined properties.
I have seen a winter like this in a long time,but I have seen it, I didnt get the dormant spray on but I will do it early in the spring. Heck if we get some decent days I may get it on yet.
So much has been happening in my life that I am thankful of it being winter so I can deal with it, Another miracle that only I can appreciate.

11/06/2015

There is so much too do and so little time. I have to get dormant spray on the trees and get the sprayer put away fpr the year. Its a tough job when so many life changes are happening at once. My life is starting over in a way,or should I say its stopping. I have lost the family I once cherished and building the house is hindered by my normal work week which seems to get eextreme. I am a worka holic and it has its down falls but I must keep going.
I hope that by being in the new house I can get it finished in time to be ready for spring pruning and a possible summer before potentially leaving the country. I doubt anything will happen as I plan because if it did.. well i wouldnt be where I am at now.lol. I may be without internet for awhile as I make the transition..
I just want to say thankyou to my friend and previous lady who had made so much of this possible,I will miss her more than words. She stood by me for so long through so much. I hope I can find the strength to continue. Things change and so do people.

08/25/2015

ACORNS ARE FALLING! Iowa, Missouri, & Illinois we hear ya!
Are your acorns falling like crazy?

08/17/2015

look at the experimental tree.. Its on target to fulfill its promise

03/19/2015

http://blackhorsecherryorchard.blogspot.com/

03/15/2015

Reliance Peaches..again with a side of bamboo, paw paw and hazelnut

03/15/2015

Blues Jam plumbs with a side order of Paw Paws and soon hazelnuts and bamboo

03/15/2015

day 2 of pruning well at least some of it,this is also a site for some bamboo that will be planted this year..Any stump carvers or wanna be stump carvers interested in these hackberry beauties?

03/14/2015

This site is Early Lambert and Im doing a massive cut back to promote root growth.88 trees minus a few that have been replaced with North Star.

03/14/2015

This is the smallest site packed full of North Star cherry trees,freshly pruned I might add.

03/13/2015

Its always nice to know when your not alone,I have been finding others that are doing what I am (planting fruit trees) but rarely do I encounter a soul that is so familliar.That is until I met J.R. Yes I have ran across someone who is doing bird release and planting fruit trees and has been for the same 3 year period I have. It is an honor to have met this man and share talk of "why" we seem to be called to do what it is we are doing. It is even more uncommon to hear the phrase that sends chills up and down my spine " Im doing the things I do,but It seems I am not doing them for me". This assures me its a calling..may God be with you J.R. and to all the others who are called to duty..I believe our time frame is getting smaller so I will extend this offer..I will come and speak to any who are willing to listen about what I know and give my testimony which .is so out of this world(literally) You may not believe it. I suggest that it be a group of no less than 3 and soon...I have taken some tome off to prepare the orchards so I am available.

03/05/2015

I ve got 300 more hazelnut trees/shrubs coming if I am able to get them all but supplies are limited for those who wait. Its probably enough hazelnut to finish my flood plain project.

02/05/2015

http://www.birdinginformation.com/birds/ducks/mandarin-duck/
Still looking for a mated pair of these little guys!

(photo gallery below) Few other birds don such a dramatic and colorful costume for breeding as the male Mandarin Duck! Some say these ducks are showy and

02/02/2015

looking for live pairs and singles of mandarin, teal or even wood ducks for wetland restoration project (i will hopefully be getting some bob white quail but am always interested it whats already available)

01/13/2015

I have been feeling it necessary to plant some bamboo for 2 years now.The order has been placed and I feel good about it. I only had 500 dollars but I it spent all of it on a few different strands which I will share in the future.Time to let the learning curve start again,how exciting.

Bamboo Garden is an Oregon based nursery specializing in hardy clumping and hardy timber bamboo. We ship high quality bamboo plants nationwide. Our website is a useful resource for bamboo information

04/21/2014

I need bees,nukes I believe.2 of them asap

04/17/2014

I am currently looking for bees. I need enough for two hives.

11/29/2013

It seems the minute the trees fal asleep for the year I end up with a new project.This year it was supposed to be the completion of the signs and the opening of the program but instead it turned out to be the buying of yet another property and a house! The house was a 641 dollar purchase and connects to one of my orchards.I just have to fit it into rotation so I can work on it a couple of hours a week.