Peaches in Paris, Bananas in Boston?

  • Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
That's fascinating, it really is. Why the hang don't we do that now ?

There were loads of walled gardens round here (mostly now bought out and turned into housing :sigh: ) but most had heated greenhouses at one end, not that maze like structure of those walls.

Why don't we do this now in these days of trying to be 'energy conscious' ?

M
 

Macaroon

A bemused & bewildered
Jan 5, 2013
7,209
362
73
SE Wales
Interesting stuff, well worth the read; and that's a very good site, I got led down a good few very interesting byways there!
 

bilmo-p5

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 5, 2010
8,168
9
west yorkshire
This article reminded me of my Father's peach tree,between the sunnies & the door, trained up the front wall of his old house and facing almost due South.

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • 30Jul06peachtree52.jpg
    30Jul06peachtree52.jpg
    57.9 KB · Views: 99

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
Why the hang don't we do that now ?


M

Because its labour intensive and land intensive and most people would rather pay less for imported fruit that uses poorly paid foreign farmers in warmer climes. Sad, but whilst people pursue cheap food, thats the way it is.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
I live at 53N in the mountains. Planted grape vines 24" out on the SW wall of my house in 2001. The trellis is 14' high and 40' long. I prune to keep it that way. I see 5-7C cooling efeect on hot summer afternoons in my now-shaded kitchen. Best ever crop was 65lbs/vine in 2013. I get leaves for dolmades. I use the birds for insect control.
Adult birds put their fledglings in there while they forage. While this keeps the young birds invisible from the outside, I get to watch everything from the kitchen as the birds are less that 24" from the windows.
After several inspections of the prunings, I usually start 70-100 cuttings which I sell in the Community Market. Altogether, maybe 4-5 days work per year. Seems practical to me.
 

milius2

Maker
Jun 8, 2009
989
7
Lithuania
I live at 53N in the mountains. Planted grape vines 24" out on the SW wall of my house in 2001. The trellis is 14' high and 40' long. I prune to keep it that way. I see 5-7C cooling efeect on hot summer afternoons in my now-shaded kitchen. Best ever crop was 65lbs/vine in 2013. I get leaves for dolmades. I use the birds for insect control.
Adult birds put their fledglings in there while they forage. While this keeps the young birds invisible from the outside, I get to watch everything from the kitchen as the birds are less that 24" from the windows.
After several inspections of the prunings, I usually start 70-100 cuttings which I sell in the Community Market. Altogether, maybe 4-5 days work per year. Seems practical to me.

Yes it is practical when you have developed a system like that :) :) Selling the cuttings is a great idea that ads $$$ to the pocket.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
I used to throw away all my prunings. Now I sort through them 3X and plant only the best of the best pieces (3 buds). 2/$5 seems a cheap gamble for such things. Some market days last summer, I sold out and had to drive home to get more.

Yesterday, I have some errands to run around the village. #1: "Can we buy grapes again from you this year?" #2: When will you start selling vines in the market this summer?" #3: "Can I buy cuttings from you and start my own?" #4: "What sort of a crop did you get last fall?" #5 in the grocery store: "Oh, you're the 'Grape-Guy.'"

I'm a new-comer here (15 years) and not related to anyone in the village. Selling grape vines and grapes, year after year, seems to given me a small but legitimate place.
Yes, the money is nice, not a lot but pays for soil and things. Maybe I splurge and buy a new wood carving tool or two.
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE