Winter at Scenic View Orchards

Scenic View Orchards, Maryland

On the farm - Winter and Early Spring

Did you think farmers hibernated all winter? Actually, the farmer works as hard in the winter as the summer-just shorter days.

Rich is moving equipment from winter storage.

Equioment from the storage

Winter months provide a time for Jim to complete maintenance on the farm equipment.


We trim fruit trees through the winter and early spring. Trimming fruit trees results in more fruit buds, larger fruit, and fruit with better color. Here Richard is trimming an apple tree so that there is a central trunk.	Pear trees, also shaped with a central trunk, are being trimmed with power pruners.


Peaches and other stone fruit trees are trimmed last to reduce the chance of limb disease. Peaches are trimmed with a "vase" shape.	Here you see the plastic culture strawberries "tucked in" for their winter protection.


The effect of the drought in 2002 could be seen by looking at our pond's low water line. The pond's water supply has never recovered from last summer's crop irrigation. This year it might recover though.	Bonnie is using the roller harrow to prepare a field for planting. Fall plowing allows earlier spring planting.


Jimmy is pouring fertilizer into the planter in preparation for planting spring peas.	Dick and Jimmy are changing the planter's seed plates from those used to plant peas to smaller gauge plates to plant red beets and spinach.

Scenic View Orchards - Sabillasville - Maryland - (301) 271 2149