Other then the rain, not a lot has been happening on the farm. Below are a few pictures I took throughout the year.
May
June
July
August
Friday, August 20, 2010
One Wet Year!
It is a good think we decided to wait until next spring to plant our trees after having one of the wettest years in Iowa's history. There is a small creek that runs through our back yard and yes right by where we plan to plant our trees. Luckily the 6 times the creek has come out of its banks, the water did not over run our plot. But with all the rain keeping the rows muddy, it made if very difficult to find a dry day to till and spray for grass and weeds.
Other then the rain, not a lot has been happening on the farm. Below are a few pictures I took throughout the year.
Other then the rain, not a lot has been happening on the farm. Below are a few pictures I took throughout the year.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Garland Truffles
Betty Garland of Garland Truffles was kind enough to send me some pictures of their orchard.
Franklin Garland and his dog "Ginger" out hunting for truffles in their orchard.
How many people can say that Martha Stewart stopped by for a visit? You can see the Martha Stewart's episode that featured Franklin Garland of Garland Truffles. Click Here
You know you can make a good omelet when Martha Stewart invites you onto the show to cook one. Click Here!Betty holding truffles
Garland's Truffle orchard in the summer.
4 year old producing orchard
Newly planted orchard
Filbert with a nice brule surrounding it.
Garland Truffles orchard in full production.
Franklin Garland examining the roots of this truffle producing filbert.
Thank you Betty Garland for sharing these pictures with us. I can only hope our orchard comes out as nice looking as your has.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Discovery of Black Knot Disease On Our Property.
My wife and I spent a great deal of time on the property clearing the out overgrowth of thorn bushes and other unwanted trash in our woods last fall when we came across a hickory tree with these strange black knobs or growths all over its branches. We discovered that the hickory tree was not the only tree with these growths. We were not sure exactly what they were but the knots didn't look like they were helping the trees in any way. We decided to go ahead and cut off all of the branches that had this growth on them after which we tossed them into the fire. It wasn't until recently we discovered what those knobs on the branches were, Black Knot Disease. Below is a great article about the disease and how to treat it, and after reading about this disease it sounds like we made the right decision.
http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/FactSheets/black_knot/blacknot.htm
Introduction
Black knot disease occurs on numerous cultivated and wild plums, prunes, and cherries (Prunus spp.). The disease is characterized by the presence of warty, black galls which may vary in size from 1/2 inch to more that 1 foot in length. In some parts of the Northeast and Midwest, black knot causes serious losses to commercial plum and prune growers. More often, however, the grotesque galls draw the attention from homeowners who want to improve the unsightly appearance of affected landscape trees. Black knot appears to be a minor problem on Prunus species found in forest situations, where susceptible trees are surrounded by many nonsusceptible species of trees. Black Knot is mainly a problem in North America (Canada, the United States and Mexico) where it is indigenous. A record from 1979 indicated the presence of the fungus on pear in Taiwan but no other incidences have been reported from Asia. Currently it is not found in Europe or the EPPO region. The EPPO region consists of 43 European and mediterranean countries that are responsible for international plant protection in their region. Apiosporina morbosa (syn.= Dibotryon morbosum) is listed as an EPPO A1 quarantine pest. Inclusion on the list requires the countries to follow phytosanitary regulations and to make appropriate requirements for admission of plant material in their countries.
Figure 1: Branches appear thick and black. (provided by Dr. Phil A. Arneson, Cornell University)
Figure 2: Galls caused by the fungus on cherry. (provided by Dr. Phil A. Arneson, Cornell University)
Black knot has been reported on 24 species of Prunus but is most commonly found on wild and cultivated plums and cherries. Early publications from the 1950's describing the disease report no cases affecting peach, but a few rare infections have been reported since that time. The disease can be found throughout North America but is most commonly found in the northeast. It was first reported as a destructive disease in Massachusetts in 1811. It was first described in 1821 by L. D. Schweinitz from specimens collected in Pennsylvania. Researchers believe the disease is caused by a native pathogen that was only found in the northeastern states until around 1875, when observations of the disease began arising in the central states.
Young, infected twigs may die during the first year of infection. Larger branches may take several years to display severe damage. The infected trees decline and become more symptomatic with each growing season. The infection stresses the entire tree causing it to weaken, decline, and possibly die. The stress placed on the tree may also make it susceptible to infections by other pathogens. Economically, the trees lose value after a few years. The portions of a branch distal to a knot become stunted, and occasionally knots enlarge to girdle a branch and possibly kill it. Trees with multiple infections become dwarfed and misshapen, markedly reducing their productivity and attractiveness.
Because of the long infection process and disease cycle, this disease is often overlooked by home gardeners and fruit producers. The leaves can mask the symptoms until firmly established infections are in place. Once established, it is very difficult to manage the disease. Commercial growers often discover the disease more quickly because they regularly inspect their trees during routine crop management. Awareness and strict monitoring of susceptible plants should be a priority for all home gardeners and commercial growers.
Symptoms
The disease is characterized by the presence of thick, black, irregular swellings on the twigs (Fig. 1). The presence of these symptoms is often first noticed in the winter season when they are unobscured by leaves. However, the fungal disease-causing agent has been present for quite some time. The pathogen's presence disrupts the normal growth of the twigs and a tumor-like growth forms at the infection site. Infections may take place as much as a year or more prior to the development of these characteristic "knots", therefore, the swellings are normally not noticed until the winter of the second season of infection. It takes a keen observer to notice the subtle, initial symptoms present during the first season of infection.
The first symptoms appear as small, light brown swellings of the current or previous season's growth.. By the next season the swellings turn olive-green in color with a velvety texture. Over this growing season the knots darken and appear to have a hard, brittle texture (Fig. 2). The hard, black knots are the typical symptoms associated with the disease.
Knots vary in size from approximately 1-30 cm (0.5 to 12 in.) in length and from minute measurements to 5 cm (2 in.) in circumference. The infected twigs often appear bent at the tips because of extra cellular growth on one side. Trees with heavy infections may contain numerous knots. Some of the older knots may appear white or pink in color. This discoloration is often seen in late summer and is caused by the fungal parasite, Trichothecium roseum.
Disease Cycle
The fungus overwinters in the knots. About the time of bud emergence in the spring, the first ascospores are forcibly discharged from the ascostromata following a period of warm, wet weather. Apparently very short periods of wetness (only a few hours) are enough to prompt ascospore discharge. Temperatures between 16 and 27oC (60-80oF) are ideal for the dissemination, germination, and infection of new plant tissue. Recent studies have confirmed and concluded that rainfall and temperature are the key factors in the release of spores and that the duration of the rainfall or wet period is not a factor.
The ascospores are spread by air currents and rain splashing. Mainly the succulent green shoots and, occasionally, wounded tissues are most susceptible to infection by ascospores. Ascospore discharge continues to occur for 2-3 weeks after bloom. Infections take place during this time but may continue for a longer time period if susceptible host plant tissue is available. The germinating ascospores have the ability to penetrate unwounded surfaces of elongating, green shoots directly.
Figure 3. The early stages of knot formation results in only small galls. (provided by Dr. Phil A. Arneson, Cornell University)
Figure 4. As knots develop, they become very soft in texture and are covered with olive-green conidia. (provided by Dr. Phil A. Arneson, Cornell University)
The knots develop very slowly, and by the end of the summer they appear only as small galls that might easily be overlooked (Fig. 3). Further development does not occur until the following spring when the knots enlarge very rapidly. They initially are quite soft in texture and become greenish-brown in color as conidia develop over their surfaces (Fig. 4). The conidia are disseminated by wind and splashing rain but probably do not figure as prominently as the ascospores in establishing new infections.
By the second summer after infection, the knots have enlarged considerably and begin to change to a hard, coal-black structure. The old knots enlarge every year by advancing at the margins. The fungus mycelium can also spread internally and give rise to new galls some distance from the original knot. The central, older portions of the knot eventually break down and are invaded by boring insects.
Black knot disease cycle. (provided by Dr. Wayne Wilcox, Cornell University, NYSAES, Geneva, NY)
Management Strategies
Cultural management
Cultural management strategies are important in black knot management. Sites containing Prunus species should be monitored on a scheduled basis for possible infections. The main strategy to lower disease incidence is the removal of sources of inoculum. All shoots and branches bearing knots should be pruned out during the winter. This pruning should be completed before ascospore discharge begins in the spring, usually about the time that the buds first break. To be sure that even the unseen internal mycelium is removed, the cut should be made at least 15-20cm (6-8 in.) below the knot. Winter is also a good time to look for and remove sources of inoculum in nearby wild Prunus species in hedgerows and woodlots. The knots are capable of producing ascospores for some time after removal from the tree. Therefore, they should be burned, buried, or removed from the site regardless of the time of year the pruning takes place.
Genetic resistance
When selecting trees for a new planting, consider selecting varieties with known resistance. Varieties may vary in their ability to tolerate or resist an infection. Black knot resistance is as important as fruit characteristics, tree size, and flowering time. Up-to-date listings of varieties with high levels of resistance are often available from local extension offices. The plum variety President has shown high resistance. Moderately resistant varieties include: Methley, Milton, Early Italian, Brodshaw, Fellenberg, Shiro, Santa Rose, and Formosa. Shropshire and Stanley are very susceptible.
Site selection
Consider the site location. Avoid planting new trees near areas with known problems such as abandoned orchards or where wild varieties have been observed with the disease. When possible, remove wild varieties of the trees from the area.
Biological control
Interest in biological control agents is increasing because of the loss of certain fungicide registrations and the fact that applicators would prefer to reduce their exposure to pesticides. A possible biological control agent for black knot may be the fungal parasite, Trichothecium roseum, introduced in the symptoms section.
Chemical management
Fungicides to manage black knot are normally only recommended for commercial fruit production in New York State. At this time, there are no products are currently registered in New York for use on home orchard fruit trees or ornamentals for managing Black Knot. Homeowners should practice cultural controls for both ornamental and home orchard fruit trees that show evidence of this disease
http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/FactSheets/black_knot/blacknot.htm
Introduction
Black knot disease occurs on numerous cultivated and wild plums, prunes, and cherries (Prunus spp.). The disease is characterized by the presence of warty, black galls which may vary in size from 1/2 inch to more that 1 foot in length. In some parts of the Northeast and Midwest, black knot causes serious losses to commercial plum and prune growers. More often, however, the grotesque galls draw the attention from homeowners who want to improve the unsightly appearance of affected landscape trees. Black knot appears to be a minor problem on Prunus species found in forest situations, where susceptible trees are surrounded by many nonsusceptible species of trees. Black Knot is mainly a problem in North America (Canada, the United States and Mexico) where it is indigenous. A record from 1979 indicated the presence of the fungus on pear in Taiwan but no other incidences have been reported from Asia. Currently it is not found in Europe or the EPPO region. The EPPO region consists of 43 European and mediterranean countries that are responsible for international plant protection in their region. Apiosporina morbosa (syn.= Dibotryon morbosum) is listed as an EPPO A1 quarantine pest. Inclusion on the list requires the countries to follow phytosanitary regulations and to make appropriate requirements for admission of plant material in their countries.
Figure 2: Galls caused by the fungus on cherry. (provided by Dr. Phil A. Arneson, Cornell University)
Black knot has been reported on 24 species of Prunus but is most commonly found on wild and cultivated plums and cherries. Early publications from the 1950's describing the disease report no cases affecting peach, but a few rare infections have been reported since that time. The disease can be found throughout North America but is most commonly found in the northeast. It was first reported as a destructive disease in Massachusetts in 1811. It was first described in 1821 by L. D. Schweinitz from specimens collected in Pennsylvania. Researchers believe the disease is caused by a native pathogen that was only found in the northeastern states until around 1875, when observations of the disease began arising in the central states.
Young, infected twigs may die during the first year of infection. Larger branches may take several years to display severe damage. The infected trees decline and become more symptomatic with each growing season. The infection stresses the entire tree causing it to weaken, decline, and possibly die. The stress placed on the tree may also make it susceptible to infections by other pathogens. Economically, the trees lose value after a few years. The portions of a branch distal to a knot become stunted, and occasionally knots enlarge to girdle a branch and possibly kill it. Trees with multiple infections become dwarfed and misshapen, markedly reducing their productivity and attractiveness.
Because of the long infection process and disease cycle, this disease is often overlooked by home gardeners and fruit producers. The leaves can mask the symptoms until firmly established infections are in place. Once established, it is very difficult to manage the disease. Commercial growers often discover the disease more quickly because they regularly inspect their trees during routine crop management. Awareness and strict monitoring of susceptible plants should be a priority for all home gardeners and commercial growers.
Symptoms
The disease is characterized by the presence of thick, black, irregular swellings on the twigs (Fig. 1). The presence of these symptoms is often first noticed in the winter season when they are unobscured by leaves. However, the fungal disease-causing agent has been present for quite some time. The pathogen's presence disrupts the normal growth of the twigs and a tumor-like growth forms at the infection site. Infections may take place as much as a year or more prior to the development of these characteristic "knots", therefore, the swellings are normally not noticed until the winter of the second season of infection. It takes a keen observer to notice the subtle, initial symptoms present during the first season of infection.
The first symptoms appear as small, light brown swellings of the current or previous season's growth.. By the next season the swellings turn olive-green in color with a velvety texture. Over this growing season the knots darken and appear to have a hard, brittle texture (Fig. 2). The hard, black knots are the typical symptoms associated with the disease.
Knots vary in size from approximately 1-30 cm (0.5 to 12 in.) in length and from minute measurements to 5 cm (2 in.) in circumference. The infected twigs often appear bent at the tips because of extra cellular growth on one side. Trees with heavy infections may contain numerous knots. Some of the older knots may appear white or pink in color. This discoloration is often seen in late summer and is caused by the fungal parasite, Trichothecium roseum.
Disease Cycle
The fungus overwinters in the knots. About the time of bud emergence in the spring, the first ascospores are forcibly discharged from the ascostromata following a period of warm, wet weather. Apparently very short periods of wetness (only a few hours) are enough to prompt ascospore discharge. Temperatures between 16 and 27oC (60-80oF) are ideal for the dissemination, germination, and infection of new plant tissue. Recent studies have confirmed and concluded that rainfall and temperature are the key factors in the release of spores and that the duration of the rainfall or wet period is not a factor.
The ascospores are spread by air currents and rain splashing. Mainly the succulent green shoots and, occasionally, wounded tissues are most susceptible to infection by ascospores. Ascospore discharge continues to occur for 2-3 weeks after bloom. Infections take place during this time but may continue for a longer time period if susceptible host plant tissue is available. The germinating ascospores have the ability to penetrate unwounded surfaces of elongating, green shoots directly.
Figure 4. As knots develop, they become very soft in texture and are covered with olive-green conidia. (provided by Dr. Phil A. Arneson, Cornell University) The knots develop very slowly, and by the end of the summer they appear only as small galls that might easily be overlooked (Fig. 3). Further development does not occur until the following spring when the knots enlarge very rapidly. They initially are quite soft in texture and become greenish-brown in color as conidia develop over their surfaces (Fig. 4). The conidia are disseminated by wind and splashing rain but probably do not figure as prominently as the ascospores in establishing new infections.
By the second summer after infection, the knots have enlarged considerably and begin to change to a hard, coal-black structure. The old knots enlarge every year by advancing at the margins. The fungus mycelium can also spread internally and give rise to new galls some distance from the original knot. The central, older portions of the knot eventually break down and are invaded by boring insects.
Black knot disease cycle. (provided by Dr. Wayne Wilcox, Cornell University, NYSAES, Geneva, NY)
Management Strategies
Cultural management
Cultural management strategies are important in black knot management. Sites containing Prunus species should be monitored on a scheduled basis for possible infections. The main strategy to lower disease incidence is the removal of sources of inoculum. All shoots and branches bearing knots should be pruned out during the winter. This pruning should be completed before ascospore discharge begins in the spring, usually about the time that the buds first break. To be sure that even the unseen internal mycelium is removed, the cut should be made at least 15-20cm (6-8 in.) below the knot. Winter is also a good time to look for and remove sources of inoculum in nearby wild Prunus species in hedgerows and woodlots. The knots are capable of producing ascospores for some time after removal from the tree. Therefore, they should be burned, buried, or removed from the site regardless of the time of year the pruning takes place.
Genetic resistance
When selecting trees for a new planting, consider selecting varieties with known resistance. Varieties may vary in their ability to tolerate or resist an infection. Black knot resistance is as important as fruit characteristics, tree size, and flowering time. Up-to-date listings of varieties with high levels of resistance are often available from local extension offices. The plum variety President has shown high resistance. Moderately resistant varieties include: Methley, Milton, Early Italian, Brodshaw, Fellenberg, Shiro, Santa Rose, and Formosa. Shropshire and Stanley are very susceptible.
Site selection
Consider the site location. Avoid planting new trees near areas with known problems such as abandoned orchards or where wild varieties have been observed with the disease. When possible, remove wild varieties of the trees from the area.
Biological control
Interest in biological control agents is increasing because of the loss of certain fungicide registrations and the fact that applicators would prefer to reduce their exposure to pesticides. A possible biological control agent for black knot may be the fungal parasite, Trichothecium roseum, introduced in the symptoms section.
Chemical management
Fungicides to manage black knot are normally only recommended for commercial fruit production in New York State. At this time, there are no products are currently registered in New York for use on home orchard fruit trees or ornamentals for managing Black Knot. Homeowners should practice cultural controls for both ornamental and home orchard fruit trees that show evidence of this disease
Monday, May 10, 2010
Drop Spreader to the Resuce!
After spending an entire weekend with my little drop spreader and barely making a dent in my lime pile I decided to locate a larger spreader. Finally I came across a deal here in the Midwest. I was able to get an Ezee-Flow drop lime spreader 10' for $250. Oh why didn't I just get this in the first place! What a difference the right tool makes. I was able to shovel in the lime without first sifting out the rocks and it only took me about an hour to finish applying the last of my pile.
This is just a file picture I found of the same spreader I have. If you are going to take on spreading lime then save yourself a lot of headaches and buy one of these. You can find them all over the East coast for under $500 and I promise you will not regret the purchase.Monday, April 26, 2010
"Lime" your own business.
Lime 101 "The Basics":
So you want to get your pH up and someone says "just add lime". You think to your self for a second about that green bottle sitting in the back corner of your fridge wondering where you are going to get enough of that stuff to cover your orchard! Then you come to your senses and realize they are talking about Ag Lime. Ok then, what is ag lime, and what does it look like, and where do I get it, how much do I need, how expensive is it, how do I spread it? All good questions. Lets start with "what is it and what does it look like."
The word "lime" refers to products derived from burnt (calcined) limestone, such as quicklime and hydrated lime. Limestone is a naturally occurring and abundant sedimentary rock consisting of high levels of calcium and/or magnesium carbonate, and/or dolomite (calcium and magnesium carbonate), along with small amounts of other minerals. It is extracted from quarries and underground mines all over the world. (http://www.graymont.com/what_is_lime.shtml) This is what pulverized lime looks like when it is damp. It has about the same consistency as wet sand.
You can buy this stuff at your local farm COOP and it is really cheap. I bought 3.5 tons April 2010 for under $100, not including hauling. I rented a dumpbox trailer for the day at $100/day to pick up my load which if you have no other means of hauling, I highly recommend. If you don't mind shoveling the stuff out of the back of a pickup truck, you can get is that way too.
That's all great and dandy but now, how much do I need go get? That will depend on your soil sample. You did get a soil analysis, right? Without that bit of data, it is hard to say how much to apply. In our area here in Iowa we were fortunate as we only needed about 1.75 tons/acre. I have heard of a place in North Carolina needing up to 6 tons/acre. That doesn't seem too bad for a couple of acres but imagine if you had 100 acres to apply that to! Ouch! One other item worth mentioning, as you start to bring up your pH past 7, other trace minerals may become what's call suspended in the soil. Meaning that the trees and fungi are unable to get to them. One mineral that is easiest to notice your trees are lacking is Iron. You may notice that your leaves are blotted with yellow spots, that is a good indication that some mineral(s) are locked up and will need to be added to the soil so that can become available to the tree once again. To get a good understanding of the minerals your trees are consuming you will need to do a foliage analysis (test of the leafs).
So what did I choose to do? I found a small drop spreader for $30 bucks on http://www.craigslist.org/. It's not big and doesn't hold a lot but I am only working on 1 acre at the moment and this was better then throwing lime in the field by hand. I will just have to take more trips is all. The down side to using these little 42" garden spreaders is that a small rock will bind the agitator and prevent it from spinning. To get around this I took a wire rack and placed on top of the spreader to act as a sift when I loaded the spreader with lime. This caught all the big rocks that would jam the spreader but was very labor intensive.
I hope you have learned something from my mistakes. One would think this a simple task but sometimes it the simple things we tend to take for granted.
So you want to get your pH up and someone says "just add lime". You think to your self for a second about that green bottle sitting in the back corner of your fridge wondering where you are going to get enough of that stuff to cover your orchard! Then you come to your senses and realize they are talking about Ag Lime. Ok then, what is ag lime, and what does it look like, and where do I get it, how much do I need, how expensive is it, how do I spread it? All good questions. Lets start with "what is it and what does it look like."
You can buy this stuff at your local farm COOP and it is really cheap. I bought 3.5 tons April 2010 for under $100, not including hauling. I rented a dumpbox trailer for the day at $100/day to pick up my load which if you have no other means of hauling, I highly recommend. If you don't mind shoveling the stuff out of the back of a pickup truck, you can get is that way too.
That's all great and dandy but now, how much do I need go get? That will depend on your soil sample. You did get a soil analysis, right? Without that bit of data, it is hard to say how much to apply. In our area here in Iowa we were fortunate as we only needed about 1.75 tons/acre. I have heard of a place in North Carolina needing up to 6 tons/acre. That doesn't seem too bad for a couple of acres but imagine if you had 100 acres to apply that to! Ouch! One other item worth mentioning, as you start to bring up your pH past 7, other trace minerals may become what's call suspended in the soil. Meaning that the trees and fungi are unable to get to them. One mineral that is easiest to notice your trees are lacking is Iron. You may notice that your leaves are blotted with yellow spots, that is a good indication that some mineral(s) are locked up and will need to be added to the soil so that can become available to the tree once again. To get a good understanding of the minerals your trees are consuming you will need to do a foliage analysis (test of the leafs).
Now the really hard part, how to you spread it. If you have a small acreage your are managing, you may be thinking, "I have a really nice grass seed broadcast spreader, I will just use that." Try to put lime through any type of broadcast spreader not designed to spread lime and you will sorely regret it. If the lime gets the least amount of moisture in it, it will just plug up your spreader. So that leaves you with just a couple of options. You can ask that COOP to send a truck out and pay them to spread if for you, or you can spend a few bucks and buy what is called a drop spreader. Yes a drop spreader is exactly what you think it is. it spread your materials by way of gravity. If you have a large acreage you are planning on managing then it might be worth it to invest in a large lime broadcast spreader. "Wait, didn't you just say don't use a broadcast spreader"? Yes, never use one that is not designed to spread lime. Here is a link of a true broadcast lime spreader. http://www.wikco.com/800.html This is a small version of what the big farms run. The large farms around here use huge 16 ton trucks with large balloon or float tires to spread their materials.
I hope you have learned something from my mistakes. One would think this a simple task but sometimes it the simple things we tend to take for granted.
Friday, April 2, 2010
They just keep getting more attention!
I just received an email from Betty Garland of Garland Truffles stating that the NC Farm Bureau magazine has done an article on them. It is a good article bringing more attention to the industry (and the Garland's)
http://www.ncfbmagazine.org/2010/03/tasty-truffles/
Check it out!
http://www.ncfbmagazine.org/2010/03/tasty-truffles/
Check it out!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Every good hunter needs a good dog.
This here is our new puppy, Izzy. She is a pound puppy that we just picked up from the Animal Rescue League. From the little info we got on her we determined that she is a Blue Heeler/Beagle mix and is about 5 months old. She is a sweet girl, doesn't bark, jump, or lick (too much). Izzy loves to lay on my lap and in front of our double doors soaking up the sun. She is pretty smart too! We were able to potty train her in one day if you can believe that! She can sit and shake and know what she can and can't chew on. The boys just love her. Jack (2) and Max (1), take her toys and run around Izzy trying to get her to play but she mostly just sits and watches the boys run around. So I adopted a couch potato what can I say.
Izzy is all sunshine and roses inside but outside, that beagle nose of hers goes into high gear. When we are out walking the property, she easily picks up on the sent of some tracks and off she goes on the hunt. Izzy does stop when asked but you can tell if she was off the leash that she would be in the woods chasing down deer and squirrels.Being that she is so easy to train, we are going to teach her to hunt down those pesky moles that are tearing up our yard. With a little luck we might even be able to teach her to hunt us down some truffles.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
The Snow is gone!
Finally after one of the worst winters on record here in Iowa, the snow has finally been defeated! Now we just have to wait for the rain to stop. :(
Sunday, February 21, 2010
The Beginning
I have been posting a bunch of hap hazard stuff on this blog and have recently realized I have missed a great opportunity to explain what is the whole hub-bub about with this truffle thing. To start with I am not talking about chocolate, I am talking about a fungi. A very special and tasty fungi, much like a mushroom bur grown underground. (Those of you wondering, the chocolate truffles you might have eaten during Valentine's Day are named after the fungi because of the way they look.)
This ungrounded fungi that is unlike any other mushroom you might have seen, smelled or eaten is called a truffle. There are thousands of truffles in the world and just like mushrooms, some you can eat and some you can not. Some rare. and highly desired truffles (Italian White) and have such a unique taste that their prices are North of $3000/lb. One rare large Italian white truffle sold at auction for $200,000! See article.
You may read this and be wondering, are they really with all that? That is a difficult question to answer as we asked ourselves the same thing. Then we had a dinner where Period Black Truffles were served throughout the meal as a dressing, salad topping, sauce and mixed in with a risotto. That answered our question with a hell yes they are worth it!
So what are these little gems? The first time you see one in real life, you think it is just a clod of dirt or something your puppy might have left in the yard, if you know what I mean. They are the fungi of an ectomycorrhizae that grow on the root of certain trees. Much like the apple to an apple tree the truffle, or in our case the (Tuber Uncinatum), is the fruiting body that grows from the mycorrhizae on the tree root. The ectomycorrhizae is a muchical benefiting relationship between the tree and the fungi. It helps the tree roots to reach nutrients that it normally couldn't and the tree then gives back the nutrients needed by the mycorrhizae. For a more in-depth description, click here or simply do a Google search for ectomycorrhizae. Warning! If you are not into science or biology and attempt to learn more on this subject, you head may just explode. (mine nearly did).
Now that you are back from googleing all of that, you may be asking if so many trees have mycorrhizae, they why don't they all have truffles? Remember that apple tree analogy? It is for the same reason not all trees have fruit or nuts or pine cones on them. Some trees grow a type of truffle that you would never want to find on your dinner plate while others are edible but have no real commercial value. The type of mycorrhizae we are after only grow on a few specific trees and in very strict soil and climate conditions. Those factors are what make these little treasures so rare. They are not like corn that one can grow almost anywhere and in fact you really don't "grow" truffles but you cultivate them like a button mushroom. We provide the tree and fungi everything it needs to grow but it is up to mother nature weather the tree will bear fruit.
So can you just plant some trees and poof have a truffle? Kind of. The poof moment does not happen for years, anywhere from as little as 3 years up to10+! (the avgerage person can expect truffles in years 5-7). When you plant trees innoculated with the type of Tuber you intend to harvest, it is a risk. In Iowa the ground is frozen during the time the Black Perigord truffles are ready to be harvested so you may be able to grow them but you would not be able to harvest them and I am pretty sure selling them would be out of the question if you did get them out of the ground. That is why we turned our attention to the tuber uncinatum or Burgundy Truffle. They are harvested in the fall just before the freeze. Why is freezing bad? Take a look at the picture above. These truffles came from a farm in Norht Carolina, the on the left was harvested after the ground had frozen for only a couple of days. Even though it is still a "fresh" truffle, meaning it was just pulled out of the ground. Because it was frozen it can not be sold as a true "fresh" truffle. North Carolina had an unusually cold winter this year.
What about value, how much are they worth. That all depends. Again you can Google any of the above varity of truffles and you will find prices for fresh Italian Whites around $3000/lb, Perigord Blacks around $1600/lb, and Burgundy's for about $500/lb. These are of corse retail prices on the internet, I do not know for certain but I imagine that restraunts and chefs are paying a little less then retail.
"How many pounds of truffles can I get out of a tree"? ,you may be asking. This is a product that yeild is not measured by the tree but by the acre. One tree by itself would most likely not produce a single truffle. (In fact to this day, no one has been able to grow truffles on trees grown in containers.) Truffle orchards are planted in mass, as much as 500 tree/acre in some palces. I have read that a person could expect a yeild for Black Perigord truffles, around 35lb/acre on a well maintained orchard and at current prices, one can see how lucretative just a few acres could be.
In the end though, this is still an agricultural venture and should be treated as such. Trees must be tended to much like any other crop. This means that you are subject the will of mother nature and must plan on how to deal with all the things she can throw at you such as drought, floods and pests. ( This truffle on the left had it's fair share of visitors before it was pulled from the ground.)
You may read this and be wondering, are they really with all that? That is a difficult question to answer as we asked ourselves the same thing. Then we had a dinner where Period Black Truffles were served throughout the meal as a dressing, salad topping, sauce and mixed in with a risotto. That answered our question with a hell yes they are worth it!
Now that you are back from googleing all of that, you may be asking if so many trees have mycorrhizae, they why don't they all have truffles? Remember that apple tree analogy? It is for the same reason not all trees have fruit or nuts or pine cones on them. Some trees grow a type of truffle that you would never want to find on your dinner plate while others are edible but have no real commercial value. The type of mycorrhizae we are after only grow on a few specific trees and in very strict soil and climate conditions. Those factors are what make these little treasures so rare. They are not like corn that one can grow almost anywhere and in fact you really don't "grow" truffles but you cultivate them like a button mushroom. We provide the tree and fungi everything it needs to grow but it is up to mother nature weather the tree will bear fruit.
What about value, how much are they worth. That all depends. Again you can Google any of the above varity of truffles and you will find prices for fresh Italian Whites around $3000/lb, Perigord Blacks around $1600/lb, and Burgundy's for about $500/lb. These are of corse retail prices on the internet, I do not know for certain but I imagine that restraunts and chefs are paying a little less then retail.
"How many pounds of truffles can I get out of a tree"? ,you may be asking. This is a product that yeild is not measured by the tree but by the acre. One tree by itself would most likely not produce a single truffle. (In fact to this day, no one has been able to grow truffles on trees grown in containers.) Truffle orchards are planted in mass, as much as 500 tree/acre in some palces. I have read that a person could expect a yeild for Black Perigord truffles, around 35lb/acre on a well maintained orchard and at current prices, one can see how lucretative just a few acres could be.
In the end though, this is still an agricultural venture and should be treated as such. Trees must be tended to much like any other crop. This means that you are subject the will of mother nature and must plan on how to deal with all the things she can throw at you such as drought, floods and pests. ( This truffle on the left had it's fair share of visitors before it was pulled from the ground.)
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Cultivating Truffles in Iowa
This Spring (2010) we will break ground and bust up the grass using our single bottom plow. Next we will have our local co-op come out and apply 2 tons of Ag Lime, after which we will rotor-till our rows we intend to plant. Using the advice from our friends we have come up with a spacing for our trees and rows that will accommodate the growth of mixed oaks and filberts and should ensure rapid distribution of the mycorrhizae. We will follow up the tillage with a total ground kill herbicide and continue to spray the rows throughout the spring or as weeds appear.
Then it is just spray and till, spray and till until fall. Fall of 2010 we will get another soil sample and have it tested to ensure our pH is rising. Hunker down for another winter. If all goes a planned in the spring 2011 we should be able to start spreading lime (again), till, lay drip irrigation, and plant trees!Monday, February 15, 2010
My How Time Passes By
Have you ever seen those fun little time-lapse movies where they build an entire house in just a matter of minutes? Or have you seen the videos of the setting sun with clouds rolling by in a matter of seconds? Those videos have always amazed me and they got me thinking. I have never seen a time-laps video of a tree growing. Mostly because a tree takes so long to grown and unlike me, most people don't care. So I decided to look into what it would take to create my own time-lapse movie of a tree or trees growing.
The first search results that came back were very discouraging to say the least. Most places want to sell you a fancy timer to plug into your $1000+ camera or hook up your camera to a laptop for a few hours. Neither of those solutions fit my need. All I needed was an inexpensive camera, enclosure and timer that I could leave up outside for a few years. Not too tall of a request is it? Anyway, I found the solution, it is call a PlantCam and it is made by Wingscapes and it costs less then $100 and you can find them on eBay or Amazon. It has some great reviews even thought the picture quality is not considered High Def for this day and age but who cares for this price!
I have place my order for one and expect it to be here within a week or so. I hope to get this up and record the snow melting this spring. If all goes well, I will be posting videos by March. If all goes as planned, I will be able to record our entire truffle planting process from breaking grown, to planting and with some luck, HARVESTING!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Truffle NATGA Meeting in North Carolina
My wife and I had a great time in North Carolina at the NATGA meeting. We thought the presentation by Laura Phelps of the American Mushroom Institute was full of great information and gave us a lot to think about. It was also very reassuring to see a university such as NC State take an interest in our industry. Here in Iowa, we have been finding it very difficult to locate someone to discuss truffles or even the study of mycorrhizas. We look forward to talking with Dr. Jeanine M. Davis and hopefully help provide more information for our up and coming industry. Everyone in the group was very friendly and fun to talk too. We sure learned a ton from everyone and wish the the best on their trufflieres.
Our first stop on our trip was over at Jack and Debbie Ponticelli's farm. It took a few passes to find his place but we finally arrived on Friday afternoon. Jack showed us in and was as friendly as family. We sat down and got right into talking about trees and truffles, I think I asked him a million questions. Jack then took s for a tour of his plantation which I then asked another million questions. Their home and the land was just a beautiful location with rolling hills and a small creek in back with a waterfall coming of a large outcropping of rocks. We went back into his house where he showed his his three truffle dogs ( the laberpoodle was my wife's favorite). Jack asked us if we would like to see a demonstration of his dogs hunting ability? Of course we said yes at which point Jack pulled out a bag of frozen truffles. The fragrance was week but there. That was also my first time I have ever held or smelled a truffle. Jack hid the truffle pretty well, I assumed the dogs would just sit by the counter where the other truffles were sitting but I was so wrong. His dogs walked the room once and then made a beeline right to where he had hid it. Needless to say, we were impressed.
After leaving Jack's farm we headed into town to get checked into the hotel. That night we ate at a little place in Winston-Salem call Noma's. The place was almost empty so we thought we arrived at a good time. The hostess asked if we had a reservation which we didn't. She then said that the only place she had for us to sit was at the window on a high top table. I looked over her shoulder at the empty restaurant and snickered and said sure, we will take the high top. The food was great and I highly recommend eating there if you are in town.
The next morning was the meeting which we were all treated to drinks at a local winery after we adjourned. Once we came back from the winery, we had the most wonderful dinner. Grooper or steak with truffle risotto and a truffle sauce that I couldn't get enough of!
The next morning we got up early with our bellies full and started our 15 hour trip back to Des Moines Iowa.
It's Iowa! What can I say
We have been very fortunate this winter that we didn't order and plant trees as they would most likely have all died. Starting in December of 2009 we had snow storm after snow storm followed by a blizzard then an ice storm. Not a good way to end the year. This year we had one of the coldest January's on record with temps below -0 for over two weeks! We finally get a break and get a weeks worth of warm weather (above 32) and now we once again are punished with an ice storm!
January is nearly over (thank god) but we still have a long way to go before we can think about waving the white stuff goodbye and putting to bed another hard Iowa winter.
We are hopeful once we get our trees in the ground (2011) that mother nature will bless us with some decent weather and not try to kill our plantation.
January is nearly over (thank god) but we still have a long way to go before we can think about waving the white stuff goodbye and putting to bed another hard Iowa winter.
We are hopeful once we get our trees in the ground (2011) that mother nature will bless us with some decent weather and not try to kill our plantation.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Burrr! It's cold up here!
We are finally out of the deep freeze! After spending over 2 weeks below 0 degrees, we are ready for some warm weather! And just in time too as we are about to head south to North Carolin for the Truffle Growers meeting. I hear it might get up over 60 degrees down there. I might just have to break out the shorts if that is the case!
Here in Iowa over the last month we have had over 30+ inches of snow on top of being really cold! It is hard to see in the picture but the snow is still about a foot deep still!
Hopefully by the time we come back from our trip the snow and cold will be gone.
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