Green Smoothie Ingredients: Fruit in 7 months?

A picture is worth a thousand words, this from: http://www.rawfamily.com/news/2012/08/espalier.jpg

Victoria Boutenko writes: "Now we realize why she (Valya) was so excited. From the trees and bushes that Valya received in the mail only six months ago, we are already harvesting our own apricots, figs, mulberries, black currants, peaches and grapes. We are now looking forward to our own pears, persimmons, and pawpaws".


Having read this post Learn to Espalier with Valya, I immediately thought of friends Dirk Becker, Nicole Shaw and Compassion Farm and what use I could put this information to and wrote:

"I remember your regrets about not planting fruit trees years ago. I too have similar thoughts, but here is an answer Learn to Espalier with Valya. Fruits in just 7 months?"

Espalier? My pruning books talk about this, but I was under the impression it was a long term project and too labour intensive for me...

So I decided to do my own research and as usual I began with Wikipedia: Espalier

(/ɨˈspælɪər/ or /ɨˈspæli.eɪ/) is the horticultural and ancient agricultural practice of controlling woody plant growth originally for the production of fruit, by pruning and tying branches to a frame so that they grow into a flat plane, frequently in formal patterns, against a structure such as a wall, fence, or trellis, and also plants which have been shaped in this way.

• 2010-10-10 05:04 Andyvancleve 640×480× (266695 bytes) Belgian Fence being trained at the flowering shrub farm. Andyvancleve www.floweringshrubfarm.com

More information on fruit tree forms are here.

I am most interested in keeping my neighbours and their animals out of my food garden. To that end I've erected a fence and gate, netting and planted scarlet runners, climbing nasturtiums, Himalayan Blackberries and am utilizing the Hawthorn tree already there.

Thanks to Valya, Victoria Boutenko and Wikipedia for getting me thinking about how I can train more permanent trees to produce earlier than I ever thought possible.

It is now September, 2012, time to think about planning my First WINTER GARDEN...

Rope-a-Lantzville Dope

Susana Michaelis

‎(This post was buried in a long string and I think it is very important. Susana)

From: Dirk Becker
Dear folks,:
 

Nicole and I are very political. We feel strongly that the political is personal and involves every aspect our lives. I personally have run for office twice now. We also recognize that what we are doing here is not only political, it is also of global significance.
 

We have both served on many boards ranging from social, to environmental, to food.
Our lives have been turned upside down for 11 months now. I have not slept properly for most of that time (usually wake up at 4 am wet from nightmares) have been sick for 2 months, my back is out, our crops suck, the slugs are out of control, the weed are 3 feet tall etc.
 

Because of that and more, we have been pushed by our most trusted friends to retain a lawyer. The initial retainer will be about $5,000.00 We farm full time for a living, we also publish a magazine that is break even because we refuse to chase after and fill the magazine with ads. We also do free workshops, public talks, consult and counsel people weekly for free. I have been asked by a publisher to start a book, and another person has asked me to go on a cross canada tour to speak on this issue.
 

85% of farmers in canada have off farm jobs to make ends meet. I have not had a holiday for 10 years and we have not had a 2 night getaway for 2, going on 3 years now. In addition to all I have mentioned (there is more) we now need between 5,000 and $50,000.00 for this legal battle.
 

What we are asking is that you folks please take (this) battle to your personal face books. There are 1600+ members on this group. When they get posts from here and or join, we need them to be drawn to:
"Protect Urban Agriculture, Save Compassion Farm"
 

We need you and others (on this site) to direct their energy towards the future of food in canada through bottom up, grass roots actions like this.

Thank you for your understanding and support thus far, i sincerely hope you will stay the course with us, as this issue and fight affects all of in this group, the people of Vancouver Island, of British Columbia, of Canada, of North America and the rest of all people around the world.
 

Thank You,
Yours in Service, Dirk Becker.

7 hours ago · · ·

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• You and 2 others like this.
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    Glenda Allard Barr Thank you, Susana. This is, indeed, an important post. It hurts to read it, but it dramatizes the ordeal that Dirk and Nicole cannot escape, and the need for our energies to find resolution for this issue. I deleted the word "try" in the last sentence, because we cannot end the struggle until good sense prevails and the value of the work our farmers do is fully recognized!

    7 hours ago · · 1 person
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    Chris J. Slater Dirk and Nichol - "Rope-A-Dope!" http://en.wikipedia.org/wi​ki/Rope-a-dope and "Illegitimi non carborundum" http://en.wikipedia.org/wi​ki/Illegitimi_non_carborun​dum . Yes those who want to be your oppressors and bullies are truly sick. Agreed? But don't feed them and what they crave by wasting your time and energies by worrying about what they have or can do. Enjoy your chosen vocations, it's always darkest before dawn. And there is one coming. There are elections in the District of Lantzville in November and rather than trying to change the minds of those now in power, we need to expose them for what they are and work for regime change. To spend $5,000 on legal retainers let alone $50,000, or on advertising, hoping to educate or change their minds is foolishness. Get on with what you need to do. If that angry neighbour, Mayor, Councillors or anyone else is harassing you or your property, report them to the RCMP, by-law enforcement or whatever authority is responsible for good law and order. And thank you for sharing what losers they are. But what about Jack De Jong's well researched solution: apply for "Farm Tax Status" ? There are 9 properties in a situation similar to yours, but they already have the Status. That designation comes from the BC Assessment Authority and that MUST be the end of The D of L's demands, unless they want to continue this charade of discrimination. Raw Manure, Flies, Plague, Etc. In my opinion, having been there personally, they are FULL of IT! Better yet, the District of L will have less of YOUR tax dollars to spend on such foolishness. Please, reconsider and get that Status, then people, let's work to "Turf The Turkeys" in November! Please, Dirk and Nicole, continue your very important fight: to restore some sanity to our RIGHT to FEED ourselves and whoever we choose without government or corporate interference! People, please, wherever you are in the world, rise up, your RIGHTS must be respected! And tell everyone who EATS: Protect Urban Agriculture, Save Compassion Farm...How? Join the fight!

    

    Rope-a-dope - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    en.wikipedia.org

    The Rope-a-dope is a boxing fighting style commonly associated with Muhammad Ali...See more

    12 minutes ago · · 1 person ·
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    Chris J. Slater FB always has to leave off something! Send this link to whoever you know who eats! http://www.facebook.com/gr​oups/143703205679538/ Ask them to join in a righteous campaign.

    

    Protect Urban Agriculture, Save Compassion Farm...

    One of our sacred local food sources (Compassion Farm - Lantzville, BC) has come under attack by those who do not understand the importance of urban agriculture. The purpose of this group is to creat...

    7 minutes ago · · 2 people ·

The time is LATE! Your health is being undermined by the Corporation.

Please see Grounded News Presents: Save Compassion Farm (click the links)

I agree, Dirk and Nicole are in the forefront of Urban Farmers DOING something about the current state of growing FOOD in North America. Because we went to sleep, Corporate America has gained such a head start and MONOPOLY with "their brand of FOODS", (GMO, Round-up Ready, Terminator seeds and PATENTED Foods - It is estimated Monsanto now has over 11,000 patents - THEY control the foods you BUY in STORES) in combination with their control of "non-natural PATENTED MEDICINES" through the Church of Modern Medicine - we are in grave danger for our SURVIVAL. It's not about getting "along" with neighbours! Hello? Dirk Becker and Nicole Shaw simply wanted to be left alone to try to do their small part to solving OUR PROBLEM what are we going to breathe, drink and EAT, as well as live, but NO! The neighbourhood NIMBY, Jim Brash has been emboldened by the Mayor Colin Haime and majority of Council of Lantzville (one of the Councillors is Denise Haime, Mayor Haime's wife so they consitute 2 of the 7 votes) to escalate his harassment and bullying of Dirk and Nicole. I believe they are acting like Fascists in that community and persecuting these innocents for daring to do something against THEIR repressive zoning and by-laws in THEIR neighbourhood. Rise up people, educate yourself why so many countries around the world don't want North American Frankenfoods! Watch, Learn and APPLY. Tear out the lawn, plant open-pollinated seeds, and seek out Heritage FOOD plants and animals. Or at least SUPPORT local urbanites like Dirk and Nicole who will! http://www.youtube.com/wat​ch?v=pEYnX3-I0TA