Planning to Plant Our Asian Pear Trees

Bob Laying Out the Grid

As I stepped into the truck today to take the 25 minute drive to Jonesborough, TN, the sky was clear, and the only hint of snow was the white mountain tops which surround us.  Remembering my friends in New England and the relentless blizzard they had just endured, I was overcome with gratitude for the one warmish day we had to plan the next phase of our orchard.

Today we laid out the spacing for planting the first 126 asian pear trees which are scheduled to arrive the first week of March.  As we measured out our grid in the fenced in area, we second guessed the advice we got to place them 12 ft apart with a distance of 18 ft between the rows.  Then we were really thrown off by how misaligned the rows appeared when we laid them out. And then we discovered that the fenced in area where we are placing them is in no way square.  

So glad there was already a fenced off area to keep out the cows

Like I said in our first post, this first acre is our experimental acre.  As we stood overlooking the prospect of how our orchard will grow, it became clear that our plans are very much guided by the natural flow of our land.  There will be unforeseen circumstances which will alter the course of our planting.  Hopefully the unforeseen will unfold the blessings and the graces which make the adventure enriching.

Shhh…..don’t tell Sandy, this is not just an experiment. Bob

The Beginning of Pear Blossom Farm

Our First Farm

When we purchased our 20 acre farm in Jonesborough, TN  we had the intention of building our home there.  That is still our intention, but in the meantime we have discovered a new project, the prospect of which, tickles us to no end.  

I love asian pears.  My husband loves to dig and grow things.  I love the co-creative process of growing things with the help of my husband and mother nature.  Hence, Pear Blossom Farm was born inside the city limits of Jonesborough. Our hope is to have our first crop of asian pears on or before we have moved in to our home.  

The Current Tenants

This is a long term project which we will document here.  

As you can see there is much work to do.  The first couple of photos here were taken on the day of purchase, June 22, 2014.  It is now January of 2015, and we are preparing our land for our first acre of trees.Currently the farm is home to a small herd of cattle, so our first acre of trees has to be keenly guarded from the trampling hooves of our 4 legged friends.  Luckily a square acre was already fenced off with barbed wire before we took ownership.  It will be easy to re-purpose it.

Sandy (me) Mowing the First Acre

We're working between the bouts of bad weather that winter brings to East Tennessee, and are making progress.  Last weekend we had a pretty day to mow the little square and repair the fence. 

Today (1/25/15) Bob (my husband who likes to dig and grow stuff) put up a gate.

Our first 126 trees arrive on March 1st.  Shhh .... don't tell

The Gate that Bob Put in

Bob but I call these first few trees our experimental crop.  This first year will be a learning experience .... one that will bring us closer together and make us wiser, greener and attuned to the loving forces of the land where we will unfold our lives in the years to come.

Sadie (the big one) Meets a Neighbor