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Ask other growers about sprayers, mowers, scythes, pruning tools, tractors, row-mulchers, wood chippers, cider presses, fermenting vats, and more.
Re: bicarbonate for thinning - 5 years ago
I will check in with other organic growers in our club. A+by Francis Brabant - Organic Thinning
Re: Tractor sizing - 5 years ago
I own 3 orchard tractor : One 75 hp FIAT 4 x 4 (my main spraying tractor for years) One 55 hp New Holland (2WD chores tractor) One 85 Kubota M8540 Narrow. (the new kid in town) The 55 NH does all the mowing but is challenge a bit with heavy jobs with the shredder (I have a Votex and a Kuhn). Also, you need counterweight in Front. Drop that clutch a little fast and you will the tractor popby Francis Brabant - Sensible Equipment
Re: Flail Mower - 5 years ago
Regarding rocks and such, the flail mower is pretty forgiving, especially with blades. Hammers are VERY resistant but will break apart at some point. This year, I broke many hammers @ 45 $ each. Not a happy camper. I did replace most of them with the least damaged hammers from my previous set. Those mower cannot run with a missing hammer. The vibration is unreal!by Francis Brabant - Sensible Equipment
Re: Power pruner options - 5 years ago
Hi! Campagnola is pretty much the only game in town. Fixed length are less expensive and slightly lighter. Don't skimp on the compressor. Beside, it's always useful on a farm. Word of caution. You need 150 lbs to get the most out of the pruner. Most compressor run in the 90-120 range. You can change the controller but only if the compressor pump is rated for higher pressure. I usby Francis Brabant - Sensible Equipment
Re: Fruit rots (and maybe holistic sprays??) - 6 years ago
Bonjour! We have had a similar problem last year and this year again. According to the specialist at IRDA, we are dealing with Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, AKA, bull's eye rot. There is a link between this occurence and Fireblight. All the trees that were infected with the rot had suffered a fireblight infection. The presence of rot on trees not affected by fireblight is negligibleby Francis Brabant - Fungal Pathogens
Make your own Lime Sulfur? - 9 years ago
Has anyone ever made it's own Lime Sulfur? Here in Canada, it's ridiculously expensive (8.75 $ a litre) so I made two batches yesterday (beside my supplier could net get the product in on time for the weekend). Since I was running around like the proverbial chicken without it's head, my mix was wrong (I halved the sulfur and lime, but not the water). Anyway, I did turn orby Francis Brabant - Spray Nuance
Re: Surround Price increase $$$ - 9 years ago
You will find the best prices at 7springsfarmby Francis Brabant - Spray Nuance
Re: Plum Curculio Varietal preference - 9 years ago
I dont think that it has a preference altough it is attracted to more ripened fruits. For example, my orchard has the dubious honor of being the fort one infested by Plum Curcilio, year after year (out of the 70 or so that are part of our agro-club). The agronomist told me she does not bother looking for it in my Empire (that are closer to the wooded area) but goes straight to the Jerseyby Francis Brabant - Bug by Bug
Re: bicarbonate for thinning - 9 years ago
First, dont use Armicarb. Get a technical grade potassium bicarbonate (2,65$ a kilo). Test have shown that Armicarb causes more phytotoxicity then the technical grade product. Go figure. Second, I tried it, probably a bit too late and got little results to show for. This year, I expect a heay crop so I will be using Lime sulphur like a mad man!by Francis Brabant - Organic Thinning
Re: antibiotics and the organic standards - 9 years ago
You may want to look at Blossom Protect: Blossom Protect Label Approved for organic use. You apply it before the Fire Blight risk. It colonizes the site where the bacteria triers to enter the flower and make it unhospitable by making it acidic. In Canada, Strepto is a no-no for organic use even tough you can use it in the US until 2014.by Francis Brabant - Bacterial Opportunists
Re: sourcing pure neem oil in Canada - 9 years ago
Well, I got to this topic a bit late but you can also order from www. dyna-gro.com, They have a retailer near you: Hydroculture Emporium, Inc. 416 Richmond Road, Suite 3 Ottawa, ON K2A 0G3 Phone: 613-715-9472 To complete what David said about PMRA, I would like to point out that this system was put in place to prevent another DDT fiasco. Everything is considered dangerous and suspect byby Francis Brabant - Spray Nuance