Oh, I am excited!!!
Today at Blackheath Community market I put my order in for some HAZELNUT trees, which are being distributed as part of the Hazelnut Tree Project, a community bulk-buy scheme organised by the Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute. (Have a look at their great website here HERE )
Hazelnuts are particularly suited to our climate here in the mountains, and are an excellent food source. You can read more about them and how to grow them at Hazelnut Nursery Propagators , who just happen to be right here in the mountains!
They are wind pollinated, (so don't depend on a healthy local population of bees) and you do need a minimum of 2 trees so they can cross-pollinate. We have ordered 4, which I understand will be different varieties to maximise the yield and the length of the growing season, as some are early and some late season producers.
They are a decent size tree, bare-root stock, and at just $15 per tree, a great investment!
It is a little early for us to buy them, as our land still sits empty waiting for our dream home, but you know what? In a couple of years we will have a fantastic food forest growing there complete with fruit and nut trees!
In the meantime we can either try to pick the best spot for our future orchard or plant the hazelnuts out into large pots while we wait ....
I'm just happy to be moving further towards our dream ........
:-)
5 comments:
Thanks for the links to the BM Permaculture Institute - I've found some good stuff just now. We planted two Hazelnut shrubs last year. They are still young - we only got 2 nuts! but it was very exciting. I'm interested in doing that window insulation too - sounds like quite an affordable option to help insulate the house and after sitting here working today at it was 5 degrees outside I think the more help we get - the better!
I was just reading about Hazelnuts - looking for some kind of nut tree to plant here. They sound practical as far as nut trees go. Some of them (especially pecans and walnuts) can take up to a decade to fruit.
So the hazelnut is a good contender in comparison.
It must be difficult waiting to move on your property. Back before we built, we'd visit our block every opportunity we could get. It's nice to have something to look forward too though.
I hope your building ventures go well.
Hello!
thanks for sharing the info about the hazelnuts. We should have a secret bloggers handshake so that we can recognise each other when we meet at the markets.
Lis- I do like the 'secret bloggers handshake' idea! Maybe I'll just introduce myself next time, (will look a little less weird to others!)
Jacqui- even 2 nuts is exciting! strange how even small achievements please us isn't it? Maybe you'll get a bumper crop next year :)
Chris-I would definitely try if they are suitable for your area too. Nice size, look good, taste delicious, and I'm too impatient for the other nut trees too!
Hi, I've linked to your blog from mine, I'm new to the blogging game and also to the Mountains...so it's great to find you! Be great if you can stop by sometime :)
http://mountainslife.wordpress.com/
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