Charles, a certified permaculture designer, comes to EAT through a love of the wild, faith that healthy communities can solve complex problems, and a belief that working with one’s hands is sacred work.
As an accomplished tinker Charles brings a wide range of practical and somewhat obscure hand skills. He has installed complex systems such as solar electric arrays, gray water filters, and veggie oil diesel conversions. He has implemented simple systems such as emergency water filtration, humanure composting toilets, and rotational grazing plans. He is talented in wilderness tracking, solo canoeing, gathering and tending wild edibles, starting fire by hand, and mapping. He loves to work with his hands, whether he is tanning hides or repairing a generator, and this love is reflected when he teaches EAT’s hands-on segments.
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Tag Archives: apples
2016 Plant Sale!
Posted by on May 4, 2016
Glad you found this page! Here is the descriptions from our 2016 offerings. Many of these may still be available- so please inquire!
You can find the most up to date list HERE!
Hi Friends!
Apologies, as I know some of you have been waiting for an updated list with this year’s offerings. It’s here and the plants are ready for pickup!
We’re excited to offer a few new things we’ve been expirimenting with, as well as some proven favorites.
BARE ROOT is a naked tree and wants to be planted as soon as possible, prices are determined by size (diameter caliper or length) and rarity of tree or variety. Please arrange pickup as soon as possible.
POTS are ONE GALLON and $20 EACH unless otherwise stated. They would love to be planted into their permanent home sooner than later but can ‘hang out’ for several weeks if necessary.
Please reserve your quantities ASAP, as we imagine most of these will sell out quickly.
Plants are available for pickup BY APPOINTMENT- I will be deriving some plants into Burlington, some are at the farm, some are in cold storage downtown Jeffersonville- so please call or email to confirm availability and arrange a time and the right locationto get your plants.
We will try to hold trees, but without cash in hand there are no guarantees- first come first served, especially with bare root as we want them planted asap. Feel free to PayPal or Facebook Messenger money for a guaranteed reservation.
CHERRIES (very large and soon to bear):
LAPINS 5/8″ dia. Bare Root Trees $25
Very large, dark purple, delicious and self-fertile, Lapins is one of the best Cherries available. From brilliant white blossoms to the dark red fruit to beautiful foliage in fall, this tree provides multi-seaon interest. Introduced by Dr. Lapins at the Summerland Research Station in British Columbia, Canada, Lapins is a favorite with commercial growers. Lapins is also an easy to grow and very productive variety for the home gardener.
NORTHSTAR 5/8″ diam. Bare Root Trees $25
A unique and tasty pie cherry from Minnesota. This self-fertile, naturally dwarf tree bears heavy crops of large, tasty, bright red fruit with red flesh and red juice. Northstar grows to 6-8 ft. in height and is hardy to minus 40°F.
FEIJOA aka PINEAPPLE GUAVA! Gallon Pots (Acca Sellowiana form. Feijoa Sellowiana)
This sub tropical evergreen with beautiful edible flowers and ‘minty pineapple’ guava fruit is a carefree plant that tolerates freezing down into the teens. It can be taken indoors as a houseplant for winter months.
BLACK SPANISH FIGS! 1-2′ Bare Root Trees $20 (Ficus Carica)
One of the favorite figs for container culture, this reliable and productive variety bears abundant crops of dark mahogany colored fruit. The very sweet, juicy, and firm fruit is great for fresh eating, preserves, and drying. A naturally dwarf tree can be taken indoors as a houseplant, or stored in a basement or root cellar during dormancy.
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APPLE PRISCILLA ON M26: 3/4″ Diameter Tree! Large and ready to bear. $25
You can enjoy growing this virtually disease-free variety and feast on its delicious, red-blushed fruit. A product of a Purdue University breeding program, Priscilla features crisp, sweet and flavorful flesh. Great for fresh eating, Priscilla ripens in early September and can be stored for 3 months or more.
Considered a dwarf rootstock, Apple trees on M-26 typically grow 8-12 ft. in height and are usually spaced 8-12 ft. apart. M-26 induces early bearing, usually in 2-3 years after planting (less with such a large caliper tree at transplant), and grows well in most soils, except very wet and poorly drained ones. On windy sites, trees grafted on M-26 may need staking.
ELDERBERRIES Gallon Pots $20 A favorite for herbalists, wine making, jam, syrup, battered flowers and beauty and pollinator support- this was one of the most important plants for Native Americans and Colonial Vermonters and is now seeing a resurgence. Elderberries have very high antioxidant levels, they are rated as 14,500 on the ORAC Scale (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. Blackberries, in contrast, are 5347 on the ORAC scale, and sweet cherries are 3365.) In addition, the particular antioxidants found in elderberries happen to have an antiviral effect. Our named varieties are best for production.
BOB GORDON: Bob Gordon Elderberry was found growing wild in 1999 near Osceola, Missouri. the Bob Gordon elderberry produces huge clusters of 1/4 inch berries. Pendulous flower heads prevent birds from getting all the fruit, too! Bob Gordon is unusual as an elderberry, it’s fruit grows on new canes, so can be cut to the ground yearly. This will make a lower (5 to 6 foot tall) easier to harvest plant. Fruit ripens in July.
YORK: A beautiful ornamental and fruiting shrub, York’s very large clusters of striking, creamy-white flowers are followed by huge crops of large, purplish-black berries and lovely yellow fall color. York’s berries make delicious pies, jelly, and wine. A favored variety for elderflower and berry production.
BLACK WALNUTS Juglans nigra: 4-5′ tall Bare Root Trees $25
The most valuable lumber tree in the the northeaster forest, and long-lived producer of delicious nuts. Mature trees can be tapped for syrup, a favorite for silvopasture design. Not recommended near areas where tomatoes or potatoes are grown.
MANREGION WALNUTS Juglans Regia: 4-5′ tall Bare Root Trees $30
The hardiest variety of English Walnuts- the largest, tastiest, and easiest to crack of the family- this tree is experimental in our region. It does best in deep soils and warm microclimates.
KOREAN PINE NUTS! One Gallon Pots $20
Finally! We are able to release some of our favorite trees for an evergreen windbreak- the producers of PINENUTS. Almost all Pinenuts in the supermarket are Korean Pinenuts grown in China. A beautiful tree with whorls of dark-green needles, this very hardy Pine is an attractive and stately tree planted singly or in groups. Its large and tasty nuts are gathered in Korea and eastern Russia and are greatly prized for their rich flavor, nutritional value, and high economic worth.
We also have some potted SEA BERRIES (German and Russian Varieties), CURRANTS, GOOSEBERRIES, KIWIS, and more- call for availability Here is a list of some varieties.
(802) 734-1129
Our 9th ANNUAL PERMACULTURE DESIGN CERTIFICATION COURSE is almost full! Join an incredible group of students and the most experienced teaching team in North America for FARM AND WILDERNESS IMMERSION and HANDS ON TRAINING in ECOLOGICAL DESIGN at the longest running permaculture site in Vermont! Early Bird Rate includes all farm-sourced meals and camping accommodations, expires May 15.
Click HERE for more information!
Thank you for sharing this with your networks and supporting our work to make the world more fruitful and in healthy relation to ecology and each other!
Keith, Family, and crew
Willow Crossing Farm
Fruit Tree Grafting Workshop and 3rd Annual Scionwood Exchange- Sunday April 13
Posted by on March 5, 2013
Hi Friends,
Please share this with potentially interested friends and networks. Hope to see you!
Fruit Tree Grafting Workshop and 3nd Annual Scionwood Exchange
April 13, 10 am – 4 pm
Willow Crossing Farm
Johnson, VT
Join us for a day of hands-on fruit tree grafting. We’ll begin the day in the classroom understanding the science of grafting, and practice bench-grafting apples, pears, plums, and other stone fruits.
Everyone will have the opportunity to graft their own trees to take home!
After lunch, we’ll go out and tour grafted and ‘multi-grafted’ fruit trees (including peaches grafted onto plums) and ‘top work’ multiple varieties onto pears, apples, plums, and other stone fruit. We’ll discuss some pruning basics, different grafting strategies for ‘fruit salad trees’, healing damaged trees, reworking new varieties, revitalizing old orchards, enhancing cross-pollination, and space considerations. We’ll also look at and evaluate both successful and failed past grafts.
We’ll contextualize our work in briefly telling some history of our farm and touring our incredibly diverse collection of nuts, berries, vines, nitrogen-fixing plants, and regenerative DIY farm infrastructure. We’ll also explore the incredible history of grafting, the range of grafting possibilities, and practice with professional grafting tools which make for more successful grafts by novices and experts alike.
Each attendant will leave with an apple or pear variety of their choosing on semi-dwarf or standard rootstock, or a stone fruit variety of their choosing on native american plum rootstock.
$80 suggested donation sliding scale includes cider and tea, and your own grafted fruit trees to take home. No one will be refused for lack of funds, but everyone must pre-register.
Due to the popularity of this event, you much pre-register. There is a possibility of another event later in March or in April, please send an email to express your interest.
Please RSVP by filling out the registration form and submitting payment via paypal to: Keith@ProspectRock.org, or sending a check to:
‘Prospect Rock Permaculture’
P.O. Box 426
Jeffersonville, VT 05464
We must get your email address from you, as the weather will determine where we park cars. and we will also send you some information about how to best collect scion wood if you want to propagate some favorite fruit trees.
The workshop will be taught by:
Zach Leonard is a master horticulturalist and as been the farm manager of Elmore Roots Nursery for 15 years. He and his family have created High Hopes Farm, a diverse off-grid homestead.
Nicko Rubin is the owner of East Hill Tree Farm, where he has been growing and propagating hardy fruits and nuts in the foothills of the Groton Mountains. He completed the master’s program for sustainable landscape design at the Conway School.
Dave Johnson is a timber framer with a passion for fruit trees. His competence with sharp tools and wood translate readily into many successful grafts and a legacy of multi-grafted old wild apples throughout the hills of Vermont.
Keith Morris has been collecting and experimenting with rare fruits, nuts, and medicinal plants since 1996, and is professor of ecological design at the University of Vermont. He’s slowly built his family’s farm debt-free with sweat-equity and has contributed to creating resilient and diverse food systems on 5 continents.
Thank you,
Keith
(802) 734-1129
Willow Crossing Farm
Johnson, VT
http://www.WillowCrossing.org
As a reminder- only a few spaces remain for our 7th Annual Prospect Rock Permaculture Design Certification Course, July 20 – August 1, 2014.
Our Fruit, Nut, Berry, Vine, and Medicinal Plant Sale will be Saturday, May 3- Please pre-order to ensure you can get the plants you want!
2013 EARTH ACTIVIST TRAINING Sept. 7-21
Posted by on February 12, 2013
2013 Earth Activist Training (EAT)
At Willow Crossing Farm and Wildlife Refuge
Johnson, VT
September 7 – 21, 2013
with Starhawk, Charles Williams, Keith Morris, Lisa DePiano, Skotty Kellogg, and Special Guests
Permaculture, earth-based spirituality, organizing and activism… with Starhawk and a team of stellar teachers and designers.
An Earth Activist Training can set your life on a new path…or show you how to save the world. Green solutions are sprouting up all around us, but permaculture shows us how to weave them together into systems that can meet human needs and regenerate the natural world. EAT is practical earth healing with a magical base of ritual and nature awareness, teaching you to integrate mind and heart, with lots of hands-on practice and plenty of time to laugh.
Our two-week intensives are Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) scourses, offering the basic, internationally-recognized 72-hour permaculture curriculum with an additional focus on social permaculture, organizing tools, and spirit.
To Register, please click here. For more information about Earth Activist Training (EAT) please visit here.
Starhawk is a world-reknown author, activist, permaculture designer, and one of the foremost voices in earth-based spirituality. Her twelve books include The Spiral Dance, The Fifth Sacred Thing, and The Earth Path, and her first picture book for children, The Last Wild Witch. She has lived and worked collectively for thirty years, and her book on group dynamics is just out: The Empowerment Manual: A Guide for Collaborative Groups.
Starhawk is a veteran of progressive movements, from anti-war to anti-nukes, and is deeply committed to bringing the techniques and creative power of spirituality to political activism.
Earth Activist Trainings were founded by Starhawk as intensive seminars that combine permaculture design, political organizing, and earth-based spirituality. With over ten years of experience in permaculture design and teaching, she has pioneered the application of permaculture principles to social organizations, policy and strategy. Since its first course in May of 2001, Earth Activist Trainings has graduated over 600 students who now shepherd projects that range from community power-down strategies in Iowa City to water catchment programs in Bolivia, from inner city gardens in San Francisco to women’s programs in the West Bank of Palestine. Starhawk’s own expertise is in the communication of ecological systems thinking through images, writing, and innovative teaching techniques.
Starhawk is perhaps best known as an articulate pioneer in the revival of earth-based spirituality and Goddess religion. She is a cofounder of Reclaiming, an activist branch of modern Pagan religion, and continues to work closely with the Reclaiming Community.
Keith Morris has been applying his lifelong love of nature and culture and experience as an activist to permaculture and ecological design since 1996 — working as a designer, builder, grower of ecologically regenerative, socially just, commercially viable, and culturally appropriate whole-systems around the world.He is the founder of Prospect Rock Permaculture (www.prospectrock.org), Willow Crossing Farm (www.willowcrossing.org), co-founding board member of the Permaculture Institute of the NorthEast (P.I.N.E. ), and teaches permaculture and ecological design The University of Vermont, Sterling College, the Yestermorrow Design/ Build School, and with other community organizations.
He specializes in farm infrastructure design/ build and is an accomplished beekeeper, nurseryman, and social entrepreneur. For the past 17 years, he’s been consulting with forward-thinking landowners, community organizations, schools, towns, farmers, homesteaders, watershed organizations, land trusts, and others to interpret ecological context and make human-managed ecosystems more connected, beautiful, and productive- assisting people to better grow food, build soil, secure fresh water, harvest the sun, and harmonize with natural communities.
While his expertise is integrated farm infrastructure and tree crops systems for cold temperate/ arctic climates, he works regularly in New York City and has designed and implemented systems in New Zealand, Colorado, Chile, Argentina, Mexico, Quebec, California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nigeria, Ghana, Denmark, and the Netherlands.
Orchard Pruning Workshop- March 2
Posted by on September 14, 2012
2015 event details HERE
Hands on- Fruit and Nut Tree Pruning
A day long exploration of the science and practice of ecological tree crop management for diverse yields.
Willow Crossing Farm
Johnson, VT
SUNDAY, MARCH 2
10 am – 4 pm
Join VT’s Master Horticulturalist Zach Leonard and Tree Farmer Keith Morris for a day of hands-on practice with fruit and nut tree pruning, in a diverse permaculture forest garden setting.
Spend the morning in the large yurt learning the science and ecology of how trees lose limbs and ‘heal’, and explore the deep traditions of how humans beings observe and interact with this phenomenon. We’ll synthesize a variety of pruning ideas, strategies, and techniques to help you develop your own philosophy, understanding, and confidence to go out and work with trees in your landscape in a regenerative and yielding way.
After lunch and some hot cider we’ll go outside to explore one of VT’s oldest permaculture designed food forests- a reforestation of old pasture and hayfield in the floodplain of the Lamoille River. We’ll briefly tour ‘Productive Buffers’, wildlife corridors, and stop to work in zones of Plums, Apples, Peaches, Pears, Berries, Vines, Hazelnuts, Walnuts, and more- driven by the group’s interest, and discussing pruning techniques for trees both young and old.
We’ll look at and evaluate previous years of pruning decisions and ensuing consequences, and explore some natural tree injuries and healing responses, helping participants to better understand the implications of our pruning decisions over varying periods of time.
We’ll finish the day practicing with different tools to cut wood cleanly- with an eye towards maximizing production, fruit quality, ease of future maintenance, and minimizing pest and disease pressure. We’ll also set the stage for top-working, multi-variety grafting, species changes (i.e.. Peaches on Plum roots), and other forms of propagation. In preparation for our March 16 Grafting Workshop and Scionwood Exchange
We’ll also prune mature, bearing Hazelnuts and manage black locust, walnut, butternut/ buartnut, pecans, and more for nuts, firewood, high-value lumber, succession, aesthetics, and other long-term aims.
We’ll pass around, demonstrate, and allow you to trial favorite tools, including pruners, saws, pole saws, etc.; speak to their selection and maintenance, and discuss hygienic practices to promote orchard health and reduce cross-contamination.
This workshop kicks off our series for 2014!
Please enter your email in the box on the right hand side of the page, or ‘like’ us on Facebook to get the calendar and details for our other offerings such as: fruit tree grafting (March 16), nursery plant sale, natural beekeeping workshop, nut production, diverse understory planting, spring development for gravity fed irrigation, natural building, compost heat, season extension, earth oven construction, stone masonry, and more.
Our Plum Flower Festival and Nursery Plant Sale is scheduled for May 4, with some plants available for pickup Saturday May 3, or delivery into Burlington.
Our 2014 Permaculture Design Certification Course will be held July 20- August 1, and is filling quickly. Applications for our Advanced Permaculture Design / Build /Grow / Teach internship, and APDC guided portfolio development will now be accepted on a rolling basis!
Event is $60 suggested donation/ sliding scale, including warm or cold cider during lunch and a round of hard cider tasting (21 and over) afterwards. No one will be refused for lack of funds.
*We are looking for photographers or videographers to help document the event, or create a short educational video.*
Please pre-register, and dress to spend the day outdoors.
We’ll need your email address if you’re planning on coming because the weather will determine where we’ll have people park. Feel free to bring your *clean, sterile, and sharp* pruners and saws.
Zach Leonard is a master horticulturalist and was farm manager of Elmore Roots Nursery for over a decade. He and his family have created High Hopes Farm, a diverse, off-grid homestead, where they preserve heirloom apples, sheep, and more. He runs High Hopes Tree Care, Vermont’s most experienced orchard restoration and maintenance service specializing in Organic Management.
Keith Morris has been collecting and experimenting with rare fruit and nut trees for 14 years, and is professor of ecological design at the University of Vermont. He has worked to help create resilient, diverse, socially just, and economically viable food systems around the world since 1996.
Please spread the word to potentially interested friends and networks.
Thank you for your support of our work!
Thanks,
Keith and Crew
Willow Crossing Farm
www.willowcrossing.org
ProspectRock.org 