Tree Crops: A Permanent Agriculture by Russell Smith

[George Collins]

[pa_friendly_guy]

I have started to read the short version of his book that you posted George. It is Great. Alot of truth and common sense there. He was a vissionary and way ahead of his time. He just looked at nature and said what is working and what is not. When he talked about Oklahoma it had only been farmed for 40 years and was already showing major soil errosion, unbelievable. We all know what happened to Oklahoma in the great depression and the dust bowl. I agree with you that his method is a smaller bite and easier to understand than some other works I have read. Since I am a functional illiterate it takes me awhile to read and understand what he is telling us. My north facing steep hillside is now all in woods, not a food forest, but trees that will hold the soil very well. Since I thinned things out 3 years ago I have seem a major number of Black Locus trees spring up. I was hopeing for oak trees, but the black locus seem to be what is filling the void. Tulip Poplar and white sassiffras are 2 other 1st growth tree that are pleantiful on the 22 acreas that had once been pasture befor I got here. Nature is thinning them out now after 40 to 50 years and the chock cherry and maples are starting to fill in around them. I think I need to try planting some more walnuts as well as chestnut trees. I think I am going for the chinees chestnut though, I am still afraid of the blight, and I do not have 20 years to wait and see, and then try again. This is pretty much my only shot at this, so I do not want to take alot of risk, or take too many chances. Things that grow in 2 or 3 years maybe even up to 5 years, I can risk taking chances with and replanting diff varietys if they do not work well on the hill. But unfortunately I do not have another 20 years to play with . The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the 2nd best time is today. I don't mind planting a tree that I will never sit in the shade of, but I also would like to enjoy some of the fruits of my labors.

[George Collins]

Earlier today, I found a better, and complete copy of Russel Smith's Tree Crops.

Here tis:

[boo]

Thank you George - I doubt that I'll ever have enough land to try this, but it'll make fascinating reading anyway!