This is how I celebrated earthday 2012. I was a little apprehensive because there on the left, bordered in red, is my target range. My little bullet trap & backstop are easy enough to relocate, but I kinda like them right where they are. Also of note is the little "pollinater" crab apple tree (bottom right), which has never even produced a single blossom. I've attempted this before.
I'm right on the southern edge of the taiga biome, and as you can see, the soil is pure sand. Furthermore, cedar apple rust is RAMPANT here. I'm not a pomologist, but the aforementioned factors combine to make growing apples quite difficult. As I said above, I've attempted this before. A number of times, actually.
With a good sized pilot hole dug, we're ready to add some goat manure for our roots to feed.
As far as goat manure goes, this is as nasty as it gets. Not bad at all, really. Specifically, this is goat "muck." A mixture of manure, straw, and hay which forms as like a layer or crust over the floor (ground) of your your goat pen throughout the winter. When spring comes you scrape it up and use it as fertilizer.
so we fill our holes about half way with goat muck
then we anchor our bareroot transplants above, in sand, and top with more muck for a mulch
liberty
freedom
finally we'll drive a few T-posts & attach some wire, in hopes of keeping them safe
as I said, I'm not a pomologist, so it took a lot of research to find these varieties
if they don't produce here, I'm convinced no apple will
not bad, but I think I will scoot my bullet trap over just a bit. also please note, in situations like this, it's a very good idea to designate paths & insist people stay on them, rather than eroding your ecosystem
I've been out in the woods for a long time now, so take it from somebody who had to learn the hard way. If you really want to do the homestead thing, get yourself half a' dozen dairy goats & transplant some "keeper type" (high acid, low sugar = winter storage traits) apple trees the following spring. Apple trees are definitely a long term investment; but when they pay, the dividends are well worth it.
lastly, if you live on the range of the karner blue butterfly, plant some wild blue lupine
if you grow it, they will come
