The bees have been busy pollinating the fruit flowers. As they fly from flower to flower in search of nectar, they carry pollen fertilizing all those blossoms that will later turn into sweet fruit. There was a concern that the frigid temperatures this winter may have damaged the buds of some of the less cold-hardy stone fruit; peaches, apricots and nectarines. Given the trees' colorful displays of blooms in the past two weeks, we have no sign of any winter damage. It is interesting to see the timing of the different fruit. First the apricots blossomed, then the plums, followed by the pears. Last week the beautiful pink blooms of peaches graced the orchard. The timing of the blooms are also different between our different orchards. Our Westford Hill orchard blossomed about five days ahead of Farmer Dave's Dracut orchard. This difference in bloom time by the same fruit varieties is caused by several factors including a difference in elevation and by proximity to the temperature effects of the Atlantic Ocean. The Westford orchard stone fruit is now all completely finished blooming. The apples there are just beginning to bloom. While the Dracut orchard apples of the same varieties have been in bloom for days. This orchard is laid out row by row by variety. The earlier varieties have now blossomed while the later varieties are just beginning. I like to think this extended bloom time with all the varieties is much appreciated by the bees. They have had little nectar to eat for the past seven months. So they have been busy as bees finding food in the orchards, over several weeks. Thank you ladies for all your hard work.

Farmer Dave