Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
the space available. For commercial orchards, make sure there is quick, easy,
and efficient access into and out of the orchard for workers and equipment.
Crowding seldom results in higher marketable yields in the long run and it
increases your labor and management costs by reducing efficiency. Narrow
alleyways and headlands can lead to damage to trees from large equipment,
and crowding greatly increases pest and disease problems.
Map It Out
Lay out your orchard on a piece of paper, and begin by mapping out the
general crop and non-crop areas. Start with a fairly accurate outline of your
property. If you do not have a property map, you might be able to find one
at your local tax office. If you are purchasing a piece of property, be sure to
have it accurately surveyed. The surveyor can provide you with a detailed
map of the boundaries. Some online search engines now provide satellite
maps of much of North America and enable you to identify and print off
an aerial photo of your property. The great advantage of aerial maps is that
they also show streams, bogs, rock outcrops, and other features of your site.
Using these sources, create an outline map of your property, including fea-
tures such as wetlands and low areas. Try to get the dimensions as accurate
as you reasonably can.
The next step is to start designing your dream orchard. At this stage, do
not worry about getting everything to scale. The important point is to devel-
op a general idea of what you want to grow and how you want it laid out.
Later on, you can refine the plan and drawing.
Non-crop areas.
Begin by marking out crop and non-crop areas. Wetlands,
low-lying frost pockets, and rocky outcroppings are best used for equipment,
employee, and customer parking; equipment and supply storage buildings;
refrigerated storage; sales stands; and any other structures your operation
may need. Identify these non-crop areas, leaving the best parts of the site for
your crops.
