Michael Phillips - The Holistic Orchard: Tree Fruits and Berries the Biological Way

advance praise for The Holistic Orchard

Rooted in the authors many years of organic orcharding experience, this book blends ideas from soil science, holistic health, permaculture, and traditional fruit growing into a powerful new approach to orchard design and care. Phillipss firsthand knowledge anchors this innovative and highly readable book in practical wisdom that both beginner and long-time fruit growers will find invaluable." Toby Hemenway , author of Gaias Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture

The Holistic Orchard is a stimulating account of fruit production from a biological rather than chemical approach. Phillipss orchard philosophylearned from keen observation and reflectionwill fall and clobber you like a giant Newtonian apple; then, your walk through the orchard will never be the same. Digesting this book is like tasting a delectable new apple variety for the first time." Tom Burford , orchard consultant, author, and apple historian

A new way of thinking is called for given the failure of chemicals to solve problems and feed the world. Mixing up dozens of organic thoughts, Michael Phillips ushers us into the twenty-first century and virtually creates a new language so we can really understand what is happening in our orchards. Shake off those twentieth-century blues and lets move on with The Holistic Orchard as a guiding light." Tim Bates , biodynamic orchardist, The Apple Farm, Philo, California

Michael Phillipss Holistic Orchard is a seminal work, to be compared with Sir Albert Howards and J.I. Rodales classic books on soil and organic gardening. This is deep horticulture at its best, showing just how and what we must do to orchard sustainably and ecologically." Bill MacKentley , St. Lawrence Nurseries, Potsdam, New York

The words holistic and comprehensive barely do honor to Michael Phillipss scope in The Holistic Orchard. The author has woven multiple strands of orchard knowledgebased on his expansive vision and a lifetime of experience, together with the wisdom of researchers and fellow fruit growersinto a brilliant web that captures the wonderful complexity of the orchard ecosystem. A sparkling joy to behold!" Guy Ames , orchardist and tree fruit specialist with ATTRA, the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service

For decades experts have insisted that organic orcharding is an impossibility. Michael Phillips has led the effort to show that the truly sustainable, organic orchard is something we all can have. His example has been an inspiration. His tireless research has provided a road map to creating our own holistic orchards." John Bunker , apple historian and author, Not Far from the Tree

Michael Phillips does it again! His ability to understand and explain the parts, interactions, and emergent properties of orchard systems is unparalleled. The Holistic Orchard integrates fundamental biology with the practical realities of ecologically sound management. The book describes the trek from healthy soil to healthy people, with great fruit all along the way. This is done in a way that can only be achieved by a highly experienced orchardist-practitioner-author-philosopher." George W. Bird , professor of nematology, Michigan State University

T h e H o l i s t i c O r c h a r d

Copyright 2011 by Michael Phillips.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form
by any means without permission in writing from the publisher.

Unless otherwise noted, all photographs copyright 2011 by Michael Phillips.

Unless otherwise noted, all illustrations copyright 2011 by Elayne Sears.

Project Manager: Patricia Stone

Project Editor: Makenna Goodman

Developmental Editor: Ben Watson

Copy Editor: Laura Jorstad

Proofreader: Nancy W. Ringer

Indexer: Linda Hallinger

Designer: Peter Holm, Sterling Hill Productions

Printed in the United States of America

First printing December

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 11 12 13 14 15

Our Commitment to Green Publishing

Chelsea Green sees publishing as a tool for cultural change and ecological stewardship. We strive to align our book manufacturing practices with our editorial mission and to reduce the impact of our business enterprise in the environment. We print our books and catalogs on chlorine-free recycled paper, using vegetable-based inks whenever possible. This book may cost slightly more because we use recycled paper, and we hope youll agree that its worth it. Chelsea Green is a member of the Green Press Initiative ( www.greenpressinitiative.org ), a nonprofit coalition of publishers, manufacturers, and authors working to protect the worlds endangered forests and conserve natural resources. The Holistic Orchard was printed on FSC -certified paper supplied by RR Donnelley that contains at least 10% postconsumer recycled fiber.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Phillips, Michael, 1957-

The holistic orchard : tree fruits and berries the biological way / Michael Phillips.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-933392-13-4 (pbk.) -- ISBN 978-1-60358-407-4 (ebook) 1. Fruit-culture. 2. Fruit trees. 3. Berries. 4. Organic farming. I. Title.

SB357.24.P47 2011

634--dc23

2011035559

Chelsea Green Publishing Company

85 North Main Street, Suite 120

White River Junction, VT 05001

(802) 295-6300

www.chelseagreen.com

For Dorothy and Carole,

the hardest-working sisters any farm has ever seen!