It certainly looks that way. All of the downed limbs are due to recent pruning activities around Sylverleaf. We are aiming for a very heavy pruning of all 9 rows in Block 2 of the orchard, consisting of about 230 trees and a light pruning of another 300.  So far, we have moved through three of the 9 rows (51 trees). Our efforts to prune have been severely dampened by two completely uncontrollable factors this year; wildfires and heat.

Olive Prunings

The wildfires are somewhat nearby and we’re completely covered by a dense layer of smoke. It’s great if you like that “campfire” smell, but after two weeks, I think that it’s getting a little old… If we stay outside for too long, or if we are working hard physically, that little itch starts in the back of the throat. Soon, the itch turns into a little cough here and another there. The chest tightens. The nose and eyes water. That’s all fine with me, but it’s the following day that I truly feel the effects. The cough is gone, but the back of the throat is a bit raw and there seems to be a hand around my upper chest and lungs. It doesn’t go away either…

The second problem is the heat that we have experienced lately. The daytime temperatures have hovered at or above 100F for more than a week. It’s quite unusual to have that kind of heat this early in the summer. We expect it in August or September, but June and July?! All physical work must be finished by 1PM or 1:30PM or heat stroke becomes a real possibility.