The Apple Grower: A Guide for the Organic Orchardist (Chelsea Green's Master Grower Gardening Series) [Paperback]

Michael Phillips (Author)

Book Description

Series: Chelsea Green's Master Grower Gardening Series | Publication Date: September 1, 1998

For decades fruit growers have sprayed their trees with toxic chemicals in an attempt to control a range of insect and fungal pests. Yet it is possible to grow apples responsibly, by applying the intuitive knowledge of our great-grandparents with the fruits of modern scientific research and innovation.
Since The Apple Grower first appeared in 1998, orchardist Michael Phillips has continued his research with apples, which have been called "organic's final frontier." In this new edition of his widely acclaimed work, Phillips delves even deeper into the mysteries of growing good fruit with minimal inputs. Some of the cuttingedge topics he explores include:

The use of kaolin clay as an effective strategy against curculio and borers, as well as its limitations

Creating a diverse, healthy orchard ecosystem through understory management of plants, nutrients, and beneficial microorganisms

How to make a small apple business viable by focusing on heritage and regional varieties, value-added products, and the "community orchard" model

The author's personal voice and clear-eyed advice have already made The Apple Grower a classic among small-scale growers and home orchardists. In fact, anyone serious about succeeding with apples needs to have this updated edition on their bookshelf.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The demand for high-quality, organically grown food is skyrocketing with people's gradual understanding of the health risks and dangers of chemical pesticides and "industrialized" farming, yet good organic apples are still hard to find in many places. Phillips has employed hard work and keen observation of nature to make the best use of our great-grandparents' experiences and techniques. He then examines the latest scientific knowledge of apple pests and their life cycles to produce a thorough guide to growing wonderful, delicious varieties of apples in an orchard that is safe for animals, birds, and children playing under its tree branches. Each chapter has practical advice for the backyard fruit grower, and while this book is filled with useful facts and tactics, Phillips also adds a gentle, Earth-friendly, philosophical writing style that makes for quite an enjoyable read.

From Booklist

Now that organically grown foods are the latest culinary craze, the time has come for the organic orchardist. Phillips, who grows apples without artificial pesticides or fertilizers in Northumberland, New Hampshire, provides instructions on growing and marketing. Selecting the right site (weather, soil, drainage, and proximity to markets are considerations) and understanding the role of micro-organisms are top priorities, he insists. Phillips gives instructions on planting, pruning, and training the trees, and on protection from frost. There are chapters on pests and diseases, organic spraying, harvesting, and marketing. Interspersed throughout the text are tips for backyard fruit growers, a bit of earth-friendly philosophy (Phillips' style of writing is best described as cornball), and lots of black-and-white photographs and illustrations. A valuable basic guide for novice backyard and commercial apple growers. George Cohen

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Chelsea Green (September 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1890132047
• ISBN-13: 978-1890132040
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,023,871 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael Phillips is known across the country for helping people grow healthy apples. His "community orchard movement" can be found at www.GrowOrganicApples.com and provides full immersion into the holistic approach to orcharding. His Lost Nation Orchard is part of a diversified medicinal herb farm in northern New Hampshire (see www.HerbsAndApples.com ). Michael was honored by Slow Food USA to receive the first Betsy Lydon Ark Award in 2005 for his work promoting healthy ways to grow fruit.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very practical and a thoroughly enjoyable read, January 8, 2000

By 

J. R. Mott (Toronto, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Apple Grower: A Guide for the Organic Orchardist (Chelsea Green's Master Grower Gardening Series) (Paperback)

As a budding backyard orchardist, I found this book to be very practical and a thoroughly enjoyable read - although I hasten to add that family farm commercial growers should find it invaluable. The book is a highly authentic testament that packs years of wisdom, written by a "man on the ground" with a generous spirit and a desire to share. Michael Phillips is an apple guy. He is particularly good at revealing the delicate balance between organic approaches to farming and the financial realities of being a farmer. Although the book includes plenty of hard-tack technical information, it is also anecdotal and thoughtful. Great bibliography and resource section at the back of the book.

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An easy reading, practical guide to orcharding, March 28, 1999

By 

S. Brown "s_brown" (Potsdam, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Apple Grower: A Guide for the Organic Orchardist (Chelsea Green's Master Grower Gardening Series) (Paperback)

The Apple Grower is, foremost, a guide to orcharding. It is not, and is not sold as, a how-to manual. Phillips clearly explains his experiences with organic orcharding and offers innumerable tips on managing, marketing, and maintaining an organic orchard. He covers the topics in a nicely organized and logical manner -- from selecting land for the orchard, to planting, care, and marketing of the product. At first, I lamented the lack of very specific and concise how-to information. However, as you read the book as a whole, you realize that you are learning far more than a simple how-to book. Phillips becomes almost an experienced mentor and gives real insight into why things work and the ramifications of practical actions. Phillips makes it clear that there will be bad times and that organic orcharding requires work. The rewards, however, are clear.

Phillips has a very engaging writing style and uses relavant anecdotes to underscore important points. The Story of Babs (pp148-149), one of the mini-anecdotes sprinkled throughout the book, is one of the funniest short stories I have read in quite a while.

In all, this is a good practical guide written by an experienced orchardist.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Apple Grower, May 1, 2000

By 

Keith Halterman - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Apple Grower: A Guide for the Organic Orchardist (Chelsea Green's Master Grower Gardening Series) (Paperback)

A great book on small orchard management. It is especially helpful for a person interested in growing apples for the first time. The book guides you through orchard planning, care, pest control as well as marketing strategies for the small orchardist.