Back in 2023, I planted the first acre of the Back Four. Apples, pears, peaches, plums, and cherries, two hundred sapling rootstocks to be grafted later. Later, in the summer, I acquired twigs of new growth from desired fruit varieties to use as scion, and set to grafting. 

I approached a sapling rootstock, now settled from several months under the good sun in its permanent home in the Back Four, and cut a small, T-shaped incision through the bark. I then cut a single bud off the tender new growth of the scion twig, and carefully slid it into the incision. Working quickly, lest the flowing plumbing of the plant cells dry out, I tied on tension with rubber and wrapped tightly with impermeable tape. The deed was done. 

Sealed under the tape were two separate genetic individuals, their boundaries built for flowing water, now open and leaking, now pressed into contact with each other. Hopefully, from my perspective, they would each engage extreme efforts to Heal This Wound, repairing contiguous cellular connection flowing through and within themselves, making themselves entire once more, making themselves into itself.

So let’s go see if that actually happened!

Meet at the barn at 10am. We’ll talk about grafting and learn a thing or two from a self-styled modestly informed amateur. Then we’ll take a walk out to the Back Four (half a mile, mostly flat and drivable) and inspect the trees. We’ll take some notes, and perhaps perform some spring grafting techniques with new scion to get more of the trees started on their compound journey.

Also: 

May I suggest pairing this with a visit to Phoebe Point, the newly opened segment of the Driftless Trail? The organizations responsible for the trail are having an opening celebration on Sunday afternoon. If you’ve volunteered on the trail building efforts, as I have, or if you plan to volunteer on any of the regular Driftless Trail work days coming up this summer, as I do, then come celebrate this opening at 2pm! We can carpool over (parking is limited), or heck, you can walk - it’s only a little over a mile to the trailhead.