Winter of 2015-2016:

Late December 2015 and January 2016 northern NM received a good rain over several days and then a few snow storms. A couple of phenomenon occurred- because of the snow cover the ground did not freeze and with the bumper crop of pinon nuts the rodent population exploded- voles, mice, pack rats and gophers. Since I am growing my trees in “root maker bags” these rodents had little or no effect on my trees, but they did on other tree growers and field nurseries in northern NM. What happened to me was the snow cover was deep and lingered for 6 weeks or more. So, what’s the big deal? Rabbits. The rabbits could not find food through the snow so with the deep snow they could get over my 2 foot high fence and foraged on my peach trees, stripping the bark away to the extent that in some cases they girdled the trunk. This interrupts the cambium layer, the conduit through which nutrients flow from the roots to the branches and leaves and fruit. Out of 40 peach trees it looks like I lost 30. They also ate my serviceberry, ash, linden and some Chinese elms.

What could be worse? Porcupine. Yes, a porcupine has started to eat the bark on my 20 plus year old apple trees that came with the property. Porcupines are nomadic eating the bark off a high branch of just about any tree and after getting their fill move on to another area. In this case why move on when there is so much to enjoy here. I haven’t seen any signs of the porcupine recently and perhaps it knows that I will be setting traps if it doesn’t move on.

As much as these adverse events happen to my trees and my land there is some redeeming value to them. Northern New Mexico is a very harsh and humbling environment and for me it is a privilege to experience as much of it as I can even though it is not always what I want. Balance and respect for the environment and all it has to offer is peace for soul.