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French Dirt: Stephen Nickel |
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Taken from French Dirt, published by Algonquin Books, and used by permission.
Read by Stephen Nickel: "When I first started to learn the art and science of pruning, I was quite apprehensive, but after much practice and experience, I have come to realize that if you look and listen carefully, the tree will tell you what needs to be pruned. Pruning, when done correctly, is an art that takes the tree's natural shape and enhances its growth in ways that are good for the tree." |
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In French Dirt, Richard Goodman describes his earliest experiences with pruning trees:
'"[Ford] snipped and cut our peach tree so deftly and rapidly it frightened me. "Won't that kill the tree if you do that, Ford?" I asked him as he pruned the tree. "No, boy. This is going to help this peach tree." Branches and twigs flew off the tree with a blinding rapidity as his scissors darted here and there and everywhere. ... "But, Ford, how do you know what to cut?" I pleaded. He bent down and cut off a huge branch. He'd cut too much! I squealed and looked down in horror at the large crooked arm, leaves still on it. Ford stood back up. "I just know, boy." ... Ford taught me that life can be enhanced by death, that injury is not necessarily injury in the world of plants.' |
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