We have started preparing for the spring season. We are starting the first year of planting and orchard rehabilitation in Batoș, Mureș county. This year we drew the border of the land and we want to plant the seedlings that are missing in the orchard, we also want to clean the land of invasive plants, help old walnuts to regenerate through specialized works.

At the moment the land is undergoing environmental certification, an important aspect that we want to implement from the beginning. More than the environmental certification, the rehabilitation works and the arrangement of a part of the orchard will be carried out according to the principles of permaculture. We are glad to collaborate with a specialist, namely Radu Crăciun from the Romanian Permaculture Association. Radu helps us throughout the project design as well as with the implementation research. Radu’s analysis of the 10 ha land in Batos can be found in this PDF Analiza initiala 10 ha Batos.  If you want to want a translation in English of this PDF, write us, and try to give it to you.

Those who will participate in the planting in the spring will be able to discover information related to the rehabilitation of an old orchard and the creation of an orchard-forest garden/food forest. What we liked about Radu is that from the beginning he clearly pointed out that it is not necessary to clear-cut old walnuts, we can find solutions to bring them back to life. Most of the old orchards in the area are unharvested and unmaintained, but with a minimum of effort, they can regenerate.

We want this project to be both educational and inspirational, for this reason, we are waiting for volunteers who want to get involved in this season’s work. We are open to collaborations with anyone interested in sustainable, organic agriculture and permaculture. It is certain that we will learn practically how to rehabilitate an old orchard, how to plant seedlings, how to establish an orchard based on the principles of permaculture, how to organize the border of an orchard, how to ensure our water resources, how to help the soil to be fertile and much more.

All those interested can write to us at cleanwood.org@gmail.com Also, middle and high school teachers, who want to have an activity with the students, can contact us and we can organize the work for this spring.