Past Events
Orchard Tour -- Homestead in Elfin Forest
The Orchard Tour this month was hosted by Gwyn Quillen at her home in Elfin Forest – northwest of Escondido. Her homestead (and it truly qualifies as a homestead) is on a 2-acre property that was mostly covered in native landscape when she moved in about 10 years ago.
We were welcomed by Gwyn with her typical spread of homemade breads, cheeses, hard cooked eggs and honey (from the bee boxes on her property). Gwyn has carved out amazing spaces for all of her animals, which include goats, chickens, pigs, ducks, donkeys and a horse, as well as the typical dog and cat.
Fruiting trees are spread throughout the property with site selection made with great care as her property has numerous microclimates --- yet she has found space for tropical, sub-tropical and temperate climate fruit trees. As an example, she described having trouble growing papayas, and wasn’t successful until she placed the trees against a concrete wall (part of her horse/donkey enclosure) with an eastern exposure --- where they are now flourishing with the added heat that “soaks” into the concrete.