Growing apples without pesticides

MICHAEL PHILLIPS has spent more than 20 years growing apples up here in the north country,

30 miles south of Quebec, and debunking the commonly held belief that his favorite fruit can’t

survive without pesticides.

Not that he hasn’t taken some hits.

“I lost 50 apple trees getting my degree in borers,” said Mr. Phillips, 54, on a recent afternoon,

standing by a Northern Spy tree, one of 240 apple trees on this hilly 58-acre farmstead called

Heartsong Farm. He was speaking of the round-headed apple-tree borer, in particular, which

can kill a tree if undetected. Click Here To Know More.