I posted a few days ago (I think) about the freeze getting our apples. But we did find one wild tree that has about 1/4 of a crop. Then today I was a mile down the road and found they barely got hit with the freeze so have both apples and peaches. Sometimes things just don't seem fair, but maybe we'll be making cider anyway this coming fall.
I've got quite a ways to go for my apples. My 2 Golden Delicious made it through the winter, but not my HoneyCrisp. Have a new, more mature one on the way. So, what... about 5 years or so before they may produce?
We only have two trees. one bloomed well, the other only had about a third of the bloom. But I know where there is a good orchard where they always have them available.
The old saying is to wait 7 years before a good harvest on new trees but in 5 sometimes they can produce a good crop. Good luck.
the islands in Lake Champlain have tons of apples but last year I had tooooo many in yard.. deer liked them after brush hog hit them though.. I got a dozen 20 year old trees 2 couple hundred year old trees.. might get into good cider one day (read non paturized or homogenized)
That is a nice rig there Dennis. I hope you can get a bunch to put up. Which member did the restoration a few years back on their press? I remember it was painted red. Lukem or swags? My neighbor processes up a few bushel in the fall and it is a neighborhood event. A few gallons are consumed fresh and a few put up for hard cider. He had a great batch last year. It was excellent around the holidays. I just make crabapple jelly with a few gallons of fruit. It is a lot of work to process those little apples out. My transplanted crabapple has produced fruit this year and it made it through the winter moth infestation.
Thanks Jon. I remember someone posting about restoring a press but don't recall who. It was a nice job if I remember right. Not sure why but we had lots of apples last fall but they made poor cider. We even went to another cider making party (usually go every year) and even their cider was not very good. Needless to say, we didn't keep much. Hoping for better stuff this fall if we can find apples. Yes, crabapples cause much labor. I suspect you have to keep those sprayed too. I have not sprayed for a couple years but might have to this year if the worms get worse. No sense in shocking the tree even if no apples. But I hate spraying anything if it can be helped. Well, maybe spraying my wife with water is okay...
I used the organic caterpillar spray that Savemoney recommended as well as Neem oil on occasion for aphids. So far so good.
You are braver than I had given you credit! You know the Pay back price Ms Judy will inflict upon you.
