It was a gray, chilly day so we bundled up for the work. At least until we got going and warmed up a bit.
Chicken Mama offered to help and her assistance was much appreciated.
Tucker did what he could to help, too.
Unfortunately:
1) We got only about two bushels total from our seven semi-dwarf trees. This wasn't totally unexpected as the blossoms on the trees this spring were very, very sparse. It's not that the blossoms froze . . . they just. never. appeared. Few blossoms = few apples.
2) None of the apples got a chance to mature enough to have good flavor. Even though we had a long, warm fall which we were hoping would do the trick, all of the varieties were either tasteless . . . or sour and tasteless. That blasted cold spring and early summer we had did a number on the apples.
I'm planning to make applesauce with most of the apples since they're not much good for eating out-of-hand. If there's a chance they will make passable applesauce, and maybe be good in apple-ish desserts, I'll be happy. Can't have a fantastic apple year every year, I guess.
And wouldn't ya know, most of the apples were beautiful in appearance this year. Unblemished and lookin' good. No, we don't spray; Mother Nature made these beauties.
She just forgot to put the flavor in them.
Wow- they sure are beautiful! Sigh. We can't wait until we can pick our own apples. Because of the crab apple debacle, we just planted 3 eating/storage apple trees and have 4 Cortlands on order to come in November. Do you think yours are so blemish-free because of the varieties or your climate or both? I'm afraid we won't be so lucky. Sorry about the lack of flavor- will they ripen up any more off the tree? Often we find our applesauce is better if we let them sit awhile (a week or so after getting them from the orchard). Happy saucing!
ReplyDeleteJane - Our apples certainly aren't always so blemish-free. (Darn.) Don't know why they are this year.
DeleteUp here we've found it hard to get fully ripened apples and are seriously thinking of planting some dwarf trees thinking we might have better luck with them.
Yes, I'm gonna let these sit for a couple of weeks before turning them into applesauce so they have a chance to "get gooder." The first apple pie will come before that though I'm sure!
Mama Pea,
ReplyDeleteThose are some nice looking apples, hopefully next year you'll be able to get more than to bushels.
I know where I'm going........your making apple sauce, my favorite......I'll be right over :-)
Sandy - Each year seems to be different. We never know what to expect!
DeleteWe eat a lot of applesauce, often just a little dish as dessert. I'll let you know when it's ready!
We didn't get any this year as Spring storms knocked off blossoms but we got a peck of hard pears. I am sure you will make a darn good sauce out of those good lookin apples.
ReplyDeleteNancy - Back when we had two large (and old!) pear trees, I used to can many quarts of them and we loved 'em as a nice dessert. Good luck with yours!
DeleteMaybe add a little apple juice when you cook them .... or cinnamon
ReplyDeleteTombstone Livestock - The apple juice is a good idea. Cinnamon always goes into our applesauce and even some cloves and a smidge of nutmeg or ginger when I'm feeling wild and crazy.
DeleteHard apple cider?!
ReplyDeleteCarolyn - Ha! That's what our daughter suggested right away. (I think the two of you together would be dangerous.)
DeleteHere in Oregon, our orchard over-produced. I've been picking and selling like crazy. First time in years it's been this good. I can send you some??
ReplyDeleteRuth - Hooray for your apple harvest! Ya know, that's a pet peeve of mine . . . the outlandish high price of postage these days . . . rest assured if I wouldn't have to take out a personal loan to pay for the shipping, I'd order a box from you! Enjoy yours, my friend.
DeleteThose are beautiful. I hear ya on the tasteless apples. Ours were too. Applesauce here we come!
ReplyDeleteTami - Yup, like I said in the post, if I can get some tasty applesauce out of the apples, I'll be happy. Hope you do, too!
DeleteApplesauce sounds good. I canned some last fall. Too bad about your harvest.
ReplyDeleteKristina - I try to put up 24 quarts each year. That's a good amount for the two of us.
DeleteGosh, in your photo they 'look' gorgeous and delicious! Apple butter too?!
ReplyDeleteLisa - Call us crazy but neither one of us have ever been apple butter fans. :o(
DeleteI do a lot of dehydrated apples and the flavor concentrates and works best in so many things but I have done apple butter too my easy oven recipe is frugalmeasures.blogspot.com just froze 15qts and I also made pies that I froze before baking in Iowa the apples were plentiful but small
ReplyDeleteBecky - I had thought of dehydrating some of the apples . . . good to know the flavor would concentrate that way. Wish I had the freezer space for made up pies . . . so handy!
DeleteThose ARE beautiful apples, Mama Pea! We had a bumper crop in our area and that was a bonus for me - all my neighbors and friends are trying to give away as many as possible!
ReplyDeleteSusan - Yay for upper NY state apples! Sounds as though you will be apple-rich this winter.
DeleteWow, they're lovely! We had our first crop of apples this year. Well, I call it a crop, but it was enough to make applesauce and a couple apple pies. They weren't as pretty as yours and we did spray.
ReplyDeleteLeigh - Did you plant dwarf trees or are these trees that were already on your acreage?
DeleteOh darn, that stinks. Hopefully they "doctor" up good for sauce, with some seasonings and such.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't look like you have made it over to the new site, so just wanted to remind you to change my page on your list :) Trying to get the new page up and running, and really don't want to lose you!! You are my hero.