I thought I had almost finished with apples for the year. However when I went out to pick the expected handfull left on the trees, my basket was rather full. Plus I now know there is that much again not quite ready. The smaller apples will end up being cored and chopped up for the juicer and will join the three quarts of cider in the freezer until the weather turns cold. Then a glass of warm cider is a perfect drink for a winter’s evening. I have been making pies and crisps with the larger apples. Usually there is one for the oven and several for the freezer for easy baking deserts long after the apples are gone from the trees.
My apple orchard was planted in 2013. Two dozen tiny sticks with different varieties grafted onto the dwarfing rootstock. They were planted four to a hole, very closely with the idea that when they matured it would look more like six trees as the trunks merged. At this point the trees seem to be more interested in producing fruit than growing. Most are closer to one inch in diameter than two inches and under six feet tall. The climate here does not have enough chill hours in the winter to work with many apple varieties, so it is nice to find such a bountiful harvest.
I probably do have to find some more apple recipes though.