Crazy apple farmers.

October 8, 2012 Kate

When you think about it, us farmers really are a crazy crew. With Mother Nature as our boss and our pay-clerk, the seasons as our guide and our timetable, and a gazillion variables that have to work in our favour in order to get a successful harvest, this really is a crazy adventure.

At the moment we are thinking a lot about apples.

Our 1,000 trees made up of 50 heritage varieties are finally awake after the long winter and this year, so far, they are filled with fruit buds.

So far, this early in the season, everything is pointing to a wonderful apple crop. But in order for this dream to become a reality EVERYTHING has to go right for the next six months. SIX MONTHS!!!

Right now, in the second week in October, we are watching the weather very, very carefully, crossing our fingers that the trees will blossom after this Sunday when the rains finish. And that blossom time will hopefully be sunny, 14+, with no wind or rain in order for the bees to get out of their hives and pollinate healthy flowers.

After pollination we will be hoping for a great fruit set. For no damaging frosts. For no disease. For no black spot or powdery mildew. For no fruit damaging hail. And no humidity.

And then, if everything goes our way and we have an orchard-full of delicious apples, we have to hope with everything we have that the birds leave us alone.

Crazy huh!!

We are as nervous as anything. But dreams of gorgeous market tables groaning under the weight of baskets of so many apple varieties makes it worth it and keep us going.

Dorset Glodens, Isaac Newtons, Esopus Spitzenburgs, Vista Bellas, Annas, Wandin Glorys, Jersey Macs, Golden Harveys, Primas, Galas, Coxs Orange Pippins, Sturmer Pippins, Peasgood Nonsuchs, Mutzus, Bonzas, Golden Delicious, Gravensteins, Ribston Pippins, Kid's Orange Reds, Somerset Redstreaks, King Davids, Akanes, McnTosh, Catsheads, Stewart's Seedlings, Idareds, Stoke Reds, Frequin Rouges, Kingston Blacks, Brown Snouts, Bulmar's Norman, Stoke Red, Eggleton Styre, Improved Foxhelp, Reine Des Natives, Dabinett.....and that's just one of our four orchards...

So for the next few months think of us walking hopefully through our orchards, waking up at crazy-town hours to spray fish and seaweed, watching the air for bees and hunting for four leaf clovers for good apple luck.

And then, if Mother Nature is kind and everything goes to plan, we'll see you at a farmers' market with baskets filled with apples of every variety in six months time. Finally we'll have the confidence to call ourselves apple farmers again. We will eat oh so many apples, and apple pies and apple cakes. And we'll make apple cider. Yes we will. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.

Fingers tightly crossed eh.

Do you have a favourite apple?
Has the season been kind to you?
Are you a weather watcher?
Do you remember the name of the movie where the people made a fire to protect the orchard from frost and waved it around with some kind of wings??

Happy, calm, wonderful week to you.
x