Fingers crossed for a good crop.

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Fingers crossed for a good crop.

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Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Wed May 13, 15 8:47 am Post subject: Fingers crossed for a good crop.

Fingers crossed for a good crop. I took these pictures in one of the orchards first thing this morning. The trees are four or five year old Red Windsors and Worcesters. The two produce delicious eating apples, which we make into bottled apple juice.
As the saying goes, "there's many a slip between sip and cup" and its touch wood that the weather remains kind to us. There certainly seems to be plenty of insects about this year and we're hoping for the best.

I can share the pictures with you but I can't share the fantastic scent from the blossom. Its absolutely heady! Each morning, I have the privilege of walking through the orchards with my buckets to feed the pigs. For the last couple of weeks, my stroll has been priceless.

On to today, there's a fantastic forecast before but tomorrow is going to be horrible, so I'm making the most of it. later on, I'll be mowing the orchard, with the odd break in between to clean the occasional chicken shed out.
Forgetting the thought of the chicken shit, I'm looking forward to the combined scent of the blossom and freshly cut grass. I can't think of anything better. Someone up there is definitely looking after me

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 8918
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Wed May 13, 15 8:55 am Post subject:
Beautiful Wishing you fair weather and rain at the right time

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Wed May 13, 15 8:56 am Post subject:
I think most of us are in for tons of the stuff tomorrow.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed May 13, 15 9:15 am Post subject:
Nice looking trees Bodger, where did you buy them from?

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Wed May 13, 15 9:36 am Post subject:
Is it just me or is bodger's life a rural idyl?

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Wed May 13, 15 10:22 am Post subject:
Surely you mean idle? TD, the majority of my trees have come from Frank Mathews of Tenbury.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed May 13, 15 10:28 am Post subject:

Red Windsor was introduced by them, they are probably the last UK nursery to introduce UK raised top fruit varieties. V nice people.

I like Red Windsor a very good doer, but it does go mushy quickly, makes a good rich sweet apple juice, too sweet for some.

Our 2 main juice varieties are Red Windsor and Herefordshire Russet (another FPM variety), this year I think we'll put a cooker in with some of the Red Windsor

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Wed May 13, 15 10:33 am Post subject:
Our place has been on the market for ages, which has effectively put a halt to any further plantings but if things were different, then I'd be putting a load of Discovery in. They're very productive in this area, one of the earliest and great for juicing.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed May 13, 15 10:35 am Post subject:

Bodger wrote:

Our place has been on the market for ages

Are you going to stop the cider/juicing then?

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Wed May 13, 15 10:43 am Post subject:

Possibly, possibly not. Where ever we move to, we're going to be much closer to large apple producers who I can buy the raw material from. I have some good contacts but they are over four hours away at present.
All our kids have grown up and spread their wings and we live in a very beautiful but remote cul de sac. We need to be living somewhere that's still in the countryside but more centrally located. Shropshire, Herefordshire or Gloucestershire would suit us fine.

Last edited by Bodger on Wed May 13, 15 12:35 pm; edited 2 times in total

Graham Hyde

Joined: 03 Apr 2011
Posts: 365

Posted: Wed May 13, 15 10:50 am Post subject:
Great photos and lifestyle Bodger. The new place will need to be good to beat your present situation.

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