To many, the pumpkin may be the queen of fall, but this year apples rule.
Michigan has been blessed with apparent perfect conditions for apples this year and every tree you pass is dripping and drooping to the ground with beautiful apples.
We already picked our dwarf trees, which bore great fruit for the first time in approx. 30 years!
We aren't the best at keeping them pruned and taken care of, and they are w-a-a-a-y out at the back of the yard so we seldom pay them much mind, but this year they bore beautiful fruit.
The apples below are from our neighbors trees. They have two enormous trees so heavy with fruit that they actually lost some major limbs. I asked if they were going to use the fruit and they said no, take all you want!
Just like ours, their trees were not sprayed with pesticides, but the conditions were so good this year, the apples were nearly untouched by bugs.
We will get bushels and bushels of organic apples from these trees. This basket of apples was picked just moments ago, see how perfect they are?
We already have 3 1/2 gallons of home made cider in the freezer and we plan to make a lot more and have a big cider and donut party in the next couple weeks if the weather holds.
There is apple butter cooking in the crockpot right now and I'm dreaming up an apple pie fund raiser for missions at our church. It seems such a shame to let such beautiful apples go to waste!
So now you know what I'll be working on for the next few weeks. Lol.
How is the harvest near you? Do you plan on canning or freezing anything this year?
Happy last day of September, it seemed like a very short month!
Apples don't really grow near us but I pretend by buying lots at the store. :) Yours look wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThe apples look absolutely beautiful! And all the wonderful ways you are sharing your apples too. Would love to come to the cider and donut party! That sounds like a very fun wholesome fall event. Your heart is very sweet.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous apples Kathy. An apple tree is on my fall planting list this year. Have fun canning and baking!
ReplyDeleteThose apples are beautiful Kathy. Can you share your apple cider recipe?
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Penny
Wish I was at your house...I bet it smells heavenly!! And yes, September was really short!!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteSÃO LINDAS,DEVEM ESTAR DELICIOSAS.BOA SEMANA.BEIJO.VALÉRIA.(BRASIL).
ReplyDeleteI'll be making jars of Apple jelly, it is a clear jelly not a jam. Delicious!
ReplyDeleteLinda suas maças! Amo. Aqui no brasil o nosso clima não favorece muito pra maças, mas temos frutas maravilhosas também. Bjs
ReplyDeleteI am also an apple lover:) We never spray, but this year I got enough apples to make a really good crisp -everyone said it was the best.
ReplyDeleteI love a good, crisp apple! Washington State (just north of us) and Oregon have incredible apples. I've been enjoying sweet apples from the new crop over the past few days.
ReplyDelete~Adrienne~
That's a beautiful crop of apples and what a shame that the neighbors were letting them go to waste. Their loss, your gain!! I had some apples given to me last year and made some apple butter. It is so yummy and I love the way that it smells when cooking. But I won't be cooking up any apples this year.
ReplyDeleteThose apples are gorgeous! We have apple trees and we don't spray but the outside of mine don't ever look great (they taste great they just don't look it). Yum apple butter, apple pie, I can think of tons of apple things to bake!
ReplyDeleteWe live near a wonderful apple orchard and usually go pick but have been to busy to go this year.
ReplyDeleteYou are going to enjoy all this all year long. :)
What gorgeous apples. Homemade apple cider. Now I've never tried that one. I mostly bake apple pies.
ReplyDeleteHave a great day.
Karen
Hi Kathleen, just stopping by to say how delightful your blog is. Thanks so much for sharing. I have recently found your blog and am now following you, and will visit often. Please stop by my blog and perhaps you would like to follow me also. Have a wonderful day. Hugs, Chris
ReplyDeletehttp://chelencarter-retiredandlovingit.blogspot.ca/
Oh I am so jealous! I am off to the apple orchard for cider today and I very much wish that I could instead harvest some apples this beautiful from my own or neighbors' trees! They are just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteMy apple orchard guy tells me that it just depends on where you live this year. Some growers have been hit hard with hail when the buds were on the trees last spring so they've had an off year. He was blessed and just lives in the "right" spot.
Thanks for popping by. I'm going to see if I am following. If not, I will be.
Your header is gorgeous!
those are gorgeous!!
ReplyDelete