Our apples are a little early this year, but at the rate that they're falling and changing color, if I don't get my stuff in gear and pick them soon, the deer will end up getting more of them than we will.
Not that I mind sharing a few with the deer. Especially after the apples have begun to ferment a little. Last year Bill saw an apple-intoxicated buck doing a twirly, fancy-dance in the neighbor's field. Here in the Hollow, we take our yuks where we can find them. ;)
Scarlet and I made a weensy dent in the apple onslaught today. We picked 10 1/2 pounds for us, and gathered probably 3 or 4 pounds of windfalls for the goaties.
Today's haul :)
Our four apple trees and our single pear tree seem to be going slightly bonkers this year. We're planning on taking full advantage of that fact, and making a good deal of applesauce and hard cider (and eventually, apple cider vinegar) from our lone crop.
Since our pear tree has never given us more than one or two pears in a season, I'm totally inexperienced with regard to when exactly I should pick them, and how soon after picking they need to be used. Does anyone have any experience with growing and harvesting pears that they'd care to share? As of today, they still feel rock hard, so I don't think they're ready yet, but, I honestly don't know.
The apples, though, they need picking sooner rather than later. I guesstimate that the 10+ pounds that we got today might be an eighth of our crop, maybe less. Naturally, the biggest and most gorgeous fruits are those that are way the heck out of reach, a good 15 feet or so up. D'oh!
If we can't get them, eventually the wind will knock them down, but by then they'll be deer/goat food. As long as somebody gets to enjoy these beauties, it's all good to me.
