We manage an abandoned apple orchard of about a hundred trees. This year appears to have a bumper crop. We need your help clearing out brush, wild grapes, and other growth. In exchange, we’ll be hosting a apple-picking and cider-making event in September and volunteers will be invited! Our first meet up will be this … More Apple Orchard Work Days — Volunteer Sign Up
Apples are one of the world’s most popular fruit trees, but they are especially important in American history. At previous times, the government required homesteaders to plant an apple orchard to prove their investment in their land. The prohibitionist’s axe was for cutting down apple trees, as cider was as popular as beer up until … More Upcoming Workshop: Planting, Grafting, and Pruning Apple Trees, April 17 | Pay What You Can
Apples are one of the world’s most popular fruit trees, but they are especially important in American history. At previous times, the government required homesteaders to plant an apple orchard to prove their investment in their land. The prohibitionist’s axe was for cutting down apple trees, as cider was as popular as beer up until … More Upcoming Workshop: Planting, Grafting, and Pruning Apple Trees, April 22, $35/40
After picking the apples and building the press, it was time to make the cider. It took me about a day to process the five bushels into cider and dehydrated apples. We’ve got another bushel that will be turned into desserts and apple butter in the next few weeks (I’ll post on this as well). … More Pressing Cider — Part II
It’s time for picking apples and making cider. We don’t have apple-producing trees at the institute yet. We have two ornamental, non-bearing apple trees, but it will take a few years until we have newly planted trees bearing fruit. Many farms in the area have big apple trees in their yards. In some cases these … More Pressing Cider — Part I
Over the weekend, we had visitors and on a tour of the back yard one of them (Paul G.) pointed out that our apple tree needed some pruning. We hadn’t identified this tree yet, but sure enough, when we looked closely, it was clear to see the apple blossoms had been fertilized. When a new … More Habemus Malum — We Have an Apple Tree
Okay, not really. I am no poet and this will not rhyme, but it will express my deep devotion and love for what is — objectively speaking — the best fruit. Apples to Oranges? You might question whether it is right to elevate apples above other fruits. The classic comparison is between apples and oranges, … More An Ode To Apples