I have been sorting out lots of different areas in our home lately - now that the floors are finally done we can start to move back in to the sections of the house that were affected. I can't wait to get rid of the layer of dust that has settled everywhere!
I have also been trying to keep up to date with my digital photos - I have a backlog to work on editing and sorting (more about this another day). Today, I have a few of photos to share from last weekend. We stayed on for a couple of days after the wedding party and the rain finally stopped long enough for us to go into the orchards on Monday.
Years ago, my husband's grandfather started to convert the orchards to dwarf trees on trellis wires. This system has worked out very well.
The trellis helps to keep the trees at a fairly uniform height. Since they don't get too tall you can pick most of the apples while standing on the ground.
Some hand painted signs help to identify the many varieties of apples.
This is the type of three legged ladder that is used to reach high up in the trees. These can fit in close the the tree trunk and three legs is supposed to be the most stable, but they do still worry me!
The apples were all wet and many had fallen to the ground due to the heavy rains and high winds. The "drop" apples can not be used for the fresh fruit market but they still are very tasty!
This type of picking basket helps to keep the fruit unbruised. You load in the apples from the top and then the soft bottom section unfolds so the apples can gently roll out in to the crate
Another variety - I can't remember how many different varieties there are at the farm but they each have a sign for one small claim to fame!
Here is our chief apple engineer and Grandpa - the patriarch of the farm - staying warm with lots of layers.
There are so many different colors when you look closely at the apples...
This crate is getting nearly full but it still needs quite a few more bags of apples to top it off.
We brought back a lot of apples - some for us and some to share with friends.
Have a wonderful weekend - we may get temperatures in the 80s here!
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What a blessing and goldmine it is to have an orchard!
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful photos of apples. And your grandpa is not so bad either. Glad you had a wonderful time. Am in Chicago this week and the weather is in thw upper 70's and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI loved the pictures. Fall is such a gorgeous time of year. If only it wasn't followed by such a long winter. :( It would be wonderful if each of the seasons lasted 3 months. In WNY winter lasts about 5 months!
ReplyDeleteMMMMMM, I love a good sweet tangy juicy firm apple pick straight from the tree.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures as usual. Those apples look so yummy.
ReplyDeleteBEAUTIFUL pics of the orchard and apples! They looked so good I found myself wanting to eat an apple. Really great photos.
ReplyDeleteYour apple photos bring tears to my eyes:-) My mom was born and grew up on an apple farm in the mountains of NC. My best memories were made there. It was sold out of the family many tears ago and I still miss it:-( Thanks for sharing and making the apples some of the best pics I have seen!
ReplyDeleteJudy
Your photography is getting better and better. These photos are pretty enough to frame. Your Grandpa looks like a cool foreman.
ReplyDeleteIt's been too long since I've been apple picking. the near-by apple orchards have gone sold to developers and I miss them. Thanks for sharing your great photos. How fun!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun post and beautiful pictures. Got any special family apple recipes to share w/ us?
ReplyDeleteOh wow. Apple picking time again, I remember when you blogged about it last year - time is going so fast. I love the family aspect though, I live so far from my family we hardly ever have the chance to do "family" things. Such a wonderful time for you.
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