How'd ya like THEM apples?

[hank]

we are up to 150 gallons of juice so far
I love this time of year
just getting the harvest in and all the apples and half smoked salmon
lots more apples to be picked

[willk]

..is still in play here. I got over 200kg of fruit from the first pick and finished the first pressing with 120L of juice - Primo! SO, despite the jays and the so-so care regime, it's turned out not too bad. Still a good sized crop of cider fruit on the trees, but it's beginning to fall so I think the "early autumn" idea is bang on. If I don't make a hash of the vinification, I should end up with the same quantity of cider as last year. I seem to have a bumper crop of pears (on a pair of tiny espalliers) so not sure - should I try to do something alcoholic with them? They're dessert pears but I could add some cider apple through them to increase tannin...

Earlier in the year Pikey Dave recommended 29mm Crown Caps as an alternative to champagne corks and cages. I was able to source them locally in the event and they are holding up well. I reduced the pressure by 30% or so and it was a much easier bottling. If the caps hold pressure over the winter - I'll use them for the entire batch next spring.

[hank]

Willk,
I was wondering how you get the apples out of your trees, we spread a plastic tarp under the trees and use a long aluminum pike pole to shake the branches. After all the apples are on the ground we grab one corner of the tarp and pull it until the load of apples dumps in a pile then pick them up and remove any leaves.
The apples are going to be ground up later the same day so a little bruising just helps.

We mix the pears with apples for a tasty drink.

We went over 300 imp. gallons so far
no frost yet so more apples to be picked

The bears got into our carrot beds and ate their share.
I hung a electric fence wire across the remainder carrots so it looks like we will have some too.

It is harvest time , the last of the peas and beans got picked this weekend.
Project this week is to pick all the Concord grapes.
best wishes
hank

[tonymac]

Now that's an interesting house colour for a Donegal home ......

Originally Posted by willk

If I don't make a hash of the vinification, I should end up with the same quantity of cider as last year.

Maybe I'll even get to taste a drop this year????

[willk]

Originally Posted by hank

Willk,
I was wondering how you get the apples out of your trees, we spread a plastic tarp under the trees and use a long aluminum pike pole to shake the branches.

Well that certainly works!

I'm even sneakier - I planted my trees so I had control from day one. I used mostly mm106 rootstock which produces a shortish bushy tree - easy to pick by hand if one keeps them pruned back a bit. I've a few m26 specimens too, which are dwarf trees with prodigious cropping ability.

As I don't have to combat bears, I age my apples for a couple of weeks after harvest to allow the starches convert into sugars, so no bruising is important - not a fan of patulin! At almost 55 North, we need all the sugar possible - I have to add some to keep alcohol levels high enough to preserve the cider.

@tonymac - that's my shed. They're not all white. Not sure about you and the cider. Like they say, it's an acquired taste...

...i.e. you have to acquire some to taste it

[hank]

hand picking is out for us
most of the trees we "pick" are almost 100 years old and have been pruned by our furry monsters Ursus Horribilis
The first branches are way out of reach
on some trees I need a ladder and the pike pole to reach the top apples
cheers
hank

[hank]

another 3 pressing for us yesterday and 45 gallons --almost 350 gallons so far
somebody placed an ad in the local paper asking if anybody had apples that needed picking to give them a call
driving up our valley I see that a few of "our" trees were picked
looks like we got competition
I'm not complaining we get lots

[Bigmuz7]

Originally Posted by willk

As I don't have to combat bears,

try living in Glasgow

[hank]

3 of us picked a truck load of Spartans and Cox Orange Pippen apples today.
We have wooden sides up to the cab roof on a 2006 Ford Ranger's pick up box, and it was loaded to the top.
we figured there was a Ton of apples on the truck , the springs were flat on the rear.
we only pressed 1/2 of the load today and will finish tomorrow.
We are over 500 gallons.

I think the furry monsters didn't like my electric fence that we smeared peanut butter on the wire .
we made some interesting trades for some of the juice

cheers
hank

[willk]

Originally Posted by hank

....we made some interesting trades for some of the juice

Right, like what?

I was making kickbacks all summer with last season's "electric lemonade" - not sure how that will work out next season

This season's juicing was wrapped up today. And so a year turns - now for the wind and the snow and then pruning and feeding and weeding and spraying....

.....I think I'll do a bit more RIBbing next year

[willk]

Originally Posted by hank

we only pressed 1/2 of the load today and will finish tomorrow.
We are over 500 gallons.

Ah, WTF?!?

What do "we" do with well over 500 gallons of apple generated go-go juice???

[jambo]

I think I'll do a bit more RIBbing next year [/QUOTE]


Do you think you'll manage without your first mate and navigator!!??


Sent from my iPhone using RIB Net

[willk]

Originally Posted by jambo

Do you think you'll manage without your first mate and navigator!!??

I going to have to, Billy. I going to have to....

[jambo]

Just as well you know your way to some good places for some good scran, dram and craic then!!


Sent from my iPhone using RIB Net

[willk]

Originally Posted by willk

I seem to have a bumper crop of pears (on a pair of tiny espalliers) so not sure - should I try to do something alcoholic with them? They're dessert pears but I could add some cider apple through them to increase tannin...

Turned out that these were delicious when they ripened, so myself, Mrs willk and the lads at work ate the lot....

[hank]

Quote:
Originally Posted by hank View Post
....we made some interesting trades for some of the juice

Right, like what?
from the folks who run the health food store we traded for a 30 lbs. box of raisins
and a case of almonds

the bee keeper traded us for a pail of honey

a couple of trades for more smoked salmon

Time to put everything away for the winter - draining all the water hoses.
put the garden to rest
we gathered up many box loads of fall leaves to mulch the garden
couple of picture of the garden our daughter had.

cider will be ready for Xmas
cheers
hank

[willk]

Originally Posted by hank

from the folks who run the health food store we traded for a 30 lbs. box of raisins
and a case of almonds

the bee keeper traded us for a pail of honey

a couple of trades for more smoked salmon

Time to put everything away for the winter - draining all the water hoses.
put the garden to rest......

Good trades!

It's certainly that "wrap it up" time of the year. It's finally cooling down here to normal winter temperatures and I juiced the last of the cider crop today - it's going to be too cold in the shed so it's inside the house to get it started.

[tonymac]

Originally Posted by jambo

I think I'll do a bit more RIBbing next year :lol


Do you think you'll manage without your first mate and navigator!!??


Sent from my iPhone using RIB Net

Of course he will jambo!!!!

[jambo]

Originally Posted by tonymac

Of course he will jambo!!!!

He'll never make it out of Cushandall without his right-hand MAN oor DAN!!

[willk]