Crabapple timeline

[sandbur]

I have several chestnut apple trees, and I have notice mid to late August they taste the best, I still have a few hanging on them, but they have gotten tart now. I thought maybe they were Witney crabs, but they look different.

Chestnut tends to have a squatty shape. This apple is from the north side of the tree. Those on the south side are more red(and they have more hail damage)

In my climate, chestnut flavor improves nearer the end of drop time. I just picked a bucket with some Kinderkrisp for sauce.

 

[sandbur]

I have several chestnut apple trees, and I have notice mid to late August they taste the best, I still have a few hanging on them, but they have gotten tart now. I thought maybe they were Witney crabs, but they look different.

The Whitney’s are now completely red and all soft, near mush.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Here is the tree.

And the apples

 

[4wanderingeyes]

The apples on this tree is crisp, and tart.

I have 5 chestnut crabs. This one I don’t think is a chestnut. Chestnut is one of my favorite apples.

 

[sandbur]

Big Dog is loaded this year. If it follows the usual pattern, this should feed a lot of deer into the winter.

 

[BrushyPines]

How's the taste of the Big Dog, sandbur?

 

[crab apple]

How's the taste of the Big Dog, sandbur?

I second that question! I'm interested in this tree for cider. Would also love to know if it's a good candidate for shaking out of the tree for harvest?

 

[bigboreblr]

Sandbur said big dog is not good for 2 legged critters. He gave me a a scion. Put in on antonovka and is doing well.

Looking for a place that has pristine. Mixing it with a trailman scion I got from sandbur too. Probably throw in some keiffer or bartlett in the mxi to sweeten it up. If it makes a good hard cider, calling it pristine 16...

Kerr or redfield is a good addition for cider. Local place does 100% golden delicious for a cider and is pretty good.

 

[Charles Clear]

Yep Bur told me the same. Big Dog is a spitter. Good for deer though

 

[crab apple]

Yep Bur told me the same. Big Dog is a spitter. Good for deer though

Spitter makes me think it could be a good cider apple! If anyone has some Big Dog apples they would mail me (I'm in Southern New York), I would love to try them. Happy to pay for shipping, or trade scion this winter in exchange.

 

[sandbur]

I view Big Dog as not edible and I like crab apples. It is quite hard and that might be why it is used by deer in the winter. It is a spitter.

 

[sandbur]

This is a daybreak picture from my kitchen. I feel every Minnesota and northern Wisconsin bow hunter that owns land should plant a Chestnut Crab for the early season. Ripening time, drop time, and apple size (bite sized) make them the perfect fit. Chestnut Crab may perform differently in other climates.

 

[sandbur]

A doe and two fawns were back under the chestnut crab at daybreak.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Is that corn behind the doe & fawns?? If so, did you get enough rain for it to make full ears??

 

[sandbur]

Is that corn behind the doe & fawns?? If so, did you get enough rain for it to make full ears??

Those are my rental ag acres and it was chopped for corn silage. I heard a the yields were not real good but better than it looked like. They left one very small patch of corn to watch from my house.

 

[sandbur]

Is that corn behind the doe & fawns?? If so, did you get enough rain for it to make full ears??

I have two corn foodplots in addition to the rental acres. The 1.1 acres outback looks very good with two- four rows of crab apple trees next two it. This is a no- go area until our rifle opener.

Up front and adjacent to my driveway is about a 2.5 acre corn plot. About half is a disaster and just a bit of corn with giant foxtail, which might be bedding cover. The other half has some corn.

 

[sandbur]

I have two corn foodplots in addition to the rental acres. The 1.1 acres outback looks very good with two- four rows of crab apple trees next two it. This is a no- go area until our rifle opener.

Up front and adjacent to my driveway is about a 2.5 acre corn plot. About half is a disaster and just a bit of corn with giant foxtail, which might be bedding cover. The other half has some corn.

 

[sandbur]

You might notice the dark green box stand in the pine trees. Our yard and home are directly behind the windbreak.

I do have some turnips and even some rye has emerged in the shooting lane thru the corn/ weed patch. To the left is better corn, a waterhole, and apple trees near the water

 

[sandbur]

You might notice the dark green box stand in the pine trees. Our yard and home are directly behind the windbreak.

I do have some turnips and even some rye has emerged in the shooting lane thru the corn/ weed patch. To the left is better corn, a waterhole, and apple trees near the water

This picture is several weeks old. The turnips are now knee high and rye has emerged in the bare spots.

 

[BuckSnort]

View attachment 58189
This picture is several weeks old. The turnips are now knee high and rye has emerged in the bare spots.

We had zero rain for over a month after I seeded rye. So I put more down since the turkeys had been through. After 3 inches it is finally starting to look decent. This is an area I am slowly trying to transition to a small 1/4 acre food plot. Needs some lime and a good discing to level the ground.