Crabapple timeline

[sandbur]

I had my first Chestnut crab last year, they are one of my favorites so far. Along with Kerr, this is the first year I have had them and I picked them all.

I checked one other Chestnut crab yesterday and all of the dropped apples under it are cleaned up. I have 8 or 9 more between three locations and they are pretty much ‘no go’ areas until the rifle hunt.

There are two bearing chestnut and one young tree in the home orchard.

 

[sandbur]

It wasn’t moonshine…. This time.

;)

The county next to us was known for Minnesota 13, which was a well known moonshine shipped from this area to Chicago during the days. Much of that moonshine came from the county line area.

I had farm clients that said Stearns County got all of the credit and that their family made just as good of moonshine , because they were the same old family recipes and made with the same corn. They were entirely serious.

Most of the families were derived from brothers on different sides of the county line.

So I now have stole my own thread.

Moonshine allowed many farmers to keep the family farm during the Depression.

 

[sandbur]

Bill’s Red Flesh ( Firecracker) Crab is dropping now. It is probably at it’s best point for taste at this time.

The deer are cleaning up the Chestnut Crabs, Firecrackers, and most everything nightly.

Five were under the Chestnut Crab two nights ago. One fawn laid down for a nap.

 

[bigboreblr]

Mn 1734 from 2017 and only 2 apples? That par for antonovka rootstock?

 

[sandbur]

Mn 1734 from 2017 and only 2 apples? That par for antonovka rootstock?

That tree was set back by a pocket gopher but it is now a big healthy tree. I can just reach the two apples from a step ladder.

Slow to produce for sure.

I received a substitution from the same place. It produced for the first time this year. A large mushy, yellow apple.

I will give it another year and hopefully remember to sample it earlier.

 

[sandbur]

Pink Pearl has to be the best red or pink flesh I have tasted. My daughter and I think there is a hint of watermelon flavor in it.

 

[sandbur]

Buckman Crab that Small Chunk grafted for me a few years back.

 

[sandbur]

Sweet Dog is dropping an occasional apple and are approaching the taste I like. A few are dropping.

I had been cleaning up apples in my home orchard to reduce future insect problems. This last week the deer have been cleaning up everything, nightly.

 

[sandbur]

View attachment 83331View attachment 83332
Sweet Dog is dropping an occasional apple and are approaching the taste I like. A few are dropping.

I had been cleaning up apples in my home orchard to reduce future insect problems. This last week the deer have been cleaning up everything, nightly.

Maybe ?? A bit of russeting or something else on a Sweet Dog. I occasionally see this on Chestnut Crab. Is it only my mind that says these apples taste better? Russeting or something else?