Fruit tree update from camp

[Bowsnbucks]

While spraying for bugs yesterday at camp, I noticed some interesting developments on our trees. We have our first Prairie Spy apples, first N.Y. 35 " Bonkers " apples, a big Wolf River apple, a dozen or so Centennial crabs, and numerous Hyslop crabs. The one tree variety that surprised me is the Winter Wildlife crab from SLN. They are growing really well and this year are producing clusters of 1" dia. apples. They really shot upward since last year - Antonovka rootstock.

Our OLD apple trees - over 50 years - are loaded with apples. I have no idea what variety they are. The one is pretty much biennial with heavy crops every other year. The other old tree is loaded and is the one we released from pine trees 2 years ago. Time will tell if it's biennial after this year's heavy crop.

Our unknown crabs - we have 2 that make 1 1/2" apples - are once again loaded. Deer have been seen standing on their back legs swatting the lower branches to knock apples to the ground. They seem to be every-other-year croppers, at least for heavy crops.

One of our Goldrush trees had so many apples on it - probably 2 dozen - I removed all but 10 or so. It's a 5th leaf tree on B-118, and I didn't want to stunt it from faster growth. It's about 12 ft. tall and very healthy, but I have to let a few on because they're so stinkin' good to eat !!

 

[Charman03]

Very nice update. It's got to feel good to start seeing some nice fruit

 

[greyphase]

You really gotta get a camera. Never the less a great report. My Winter Wildlife crab this morning. From SLN planted in 2013.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Grey - I've GOT the camera !! My problem is getting the pix off the camera onto the computer - then sending them out. I've never done the process and despite my wife trying several times ( she's more computer literate than me ), she hasn't nailed it either. The one neighbor of mine that is really an expert at that kind of thing has moved away about a year ago. ( He was tough to nail down when he lived here because of his work hours ). A camp member has tried to explain to me how to do it, but his terminology is Greek to me. If I tried to explain to him - or anyone else - how to trouble-shoot an electrical system, or how to terminate high-voltage cables, they would be lost in the terminology. My profession has no use for moving digital images from camera to desk-top computer, etc.

I'm as frustrated as you guys on this !! I have a boat-load of pix I'd love to put out here, and I'm kind of proud of what I've been able to accomplish at camp with the fruit trees. ( I have to say that much of what I've learned and accomplished is due to the expertise and help from guys on this forum and one other one ). I certainly wasn't born with fruit tree knowledge, so really, much of what I have in pictures is the culmination of what you guys on here have learned yourselves and shared with the rest of us. It's YOUR success too !!

Beside the fruit tree pix, I have a bunch of " habitat " pix of woods improvements, food plots, etc. and the scenery around camp that I want to post too.

I WILL try to find someone who can walk me through the process so I can post progress pix and results - good or bad - in the future.

Your WWC are turning red already, ours aren't turning yet. I'm just happy to see the amount of fruit they have on them. They seem to be growing really fast now in their 3rd leaf. Thanks for the pix, Rick !!

 

[Apple Junkie]

Bows, it's really useful to hear what varieties, and sources, are really doing well. The Winter Wildlife crab from SLN was not on my radar for next year, but it is now that I see you and grey have had such good success - thanks.

 

[Neahawg]

If you have a smart phone download the Tapatalk app it's the easiest way to upload photos.

 

[Bill]

Grey - I've GOT the camera !! My problem is getting the pix off the camera onto the computer - then sending them out.

The camera came with a cable that plugs into it. The other end should plug into a slot in the computer. USB port but slot is less techie. Usually the computer will then just open them up. Worth a shot...

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Neahawg - I don't have a smartphone !!!! I have an old flip-phone that I only use for making calls. I really am a dinosaur when it comes to all the new " techie " stuff. I've never sent a text message, I don't Facebook, tweet, twitter, flitter, snap-flap or any of that other stuff. No games either !! If I want to communicate with someone, I find it's much easier and quicker to just call & talk to them. If I had to type out a message by text, I could recite the Gettysburg address and recount a year's worth of hunting stories in that same amount of time. Plus - it's HUMAN to HUMAN. I find that more satisfying. I say that as I type this ( !! ) ........... It's my miracle of tech evolution to even be able to do this !!! - - - - But I'm happy not keeping up with every electronic app and format. I like simple !!!

I find it amusing to watch the level of frustration as folks frantically type out a message while trying to hit tiny, miniscule buttons on their smartphones or other gadgets. Most folks' fingers cover more than one button, and I see people ready to slam their gadgets to the floor. Convenient ??

I don't poo-poo anyone who likes those items - they just aren't for me.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Bill - I'll have to look for that cable. Wife has the camera case - it's probably in there. If it's just a matter of plugging in a cable to get them on the desk-top, that's easy enough. Then I'll just have to find out how to get them from the desk-top out to you guys !!!!

 

[sandbur]

Bill - I'll have to look for that cable. Wife has the camera case - it's probably in there. If it's just a matter of plugging in a cable to get them on the desk-top, that's easy enough. Then I'll just have to find out how to get them from the desk-top out to you guys !!!!

I learned! Flip phones are durable!

 

[Charman03]

Not to hijack this thread, but those winter wildlife crabs look great. Does anyone have an all winter hangover crab that has fruit? Would like to see pics

 

[Merle Hawggard]

Bows,
I loved my flip phone and refused for years to switch. I reluctantly took my wife's old s4 after running over my phone and once I got used to it, really enjoy it, other than the fact I seem to butt call entirely to much some how.
The report sounds great though. I'm interested in how you like your bonkers apples. Chuck got a scion of that last spring and I have a new tree growing. Now the wait.

Sent from my SM-S903VL using Tapatalk

 

[greyphase]

Not to hijack this thread, but those winter wildlife crabs look great. Does anyone have an all winter hangover crab that has fruit? Would like to see pics

I'll blame it on old age :( but the pic in my post above is actually an All Winter Hangover crab. Here's another All Winter Hangover crab.

This is the Winter Wildlife crab. It's a little smaller crab with a longer stem.

 

[Native Hunter]

Great report bowsnbucks and nice pictures greyphase!

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Merle - The only thing I can tell you so far about Bonkers is that it's a big apple. The couple that are on the tree are big. Not turning red yet, but I'll keep you posted. The tree grows like mad. It's listed as " vigorous " and it seems accurate.

Charman, post #11 - No worries from me !!!! If someone goes off topic for a question or for good info - it's ALL GOOD. No hi-jack worries with me. Hopefully I'm not wound that tight !!

Grey - Our WWC looks exactly like yours in the pic. Long stems and about 1" dia.

I have both AWH and WWC and both are great trees. I'd buy / plant more of either ANYTIME.

 

[Apple Junkie]

A picture is worth a thousand words (or catalog descriptions). Both trees look great, and it's nice to see what the apples look like when they're still on the tree. Thanks grey.

 

[chummer]

Man you remind me of my brother. Refuses to text or email, doesn't even have voice mail set up. Just take the leap and you will never look back. No one has had a problem texting since flip phones when you had three letters on every number. Anyways...trees sound like they are doing great. I was supprised deer are eating them already. I put a camera on a loaded tree and a had 3k pictures in two weeks. Same 2-3 deer are under that tree all day and night eating the tiny drops. I had my first apples this year, 6 Dolgo and 2 Kerr still holding strong. Looks like next year might pretty good. How do you keep the bears away? I have more showing up every year and I expect it is only a matter of time until they start tearing stuff up.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Chummer, about the only guaranteed way is Smith & Wesson. Otherwise an electric fence. My trees just started producing this year, and luckily the bears havent messed with them yet. I just have a 5 foot tall fence around my trees, about foot foot around. It wont keep the determined bears out of them, but it will keep the travelers from just climbing a tree for an easy apple.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Chummer - I don't think you can completely keep bears away from fruit trees. We have concrete mesh cages of about 4 ft. dia. x 5 ft. tall around all our apples and crabs. They get staked down by re-bar. Since most of the bear climbers are younger bears, we hope the cages will make access to the trunks much more difficult. They'll have to scale the cages, balance going over the top, and maybe fall in the process. We've found that bigger bears are smart enough to not waste energy & calories climbing every tree with apples. They'll just wander around and pick up the drops. Several camps on our mountain also have apples, plus we're all buried in white, red, and chestnut oaks, so the acorns take a lot of pressure off the apples. Acorns have gobs of fat calories - just what bears are looking to load up on before cold weather. The bears just wander around from camp to camp - like shopping for groceries.

And like 4wanderingeyes said above - get a bear tag and offer some lead !!!

 

[chummer]

I have a tag. The butcher told me bears from my area are pretty tasty so at least the first one I see will be taking a ride.