Apple Orchard

Working this farm brings back a lot of Childhood memories, I think that though out this blog is the best place to recount them. just like planting the Orchard. I can remember picking Apples in Grandpas Orchard, I can't remember what he shook the tree with, but after he shook it, and the Apples fell to the ground, I remember picking up bushel after bushel of Apples Helping load them on the Truck. Then he let us go to the Apple Press in town with him. It was always a big thing when we got to go with Grandpa. The Apple press was in a big building, and they would unload all the Apples in a big bin, I remember walking through the building and there was a long flume like thing with a conveyor belt, I really don't remember why they were on the conveyor belt, maybe that was were they washed the apples. What I do remember is the wonderful taste of the cider that came out at the other end.

We finally got all the trees planted, a total of 140 Apple Trees & 20 Peach Trees. We planted 20 each of the following Apple trees, Macintosh, Early Harvest, Arkansas Black, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Wynesap & Jonagold. We eat a lot of Apple sauce, and my favorite Apples to use are a mixture of Golden Delicious & Wynesap. That way you get the sweet of the Golden Delicious & the Tart of the Whnesap & you don't have to use sugar in your Apple sauce. I have a friend that peels & cuts her Apples mixes them with sugar & Cinnamon and then freezes them so she can just put that in her crust for Apple pies throughout the year. She makes really good Apple pies too! Now with all these trees maybe I'll try that.

Another Memory with Apples is of one after I was Married and had kids. The church that we were going to called Little Brown, decided on a Investment Project, of making Apple butter. It was quite fun. I really don't remember how many Apple is took. but It seemed as if the whole church came to our house & all the women were sitting on the front porch peeling Apples, while the Men were making a fire and building a stand to put this huge black pot on in our front yard, to make the Apple butter. ( I know I have a picture somewhere, I'll post it when I find it.) After we made the Apple sauce, the men poured it into this big pot outside and added the spices. they cooked it down and everyone had to take a taste to make sure it had the right amount of spices. We canned it and sold it for investment. I really don't remember how much money we made, or if we made any money, But the memory will live on. It seems we are too busy these days to spend enjoyable times with friends that much, and starting this farm seems to have brought me full circle to the slower pace, that is truly much more fulfilling.