ORCHARD SPRING & SUMMER

The orchards were loaded with fruit, and warm weather hung on - pressure on the picking crew!

Fruit growers around here want a late, slow, cool Spring. Why? Because apple trees go dormant in winter. The tiny cells that will create next year's leaves and fruit are drained of water, and wrapped up tight. Frigid temperatures can't hurt them. But after a certain period of warmer air, trees begin drawing water and nutrients upward. Buds start to swell, crack and eventually put out leaves and flowers. H2O begins to fill the cells, the danger of freezing lurks. So we’d like to delay bud break as long as possible to shrink that danger window! In recent years, it's become more and more likely for Arctic air-masses to roll south in Spring. They destroy the potential fruit by freezing those all-important early cells... (Remember 2023?) OK, enough about that!

During bloom time in May, we wish for at least a few fair, warm days. Pollen can more easily be carried from blossom to blossom by the local bees, flies, wasps, butterflies, hummingbirds, and many other interested parties. They get extra help from domesticated honey bees. Amazingly, most apples varieties need cross-pollination in order to set fruit! in other words, a grain of pollen from one variety must be carried to each blossom of different variety in order to grow each apple. The pollinators don’t worry about this, any pollen’s fine for them. Imagine how many millions of pollinator trips are needed to make an apple crop! Contact us if you're interested in knowing when bloom is happening. You might like a stroll through the sights, sounds and scents.

CAll being well, our many varieties of eating apples, cider-apples and "crossovers" will size up, color up and reach their fabulous best, each variety in its own time. In September, we'll be open for harvest retail season.

Meantime, check “Seasonal Hours” to learn about the (few) times we’re open from November through August.
To reach us for any reason, including visits, use the contact page or call (603)448-1511. Keep in touch!