Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Pruning Apple Trees

   The warmer weather last week gave us a chance to get most of our apple orchard pruned.  Dormant pruning of apple trees is a big job, especially on varieties like 'Enterprise' that produce a lot of vegetative growth.
   First Bill makes any large cuts needed with a chain saw.  These include large broken limbs, or limbs that are too crowded.  He didn't have to make too many such cuts this year, since we'd thinned the limbs well last year, and didn't have much limb breakage from storm damage or overcropping.
I used pneumatic loppers to thin out crowded branches, and to head back vigorous new branches from last season.
   Next we use pneumatic loppers, powered by an air compressor on the tractor, to remove vegetative watersprouts that grow straight up the center of a tree, to thin out crowded branches, and to head back vigorous new branches from last season.  Our workers were here the last two Saturday afternoons helping with this.
The apple tree on the left has been pruned with pneumatic loppers, powered by the blue air compressor on the back of the tractor.  Daniel Rennie is pruning off the many long, upright branches from the tree on the right.
   Finally, we do follow-up hand pruning, with hand pruners and long-handled loppers.  We remove any diseased portions of twigs or fruit-bearing spurs, and cut back overly long spurs and branches so the fruit doesn't weigh these branches down to the ground.  We also cut back smaller branches that are still growing too high or too far out into the aisles.
Rachael Triebel does follow-up hand pruning with hand pruners, and holds long-handled loppers to use for larger cuts.
   We'll still have great-tasting 'Enterprise' and 'GoldRush' apples, and 'Kanza' and 'Pawnee' pecans, for sale for the next 3 to 4 months.  From Dec. 1 to May 31 we're open by appointment, so call or e-mail a day or so in advance and leave a message saying when you're coming to get apples and/or pecans.  The phone rings in the house, and I check for messages every few hours, but on warmer days I'll be pruning in the orchards or sorting apples in the sales building.  For apple and pecan prices, scroll down two posts.  For highway detour directions, scroll down one post.

Highway 166 Detour Directions

   Hwy. 166 is still closed 4 miles east of Brenda's Berries, for constructing a new bridge between 50th St. & 60th St.  Hopefully the new bridge will finally be finished in the next month or two.
   Those coming from the west (Coffeyville, Edna, etc.) on Hwy. 166 or from the northwest (Oswego, Altamont, Parsons, etc.) on Hwy. 59: IGNORE the detour signs in Chetopa.  Follow "Local Traffic Only" signs and go east on Hwy. 166 for 4.5 miles to 95th St., our road.
   Those coming from the east (Joplin, Baxter Springs, etc.) on Hwy. 166: when you get to the 4-way stop 6 miles west of Baxter Springs, follow "Local Traffic Only" signs and stay straight on Hwy. 166.  IGNORE the detour signs that would take you up to Columbus and add 30 miles to your trip. Go 5 miles west on Hwy. 166 until you reach the barricade across the highway at 50th St.  Then go 1.0 mile south on 50th St., 1.0 mile west on Star Rd., & 1.0 mile north on 60th St. (all gravel roads), then turn left onto Hwy. 166 & go 3.5 miles west to 95th St., our road.  (The northern route of 1.0 mile north on 50th St., 1.0 mile west on Greenlawn Rd., & 1.0 mile south on 60th St. has been very heavily used so has developed severe ruts and washboards, so this southern route is now better.)
    Those coming from the northeast (Columbus, Pittsburg, etc.) should take Hwy. 160 west from Columbus to 90th St. (just before Angelo's Deli), turn left on 90th St. (a paved road) and go south on it for 10.0 miles, then turn right onto Hwy. 166 & go 0.5 miles west to 95th St., our road.
   Those coming from the south (Miami, etc.) should take Hwy. 59 north from Welch, OK to Chetopa, KS, then take Hwy. 166 east for 4.5 miles to 95th St., our road.

This large sign on Hwy. 166 tells you where to turn south on 95th St.
   There's a large sign for Brenda's Berries on Hwy. 166 where you turn south on 95th St.  Go 1/3 mile south on 95th St., then turn left into our driveway at another sign for Brenda's Berries.  Go a short distance down the driveway to our red sales building on your right, and you can park right in front of it.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Apples & Pecans for Sale

   We now have some high-quality pecans we grew for sale, of named varieties with larger nuts.  Cracked 'Kanza' pecans are sold in 5-pound bags for $14.86 plus tax.  After cracking, loose shell fragments were blown out, so each 5-pound bag holds an amount equal to 6 pounds of in-shell pecans.  We also have some large in-shell (uncracked) 'Pawnee' pecans for sale at $2.32 per pound plus tax.
Cracked 'Kanza' pecans (right plate) are sold in 5-pound bags (rear).  'Pawnee' pecans (left plate) are sold in-shell (uncracked) by the pound.
   We also still have many 'Enterprise' and 'GoldRush' apples for sale, kept in top condition in our cooler.  Apple prices are still $1.00 less for each 20 lbs. than last fall.  Smaller amounts of harvested #1 apples are still $1.21 per pound + tax, but 20 lbs. #1's are now just $22.29 + tax ($1.11 per pound), and 40 lbs. #1's are just $42.73 + tax ($1.06 per pound).  Lesser amounts of harvested #2 apples are still $0.83 per pound + tax, but 20 lbs. #2's are now just $14.86 + tax ($0.74 per pound), and 40 lbs. #2's are just $27.87 + tax ($0.70 per pound).  You can also get the 40-lb. discount by buying 20 lbs. #1's and 20 lbs. #2's.

We also still have many 'Enterprise' (red) and 'GoldRush' (yellow) apples for sale, kept in top condition in our cooler. 
      We'll have apples and pecans for sale for the next 3 to 4 months, and from Dec. 1 to May 31 we're open by appointment, so call or e-mail a day or so in advance and leave a message saying when you're coming to get apples and/or pecans.  The phone rings in the house, and I check for messages every few hours, but on warmer days I'll be pruning in the orchards or sorting apples in the sales building.  For highway detour directions, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "Older Posts".