Monday, April 21, 2014

Hwy. 166 Now Open; Freeze Killed Plumcots & Peaches

   Hwy. 166 is now open east of us, so no more detours!  Hallelujah!  On Wed. night April 2, I asked for prayer at our church that the new bridge would be finished soon, and 9 days later it was! That was 10 months after the project started, but just in time for Holy Week.
This was the view from our sales building all during Holy Week, as 'Prairiefire' crabapples and redbuds bloomed.
   Unfortunately, it did drop to 24 F Tues. morning April 15 here, as forecast. That killed all the newly-set plumcots and the few peaches that bloomed after the severe January cold, so we will have no plumcots or peaches for sale this year. 
Pears were in full bloom or had newly-set fruit during the 24 F freeze, so pistils (centers) of many flowers were killed.  Enough survived that there will be a pear crop.
   Many newly-set sandhill plums and pears were killed also, but enough survived that we should have crops of both.  Many apple blooms were killed, but enough apple blossoms hadn't opened yet and weren't damaged, so we should have a full apple crop.
These 'Enterprise' apple trees were mostly blooming just before the freeze, but some blossoms hadn't opened yet and weren't damaged, so we should have a full apple crop.
   Only a few strawberry flowers had opened, and these were killed by the freeze, but many other strawberry flowers have yet to open and weren't damaged.  The strawberry crop will be limited this year, from about May 20 to June 10.  As always, strawberries are sold pick-your-own only, by appointment only, so phone 620-597-2450 in mid-May to set a time to come pick strawberries.
   Asparagus is finally starting to come on strong after the cold weather.  We'll have harvested asparagus for sale from April 22 to about June 10, for $2.79 per pound plus tax. 
   We also still have 'Enterprise' and 'GoldRush' apples for sale, and cracked 'Kanza' pecans, now till about June 30.  Scroll down 2 posts for apple and pecan prices. 

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Plums Blooming, Peaches Hurt by Cold Winter

Plumcot trees (right foreground) are in bloom, with white flowers.  A few peach flowers are starting to open their pink petals on the 'Contender' peach trees behind the plumcot trees, but the other 15 peach varieties we grow lost all their fruit buds to mid-winter cold.
Plumcots and sandhill plums are blooming now, and we should have good crops of both this year.  'Contender' peaches are also blooming now, but unfortunately, the severe mid-winter temperatures killed all the fruit buds on the other 15 peach varieties we grow.  So almost all our peach trees have no blooms, and will have no fruit this year.  Peaches will be very limited this year, perhaps 4% of the crop we had last year, as only a very small crop of 'Contender' peaches should be ripe from early August to mid-August.
   “Though the fig tree does not bud, and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails … yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” Habakkuk 3:17-18

Sandhill plum bushes are covered with white blooms now, and we should have a good crop of them this year.
    We still have cracked 'Kanza' pecans and many 'Enterprise' and 'GoldRush' apples for sale, kept in top condition in our cooler.  See previous post for prices.  We'll also have harvested fresh asparagus for sale from about April 14 to about June 10, at $2.79 per pound plus tax.
   We're open by appointment from Dec. 1 to May 31, so phone 620-597-2450 a day or so before coming to get apples or pecans, and leave a message saying when you'll get here, so I can meet you at the sales building.  (When I'm applying herbicide or we're pruning raspberries at the back of the planting, we can't always see or hear vehicles come in the driveway if people just drop by.)  For highway detour directions, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "Older Posts".