Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Peach Trees in Full Bloom

   Our peach orchard is in beautiful full bloom now, praise God.  If we make it through the next 2 weeks without a killing freeze, we should have a great peach crop this summer.
Our older peach orchard, looking north with 'Challenger' trees in the foreground, is in beautiful full bloom now.
   Our older peach orchard, which I planted in 2002 to 2004, still has about 100 bearing trees.  Our newer peach orchard, planted in 2012 to 2013, will have its first substantial crop this year on about 50 bearing trees.
Our two plumcot trees, with white petals, bloom amidst the peach trees with pink petals.
   Last week I planted 10 replacement peach trees in our newer peach orchard, to replace trees that had died.  This evening Bill and I laid out two additional rows of peach trees in this orchard and dug holes, and tomorrow I'll spend all day planting 28 more trees.
I marked spots for Bill to dig holes with the auger for planting two more rows of peach trees tomorrow, with our newer peach orchard blooming in the background.
   I'm planting 14 more trees of 'Intrepid', my favorite peach variety, since 15 years is a long life for a peach tree, and the 'Intrepid' trees in our older peach orchard have started dying off.  I'm also planting 14 trees of 'Souvenirs', a promising new variety.
Bill dug holes with the auger for planting two more rows of peach trees tomorrow, as the sun was setting over our newer peach orchard blooming in the background..
   We still have harvested #1 and #2 'GoldRush' apples, kept in top condition in our cooler, for sale for the next 2 months or so, until late May.  The cooler is now down to less than 20% full with about 850 pounds of apples.  We also have cracked 'Kanza' pecans for sale for the next 2 months or so, and Bill's homemade jams made from our fruit.  Scroll down 4 posts for prices.
   From Dec. 1 to May 31 we're open by appointment, so phone 620-597-2450 a day or so ahead (or at least a few hours ahead) and leave a message on the answering machine saying when you're coming.  If you drop by on a nice day and I don't see you come in, since I'm working elsewhere on the farm, ring the bell on the sales building.

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Still Many 'GoldRush' Apples & Pecans for Sale

   We still have many harvested 'GoldRush' apples, both #1's and #2's, for sale for the next 2 to 3 months.  We also have a few #1 'Scarlett O'Hara' apples for sale for the next few weeks or so (until they sell out).  We've now sold out of #1 'Enterprise' apples and have just about 10 lbs. left of #2 'Enterprise' apples.
   I eat a fresh 'GoldRush' apple every day with my lunch.  'GoldRush' apples keep well in a fridge or cooler for 8 to 10 months, so they're still crisp, juicy and sweet for fresh eating, with an intense flavor that makes them my favorite apple.  #2 'GoldRush' apples (with small cracks) are wonderful for salads, apple slices, baking, applesauce, apple butter, etc.
#1 'GoldRush' apples (in green box at right) are great for fresh eating.  #2 'GoldRush' apples (with small cracks, in blue box at left) are wonderful for salads, apple slices, baking, etc.
   Harvested apples are kept in top condition in our cooler, which is now down to about 30% full with 1400 pounds of apples.  We also have cracked 'Kanza' pecans for sale for the next 2 months or so, and Bill's homemade jams made from our fruit.  Scroll down 3 posts for prices.
   Warm weather is forecast for this Sat. March 7 and all next week, so I'll be out pruning apple trees or pear trees every afternoon.  Our workers will join us when they're on spring break from college or high school.
   From Dec. 1 to May 31 we're open by appointment, so phone 620-597-2450 a day or so ahead (or at least a few hours ahead) and leave a message on the answering machine saying when you're coming.  If you drop by on a nice day and I don't see you come in, since I'm working elsewhere on the farm, ring the bell on the sales building.  If it's very cold or raining or snowing and I'm not in the sales building, phone 620-597-2450 or come up to the house.