Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Tons of Apples Ripe Now

   Literally tons of apples are ripe now.  I've already harvested several tons myself (out of the 7 tons or so of apples I'll harvest myself over the entire season), and have many for sale, along with pears and Asian pears.  Apples and pears are kept in top condition in our cooler, set at 34 F, ideal for apples and pears.  So you can come buy harvested apples and pears even when it's raining.
I harvest apples into two plastic bags per box, and pack many boxes with a bag each of two different varieties.  We have  many  harvested apple varieties for sale, including 'GoldRush' and Coop 27 (left box), 'Enterprise' and 'Sundance'(middle box), and 'Sunshine' and 'Sun Shower' from my apple breeding program (right box).
  We also offer pick-your-own apples for the next 4 weeks or so.  If you want to pick 'Enterprise' apples, come within the next 10 to 12 days, as 'Enterprise' harvest finishes up about Nov. 2 to 4.  We still have some 'Sundance' apples to pick for the next week or so, and 'GoldRush' pick-your-own harvest goes from Oct. 15 to about Nov. 15.
We still have many 'Enterprise' apples for pick-your-own customers to harvest for the next 10 to 12 days or so.
   I give taste samples of all our apple and pear varieties, to those interested in buying them.  Prices are listed in the previous post.
   We're expecting a good crop of pecans this year.  Pecan harvest will not start until early Nov., and then we have to clean and crack them for sale.  We hope to have cracked pecans for sale starting in mid-Nov., and should have them until mid-May, as the sidebar at left states.
   For payment, we accept cash or checks, but NO credit cards or debit cards, as the sidebar at left states.  Please bring your checkbook or enough cash to cover the amount of fruit you'll buy.
   From Sept. 1 to Nov. 30 we're open our fall hours: Mon. to Sat. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., & Sundays 1 to 6 p.m.  I'm very busy harvesting apples all around the farm, and often can't see the driveway from the orchards.  While harvesting, I put up a sign on the sales building, saying to ring the bell.  (Ring it loudly, once or twice.)  I hear that and come to the sales building.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Apple Harvest in Full Swing

   Many pick-your-own 'Enterprise' apples are ripe now, and many people have come to pick them over the last 2 weeks.  'Enterprise' harvest continues until about Nov. 2.  A few 'Sundance' and 'GoldRush' apples are starting to ripen, and 'GoldRush' pick-your-own harvest goes from about Oct. 15 to about Nov. 15.
'GoldRush' apples are starting to ripen, and 'GoldRush' pick-your-own harvest goes from about Oct. 15 to about Nov. 15.
   Mondays to Thursdays are good uncrowded times to pick apples, for those who are able to come then.  Many people come to pick apples on Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday afternoons, when the weather is nice as it has been lately.
The Chaney family had fun picking over 92 pounds of 'Enterprise' apples on Sat. Oct. 10.  Picking apples at our orchard is an annual outing for the Chaneys and many other families.
   I'm harvesting 'Enterprise' and several other apple varieties, and have these for sale.  Some of these are from the cooperative apple breeding program that produced 'Enterprise' and 'GoldRush', such as Coop 34 (not yet named), 'Sundance', and 'Scarlet O'Hara'.  Most are from my own breeding program, which uses apple varieties immune to apple scab disease as parents.  I've selected several dozen seedlings for further testing, and have named 14 apple selections so far.
'Pink Sun' (left box) and 'Sunspot' (right box) are 2 of the 14 apple selections I've named so far from my apple breeding program.  Both have 'Sundance' as one parent, so I use "Sun" in the names.  Most customers who have tasted these have loved them, so most apples of these selections have sold already, but we have other selections.
   We still have many harvested 'Luscious' European pears and 'Shinko' Asian pears for sale.  I finished harvesting all the pears on Oct. 2, so we'll have them for sale until they sell out, about 2 more weeks.  I give taste samples of all our apple and pear varieties, to those interested in buying them.
   Small amounts of harvested pears and apples cost $1.20 per pound + tax.  A 20-lb. box of pears or apples costs $23.15 + tax, which saves $1.00 off the per-pound price.  I harvest pears and apples into two plastic bags per box, so you can get a mixed box of European and Asian pears, or one bag of pears and one bag of apples, and still get the 20-lb. discount.
   We also usually have a few harvested 2nds apples, with small bird pecks, cracks or other surface damage.  These are great for baking or for making apple butter or pies.  Usually about 90% of the fruit is still usable, but they're 60% the cost at $0.83 per pound + tax.  A 20-lb. box of 2nds apples costs $15.74 + tax, which saves $1.00 off the per-pound price. We also have some 2nds Asian pears, but all 2nds of European pears have sold.
   Smaller amounts of pick-your-own apples are $0.93 per pound + tax for #1's and $0.69 per pound + tax for #2's.  For 40 lbs. or more total of #1 and #2 pick-your-own apples, the price goes down to $0.88 per pound + tax for #1's and $0.65 per pound + tax for #2's. 
   From Sept. 1 to Nov. 30 we're open our fall hours: Mon. to Sat. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., & Sundays 1 to 6 p.m.  I'm still very busy harvesting apples in 3 different orchards around the farm, and often can't see the driveway from the orchards.  While harvesting, I put up a sign on the sales building, saying to ring the bell.  (Ring it loudly, once or twice.)  I hear that and come to the sales building.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Many Pick-Your-Own & Harvested Apples, & Harvested Pears

   Many pick-your-own 'Enterprise' apples are ripe now, and many people have come to pick them over the last week.  'Enterprise' harvest continues until about Nov. 2, and 'GoldRush' pick-your-own harvest goes from about Oct. 15 to about Nov. 12 or 15.
Many 'Enterprise' apples are ripe now, and 'Enterprise' harvest will continue for the next 4 weeks.
   I'm also harvesting several other apple varieties, and have these for sale.  Some of these are from the cooperative apple breeding program that produced 'Enterprise' and 'GoldRush', such as Coop 27 (not yet named), 'Sundance', and 'Scarlet O'Hara'.  Most are from my own breeding program, which uses apple varieties immune to apple scab disease as parents.  I've selected several dozen seedlings for further testing, and have named 14 apple selections so far.
I'm harvesting many 'Scarlet O'Hara' apples now.  This is a very large sweet apple that some customers love.
   We still have many harvested 'Luscious' and 'Harrowsweet' European pears and 'Shinko' Asian pears for sale.  I finished harvesting all the pears on Oct. 2, so we'll have them for sale until they sell out, about 3 more weeks.  I give taste samples of all our apple and pear varieties, to those interested in buying them.
   Small amounts of harvested pears and apples cost $1.20 per pound + tax.  A 20-lb. box of pears or apples costs $23.15 + tax, which saves $1.00 off the per-pound price.  I harvest pears and apples into two plastic bags per box, so you can get a mixed box of European and Asian pears, or one bag of pears and one bag of apples, and still get the 20-lb. discount.
We have many harvested 'Harrowsweet' European pears (in blue box at left), 'Enterprise' apples (in green box at right), and other apple and pear varieties.
   We also usually have a few harvested 2nds apples, great for baking or for making apple butter or pies.  Usually about 90% of the fruit is still usable, but they're 60% the cost at $0.83 per pound + tax.  We also have some 2nds Asian pears, but all 2nds of European pears have sold.
   Smaller amounts of pick-your-own apples are $0.93 per pound + tax for #1's and $0.69 per pound + tax for #2's.  For 40 lbs. or more total of #1 and #2 pick-your-own apples, the price goes down to $0.88 per pound + tax for #1's and $0.65 per pound + tax for #2's.  Mondays to Thursdays are good uncrowded times to pick apples, for those who are able to come then.  Many people come to pick apples on Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday afternoons, when the weather is nice as it has been lately.
   From Sept. 1 to Nov. 30 we're open our fall hours: Mon. to Sat. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., & Sundays 1 to 6 p.m.  I'm still very busy harvesting apples in 3 different orchards around the farm, and often can't see the driveway from the orchards.  While harvesting, I put up a sign on the sales building, saying to ring the bell.  (Ring it loudly, once or twice.)  I hear that and come to the sales building.