Monday, December 21, 2015

Still Many 'Enterprise' & 'GoldRush' Apples & Pecans for Sale

   Our workers and I are very busy pruning our 2 acres of thornless blackberries this week, since the workers are off from school and the weather is pretty warm for late Dec.  This is a big job that will take all winter, but we're making good progress.
Our workers and I are very busy pruning blackberries this week.
   We still have many 'Enterprise' and 'GoldRush' apples for sale, plus small amounts of 5 other apple selections.  These apples taste much better than any sold in stores, and are great for baking as well as fresh eating.  I give taste samples.
   Harvested apples are kept in top condition in our cooler, set at 34 F, ideal for apples.  'Enterprise' apples keep well in our cooler or a fridge for 6 to 7 months, and 'GoldRush' apples keep well in our cooler or a fridge for 8 to 10 months.  So we'll have apples for sale until late May or June.
   Small amounts of harvested apples cost $1.20 per pound + tax.  A 20-lb. box of apples costs $23.15 + tax ($1.15 per pound + tax), which saves $1.00 off the per-pound price.  I harvest apples into two plastic bags per box, so you can get a mixed box of 'Enterprise' and 'GoldRush' and still get the 20-lb. discount.
I pack many mixed boxes of 'Enterprise' and 'GoldRush' apples , plus boxes of all 'Enterprise' and all 'GoldRush' apples.
   We also have many harvested 2nds apples, with small bird pecks, cracks or other surface damage.  These are great for economical holiday baking such as apple-pecan bread and pies, or making applesauce or apple butter.  Usually 90% to 95% 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 ($0.79 per pound + tax) , which saves $1.00 off the per-pound price.
   If you buy 40 lbs. of 2nds apples, you save another $1.00 per box, for a total of $4.00 off the per-pound price.  Each 20-lb. box of 2nds apples costs just $14.82 + tax, so that's $29.64 + tax ($0.74 per pound + tax) for 40 lbs. of 2nds apples.
   My husband Bill is still very busy harvesting, cleaning and cracking pecans for sale.  We still have cracked 'Kanza' pecans for sale, for $15.05 per 5-pound bag + tax.  Bill cracks the pecans, blows off the loose shells, and then weighs the bags to 5 pounds.  So you get the equivalent of 6 pounds of in-shell pecans in each bag, and when you pick out the pecans, you get at least 3 pounds of nutmeats.  Pecan harvest will continue until late January or February, and we should have cracked pecans for sale until mid-May.
   Recipes using apples and pecans are posted as Notes on our Facebook page, Brendas Berries.  Each year I serve Healthy Apple Salad with our Christmas dinner, as our grown kids love it and it looks festive with apples, craisins and celery in Christmas colors.
Our grown kids love Healthy Apple Salad with our Christmas dinner.
   From Dec. 1 to May 31, we're open by appointment.  That means to phone 620-597-2450 a day ahead, and leave a message on the answering machine saying the day and about what time you're coming.  I do not need to call you back; I will get the message and meet you in the sales building when you come. The phone rings in the house, and I only come in to check for phone messages at noon and mid-afternoon, so if you wait to call until you're on your way, I probably won't get your message before you come.
   I am here every day, except Sunday morning when I'm at church, but can't always see the driveway when I'm pruning at the back of the blackberry planting.  So I appreciate a call a day ahead, saying the day and about what time you're coming, so I can look for you.
   Have a joyful Christmas!