I imagine that this must be quite a rare sight.
It's almost mid-February, and this tree still has good apples beneath it.
We've had a few days of frost, a lot of rain, and even some hail since these apples first fell to the ground over five months ago, and apart from the ones which have rotted, the others are all perfectly edible.
They're not the world's finest apple (similar to a Golden Delicious), but at this season one can't be too choosy. For an apple sauce or crumble I divert my morning walk past this tree, and take just enough for whatever's needed.
There's one other nearby tree that does much the same, but the cows were put into that field. So, for a while yet I'll be gathering my freebies from amongst the above, and I shall be doing so in about two hours time.
Ah but you say a Golden Delicious isn't the world's finest apple but when my ex mother in law used to have an orchard, the English version of the variety that grew there were something I looked forward to every year. I don't say that about many apples these days.
ReplyDeleteIt's strange, but home grown Golden Delicious apples are very nice. It makes you wonder what the commercial growers do to them. Maybe it's the root stock they use? I have planted a Jonagold, which is half US Jonathan and half GD; I have yet to see what it's like.
DeleteIt's amazing that they have lasted so long, especially with all the rain you've had. Good to get such a bonus in February. Commercially grown Golden Delicious have always seemed totally tasteless to me, so I never buy them now. So many once tasty fruits have become "watered" down over the years. It's probably due to another EU regulation we know nothing about !
ReplyDeleteOne of our favourite apples is Braeburn, but even they seem to be becoming bland nowadays. I blame the commercial growers.
DeleteIt's your taste buds.
DeleteBeautiful morning here. Glorious in fact.
DeleteGrrrrr. Rain slowing slightly now, should get better this afternoon.
DeleteGolden delicious are perfect for baking, even more if they have had little or no treatment done to them. Now there are two couple more hands to help carry those apples home for you. Greetings Maria x
ReplyDeleteIt's really foul here this morning, I've delayed my scrumping till this afternoon. I now have to go shopping in the pouring rain.
DeleteIt is raining here as well and I have a funeral to attend to. Miserable.
DeleteGolden Delicious,wherever grown, is meant to be eaten ripe off the tree.
ReplyDeleteCommercially fruit is picked early so that it may travel safely....but by doing so it loses its perfume, flavour and very often texture as well. You're lucky you can shop for local food
That's it. Like so much commercially grown fruit, they're all picked before they're properly ripe. Best to grow our own.
DeleteCox's orange pippin is my favourite. Preferably left in the fruit bowl for a few weeks until they are quite mature and sweet. Almost worth coming back to the Uk for!
ReplyDeleteI had one here (bought at Woolies) that was wonderful for many years. Eventually it succumbed to Honey Fungus; it is much missed. I suppose I should replace it.
DeleteAll will be safetly gathered in by now and at the rate Lady M is going I am sure there are apple - based delights already on the go in your kitchen Cro !!!! Your visitors, young and old, must be in Heaven !! XXXX
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately they've been welcomed with pouring rain. But otherwise all is well.
DeleteI'd give my left arm for a decent Winesap apple; sadly, they are no longer one of the popular apples so are very difficult to find.
ReplyDeleteAnswered your question btw.
I've recently been planting a brand new orchard, and finding good crisp juicy apples has been the hardest bit.
DeleteThe deer, squirrels, raccoons and skunks would have eaten those apples before they hit the ground at my farm.
ReplyDeletePlenty of Deer and Badgers here, both of whom eat fruit. I wonder why they left these ones?
DeleteOh, Cro, apples. I love apples. They are my convenience food of choice. Always there. All you need to do is BITE. And chew.
ReplyDeleteBy way of anecdote: I used to chew my last apple of the day after lights off (I was very very very young at the time and old habits die hard). My then very very very young husband didn't like it. Maybe because of him playing the violin (professionally) the sound of apple being chewed - in the dark - grated on him.
U
I've never eaten in bed, either in the morning or evening. Are you sure it isn't 'grounds for divorce'?
DeleteThis week's visit to the farmers market allowed me to bring home some delicious little Braeburn, Jonagold, Cameo and Gala apples. The ones that I've tasted so far have been crisp and delish.
ReplyDeleteAll the same, I'd prefer to be able to do some scrumping. After the rain, of course.
Bravo to Lady M for now turning her attention to crumble baking.
Best wishes.
I've quite recently planted a Jonagold, but I'm still waiting for its first proper crop. This year I hope.
DeleteIt's great to get this unexpected gift of apples this time of year. Then again, I wonder why the animals haven't gobbled them up already?
ReplyDeleteHomegrown apples are so much better than what we can find in the stores. When I was a young girl, I used to climb up into one or the other of the fruit trees at my grandmother's house with a book. I could spend hours up there, reading and eating. Even the crab apples tasted good to me.
There's a huge difference between home grown and shop bought apples; apart from which, they're FREE.
DeleteThe wild birds must be finding plenty to eat without starting on the apples Cro. Apple crumble would be delicious. And if your visitors have arrived then soon eaten up I guess.
ReplyDeleteAnd no cows in the field... I think they're all indoors.
DeleteI found some perfect apples yesterday hiding in the shrubbery - amazing really - a little winter bonus.
ReplyDeleteSome varieties are very hardy, others rot within weeks. Thank goodness we have one of the former nearby.
DeleteHow wonderful. Wish we could do the same. Our best apple tree had to go to make way for the new fosse septique and the other didn't do very well last year. We're keeping our fingers crossed for this year.
ReplyDelete