One of the huge apples, a bumper crop.
Bramley
Bramley’s
A bumper crop, almost ready for picking.
Sloes
The biggest and juiciest are in Laneside paddock, but there aren’t many left as the donkeys have eaten all of them from the lower branches. There are more growing by the paddock entrance so picked some of those as well, will put them in the freezer for a couple of days as there hasn’t been a frost to sweeten them and help break down their skins. Found enough Bramley fallers to make a crumble, the donkeys had the peelings for their bedtime treat. A cool, breezy, sunny, day.
Windfalls
A tray full of some of the Bramleys brought down by the strong winds, the grass under the tree usually gives them a soft landing so as long as they’re collected the same day they can be peeled and stewed. Heavy rain all morning, the donkeys had their breakfast before mucking out and weren’t allowed to go out and about in the paddock as the ground was full of puddles. Did manage to pick out their feet when the rain stopped and then gave them their worm treatment. The sheep have finally started sheltering in their new accommodation. Started clearing the greenhouse.
Animal Arcs
This arc designed for use by two pigs will be home to the ouessant sheep. Two were delivered on a pallet, one ready assembled and one flat (curved) packed. Assembly was delayed from yesterday because of the strong winds, so two hours of drilling, screwing and manouvering pieces of plastic into place resulted in an arc that’s ready for use. The sheep were very curious and although Nola and Digby had a look Walter was the first to go inside; it’ll be interesting to see whether they choose to sleep in and around this one or prefer the temporary shelter further down the paddock. A sunny cloudy day with light winds and warm sunshine. Picked Darcy Spice and Bramley apples.
Apple Harvest
There’s a good crop of Bramleys that will need picking soon, the windfalls are more than sufficient to keep us supplied with flavoursome stewed apple. The eating apple Beauty of Bath was the first to ripen, then there was a smaller crop of Ellison’s Orange. Ribston Pippen is still being picked and Darcy Spice will ripen last and keep longest. The Conference pears can be eaten off the tree or poached and the majority are given away. A lovely sunny and warm day with light winds; picked and watered the runner beans which are producing even more blossom. Picked tomatoes and a small water melon.
Apple Picking
The Beauty of Bath apples are ripe enough for eating with lovely red and green skin, some were blown off in the strong winds and provide free forage food for the deer; there’s still enough to pick from the tree. The Donkeys and Texels like them, will try slicing them even smaller for the Ouessants, they’ll make a good alternative to the treat mix. I’m pruning the Bramley and giving the long lush leafy growth to the donkeys, there are a few windfalls and it looks like there’ll be a good harvest. A misty drizzly start to the day, the sun came out later and the temperature rose quickly, a very hot end to the day with light winds. Watered.
Bramley Apple
Looking good, this tree must be over thirty years old, it has been pruned every year to keep the apples within reach from a ladder and provided a years supply of cooking apples last year. Stored apples did develop ‘bitter pit’ in January so need to freeze them before Christmas, a lack of calcium is the problem so maybe watering with the left over cement residue will have helped. Managed to catch small four goldfish in the pond, they’ve moved to another pond that needed them, a few tadpoles went along as well. One deer tick removed from my leg tonight, all ok I think, seem to attract them. Another hot day, may get rain in a couple of days.
