the accidental smallholder :: diary archives

Windfalls

3 years after planting, our orchard is finally bearing fruit this year. Last year I rubbed the blossom fairly ruthlessly, allowing the trees to put more energy into growth and less into the intensive process of creating fruit. This year I was more circumspect, since a good few of the trees are now well-established and should support a small crop. The Victoria plum produced a grand total of four plums, but they were very tasty!

It's a wee bit early to be picking apples, but we've had blustery weather the past couple of days, and this morning I found a few windfalls from the Sunset (eating) and Dumelow's Seedling (cooking) apple trees. We'll make the most of them and cook something nice to eat, and it's a sign that we won't have to wait too long before harvesting and enjoying the rest.