MendonOrchards: Life on an Apple Orchard

[MendonOrchards]

Enjoying your journal and hope you continue it once you recover from the wisdom teeth business. Keeva is a beautiful animal. I like the white shepherds very much and knew a couple of them a long time ago in a place far far away. Awesome dogs.

Maybe I should gather up some courage and ask you how to prune an apple tree. I have a several dwarf varieties that could use some work, but I have no clue or confidence to prune it correctly. Maybe you could recommend an easy to understand, lots of pictures book?

Anyway, your pictures are lovely!

Tell you the truth, I don't prune. My fiance does. We both really are just winging it lol. All I know is you need to cut them at an angle at the forks to promote growth where you want it (lower to be able to hand pick, shape the tree, etc) Cull any dead branches. You start pruning about now, and stop when the buds start to grow. I don't know any good books, but I know Jon watches a lot of youtube vids! I hopw to add more pics as life goes on and especially when spring starts and there is all the apple blossoms! Keeva was a gift I got for Jon since WGSD were his childhood dream dog and now we are addicted to white shepherds lol She has been an angel and is sooooo smart. You will see her probably a lot, she goes everywhere especially in the Orchard. She herds chickens as well lol Found some more pics!

 

[MendonOrchards]

Well, I'm Alive!! I was very upset coming home when normally people are all on a drug high (i was on a drug nightmare!) I am ok now, still on lots of drugs and my face looks like a chipmunk with lots of stored nuts. I haven't mention, but I have a small miniature pinscher dog as well, who isn't much of anything other than couch potato and farm explorer. He stayed by my side the whole night on high alert. He gets super freaked out if im upset or not feeling well. He is my little man!

 

[Mini Horses]

OK -- You just need to be closer to me so I could pick apples!!!
The apple and the pie pics has me drooling.

I'm a little ahead of you as I already have the livestock. No apple trees, only a plum & fig. But sure do love apples. Bought a couple trees but, my goaties got out one day & killed them. Considered more but, haven't yet.

I have a min-pin, too. Molly is very protective & sensitive to my moods. Great little dog! She has "tried" to be a farm dog but seems to think when I call animals to come that they are charging me and tries to keep them away

Welcome from VA

 

[MendonOrchards]

I wish we could ship apples to where they come out as awesome as they do on the trees! We currently have stopped shipping them for the business, but I am hoping we can figure something out again but better this time, everyone always asks if we ship pies! I wish we could, we would make a killing lol You need to take a vacation up here so you can have some famous pie

 

[goats&moregoats]

looking forward to watching this thread & seeing your farm develop.

 

[Ferguson K]

I just purchased two small apple trees. If I'm lucky enough in the next year or two I'll have an apple to pick! Little nitty things. Maybe three feet tall. I'll just have to keep drooling over yours until then.

 

[Ferguson K]

I just purchased two small apple trees. If I'm lucky enough in the next year or two I'll have an apple to pick! Little nitty things. Maybe three feet tall. I'll just have to keep drooling over yours until then.

 

[Baymule]

I am planning my fruit trees now. Down here in HOT Texas, there are apple varieties that grow and produce, so I will have some apple trees. Only problem is.....I want them the bear fruit immediately after planting...

 

[MendonOrchards]

I want a good apple sauce right now....yummmm

 

[Baymule]

How many apple trees can you plant to the acre?