Jonared Apples. First Harvest. And Apple Pie.

These are Jonared apples. I grew them for nostalgic reasons. My parents had a Jonathan apple tree in their yard, more than 50 years ago. I couldn't find a Jonathan at the time that I planted this tree, but Jonared is just a red sport, so the apples should be the same. This is the first year that it bore. I planted it about 4 years ago.  The fruit set was very good this year - several dozen - but deer managed to get into the tree cage, and damaged about half.  This was a hot dry summer, and I watered this tree, but not a lot.

The Jonared apples are crisp and tart, not very sweet.  I read that Jonathan apples need a Midwestern climate to  reach peak flavor.  That's OK, my wish was to make a pie.

 In our household, during my parents' later years, it was my dad who made the pies.  He always used tapioca starch as a juice thickener, but I usually use flour. In his honor, I used tapioca starch this time, sold locally as tapioca flour, in the specialty flours section at the grocery store. It worked much better than my usual flour, wasn't soupy at all, even with a hot pie. I usually add a half teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, plus 1 teaspoon vanilla that I mix with the sugar before mixing with the apples. Very happy, reminded me of my dad's pies.

Playing with Gourds. 9.25.17

 These are birdhouse gourds that I grew last year.  I let them dry in the sunroom, where they developed discoloration, I assume from molds, as they dried.  When they dried completely, that growth stopped, leaving interesting colors and patterns.

This week I played a little, and sanded 2 of them with #220 sandpaper, then gave them a coat of oil - based, satin finish, polyurethane. 

I think they came out interesting.

There are several more to play with.  I think I'll try growing them again next year.  Our season is a little short and summer a bit cool, for optimum growth and production, but I liked what we did get.

Fall Fruits - First Harvest 9.23.17

The smaller red apples are Jonared. 

The small peaches are Charlotte, didn't do great this year but still, it's some fall peaches. 

The golden apples are Porter.  The large red/green apple is Sutton Beauty. 

Dark blue, Stanley Plums.

Various Asian pears.

At the center, an Asia/American pear hybrid, "Maxie".  Actually, not very good.  Maybe I didn't let it ripen enough.

Prime Ark Freedom Blackberries 9.16.18

 These are some of my first Prime-Ark Freedom blackberries.  I'm very impressed with the size, juiciness, sweetness, and flavor.  I have never seen such large blackberries.

Unfortunately, the deer like eating the plants.  I'm building a better enclosure for them.  I definitely want to see how they do next year.

Sweet Treat Pluerry and Hollywood Plums. 9.3.17Plum

Plums as of 9.3.17

Hollywood is almost overripe, and Sweet Treat are just coming into their prime.  Together, and along with some grapes, they make a great sweet fruit salad desert.

I didn't know what would happen with Sweet Treat.  There isn't much info out there on pollinators.  All I had blooming when Sweet Treat was in bloom, were Hollywood and Crimson Spire plums.  Apparently that was enough.  This is about year #4 for this tree, first substantial crop, a couple dozen plums.