Today in the orchard
While others were celebrating the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere’s ride and the Minute Men down in Concord, we celebrated by going out to breakfast at the local diner with friends. Later I gave a tour of the farm to two of my Colby “apple class” students. Cammy seeded tomato and weeded the rhubarb patch. (In central Maine the old-timers used to say “Rhu-bub.) I topped off the day by planting seven apple trees up at Finley Lane, finishing as the sun went down. I wouldn’t call any of them house-hold names, but the trees and the fruit should be interesting.
Here’s the list with a brief comment on each. Full descriptions will be up on our website before too long:
The Screen Shot (note apples!) with the Screen Shot tree behind.
Ames 550: Small, bitter, interesting flavor, developed as a rootstock
Mettais: French bittersweet—late ripening and productive in our trials
Matthews: Malus coronaria selection with acidic green fruit
PRI Co-op 17: Bland, slightly bitter, disease and insect resistant
PRI 1850-4: Very astringent, slightly full flavored, juicy
Screen Shot: Dense, spongy, juicy, slightly bitter seedling, Starks ME
Shire’s Everlasting: True bittersweet seedling from Jared Kane in NH
