TODAY IN THE ORCHARD
Most of the day was taken up tasting five advanced selections of dessert apples bred by the Pennsylvania orchardist and apple breeder, Ike Kerschner. A group from Fedco came in the morning and a group from Portland came in the late afternoon. Of the five, the apple with the most fans was #58. It was the one that the Fedco group thought might have potential as a cooking apple. It is a beautiful apple by non-commercial standards: russet netting and muted colors. It has the coloring that would look good in our orchard but might have a hard time making it in the Hannford produce department. If it does come to a grocery store near you it will no longer be #58. By then, it’ll have a clever, catchy name.
Five apples bred by Ike Kerschner
When I wasn’t tasting apples, I put the repaired tire back on the tractor. Although it may be hard to believe that the farm survived forty-one years without a tractor, wheel barrows are way under-rated. You can do a lot with a wheelbarrow.