What We Have Left: The Orchard
I recently wrote about what happened to my fenced garden area in Templeton that was worse that any of the pest invasions we had had. Now I'd like to share what we still have that was out of the way of the heavy equipment. That would be the trees in our orchard . The one you see in the top left corner is our quince tree. It gets the least care of any tree in the garden, but still produces faithfully every year. I'm never sure what to do with the fruit, since I don't make jelly. Sometimes I cook it with apples, raisins, and cinnamon for a fruit dessert, or puree it for a combined apple-quince sauce.
Then there is our remaining apple tree, which is loaded this year. We didn't plant it and I'm not sure of the variety, but it's a good cooking apple. Hubby will eat them raw, but they are a bit too tart for me to eat out of hand.
Below is our best walnut tree. I believe the workers stripped most of the nuts that were left on the tree and on the ground that I hadn't had time to collect yet. It also appears they cut off the branches you see on the ground next to it.
The next photo shows the other walnut tree. There's still a lot of nuts left there in the tree and on the ground to get two or three pounds of shelled nuts . I hope I have time to get them before the critters do.
Below is our remaining grape vine. Since it's never been fenced, the critters often get more from it than we do. We will have to fence it. We got nothing from it this year.
Lastly, there is the apricot tree. It has had only one good year. It mostly seems to produce leaves.
So, you see, we still have something left.
Pictures and content are original and may not be used without permission, B. Radisavljevic, Copyright 2014, All Rights Reserved
Image Credit » I took the photo
Comments
alexdg1 wrote on October 6, 2014, 3:55 PM
Nice photos, Barb. Pity that the apricot tree seems to produce more leaves than fruit, though.
AngelSharum wrote on October 6, 2014, 4:20 PM
WOW! That is a lot of trees. It is cool you have so many different types in your yard.
MegL wrote on October 6, 2014, 5:55 PM
Some people have no idea about plant at all. A neighbour who was a local builder had a dry spell for work but didn't want let any of his men go,but wanted to keep them busy, so asked if we wanted any weeding done. Disaster! He didn't know weeds from plants. My bay tree still has not recovered fully.
Feisty56 wrote on October 6, 2014, 6:02 PM
There were an abundance of apricot trees growing in the southeastern corner of Idaho. I was given to understand that at least two trees are required for fruit to be produced, due to the need for cross-pollination.
Scorpie wrote on October 6, 2014, 6:32 PM
I feel like the orchard. I don't produce much either but I still have some good memories.
paigea wrote on October 6, 2014, 6:49 PM
It's wonderful to live where you can grow such a variety of things.
bestwriter wrote on October 6, 2014, 7:44 PM
I share your concern about not knowing what to do with the yield. I have this tart cherry tree that yields profusely each year. I used to make juice and wine but there is just so much one needs for home consumption. Same applies to our bell fruits, jack fruits, figs etc.
You have a huge collection too. I wish I could just come and help myself :)
LoudMan wrote on October 6, 2014, 9:42 PM
Okay. Now I gotta go read what happened to your orchard. BRB.
LoudMan wrote on October 6, 2014, 9:48 PM
Now I see. Yup. You're calmer and less crazy over these kinds of things than I am.
OldRoadsOnceTraveled wrote on October 7, 2014, 12:22 AM
I haven't even bothered looking for fruit in my orchard in years. I haven't seen peaches in forever, and I seldom see apples even if there are a few on the tree. I don't even bother looking at the grape, muscadine, and scuppernong vines. What the birds don't get, the squirrels and deer do before I have a chance.
BarbRad wrote on October 7, 2014, 12:23 AM
It's always been a disappointment. It did give us lots of fruit one year, though.
BarbRad wrote on October 7, 2014, 12:24 AM
We used to have more, but some died.
BarbRad wrote on October 7, 2014, 12:27 AM
What's my choice? I can choose to let it eat at me, which hurts only me, or accept what has happened and move on. My fussing won't bring the garden area back.
BarbRad wrote on October 7, 2014, 12:28 AM
I totally relate to what you are saying. But I wouldn't stop looking. I would keep hoping. You could try growing quince. The critters totally leave it alone.
BarbRad wrote on October 7, 2014, 12:34 AM
I can relate we had a weed abatement man that insisted on spraying the weeds. He didn't know the herbs from the weeds and had just sprayed my sage and my thyme when I caught him. He quickly sprayed water on them and they survived. The problem was he would never tell us ahead when he was coming. He'd show up and I'd have to notice him there. I finally put rock borders around my herb garden and told him not to spray anything inside those borders.
BarbRad wrote on October 7, 2014, 12:35 AM
It depends upon the variety. This one did produce a lot three years ago, so I know pollination takes place.
BarbRad wrote on October 7, 2014, 12:36 AM
That describes me pretty well, too.
BarbRad wrote on October 7, 2014, 12:38 AM
Our climate is great for apples and grapes. Soft stone fruits can do well, too, but haven't for us here. It gets too cold for citrus, but figs can so well here, as can nuts.
BarbRad wrote on October 7, 2014, 12:39 AM
We don't usually get much. Our apple trees have always been the best producers, besides the nuts, but the best apple three split three years ago, and finally died.
bestwriter wrote on October 7, 2014, 12:43 AM
We belong to two different kettles of fish. I would be there every single day and go around atleast thrice to check on what's going on in my garden
LoudMan wrote on October 7, 2014, 7:41 AM
No, it might not. That's true. Still, I must give you credit for the calmer response. I'm working on it but I am not usually the calm sort. This would've had me all over the foreman.
The great thing about gardens though, is they can be re-planted.
Bethany1202 wrote on October 7, 2014, 1:44 PM
Awesome plants. I would love to be able to grow so much of my own food.
AliCanary wrote on October 7, 2014, 5:22 PM
If you DID make quince jelly, you might make a killing! We used to have a quince tree when I was a kid, and my dad made jelly. I loved it, but I took it for granted. Years later as an adult, I searched high and low for quince jelly and had to travel out of state to find just one jar of it. Crazy!
OldRoadsOnceTraveled wrote on October 8, 2014, 1:55 AM
The orchard grass is too thick and tough to keep on top of with the lawn mower and I don't have anyone to keep it bush-hogged on a regular basis. I'm not wading out into tall thick weeds with the snakes for the possibility of three scuppernongs.
bestwriter wrote on October 8, 2014, 2:20 AM
The first thing we did before starting to build our house is to level all the grass that had grown taller than us. Today we have no such grass except something that grows at our feet level which again is weeded out periodically.
BarbRad wrote on October 8, 2014, 8:48 PM
W'ere only growing a fraction of what we eat, but it still feels satisfying to know we grew it.
BarbRad wrote on October 8, 2014, 8:50 PM
It doesn't seem to be a very popular crop.