Advice for apple nurseries VOLS! Argh!

[LTCider]

Sheesh… bad things apparently come in fours. Just found out someone opened a checking account in my name. The bank confirmed they had all the juicy information. Lordy me!

Also, most of the graftlings are out of the snow now. It’s as bad as I feared!

———
On the upside, as my screen name might suggest, I make my own booze. Never a better time to day drink! Hahaha!

Currently on tap:
A really tasty modern cider
Red Currant Mead
A pyment made from the neighbor’s grapes. Unknown varietal.

On the side: A cider fail that was over fruited with black currants (holy astringency, Batman!) It’s being used as an amendment to each of the above to make each serving an adventure! The mead and pyment are rather one dimensional and greatly benefit from the black currant cider… all it takes is 1:12 to 1:10 ratio to make them pop!

Hoping everyone is making the most of things and staying safe!
B

[Chills]

ok, reading this I am going to reiterate my previous offer to come and help you re-graft…

Red Currant Mead? I’ve got a meaderie in walking distance that just opened and the wife and I stopped in twice. First time they didn’t have any of their licensing completed and were only serving soft drinks. The second time (a week later) they could only serve bottled beers as they didn’t have their wine license yet so they couldn’t serve mead (which seemed strange). A week later we went into lock-down.

I was unfamiliar with what a pyment was. Interesting and a new good Scrabble word as well…

Scott

[LTCider]

Ha!

If you want some delicious meads, try Schramms in, I think, Ferndale.

Still appreciating the offer, but I just denied my momma the possibility of seeing her son for Easter because of ‘all this!’

So, I’ll graft some of my trees telling them I’m you. They’ll never know the difference. You, save gas money and use it to buy a bottle of Red Agnes from Schramms. Think about grafting while imbibing. My momma, she won’t have cause to murder me for hypocrisy. I won;t get murdered. Everyone wins!

Everything I’ve had from Schramms is delicious, but man it gets pricey! What I make… decent, but I’m still new to meads. Not worth a trip! I just pitched yeast in a batch tonight. BlackBerry dominant with a touch of red and black currants, as well as a hint of raspberry. Depth to be added with noticeable cracked pepper and just enough fennel seed to be recognized when you’re told it’s there. Estimated bottling in early June.

[Chills]

Dang.

Dragonsmead just opened a second location walking distance from the house. I’m hoping when I go next they have a cyser.

Ive had schramms at the Renaissance Festival I believe.

Scott

[LTCider]

It took awhile, but…

136 trees on g890 in the orchard’s Corona-annex have been planted. 100 are newly grafted, 26 are survivors from the volmaggedon of winter 2020, and 10 are nursery trees. 24 of last year’s trees have been regrafted and 13 replaced with vol-survivors.

Also put in the ground, 100 aronia and 13 elderberry.

Coming soon, 15 thimbleberries.

Soon… will be spreading a few hundred yards of composted wood chips. Building vol guards, installing irrigation…

…I’m left wondering if my hobby is now a job without income.

The dream was to open a Cidery, but seeing what’s happening to local wineries, the day job sure seems like a better plan right now!

Best of luck to all those struggling to survive the present situation!

After thought… May 19. Looking at apple trees that have leaves the size of squirrel’s ears. The maples in the distance are just getting a green fuzz. Dandelions are finally in full force. Daffodils still going strong. …and then I see pics of folks’ trees/bushes/gardens in more agreeable climates.

[LTCider]

New grafts are budding!

Last year’s graftlings looking good… a number already have 3-4” of new growth. My over-grafts of failed Chestnut Crab grafts are mostly starting to bud out. Am glad… definitely a variety I want some production from.

Peaches are in bloom.

Pears are in bloom. Walking past a mature wild pear, I thought for a second that one of my bee hives may have swarmed… nope, but they were all over the flowers!

Neighbor has kestrels in his box… 5 eggs. I have kestrels in one of mine. No idea how many eggs yet. Need to take a hike with a ladder. The nests are maybe 2000-2500’ apart. In a few weeks, with luck, four adults will be feeding themselves and 10 chicks. Glad to have em all to kill vols. I’ve put 6’ t-posts all over the orchard that are hereby called kestrel posts. I chose that in lieu of the far less smiley ‘vol death posts.’

Heat index hit 95 today. Two weeks ago… snow, three nights running and a windchill of 19 degrees.

As usual, northern Michigan went from winter to summer in a heartbeat.

I’ll be used to the heat by the time frost comes in 4 months or so.