For the most part, Korean Giants only got to medium size despite serious thinning. Other Asian pears were smaller than usual, too.
I think the drought contributed to animals going after my fruit esp Asian pears (sweet and high water content) in a record number this year. Squirrels, chipmunks, groundhogs, birds during the day and raccoons and opossums during the night.
Mine were very small this year, and I think the heat waves we had prevented growth and promoted survival. I lost half of my espaliered Gris due to frying in the scorching sun!
This is the end of my 2022 growing season.
The last few apples were picked yesterday, 12/9/22. Leaves were drying. No point of letting apples on the trees.
So I picked them.
They hung on the trees through a few low 20’s but nothing in the teen. The majority are Gold Rush, with one Pink Lady and a Golden Russet to the right. The very late Golden Russet has no russeting at all. It looks very similar to Gold Rush.
Only one Gold Rush got frost bitten and cracked.
@mrsg47 How popular is turkey meat in France.
Your can have mine. There were 28 large turkeys roaming our street.
These pictures were taken on 12/8.
If you zoom in, you will see many of them in front of the white house.
Everyone around here leaves them alone. They are come coming and going as they please several times a week.
In France Turkey is eaten at Christmas! The rest of the year the sell slices of raw breast meat. Thats it! They have to be ordered! You will never find it on the menu in the country, maybe in the larger cities? And they are very expensive. Delicious but expensive! Your turkey’s look great! Lol!
Do they eat goose for Christmas too?
Hopefully this lands in the thread line where it should be. I just wanted to note that this attempt was an abject failure. Turns out squirrels will show more interest in the trap than anything else and they will chew through the trap/rope rendering it useless. I may try again with glass this year. The thought seemed worth pursuing.
What kind if trap you used?
My Christmas Turkey for four cost 86 euros.
That is pricey. A small turkey for 86 Euro!!!
The same flock of “our” turkeys parades around up and down the neighborhood almost everyday.
@mamuang I was told our turkeys roaming around our neighborhoods don’t taste that great. For that reason, they’re left alone.
Yes, they are older and tougher. Turkey farms slaughter their turkeys at 14-16 weeks (3-4 months old).
By the time our turkeys have survived foxes, coyotes, etc, they are too old for people to enjoy. My turkeys are at least 8 months old. Tough, old birds.
I have a different take. I turkey hunt each year. I think wild turkey tastes delicious. The trick with any wild game is dont overcook it. The legs are tougher. Some people slow cook them but theres not a whole lot of meat on them. The breast on the other hand is great!
Heres one in the back yard that the kids like to watch.
a friend of mine in KY told me the best way to cook wild turkey is to brine it then fry it… says it tender and juicy that way. he only does the breast as well. the legs and wings are boiled for the dog.
Thats what I do as well. Brine it for a day or 2 to soak up the blood. Wash it, pat dry, season, bread and fry is my favorite way to cook it. Ive made turkey and gravy with it as well.
Homemade lure traps that I set out in June. I replied to myself hoping that it would land on the image as a reply.
Still worth exploring but since I don’t see much insect pressure outside of PC and june bugs so far its probably not a great test anyhow.
Turkeys are rare here and very expensive! Yours look tasty!
*And the liquid goes into the leftover biscuits and cornbread along some onion, sage, maybe celery, or to your taste buds…and into the cast iron skillet for some homemade dressing in the shape of a corn pone. 
This late winter gets me worried. It was not cold enough to damage bamboo leaves. They stayed green……
until two weeks ago when we had one night of -8 F. Then, the leaves look like this.
Unfortunately, cold temp did not stay long. Last week we were in mid 50’s (and low 60’s for one day). Buds started to wake up and it is only mid February.
Won’t be surprised if late freeze in March or April will do damage to fruit buds this year.
@mrsg47 - You probably won’t miss this yo-yo weather in New England.
I’ve got apple Kizil Alma 826 that has half inch leaves…and several red fleshed crabs / leaf buds nearly ready to open. Apricot in leaf. Honeyberries blooming.
Good thing I’ve collected most of my scions and shipped all that I promised…for dormancy is about to be over here in Kentucky.
This happens once a decade it seems…have planted peas, carrots, beets, onions etc in March…but I may try February this year. Some years it all gets frozen. But every 20 years or so spring actully arrives early.
