My next-door neighbor has a sour cherry tree that is just loaded this year even though the tree itself looks very sick (branches splitting and rotting). They’ve told us to help ourselves to them, does anyone have a favorite pie recipe to share?
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You might be getting some very small peaches unless you do some thinning.
Actually this is after three thinning and I removed about 75%, fruit set is crazy this year. I did half last year and was able to get good size. Here is the picture from last year for comparison.
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My Early Mcintosh apples are on the small side this year… perhaps my 20+ year tree is wearing out… or more likely I did not thin enough.
When there is a little green still on them they are quite tart… but oh man… for fried apples… oh so good.
I made a skillet full last night for supper and everyone raved on and on how good they were.
Just sliced apples sautéed in butter until soft… and add a bit of maple syrup near the end. Gooooood eats.
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From the original Betty Crocker cookbook ©1950, facsimile edition 1998© (bought it on-line), page 314:
For 9 inch pie:
4 cups pitted cherries (I recommend Montmorency, Morello or North Star, but Meteor, Bali or the Canadian bush types will also do) If your pie dish is deep you might want another half cup added,
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 (or 1/2) tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon (or 1/4 tsp, plus 1/4 tsp cardamom)
1 cup heavy cream
single pie crust to line pie dish
Place round cookie sheet on lower rack under where the pie will go, in case of dribblage.
After placing crust in pie dish, add cherries. Mix all other ingredients & pour over cherries. Bake @ 400°F until bubbly halfway in from edges or fruit becoming golden, about 40 minutes (can be longer if cherries really juicy). Allow to set to room temperature (or merely warm).
This also works with peaches, apples & many other fruits.
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Of my unknown/unlabeled Bllueberry bushes, something tells me this might just be Pink Lemonade. Maybe…
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The leaves are thin,like Pink Lemonade.
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Was mostly tongue-in-cheek, the rest are all ripening blue 
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got tired of fresh cherries (we got 6 of those containers full plus a bag) so I made jam.
good stuff, never made with them before.
@swincher I’m real lazy so I make crumble if I get my hands on those. any crumble recipe works for them. we like sour cream on top
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Peak harvest for Halls beauty: 11 pounds
So 15 pounds total for this year. That’s way too much to handle at the same time. Need to start thinning from next year.
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First Cascade Delight harvest. Large conical firm berries as described but pretty disappointed with the taste - neither sweet nor having the rich raspberry flavor. Had high hopes for this one 
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Can you provide info on if you irrigate or water them and what your rainfall was like during the last 2 weeks of ripening?
I got to taste one during our drought and it was fantastic… then it rained and rained and they have gotten bland on me.
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My perennial garden is so pretty this year! All the rain and a good cleaning out in late winter has really put it on steroids! I took lots of pictures - with plans to make lots of bouquets for ‘still life’ use and plans to create what I’m calling ‘flower-scape’ paintings. Here are some shots I took this week.
And yesterday’s blues.
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There’s nothing like that old Betty Crocker cookbook! I have a McCalls that I use a lot, too.
Mostly ‘heart attack specials’ but . . . the best old fashioned stuff!
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No rains. Slightly clay soil and I have drip irrigation every 3 days. It could be over watering but the Cascade gold beside it gets similar water and it tastes fantastic (it also gets more sunlight).
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