Seedling Apples for cider

JesseS, Are those glasses made out of wine bottles?

Our weather turned off warm again so I spent the last couple of very pleasant days in my woods working on clearing the trail. It has been extremely dry in Kansas again so we are fortunate to be able to access parts of the property that are normally inaccessible this time of year. I would love to put more seedling apples down there but am concerned with getting them out if we get a lot of rain. How are you guys harvesting your apples? 4 wheeler, golf cart , carry by hand, truck? I throw a cart on my lawn mower to bring in big pear harvests when it’s to wet or a path is to narrow to use a truck. Water seeps out of the ground in a few small springs on my property which makes me tempted to grow kiwi or pawpaw there but I bet I could raise a lot of apples or pears there as well.

Pretty apples!

Fruit exploring the next town over this past weekend, I found a very interesting looking apple. I dont think the tree is grafted, though it is next to an old farmhouse. They look like asian pear! I’d classify them as a bittersharp cider apple, they do have sweetness as well, uniquely flavored.

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No question that is an interesting apple Jesse !

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People who like seedling apples and hard cider or regular cider might enjoy this story about Johnny Appleseed. I have another seedling that should fruit next year http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/real-johnny-appleseed-brought-applesand-booze-american-frontier-180953263/ . This is a thread discussing a few of the seedlings I’ve raised so far New Apple Seedling Varieties - #20 by clarkinks

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Fedco Trees has a number of seedling cider apples for sale this year available as scionwood, most from Maine or upstate NY.

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Michael Poulin’s “Botany of Desire” contains some very well written pages about Mr. Chapman. A quarter of the book is devoted to the unusual genetic traits of apples that make them so amendable to our “desires”. I highly recommend the book to all dedicated growers. The man is a brilliant essayist.

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Thanks Alan I will definitely look at that book https://www.amazon.com/Botany-Desire-Plants-Eye-View-World/dp/1501245759.

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How’s everyone’s cider apples doing?

I’ve got a Dabinette tree that (knock on wood) will throw a bushel this year (2018). I think I will ferment it out single batch and blend if needed. The bulk of my true cider apples (Yarlymill, KingBlack, Harrison, Baldwin, AshKernel, GoldenRusset) taking the year off or too young. But my GoldRush, Sundance,Honeycrisp, Kidds OR and crabs (and others) are loaded up. Should make for some interesting Cider.

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Im seeing lots of apple threads and i was curious if anyone is getting fruit from my seedlings yet? Many requested scion wood
The crabapple should be getting ripe. See this thread also New Apple Seedling Varieties

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My latest seedling apple is flowering after 10 years. This is a random seedling. It’s not unusual to get blooms at the top like that when they first start producing. It is very exciting to see what they turn out to be.

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I’ve got a M111 that is 7 years old and had two tip clusters on the cultivar grafted to it this year.
Have 2 or 3 apples set.

I have a seedling about 7 years that has not yet bloomed. Both similar size. Both healthy.

Our ancestors from 300 years ago surely made use of any apples or any other food they had.
Animal food if not human food…and fermented cider generally the only alcoholic drink to be had.

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I have not seen any apples out of that new seedling but there were a bunch. I will check back in a month or so.

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I planted a Sundance last year. Sounded like a tasty apple with good disease resistance. Curious what your actual experience with it has been?

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I’m not your best guy for that lets see if @39thparallel can help you with Sundance. There are better apple people than me on here. Apples are a pet project for me i’m more of a pear guy actually.

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Perfect little red apple for cider. Crisp , sweet and enough sour to call them snappy! Love them!




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More so than just taking a bite out of an apple?

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Seedling apples for livestock (or deer), cider…and maybe you get a good one for eating.

Seedlings, that’s the method our ancestors got most of their apples…(although some did do grafting).

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