A Windfall of Apples!

Our neighbours down the road have a kind of applefest each year, inviting family, friends, and neighbours to their backyard orchard...which is actually in front of their house by the horse pasture. They gave us a call yesterday and this morning, working around the rain, we went over.

I had seen the tip of the orchard before as I'd driven down their driveway but was astounded, as we walked through, at the number of trees they have. There has to be fifty or sixty trees pumping out gazillions of apples - delicious, macintosh and others. Why, if I was an applesauce maker, then...*gasp*...but wait! I am! It was applesauce heaven.

So, while the boys played with their three apple-retrieving dogs (great fun) and Ri hung out with their daughter, Paul and I filled our baskets. Careful not to confuse the road apples with the macintosh apples, we came away with over a half bushel of firm red fruit in no time flat.  Guess what next weekend's job will be.

Once finished, our host walked us around the farm, visiting the horse and donkeys, the hens and their rooster and showed us the new tree fort. The boys ditched the tour there and headed up the ladder. Next, we checked out their cider press and went inside for a taste. Mmm-mm-mm. Next on their list, is learning to make hard cider. May have to rename our road Copperhead.

Ooh, can't wait to get into the sauce.