[AlaninCarlisle]

As usual I've got a great harvest of apples (Egremont Russets, Golden Delicious, Bramley and Cox's). As usual apart from ourselves and the ponies nobody wants them. It seems to me that the generation born after the 1960s is only interested in uniformly-sized, cosmetically-perfect, cellophane-wrapped tasteless imported stuff with a sell-by-date

[devonbarmygardener]

My new plot neighbour has let me have some of his apples and they are delicious eating apples - no idea what variety!
I'm trying to store mine overwinter using the sealing wax trick on the stalk.
Any without a stalk I'm eating now :happy:

My parents also have 3 apple trees in their garden - not that they eat many apples! So likely to have them too!

[sunshineband]

Lucky you two, to have such quantities of apples 

Have you thought of juicing them?

[kathrose]

I have just peeled and sliced a carrier bag full of apples.  They are from my daughters tree, it was in the garden when she moved there two years ago, only a small tree buts loads of apples.  I think they are eaters and look like a cross between a Worcester and Cox.  They taste super but only so many can me and hubby eat.  So going to have some nice crunchy oat topped crumbles in the freezer.

[Madame Cholet]

Wish you were closer my apple trees are only 2 years old I was born in 66.

[Kristen]

I bought Mrs K a nice Apple Rack - with drawers with slatted bases, and a hinged slat that closes over the edge of the drawers that you can padlock - presumably to keep the thieving staff off your precious fruit! Its a nice cabinet - the idea is so that we can store our apples more successfully.

Anyways, 10 year old daughter says "What have you bought Mummy for her birthday"

Me: "An Apple Rack"

Her: "AN APPLE MAC - WOW!! - HEY SIS, GUESS WHAT DADDY HAS BOUGHT MUMMY FOR HER BIRTHDAY?"

Yet again I am not measuring up to expectation!

[AlaninCarlisle]

Thanks Kristen. Gave me a laugh did that 

[Sparkyrog]

Very nice kristen ,as long as you can keep it rat free! In response to the general apple thread I can't keep up with the windfall's from my bramley never mind pick any 

[solway cropper]

I've got a great crop as well this year but I have to agree with Alan about younger people. My next-door neighbours are thirty-somethings with a big apple tree in the garden and every year the fruit falls to the ground for the local wildlife. The bizarre thing is they buy organic fruit and veg from the supermarket but have a garden as big as mine and it's all lawn!

Go figure.

[Auntiemogs]

I took some of my Mum's eaters in to work and stuck them on the side a few times and I couldn't believe the response.  Maybe kids have better things to do than go scrumping these days? 

[Trillium]

I see the same things as Alan - houses with big apple trees loaded with fruit that falls every year and rots. Yet I know the people buy apples. Can't figure why they want to waste money. It was common practise for centuries to plant apple trees on the farm or backyard for personal use, and it's so sad to see these same trees forlorn and overgrown. Perhaps when fuel prices break all barriers and foods become luxuries that they'll then start to look around them and value what is free.

I'm currently reading a cookbook/memoir about a lady who lived through the Great Depression in the US and on her way home from work she'd stop at nearby fields and pick anything edible for the family to eat, including burdock stalks that they'd steam like asparagus.

[Madame Cholet]

Fortunatly round here lots of people put their apples out for sale or free in some places and they seam to go. Lots of my friends give away or swap.

When I hear on the news about food banks and how poor people are supposed to be I wonder. I went to a friends house who was poor she said, on benefits, there were magazines and newspapers every where and so many toiletries and cosmetics in the bathroom it was like boots.

I'm self employed and short of work so in my free time, as well as the lotty, I pick blackberries, walnuts, apples ect to dry and make preserves. Collect pallets and wood from skips to burn on the wood burner which cooks my dinner and does the hot water in the winter and flush the loo with rain water.

I've had some really odd comments when I tell people I cancelled my TV licence and watch the i player.
150 buys a lot of food.

[snowdrops]

I bought Mrs K a nice Apple Rack - with drawers with slatted bases, and a hinged slat that closes over the edge of the drawers that you can padlock - presumably to keep the thieving staff off your precious fruit! Its a nice cabinet - the idea is so that we can store our apples more successfully.

Anyways, 10 year old daughter says "What have you bought Mummy for her birthday"

Me: "An Apple Rack"

Her: "AN APPLE MAC - WOW!! - HEY SIS, GUESS WHAT DADDY HAS BOUGHT MUMMY FOR HER BIRTHDAY?"

Yet again I am not measuring up to expectation!

I'd be thrilled to receive that,not that I have apples to go on it,I've been on the look out for some by the roadside etc,no damsons/plums either,so they're either all going to waste or getting used.

[Kristen]

I'd be thrilled to receive that

Mrs K was too - only youngest daughter was disappointed!

I bought her a new kitchen table for Christmas one year.  I had it hidden away and then heard some Agony Aunt on the radio giving men advice on what not to buy for Christmas "Nothing for the kitchen, and nothing you saw on late night TV" 

Happy to say that Mrs K loves that too ...

We have 4 mature apple trees in the garden, we couldn't hope to eat what they produce, and they don't seem to keep well.  We've planted an Espalier with about 10 different varieties, and our decision process included apples that we particularly like to eat, varieties that matured over a long season, and also some varieties that keep well.  I'll let you know how well that turned out in a few years time

[Kristen]

I'd be thrilled to receive that

Mrs K was too - only youngest daughter was disappointed!

I bought her a new kitchen table for Christmas one year.  I had it hidden away and then heard some Agony Aunt on the radio giving men advice on what not to buy for Christmas "Nothing for the kitchen, and nothing you saw on late night TV" 

Happy to say that Mrs K loves that too ...

We have 4 mature apple trees in the garden, we couldn't hope to eat what they produce, and they don't seem to keep well.  We've planted an Espalier with about 10 different varieties, and our decision process included apples that we particularly like to eat, varieties that mature over a long season, and also some varieties that keep well.  I'll let you know how well that turned out in a few years time