To my readers on the new year, 2019

With this, my tenth new year's message, I send my very best wishes for the year to come.

I cannot, however, help but share a troubling statistic with you. This year I only found three apples to add to my opinionated catalog.

Apple Reviews by Year 2008–18

Year published refers to the year of the canonical review, which in a few cases is later than an earlier review of the same variety; such earlier reviews are not included.

I find it hard to imagine what this blog would be without new apples to sample and share.

My running commentary notwithstanding, the reviews have always been the heart of this blog, both as conceived in the late spring of 2008 and as executed every month thereafter.

In my blog's first year, apple reviews comprised more than half of my posts.
I always knew it would get harder over time to find varieties new to me. At first, the number of reviews fell every year.

But starting in 2012, with some variations, the trend started to level off, at around 20 per year.

New-to-me varieties at farmers markets and orchards, new varieties in the supermarkets, travel apples, and the occasional gifts of apples from readers, sustained me each year.

But this year I did not get out, or reach out, or luck out as much.The turning of the year is a hopeful time, and you can infer at least one of my hopes for 2019.

Very best to you and yours.

Adam