Bare branches

The trees stand all but bare in stark November light at Shelburne Farm in Stow, Massachusetts. ¶ 

The fruit is off the trees, all right.

It's sitting in bins ready for you buy. ¶ 

Welcome to the hunt-and-gather time of year. It's time to stock up on fruit for the onset of winter.

Last week I made several stops and was pleased to find many of my favorites that I had missed at farmers market. 

Left to Right: Baldwin, Rhode Island Greening, King David, Esopus Spitzenburg, and Rubinette

Shown are Baldwin, Rhode Island Greening, King David, Esopus Spitzenburg, and Rubinette.

Many other varieties were on offer too.

A tasting note

Of the Baldwins, the ones I got at the orchard that grew them were vastly better than those I found at a farm-style market on the same day. This is a great place featuring apples grown locally, but elsewhere.

Tasting made clear that the farm stand Baldwins had been picked before being really ripe, and had been off the tree for a while—a combination of too early and too late.

Do you like apples? A visit to an orchard (or farm stand! I don't mean to write them off) in November is well worth the trip.