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Bare branches

The branch of an apple tree in an orchard. The branch is almost bare and many apples lie beneath it on the green grass.
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. 

Five apples, of varying colors and shapes, on the top of a wall
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.

Comments

  1. West WI: All stocked up with russets, some large baking apples and a bushel and 1/2 of gold rush.

    ReplyDelete

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