By Russell Steven Powell This story first appeared in the Orchard Blog at newenglandapples.org Highly variable is about the best way to describe the 2023 New England apple crop.Most people by know now that the fresh apple crop will be significantly smaller due to a region-wide freeze the night of May 18. Yet many orchards have full crops, and most have some apples. When all the apples are picked, though, losses could amount to as much as half of a normal crop of between 3.5 million and 4 million 42-pound boxes. It means there will be plenty of fresh apples this fall, but the season may not last as long,…
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A Better Look at the Brambles
Text and Photos by Dan Jaffe Wilder This story previously appeared in the newsletter of the Ecological Landscape Alliance and is reprinted with their permission. Check them out at ecolandscaping.org I remember when I first started growing food; there was a point where I was deciding whether to grow raspberries (Rubus spp.) or not. On one hand I loved the taste of raspberries, on the other hand I was worried about how raspberries grow, namely they grow like raspberries. They quickly colonize and the colony is filled with spines making management a challenge. I’ve learned quite a bit since then, and raspberries are easily one of my favorite crops that I…
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Apples of New England
By Will Rowlands Interested in apples and their history? This book is for you. Both Anne and I found it entertaining and informative. Read about the real Johnny Appleseed (Massachusetts native John Chapman), and David Church from Newington, Connecticut, who distributed apple seeds during his travels in New York State. Immerse yourself in the history of apples in New England and discover which apple variety is the oldest … the Roxbury Russet or the Yellow Sweeting (aka Sweet Rhode Island Greening). Three of the most popularly grown apples in the 1700s and 1800s were the Roxbury Russet, Sheep’s Nose and Westfield Seek-No-Further, all discovered in New England. This handy book…
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For the Love of Apples
By Alan C. Sax & Miles Schwartz Sax I understand why people fall in love with other people but I don’t really understand what causes people to fall in love with things. Is it hardwired into our brain to find objects that fascinate or that build affinity with the familiar? Or, maybe it’s an evolutionary strategy to harvest the fruits of discovery and be rewarded with a dulcet cascade of dopamine. Of all the things that people can love, there are a number of us out there whose affections are reserved for all things apples. With their fragrant blossoms, sumptuous fruit, cathedral orchards, and tantalizing ciders, the apple of our…
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Growing Fig Trees in Cooler Climes
By Anne Rowlands SEPT-OCT 2012 – Obviously I grew up in a bit of a bubble. Until recently, I’ve been unaware of the robust fig-growing culture in Connecticut. Though I’ve enjoyed my fair share of fig cookies, dried figs, and the fresh fruit that occasionally becomes available in the supermarket, I never suspected that growing them here was a possibility. I figured they were as unsuitable to this climate as citrus trees. But, while working on this story, I found that these little trees are everywhere – in front yards, back yards, city streets and parking lots. So, for those of you with no experience with figs, here’s something to…
