It's been a bit windy, lately... 😀 The apples on this tree are hanging on, though! The Re-Farmer
crab apples
Crab apple status
Since the wind broke the one crab apple tree, and I ended up tying it off, rather than cutting it away, I've been keeping a close eye on it since. Check it out. Can you tell which part was broken? There isn't even a single wilted leaf on it! It still might not survive the … Continue reading Crab apple status
Hard crab apple cider: Getting clear
What a difference a day makes! This is how the crab apple juice looked, right after we got finished setting up the fermentation. This is how they looked this morning. The photo does not do justice to how bright the colour is! When I was checking these last night, the tops were full of dense … Continue reading Hard crab apple cider: Getting clear
Making hard crab apple cider; will it work?
Today was our first attempt at making hard apple cider. We are using the remaining apples from the one crab apple tree we have that produces the most amazing, sweet, delicious little apples, after using some of them to start an apple cider vinegar. When we first moved here and saw how many crab apple … Continue reading Making hard crab apple cider; will it work?
Wind damage and salvaged apples
Yesterday's high winds knocked quite a few branches down. This one would have landed on the tent, if it had still been there. We haven't figured out what to do with the tent yet (other than keep the canvas parts). You can see two of the metal pieces that broke. On the table is the … Continue reading Wind damage and salvaged apples
Making Crab apple cider vinegar: airlock or cheese cloth?
Last night, I procrastinated cleaning the dining room by starting the apple cider vinegar! 😀 I slightly modified the recipe I used last year, which you can find here. (Link will open in a new tab.) I started off by using one of my gallon jars to measure out apples from one of the 5 … Continue reading Making Crab apple cider vinegar: airlock or cheese cloth?
Crab apple picking
Today, I headed out to pick the apples off of one of our crabapple trees. This is the one that has such bright red, sweet apples. It also ripens earlier than the other trees. Last year, most of the apples disappeared before I had a chance to harvest them, so I wanted to get them … Continue reading Crab apple picking
Crabapple status
One of the things I've been checking every morning of late, is how the crabapples are doing. In the row of trees by the spruce grove, there are really just two trees that we can use. The others have such small apples, they'll be left for the birds and the deer. One of these two … Continue reading Crabapple status
Crabapple Cider Vinegar, part 3 – the finished product
Part 1Part 2 The cider vinegar I made using our crabapples was due to be ready somewhere between Oct. 31 and Nov. 7, or to taste. I checked the flavour somewhere in between then, before moving it to the fridge. Here is what it looks like. The finished vinegar has a lovely reddish pink colour … Continue reading Crabapple Cider Vinegar, part 3 – the finished product
Crabapple cider vinegar, part 2
One last catch-up post! In the middle of when our internet went wonky and I couldn't upload photos, I was able to move on to the next step in making cider vinegar with our crab apples. You can read the first part here. (link will open in a new tab) When I first started these, … Continue reading Crabapple cider vinegar, part 2