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Post by nedales on Oct 11, 2015 19:18:04 GMT -1
It's been a bumper year for apples, pears, peaches as our region had the rare miraculous timing of last frost just before first blooms. The problem is that there are actually too many apples! Even the ancient trees in abandoned meadows have huge yields, the deer and bear are not able to keep up their end, and we rarely make it through a ride without having sampled several "heirloom" fruits. Every day we face a critical Dales Dilemma-- will they still be here tomorrow? Attachments:
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Post by harveydales on Oct 12, 2015 4:43:15 GMT -1
Sounds like perfect Dales hacking.  |
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Post by colmworthdales on Oct 12, 2015 10:20:30 GMT -1
My weaned Dexter calves are grazing my orchard at the moment - amazing how high they can reach in the trees and they do a good job of pruning off the lower twigs and as many small apples as they can reach. We had to go through the trees and pick all the apples that were usable to at least 5 ft from the ground before they were let loose.
The ponies have a few windfalls cut up in their very small supper every night, and I always store a couple of dustbins full to feed through the early winter! Oh, and the adults Dexters are also very happy to receive a bucketful of the less good ones, or the pulp left over from making apple juice! Enjoy your bumper crop.
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Post by dalesnfellfan on Oct 13, 2015 20:18:24 GMT -1
Connie and Emerald are also enjoying an apple each in their feeds every day.
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Post by Debbie on Oct 14, 2015 15:08:31 GMT -1
Oh dear, Blossom simply cannot control herself when faced with apples on the ground like that  she never can get 'enough' and she's convinced even one single apple going to another animal is one too many. Galahad used to be able to live with the apple tree in his paddock because even when there plenty on the ground or tree, he'd only eat one or two at a time. Such the gentleman.... Enjoy your bumper crop of apples! I'm sure the wildlife are loving it for putting on the reserves for winter this year. |
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Post by harveydales on Oct 15, 2015 5:03:22 GMT -1
My ponies are getting a few apples a day too. Luckily there are no apple trees in their field though. However the ones in our garden have been a big problem for our dog Ben. He is just recovering from a very upset tummy. He loves apples but I pick all windfall so he can't gorge o them. Then last week we spotted him in action picking apples off the tree and stuffing himself with them!  I've now had to pick all the apples whether ready or not. Sent from my Nexus 6 using proboards |
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Post by dalesnfellfan on Oct 15, 2015 15:33:16 GMT -1
My dog Spook does the same with the apples and pears, she launches herself into the air and grabs the fruit off the trees, she's a large German pointer so it's quite amazing how far she can reach. For the last month she has been getting me up to let her out 2-3 times every night, she doesn't need to go to the toilet, just feels hungry so goes out to get fruit  I can't just ignore her as she just won't give up no matter how long I ignore her, then of course I'm wide awake anyway. We can't pick all the pears as the tree is too high and it actually belongs to next door, it just overhangs our garden. |
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Post by harveydales on Oct 15, 2015 19:00:50 GMT -1
My dog Spook does the same with the apples and pears, she launches herself into the air and grabs the fruit off the trees, she's a large German pointer so it's quite amazing how far she can reach. For the last month she has been getting me up to let her out 2-3 times every night, she doesn't need to go to the toilet, just feels hungry so goes out to get fruit I can't just ignore her as she just won't give up no matter how long I ignore her, then of course I'm wide awake anyway. We can't pick all the pears as the tree is too high and it actually belongs to next door, it just overhangs our garden. Ben is just the same. He used to go for the pear trees in preference and they never gave him problems. But now I've enclosed the pear trees in the chicken run so he's resorted to the apples instead. They do give him problems........... |
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Post by nedales on Oct 16, 2015 23:37:01 GMT -1
Gluttons all of them. GL and his pals spent late summer standing under the pear tree in their upper pasture, waiting to dive on the falls when a breeze blew. He knows where every fruit bearing tree is within a five mile radius and gently suggest we go that direction when we're making choices.
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Post by valerie n scout on Oct 19, 2015 20:14:56 GMT -1
Ha ha you can imagine a Dales having nightmares someone went and ate em all up  |
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Post by nedales on Oct 21, 2015 0:43:21 GMT -1
Ha ha you can imagine a Dales having nightmares someone went and ate em all up That happened! Horror of horrors we had a hard frost this weekend. Every apple dropped and went straight to mush. We have some very sorrowful Dales on our hands right now. Moment of silence for the demise of dropped fruit. |
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Post by Debbie on Oct 22, 2015 22:08:14 GMT -1
*snickers....Blossom doesn't have to be dreaming to have that nightmare... Pauses for a moment of silence to the fallen apples. Sad ponies indeed  Ah, will your deer, moose and other wildlife get addled on the fermented apples? Or do they leave the leftover apples alone? |
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Post by nedales on Oct 22, 2015 23:37:37 GMT -1
Sadly, we had snow on the weekend and all hanging fruit has disappeared in all forms. If there are addled wildlife best hopes for them because hunting season is well under way.
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she never can get 'enough' and she's convinced even one single apple going to another animal is one too many. 
I've now had to pick all the apples whether ready or not. 
