I was looking forward to that again this year but am out of town that week end,. Guess I'll have to wait till next year.

Thanks for the info Konrad, might be able to tie that in w/the next trip. We were there the end of May and it was dismal with the late spring so we didn't tour the garden - only the gift shop!

Good
There should be some fresh apple juice to taste on Sunday, I will be running my homebuilt juicer, a mix of Harcourt and Norland.
It will be a nice warm weekend to walk the garden.

Konrad

Konrad, your demonstration of your apple juicer was interesting, it is very quick and efficient ... and that juice was excellent, I had three glasses! If you lived closer, I would purchase a good deal of juice from you! I had enjoyed tasting so many different varieties of apples and other fruits. There was a good turn out of folks and the weather was amazing ... it was a great day for a walk around the gardens, though it sure is in need of a good rain (as is most of Alberta!) many plants are in a stressed drought condition, I think irrigation would be benefical to the gardens.

Terry

Sorry I mised it but I did go to a nursery for apple tasting and even wine tasting at Arts nursery in Surrey. Oh if we could only grow all those plants here.!!

Thank you all!
Terry, I'm glad you could come, apparently the garden or the fruit show had the largest crowd ever!
You're right about the irrigation,...think we're in a 3 or 4 year drought, my pond is near dry.
Despite of it, apples without watering do pretty good on my own seedling root stock [orchard picture].
I will be juicing on and off for the next two weeks with around 1000 litre of juice, apple & honey is catching on a little,
several have contacted me for juice, most of the better juicing apples are just coming, like ruby red or September Ruby with Lee 17 and Norkent.
Juice is very sweet this year due to the drought.
Beegood, it's nice to get away a bit further sometimes....good for you!

Konrad

WOW What an orchard!! Where do you sell your apple juice?.My Fameuse did not make it but I will let the Antonovka grow and see how it turns out. Supposed to have nice big apples.Have you ever tried one as a tree?

Thank you Beegood

If anybody would like apples or juice can e - mail me.
The way I do it now is, ...customers drop off their containers for juice or apples with name at my gate to the back yard anytime of the day and I will phone when ready, or I can buy 4 litre containers for juice, [similar to milk jugs] and boxes for apples... if that's what they want.

Think I remember your Fameuse getting out of BC in the fall ? ...it would have been better planting it in spring.
I got some scion wood from Calgary and grafted some last year, it made the winter, this year I top grafted some other trees and could have fruit next year or the following year. I know, they're not super hardy, it did freeze back a bit.

Konrad

Konrad, your orchard has grown very nicely since I had been there a few years back. It's lots of work, but I am sure you are satisfied with the results :)

I did purchase a Honeycrisp apple to try in my protected backyard, it will be interesting to see how it does.

Terry

sorry Konrad -live too far away. you orchard is great to see and looks like you"ll have a super crop. Hope to start a small one on the new property. Grew a September Rudy here and the fruit was very nice -had lots of fruit even tho the tree was only4 yrs old
Thanx for the pic Lois

Thank you all!
Terry, yes, this orchard was a dream for me to have more then 20 years ago, finally have some fruits from my labour.
I'm glad, some people came for U pick, so I didn't have to juice this many.
I top grafted some honey crisp scion this spring,..will see if this works better for me?

Lois, September Ruby sets allot of fruit and it would be better if you can thin them to about 2 or 3 apples per cluster
when apples are about marble size, this way the apples get larger, in my case, I like them allot for juicing, so it doesn't matter when apples are small.

Konrad

Konrad, come spring I'll report on how good or bad Honeycrisp has wintered for me ... I think it should be fine, I've heard others are having success if the tree is planted in a protected location.

Terry

I thought I would revive the thread as the time is near. Who will be in attendance this year at the 2014 Fruit Festival?

I had hoped to be there but the suspension in my vehicle had other ideas. If it gets put back together in time I'll try but it looks iffy.

Get that truck fixed Collin :)

I'll try and make it to the Devonian, though not yet sure at this point.

As for the 'Honeycrisp', much of the leader had been winterkilled, though the tree had grown back very well, only to have been severely damaged in a wind storm and not worth salvaging.

My gosh, where did the time go,.. another 5 years went by!

This year....
growers meet Saturday, 13th.
Sunday 14th..10am to 3 pm = festival open to the public.
I'll be there both day's.

I still have not seen Honeycrisp apples, finally, I top grafted
in a very sheltered spot at the house 3 years ago, it looks good, no freeze back, hopefully next year there might be some.