Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

labruscagrape - Re: [OFEX] Creemore Heritage Apple Society

labruscagrape@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Ontario Fruit Explorers

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Biz Storms" <biz.storms@sympatico.ca>
  • To: "'Ontario Fruit Explorers'" <labruscagrape@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [OFEX] Creemore Heritage Apple Society
  • Date: Fri, 9 Mar 2007 10:35:58 -0500

Hello again,

A neighbour and I finally got it together, and we have formed the Creemore
Heritage Apple Society. We had our first meeting Feb 24, at the Station on
the Green, in Creemore, and thirty-four people showed up. It was terrific
turnout and we were thrilled. We had a guest speaker come in and give a
talk, complete with power point presentation, about revitalizing an old(er)
tree or orchard. The folks at C. Frensch were very helpful and sent along 15
copies of catalogues, plus a few catalogues were available from Timms
Enterprises.

We even went around the room to see who had what in the way of trees and
what they were interested in learning about. It was quite fascinating to
hear about the enormous numbers of old and essentially abandoned trees and
orchards - everywhere. Next summer and fall I intend to get out there - even
on horseback if need be. I gave a little 5 minute talk about identifying,
cutting and storing scionwood, and will give a grafting demo at the next
meeting.

We have already been invited to participate in the 10th birthday celebration
of our local farmer's market, and have scheduled an Apple Festival for
September 22. So far we plan to have an apple tasting, an apple viewing, a
pie baking contest, perhaps a blind taste test competition, and a cider
making demo. Thank you Bert for mentioning the 4 x 4 method - which I'll
certainly include. If we get enough baking volunteers - I'd also like to
have a buy-a-slice booth to fund something in the community. With so many
local orchardists, we can really have a large amount of apples for sale.
Tourists already attend the market for fall sales of apples, but with
notices in many magazines and newspapers, we should get a larger number of
visitors.

My fellow organizer has focused on collecting Ontario Heritage varieties,
plus a few Canadian gems, and has about 75 varieties. I'm now closing in on
400 varieties - yes, I need a twelve step programme - and many others have
wild apples that they harvest and know where all the "good tasting" apple
trees are located. One of my neighbours lives on their family property, and
has a St. Lawrence that is a little sweeter and crispier than the other five
or six St. Lawrence that they planted. All the old-timers in the area know
about that tree. And a riding buddy has several trees on her property that
she's marked, since the apples are knock your socks off delicious. One them
has pink marking in the flesh, and is a feisty little, bright red guy that
almost glows. But the taste is like a Karmigne do Sonnaville. Right beside
that tree is my friend's favorite - a mid size apple with yellow flesh and a
tangy, tart taste. Really fresh. Both are wild and in the middle of a
cluster of at least ten other apples. There are certainly apple treasures
out there just waiting to be found.

So that's about all for the Apple Society - but it's been really exciting to
get it off the ground and have such a great response.

If anyone has great tasting wild apples - or redflesh apples - I'd love to
get scionwood. You can even name them for me. Then we can start a wild apple
collection before the trees are lost forever.

Cheers and a great weekend to all. Bizmark.




  • Re: [OFEX] Creemore Heritage Apple Society, Biz Storms, 03/09/2007

Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page