North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[mIEKAL aND <dtv@mwt.net>]

I know you all will scoff at this but we happen to have way too many 
Wolf Rivers planted in our orchard & last year we sent them off to be 
pressed into cider & it made a surprisingly good base for our cider.  A 
bit too sweet but when it's free on the trees, hard to complain.

mIEKAL


On Mar 10, 2005, at 8:47 AM, Big Horse Creek Farm wrote:

> Hi folks,
> I wanted to comment about the Wolf River as it relates to the history 
> of
> apple growing here in the Southern Appalachians.
>
> This is one of our most requested apple varieties and for good reason. 
> It
> makes an outstanding applesauce and is the number one choice in this 
> region
> for apple butter. When people talk about making apple butter around 
> here,
> this is THE apple they mention. It is a variety that has a very 
> significant
> heritage in the Appalachians. Historically, local mountain communities 
> would
> gather together when the Wolf River's ripened and spend all day 
> cooking up
> gallons of apple butter which was then shared with all the neighbors.
> Although these gatherings are much less frequent these days, these 
> community
> events were an extremely important part of local culture. These
> get-togethers allowed families and friends, many of whom lived in 
> isolated
> pockets ("hollers") in the deep mountains, the opportunity to gather
> together and renew friendships, share stories and reconnect with their
> neighbors.
>
> It's quite rewarding for us to meet old-timers who relate these 
> stories and
> to see the enthusiasm when they talk about all the "old apples". I have
> literally seen their faces light up with joy when they visit us at our
> Farmers Market and see the Limbertwigs, Wolf Rivers, Sheepnose, Red 
> June and
> all the other old varieties they recall from their youth. It's part of 
> what
> makes this work so enjoyable for us.
>
> Here's wishing everyone a terrific growing season.
>                                                                     Ron
> Joyner