April 2009 Update

A dry April is always a worry as the trees need abundant supplies of moisture at root level for viable flowers and the best fruitlet development.

Apple tree in blossom

The rainy end to the Easter school holiday is welcomed at Crapes Fruit Farm — also while it is cloudy and raining there is no risk of devastating night frosts which can at worst leave us almost appleless as in 1997 and in my grandfather’s time 1936.

Next week apples will be flowering and we need “shirt sleeve” weather for the optimum bee activity and the flowers to set.

Cherry blossom - detail

We host about 30 beehives on the farm — not managed by me as I react to bee stings. One of the bee keepers is a qualified instructor and runs a bee keeping class in the orchard during some evenings each week through the Summer from now.

We still have a few tail enders of apples left for the locals. The rejects find favour with local horse owners.