AvAnApple

Let me tell you the story about the apple trees .....  The original plan was to have 63 olive trees (frantoio, pendolino, leccino and WA Mission) and 7 citrus trees in the olive grove, to have a bore, irrigation and a kangaroo fence....and all the olive trees would produce kilos of olives to make olive oil.  That was the plan and as with all plans (especially when you don't have any farming experience) you must be prepared to deviate (so that your plan can't fail). 

We now have 56 olive trees and various other trees have taken the positions of the 7 now deceased olives.  After filling 6 positions with macadamia, walnut, almond, 2 avocados and a fig, we had one hole left for an apple tree.  However one of our friends who had been an apple farmer in a former life informed us that you need 2 apple trees to polinate.  Research confirmed that a granny smith and a gala were compatible so on 13 April 2009, we planted 2 little apple trees IN THE SAME HOLE.

In spring 2009 a couple of little pink apple flowers appeared, but no apples.  However in spring 2010, lots of little pink flowers bloomed and the result has been 2 flourishing little apple trees with about 25 granny smith and 10 gala apples.  These trees are only about 1.5mtrs high and 30cm apart, so are doing a stirling job supporting so many fruit. 

This morning I decided to get under the net (protection from the birds) and take a photograph of our virgin fruit (hanging 40 cm from the ground).  There were so many granny smiths on one branch I decided I should get a stick from outside the olive grove and prop up the tiny branch.  (Alun, one of the alpacas ran in as I was sourcing a forked stick and BEDLAM... but that is another story getting him out of the fenced olive grove while all the others were snorting and running furiously up and down the fenceline and keeping them out!) 

One of the apples fell into my hand and I picked another two to comply with quality control......

We have used no sprays and only fertilized with sheep and alpaca poo (you can just see the lady birds on my second finger).  The apples have weathered extreme heat (regular 37 degree days) and drought.  They are on irrigation, but I have no idea how much water apples need and it is just a guess as to how many times a week or the length of irrigation time needed.  However I just watch the leaves and if they seem to droop I guess we need more water.  The rest of the olive grove receives the same scientific analysis as to pests and water. 

Now here I am eating my first apple when I had no idea apples would grow out here.  AvAnApple!