EPISODE 884 APPLES IN A TANGLED ORCHARD —
alan skeoch
sept. 22, 2023
Namng apple varieties was once a common thing to do since apples do not
replace themselves from apple seeds. I wuold like to call this wild apple
‘RED STREAK’ but that is the name of one of the most famous apple
varieties in the 19th century. What should I name my…MY?…apple tree?
There’s only one tree in the whole world like it. It grows in our TANGLED
ORCHARD on abandoned land. Tastes good…easy to eat. Might make
good apple sauce. Think of a name as you read this story.
WHEN grandma and grandpa Freeman stopped farming they let their 25 are farm return
to nature graduallly. The first invaders were wild apple trees…a complete wild
orchard that looked like a bad hair day.’’’
When the Freemans stopped farming around 1950 … the wild apple orchard took over the land which delighted Angus McEchern’s Hereford cattle who
loved apples. They pushed down the rail fence with ease.
The cattle ate the windfalls….some in advanced decay This was not good. While apples are not
poisonous, but their seeds are bad news. Those tiny black apples seeds contain a chemical that produces
CYANIDE. A seed or two will not kill but should a human being decide to chew 200 apple
seeds then call the dead wagon. What would they do to a cattle herd?
Our wild apple orchard is struggling to survive. The re’d pines are getting taller and which means less light reaches the
apple trees..
Here is how one apple tree manages to survive using a single branch which is loaded with a
a big green variety of apples red to be picked.
Small wild apples below..perhaps a crab[[;e/
Here (below) is the prize tree producing large yellow apples with decorative red streaks. In ten minutres I managed to
fill a pail and I hope Marjorie can do the real work of converting the apples into apple sauce. We need a name for
these apples? How about ‘Delight of the Forest”
The myth regarding cows and apples
You might have heard this myth. Cows that eat apples can get a bloated stomach and die. But that’s not what’s happening when your cattle feed on apples fallen on the ground or those that you offer them to diversify their diet.
So, if that’s not true, where does this myth come from? There is a small grain in this myth, which is that the cows can get a little bloated when eating apples. However, that happens only if they eat a lot of apples all of a sudden and for the first time in their lives.
Anything new that’s introduced to a cow’s diet can cause bloating. It is not only apples that can cause this side effect, but any other fruits and veggies that your cows may eat by accident or otherwise. As long as cows feed on fallen apples, they won’t run the risk of overeating.
They know what’s good for them and what isn’t and they won’t eat more than what they can digest. So, if you plan to introduce apples into your cows’ diet, do so gradually. And here’s another thing. Many cows love apples and will consider them treats.
