How'd ya like THEM apples?

willk · 06 September 2013, 16:38

Autumn is upon us. It's been a very odd year - cold start, late Spring, good flowering and set, fierce heat and drought followed by windy and cooler ripening up to now. I've tended my rows as best I could - walked the lines and pruned and sprayed. Currently battling rampaging Jays that want a piece of the action. Hoping for a few settled and warm days over the next six weeks or so.

Then it's harvest time and the "electric lemonade" (cider) plant will swing into action. This is the first time I've managed to get apples and decent equipment together at the same time, so fingers crossed for no last minute disasters.

I'll return to this later...

Erin · 06 September 2013, 17:01

Nice. We've just stripped our pear tree and had a first foray into pear cider. Bubbling gently in the barrel as we speak.

Bigmuz7 · 06 September 2013, 17:16

Wonder whats got into the Jays ?... have they done that before ?

Maybe they end up rolling about stotious when back at the roost

Mollers · 06 September 2013, 17:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Autumn is upon us. It's been a very odd year -...

That owl has been crossed up with an Armadillo!

willk · 06 September 2013, 17:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollers

That owl has been crossed up with an Armadillo!

That's Owliver - he's not for real. He has big mad eyes and a pole up his ass. Birds are a bit scared of him.

Maximus · 06 September 2013, 17:32

Nice....Those Apple Trees DO look well tended!

.... Obviously by a Real Fan.!

We're having a 'Taste off' at Pikey's next week Best of Somerset V Best of Normandy's

...Looking Forward to it!!!

I think!

kerny · 06 September 2013, 17:33

Thats some backyard you have got there willk

Good luck with the cider making

ps. Tommy Flynn looks pretty handy with the press

Magners Advert - 'Strong' - YouTube

Maximus · 06 September 2013, 17:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

That's Owliver - he's not for real. He has big mad eyes and a pole up his ass. Birds are a bit scared of him.

Them Pole's get everywhere!

willk · 06 September 2013, 17:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigmuz7

Wonder whats got into the Jays ?... have they done that before ?

Annual problem. I live on the edge of woodland and they think I'm some sort of feckin' bird sanctuary. They and their thievin' cousin magpies have my heart broken. Traps and deportation for the Maggies, scare tactics for the Jays. I've seen up to six jays in there eating fruit off the branch. Mind you, when the local buzzard visits (and they do) they're nowhere to be seen...

Mollers · 06 September 2013, 17:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Birds are a bit scared of him.

I should think that owls are scared of him. He's a hench looking fecker.

As for the tree lovin'? You need to get a boat.

Boatnomad · 06 September 2013, 19:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

That's Owliver - he's not for real. He has big mad eyes and a pole up his ass. Birds are a bit scared of him.

I have a Peregrine Falcon for the same thing! Turned out a REAL Peregrine attacked my plastic one (right where the Heart would be

)
Think the Owl is a better bet

willk · 06 September 2013, 19:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erin

Nice. We've just stripped our pear tree and had a first foray into pear cider. Bubbling gently in the barrel as we speak.

Dessert pears or Cider/Perry pears? I have a couple of wall trained dessert pears. At 54 degrees North, achieving the sugar for even eating use is a challenge. I've tried fermenting them, adding some crab apple juice for tannin. The results were wretched. Apparently Perry is vastly more difficult to make than Cider.

I've used this guy's site to keep me pointed in the right direction.

willk · 06 September 2013, 19:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boatnomad

I have a Peregrine Falcon for the same thing! Turned out a REAL Peregrine attacked my plastic one (right where the Heart would be

)
Think the Owl is a better bet

PMSL. I have one too, further down the row. I was saving him for later, to say that Owliver has a posh cousin called Peregrine who helps out!

Erin · 06 September 2013, 20:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Dessert pears or Cider/Perry pears?

Dessert pears, t'otherwise would be perry

. There's a lot that could go wrong, but felt like giving it a go. The pressed juice was really quite pleasant and sweet so hoping not to be a complete disaster. Whether it's all fermentable sugar only time will tell. Pears grow particularly well in the CI's so we won't be short of supplies if we go scrounging and scale up a bit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

I've used this guy's site to keep me pointed in the right direction.

Looks like I've got some more reading to do - I hadn't seen that site before.

Lets see a picture of your scratter then

Bigmuz7 · 06 September 2013, 20:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

They and their thievin' cousin magpies have my heart broken. Traps and deportation for the Maggies, scare tactics for the Jays.

Ah .. a man after my own heart

... Mr larson will be here tomorrow for the bunch that make my wall look like a shitehouse , and the reason the sky dish cannot get the Bake off final without interruption

.... justice will be done

If ya need to know (although I'm sure ya dont) Scotch pies & tomato pizza are a tactical weapon

willk · 07 September 2013, 08:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erin

Lets see a picture of your scratter then

http://www.rib.net/forum/f31/new-fea...tml#post502771

Seen there in operation last year. Last season was when I lost patience and decided to extend the willk philosophy to cidermaking - "the end justifies the means".

Bigwuz - I made my own Larsen double dropdown and holding cage about ten years ago when they were difficult to source in these parts. Still catching. I tend to use a plastic decoy bird now and a fake nest with hen's eggs in it. PM the info on the Scotch Pies and Pizza - surely you lot don't actually eat maggies?

Poly · 07 September 2013, 10:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

surely you lot don't actually eat maggies?

If its deep fried we'll eat anything!

jambo · 07 September 2013, 11:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

If its deep fried we'll eat anything!

That's not what you said when you went on trip advisor re the Tayvallich cafe!!

Sent from my iPhone using Rib.net

Bigmuz7 · 07 September 2013, 16:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by jambo

That's not what you said when you went on trip advisor re the Tayvallich cafe!!

Oh aye ? ... do tell

Bigmuz7 · 07 September 2013, 16:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

PM the info on the Scotch Pies and Pizza - surely you lot don't actually eat maggies?

No I meant that those guys are as good as caught if you use it to lure them in ... think of it as ... you trying to walk past the entrance to the Ardbeg shop with a buxom wench calling you in whilst holding a tray of free 30 YO samples ....