{"id":6228,"date":"2013-08-30T14:02:07","date_gmt":"2013-08-30T18:02:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/allin\/?p=6228"},"modified":"2013-08-30T14:02:07","modified_gmt":"2013-08-30T18:02:07","slug":"eple-maca-mela-ping-guo-pomme-manzana-tunda-la-kizuna-apple","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/allin\/2013\/08\/30\/eple-maca-mela-ping-guo-pomme-manzana-tunda-la-kizuna-apple\/","title":{"rendered":"Eple, maca, mela, ping guo, pomme, manzana, tunda la kizuna…apple!*"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"applebranch\"<\/a>

I planted this tree about 10-12 years ago. Bought from a nursery in Gouverneur, on a whim. It started bearing a few apples about 3 years ago, more this year. I love this apple but can’t remember actual name–it’s like a gala, with a slightly wilder flavor.<\/p><\/div>\n

Apple season is underway across the region–early apples being gathered and pressed and cooked.<\/p>\n

Further along in this post, you’ll find ideas from visitors to our Facebook page for using all of those apples.<\/p>\n

I think of apples as native to North America,<\/a> but the fruit originated in Central Asia, spread across Europe and Asia, and was brought to this continent by European colonists.<\/p>\n

It has certainly thrived across all but the most tropical states and north to much of Canada.<\/p>\n

\"ashworthcrab\"<\/a>

The old crab apple tree in my front yard: rootstock thanks to Fred Ashworth. It’s down to just one of the three lead trunk branches, but as productive as ever.<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"ashworth\"<\/a>

Fred Ashworth in 1924. Courtesy of SLU Brush Library, where you’ll find a wonderful page from Rootdrinker magazine<\/a> (Alan Casline, editor) including some of Fred’s poetry.<\/p><\/div>\n

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On several occasions during the ’70s, I visited the nursery run by orchardist Fred Ashworth. In a way, he was the Johnny Appleseed of the North Country. Fred developed rootstock and graftings particularly suited to the region’s climate.<\/p>\n

About 40 years ago, I planted one of Fred’s trees in my front yard. I can’t remember exactly what happened–was it extended -40F temperatures that first winter? rodents nibbling at the graft? heavy machinery hitting and breaking the graft?–but the graft died and we planned to pull the remains of the tree and try again.<\/p>\n

However, during the summer, the tree sprouted and thrived. The crab apple rootstock Fred had used turned out to be indestructible.<\/p>\n

These days, you can find Ashworth stock at St. Lawrence Nurseries<\/a> outside of Potsdam.<\/p>\n

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Like the fine branches of an apple tree, writing, talking or thinking about apples can lead you all over the place. So, back to the task at hand: using the abundance of apples we have this year.<\/p>\n

On the NCPR Facebook page, I asked you to give me your ideas for using apples. Here’s what you shared:<\/p>\n