Mad Tom Orchard

We plan to open for the season on Saturday September 3.  Two inches of recent rain will help fruit continue to gain size.  As I said in last month’s post crop is never guaranteed until it is harvested, but it continues to look good.

Photos show some Crimson Crisp trees near the barn and the new small additions to the apple barn for a donut kitchen and two customer restrooms.  We think construction will be completed in time to make donuts.

BUT we have hit significant snags getting VT health department permit, Fire Marshal  approval, plumbing inspection and more.  The inspectors have ruled that we are a public building and must have  at least one ADA bathroom.  SO – we may or may not be able make donuts this fall – will post more info closer to harvest.

For added interest all three of our daughters will be here this weekend with their husbands and most of our grandchildren – Sylvia has procured enormous amounts of food – some meals will have ~ 20 people to feed.

Put us on your schedule for September & October – look forward to seeing you.

We have a pretty good crop of apples growing out there – photos show some Honeycrisp now up to almost two inches in size – also a nice view of 50 new Ginger Gold trees planted this Spring.   We have been busy mowing and replacing tree guards.

Weather  is very dry but the fruit is still sizing well.  Crop is never guaranteed until it is harvested, but we should have reasonable amounts of all varieties – Zestars, Honeycrisp and Macintosh all look good.

Work is underway to put an addition on the barn for donut making and have two customer restrooms located there.  Red House renovation project will move the house farther back on the lot and replace the old addition with a new one.  House will look very similar to before, but will have modern features like, insulation, central heat, good wiring etc.  Will not complete until 2023.

Look forward to seeing you soon!

Honeycrisp growing well

New Ginger Golds

We finished a fine harvest for our 20’th season since the orchard was  reopened with two very nice wind down days on October 12 & 13.  Fortunately there was good weather for almost all of the days that we were open – and there was enough fruit to last a full six weeks.

Pictures show the ladies from Grateful Hearts and a group of volunteers from the Food Bank that came in to glean apples and they picked most of the fruit still on the trees – glad they were able to come

We hope next year to be past all the concerns about COVID and wish everyone a healthy and peaceful year.

Many thanks,  Tom & Sylvia

We had record crowds this weekend – lots of good apples were picked -3000 or more people visited over the two days. Sylvia with our daughter Jennifer and Granddaughter Katie made 2900 donuts and the donut kitchen is closed until fall 2022.  We had lots of good family help on weekends this season.

Tuesday & Wednesday will be our wind down days – good McIntosh on the 81 year old trees and other varieties for those who look – plenty of good drops available at 1/2 price.

Big thanks to all who came to pick and made our 20’th harvest a record one.  Look forward to seeing you next year.  The photo shows a quiet morning today on our mountain top.

Our season is winding up – Sunday October 10 will be our last weekend day.  Unless the weather is too rainy,  we plan on being open a few days next week – I will post an update on Monday.  Folks from Grateful Hearts and the Food Bank will help glean fruit after we close.

There continue to be lots of good McIntosh on the 81 year old trees.  The bright red sweet tart late season Crimson Crisp are ripe.  Empire, Gala, Cortland, and Macon are still available.  We are opening up Northern Spy’s and Golden Delicious as soon as I can take the red tape down and put up the signs.  You pick drops are available at half price.

There is cider now and donuts will be here on the weekend.

It has been a very good season and we have seen lots of familiar faces.  Many thanks to everyone who came to pick.

Photos show more of the classic old McIntosh trees and Crimson Crisp on the newer trees.