Washington, D.C. may have its cherry blossoms, but we've got our apple blossoms ... and everywhere we look right now, it's stunning. Apple trees are blossoming across the farm. I took the photo above on Saturday evening; you can see that different trees are in different stages of blossoming. I took this next shot this morning from the front porch:
Like the trees in the first photo, these are old orchard trees, but in the background, you can see a wild apple tree blossoming at the edge of the woods. (Click on photos for larger images.)
Like any fruit tree, apple trees need tending to remain healthy and productive. No one has pruned the apple trees here at the farm in at least 30 years, perhaps longer, and they definitely needed help. We were fortunate to find a lady from nearby Vermont, Nancy Murray, who runs a business called Northern Spy Apple Tree Pruning.(Northern Spy is the name of an old-time New England heirloom apple.) She makes her living tending apple trees in Vermont and New Hampshire for people who want to preserve and improve their orchards. Nancy made her first visits in April and worked on the trees in the photo above, which she called "godmother trees" because of their age.
That's wonderful
Posted by: Ev | May 22, 2013 at 10:10 AM
Gorgeous!
I once met an ox named Northern Spy; he went by Spy for short. He was named after his favorite apple.
Posted by: Moon Rani | May 20, 2013 at 06:47 PM
So beautiful. I love apple trees. Does there happen to be an old-fashioned cider press lurking in one of the farm buildings??
Posted by: Tonya Allen | May 20, 2013 at 06:34 PM
Love how you are using the land for its best use!!! From Ranchers to Farmers!
Posted by: Shirley * James/Portland, OR | May 20, 2013 at 12:18 PM
Beautiful! Nothing like an apple straight off the tree. I'll be the horses will be happy to help you harvest? :)
Posted by: Margaret | May 20, 2013 at 11:29 AM
Loaded with blossoms! And how horses love apples.....wonderful!
Posted by: Sylve M Davis | May 20, 2013 at 08:20 AM
How beautiful! Hope you and the horses enjoy a bumper crop this year.
Posted by: Peggy S. | May 20, 2013 at 08:16 AM
aaahhh... what a way to make a living! I wish you trees a long and fruitful life with her help and your good care for them <3
Posted by: Jessica, NL | May 20, 2013 at 08:03 AM
Beautiful pictures! How nice that you're able to look out the window and see those lovely trees every day. I hope you get a bumper crop of apples this year...I'm sure the horses will be happy!
Posted by: Ann | May 20, 2013 at 12:40 AM
The trees are beautiful and amazing - I can almost smell the blossoms from here! Hope they produce a large crop for you. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Leila K. - Western WA | May 19, 2013 at 09:35 PM
What beautiful trees. Love the Northern Spy! I love this time of year and most especially the beautiful trees, fruitful or otherwise. I have a dwarf meyer lemon tree but because of where I live I have to keep it indoors about 8 months a year. But the aroma, the blooms and the lemons are all worth it! To paraphrase an old poem - there's nothing as lovely as a tree!
Posted by: Linda | May 19, 2013 at 09:19 PM