I have an abundance of apples.

Approach your local W.I., they're sure to have members that would appreciate your gift and who knows you may get some pies or jam as a thankyou.

Put an advert on Gumtree in the Free section I'm sure someone would take them..as you say its a waste if nobody eats them
mmmmmh Apple Crumble...

The poor won't want them if they're cookers.

Most of them don't know how to cook!

If they couldn't shove them straight into their gobs they'd probably bounce them off your bonce to teach you a lesson.

We used to have the same problem with our Lord Lambournes.

We ended up selling most of them to a local greengrocer who used to deliver to us.

W.I.?
Crickey do they still exist....I might get stripped to the bone
I considered doing an advert on gumtree but I think I'd prefer to just drop em off somewhere if that's poss, I considered also perhaps a farmers market but am slightly suspicious that they'd attempt to sell em.

I partly agree with you on this one crippen, it isn't that poor people don't know how to cook exactly, it's that it has been a requirement that has been eradicated over time by too much enterprise taking food, mashing it up adding flavouring and the like then putting them into colourful boxes and pushing them out at every opportunity.

thewi.org.uk..... pop in yer postcode to find your nearest.

thanks, I think I will have that as a last resort cooperman.
I don't really support the whole W.I logic.
They can have a club for spinsters but cry fowl about men's clubs
Harumph

Fair play dusty, just thought you'd more chance of copping a M.I.L.F. to go with yer crumble

Ive just had my response deleted to your previous comment.

Our neighbour has many different fruit trees in his garden and puts a container outside with all his surplus. He gives it away free to a good home but asks for donations for the local church.

Last year people donated just over £400 and this year it's been a little bit more. This is a little village and luckily nobody has half inched the money which I'm sure would not be the case in many places.

Option 1 - Hire an apple press,  there are loads around and if you insist on a hydraulic one and also hire a scratter (electric chopper) it is really easy, and Bramleys make a decent single variety cider.

Option 2 - Google "Apple Day" and see if there is one near you coming up.  It's the right time of year.  Many of these offer to press your apples for a small fee and/or will take them off your hands.

where it works it works well I suspect
but opportunism is rife and benevolence gets abused.
good for your neighbour, another cause I cant say I subscribe too, unless the church has honourable intentions of simply helping less privileged or desperate peeps without tending to suck them into something.

to

Ill have a look at this apple day tar

I bet a few local private food pubs would welcome them. some do a trade off.

highly used in catering trade.

apple & blackberry pies. crumbles, apple sauce, apple tartan, stewed with sugar (frozen & bottled) list goes on....

put a box outside the mansion gates " free apples" ... be crushed in the stampede !

Yes
thanks for all contributions I think i have the balance that Im happy with.
I shall split the mass of apples between something related to apple day (as it seems the W.I are a factor of this too) and local pubs who might make use of them.

...Im not the supporter I once was to the pub trade, but I still believe in them so perhaps this is my input

Why not make a press and make some Cider? Or put them on Freecycle or a brewing forum and someone will maybe take them and maybe give you a bottle or 2 of finished product?

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-cider/

Good luck with the WI,i hope you have more success with them then i did.I offered them my ripe plums and was rebuffed.

home made cider?
others have suggested this

however Im cold to the concept of homebrew anything

ever since my father made potato wine and sieved the bloody stuff through me mothers tights

I brew my own beer but never tried cider. Cider is just as easy as beer, in fact slightly simpler, it's just making or getting hold of a press that's the problem.

I'm on a UK brewing forum and I know there's quite a few that would take these off you.

It's certainly an option and you'd maybe get something back in return.

well ovalman im on the edge of sheffield by the peaks
If you are quick and you know of anyone then PM me

If anyone expresses interest I'll send a PM. Give it 24 hours.

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=57160

yes ok ovalman
I dont want owt for em, Im not into home brew hooch tbh.
Ill wait for a few days but they are ripe nowish Id say and any that drop get disgarded so I will be picking in a few days
Ive already had a load off but there is plenty left

How you like THEM apples!

Harvest 2015 (bbc 2 starting 8pm) is going to cover the apple harvest.

Little trivia for you, the original bramley apple tree is still alive and producing apples, more than 200 years old. Planted when Doh Wad Diddy was in school.

I just had a look on I player for that programme JC.
Funny innit, all that pony about blends and techniques....but probably 80% of the product gets smashed back by chavs who end up rolling around in the gutter shi tfaced

I'm assuming mine is a bramley, it's a big un either way must be about 40 years old by the looks of it.
None of this messing around with it, it just churns out large quantities every year with no Molly coddling.

54 views but no takers on the brewing forum I'm a member, sorry about that.

Try freecycle/ freegle or Gumtree. I'm sure someone will take them.

I've a mate with a large apple tree that's full atm. I may have a go myself in the next week or so.

Yes, not to worry Ovalman, thanks for trying anyway.
I half suspected the demand for apples wouldnt be that high since apple trees arnt exactly rare.

Ill see how it goes with the local pubs and the like, failing that theres nothing lost if people dont want em, they generally do go to waste anyway.

dusty - If you end up taking them to an Apple Day, they often have an identification service that will tell you once and for all. In case you dont go, Bramleys are pretty easy to identify as the big ones are what's called flat-round - like someone has taken an ordinary  shaped apple and squashed it just a bit flatter. Also the oily skin is a key feature. I'd get it checked out, it may be a long lost variety.

If you don't make it to an apple show, and you still want to know, pm me.  Although most of my orchard is cider, I have most of the common "cooking" varieties and may be able to help.

where do you live ?

Maybe I could swop some red delicious which we have got lots of.

sheffield CC

blackbarn Ill try to put a pic up tomorrow even though the whole adding pics on here is a hassle

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-34545325

Theres been an escapee parrot around here for a few days its been at em.
Cant catch the bloody thing

Hi Blackbarn,

I was wondering if you could help me with a variety of apple.

It was bought from someone who said it was a heritage Worcestershire variety about 10 years ago.
It's only now starting to fruit in any quantity. It's late developing small dessert apple, is a good keeper and is russeted. The flavour is very sweet with a pleasant sharpness.
Will be pleased if you could give me some idea of what it is.

Winston? Cross of Worcs pearmain and Cox.

http://www.orangepippin.com/apples/winston   - description

http://www.botanicaplantnursery.co.uk/winston-apple-430-p.asp  - image

Thanks Screaming. Not convinced that it's Winston though. Winston appears to be redder and more conical in shape. Mine are flattish and only partly blushed reddish brown.
Looks a good site and will have a browse through to see if there are any better matches.

Have had a look through and can't find a better match so you may well be right Screaming.
Thanks very much for your help.
I will leave a few on the tree to see if they flush redder, they haven't started to fall naturally yet but can be easily picked without pulling.

Foinavon - My first thought was Egremont Russet. Whilst they are usually more russetted that this, I presume your photo is now/this season when the russetting would not be fully developed.   There are literally thousands of varieties though and your best best (as posted before to others) is to find an Apple Day where they have an identification desk and take several typical examples along. Some of these guys (and ladies) are encyclopaedic.

They are not Winston, unless my one is not Winston. Winston is red.  It is also late (as yours is).  My Winston is Sussex is easily three/four weeks of maturity and I am in Sussex!!

gobbledegook - My Winston is easily 3/4 weeks off maturity, and I am in Sussex.

Yes, I picked them yesterday Blackbarn, they do turn more golden russet on storage. I see there is a variety called Pitmaston russet too which does have some ressemblance but photographic colours can be misleading.

Just guessed at Winston because it seems to come in all sorts of colours, is very popular - the sweet taste of Cox's, as Foinavon described, and the hardiness of the Worcester pearmain - and sets late in the season.

While you're around, I have a huge old apple tree in my garden that's been a great producer until this year. The blossom looked weak and then in June it shed its leaves. The mistletoe has all fallen off, which suggests there's little sap left, and it's attracting woodpeckers, which suggests the bark may be peeling.

The only positive is that the branches aren't snapping when pulled, but apart from that, would you guess it's worth leaving in place until next spring and seeing what happens, or have it taken down before then and replace with a couple of saplings?

Thanks.

Foinavon - Assuming Pitmaston Russet is the same as Pitmaston Pineapple, it is very small and would probably fruit with you starting around now (Am I right that you are in the Midlands?). The key feature of this apple is its distinctive taste - very strongly of pineapple - there is nothing like it.

Its been a funny old year Screaming, so I would be inclined to leave it until normal blossom time next year, then deadwood it and see whats left.

Yes, I'm in Hall Green which is South East Birmingham. Used to be the border of Warwickshire and Worcestershire.
There are two Pitmaston russet varieties, the pineapple and the nonpareille. Checking on your suggestion that it looked like Egremont russet I found this site which compares the Pitmaston to it. The seller told me it was a heritage variety but unfortunately I lost the name. It was taking so long to start fruiting I almost dug it up but glad I didn't.
http://walcotnursery.co.uk/products/pitmaston-russet.html

The apples are small, about 2 and half  inches across but worth having.

Many thanks, blackbarn. That was my inclination. Can always replace with saplings later in the spring if it doesn't revive in April or May.

Never seen this syndrome before. Would pruning be likely to harm or benefit at this stage? I know it's hard to say without seeing the tree, but "It's hard to say" has been the opinion of everyone who's looked at it. It's the fact that the limbs still feel springy that's confusing me.

Screaming - re pruning, I would wait till next years buds have formed (if any!!), You should be able to tell by the end of November. The rounder and fat(ter) ones are flower/fruit buds so leave them alone. The small thin(ner) pointy ones are growth buds and you could usefully shorten these stems by a third or so.  Given your situation, you may not have many of either so no harm will come if you do nothing.  What I would do is mulch a metre around the stem (not right up against it) with 2/3 inches of used potting compost or better still decent garden compost, to keep as much moisture/warmth in the ground as you can and inhibit competing weed growth. Good luck with it.

If I had a pile of spare apples I'd probably try making my own cider.

It's funny how I like and eat apples during spring/summer, I now don't like them coming into winter, I've got a pack barely touched. I'm currently trying not to eat lots of comfort food.

Thanks too Blackbarn.
Don't usually get apple fairs around here but have a pretty good idea of the variety now.

Good luck with your tree Screaming, why not take some cuttings for grafting just in case?

Got the ladder out before the light went, and I think we're talking firewood rather than cuttings now. Some branches retained a little springiness, but others just snapped off. Bark peeling away on the trunk. Very hard to imagine any buds appearing now. The remains of the mistletoe crumbling to dust.

Might as well leave it for the winter and let nature take its course. See what the wind blows off and saw off the rest in the spring. Might leave the 18" thick trunk for the wildlife to continue to enjoy, and plant one early- and one late-cropping sapling in its place.

Once again, thanks for the advice. The absence of budding settles it really.

No shortage of wild apples here around Taunton. much of what appears woodland is in fact former farms, and there are some magnificent croppers in the hedgerows that normally go to waste, as so few people forage these days. I've got well over a hundred huge, delicious apples stored away from one such tree, which have always been left to rot before, as I'd had my own crop. They're green, with no russeting at all, the size and shape of a bell pepper and lovely and sweet. Any idea what the variety could be?

Sorry to hear the news Screaming.  If the worst comes to the worst, a wood turner will bite your hand off for a "round" or several of 18" apple, and disease can often be a bonus to the colour and grain of the wood. Every cloud and all that.....

Whort about coconuts ,bananas or oranges ? Got a surplus of turnips and would be happy to do some barter ?

It has taken eight weeks but the last apple is harvested. Got somewhere between 400-500lb trayed up in the shed. 80% eaters 20% cookers. Probably 5-10% will go off over the winter, they will be thrown out for the birds. The rest will see me and the family through to Feb/March time.

It's strange how some apples can keep for a long time (months), others kept near them go off quickly.
The sell by dates in supermarkets can be very conservative, they can keep for a lot longer.

If you've a blender and lots of apples, try an apple smoothie.

Just Checking - As The Spartan who posted before you will know, keeping quality is hugely dependant on variety, some keep, some dont - loads of cooking varieties end up dessert apples after Christmas if kept properly (eg Lanes Prince Albert), and some dessert varieties (eg Ashmeads Kernel) actually improve with keeping.  There is one variety that stores till May but I can't recall what it is.

Ashmead Kernel was the last one I picked and along with Kidds Orange Red you can't do much with them till after christmas. I had a huge crop on my cooker Grenadier, they are lovely as an eater after christmas. My two early varieties Katy and James Grieve need to just be kept for 2 or 3 weeks to ripen them.

Spartan - You could have chosen a better name  Love your choice of apples  My own orchard is fairly new, although I have experience of others.  I am mainly cider varieties, but I have lots of old favourites and everything Sussex I could find.

Going to be planting more soon so recommendations gratefully received.  Where are you based?  I am in mid Sussex, on the "apple" greensand ridge that runs east west across the middle of the middle of Sussex. Proper apple soil, so I have no excuses

blackbarn 22 Oct 15 20:37 Joined: 02 Jan 05 | Topic/replies: 5,813 | Blogger: blackbarn's blog
Sorry to hear the news Screaming.  If the worst comes to the worst, a wood turner will bite your hand off for a "round" or several of 18" apple, and disease can often be a bonus to the colour and grain of the wood. Every cloud and all that.....

Thanks for that. I can't imagine I would ever have thought about investigating that use for it. Assuming the tree's not revived in the spring, I can saw off the branches by hand for the wood burner, but I'll get in touch with a wood turner to see whether anyone would be interested in removing the trunk.

I'm just outside Norwich on light chalky soil, south facing. I think that helps a little if you get a late frost when the flower is out. Early sun gently melts it away. Planted in 1997 mostly on M26 rootstocks. Very handy when it comes to picking as 90% can be done without a ladder. Never had a bad year since they started cropping properly. I think the main reason is I tried to pick my varieties from flowering groups 1 through to 5. Throw in an old cider apple and a couple of crab apples. So fertilisation is never a problem. The biggest problem is I have never been able to thin them as much as I would like in June/July. Every damn flower seems to set fruit.