apples & cider
We've expanded a 30-50 year old orchard by grafting. Our farm philosophy is that our successful heritage apples represent time-tested, proven winners in spite of our harsh winters. Therefore, we harvest scionwood from our orchard and graft to semi-dwarfing rootstocks, carrying on the next generation of these trees.
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Our varieties include Duchess, Haralson, Beacon, Wealthy, and our favorite for cider: the Chestnut Crab.
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The upside of harsh winters: minimal pests. We don't use any sprays of any type. No pesticides, no fertilizers.
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Orchard Management
Winter is pruning season - we cut branches to allow light and airflow through the trees. Often this is done when the snow is at its deepest and we'll use snowshoes for easy reach. It's a quiet and beautiful time of year.
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In spring we welcome the bloom, and take stock of winter damage - the inevitable loss of some of our trees that succumb to cold, or are girdled by voles beneath the snow.
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In summer, we thin the fruit lightly to promote growth. We don't worry much about the "look" of our fruit, much of which is destined for the mill anyway.
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Fall is the busy time for us as we pull down the harvest, call our neighbors to negotiate pricing on their second-hand fruit, and start milling and pressing the harvest.
Apple Buying Program
If you've got surplus apples, we're interested in buying them! We buy apples at about $0.25/lb (about $6 for a 5-gallon bucketful). For large quantities, we may be able to offer picking service. Call us to discuss your apple yield!
Press-Your-Own
Do you have apples you'd like processed? Join us on the farm to press your own apples in a matter of minutes.
Email us at canosiagrove@gmail.com to schedule a time! Available August 15-October 15.
The Mill
Our first mill was a homemade contraption that was belted to the engine of our lawn tractor. We upgraded to a German-made electric motorized mill several years ago, and the work we used to do over three weekends now takes us a long afternoon.
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We use a vertical hydraulic press that expels juice against a stainless steel screen. Also German-made.
