Apple Trees

It's still only February, and with more freezes on the way, we certainly hope the apple trees are not blooming now. Still, the thought of their sweet, pale pink blossoms on a 60*F day like today could make one believe that Winter had gone away for good. But fear not, Old Man Winter has plenty more in store for us.

Apple trees seem like they would be the perfect tree for a small, sustainable, organic farm. A standard tree, her trunk protected by stout fencing, could provide welcomed shade in a pasture for sheep or goats. As she matured, she would provide not only shade, but fruit for both livestock and human and wildlife alike. Branch trimmings could contribute to the wood pile, and choice wood chips could smoke some delicious hams. Autumn leaves could be left to enrich the floor under her canopy and also be used to make compost. Animal wastes and compost would return to the tree to complete the cycle.

Or, perhaps, a small orchard of semi-dwarf trees, coming into fruit only a few years after becoming established. At spacings of 12 - 15 feet on center, you could grow several apple varieties and enjoy fresh apples over the course of several months.

And what to do with all those apples? Chickens and goats and horses and sheep and swine, and, of course, people, all like to munch on apples. Apple juice and sweet and hard cider can be pressed - and the "waste" pulp can be fed to livestock, too. For more human style consumption, there is, of course, apple pie and apple tarts and apple fritters. And, while certainly, there are special "pie" type apples, I have had pies made with several types of "non-pie" apples and they were all delicious. ... and of course, apple butter and apple sauce and candied apples, baked apples and dried "apple leather" are other ways to eat them.

Generally speaking, you can find most fruit trees, including apple trees, in 3 sizes: standard, semi-dwarf and dwarf. Some varieties also come in "miniature." Standard size trees grow large - these are the giant old, gnarled apple trees you find in homes that are a half a century or older. 20 feet or taller with an equally wide canopy. They may mature and start producing fruit later than their semi-dwarf and dwarf relatives, but they are also in it for the long haul.

Semi-dwarf and dwarf trees are grafted to a "dwarfing root stock" - which keeps the trees themselves smaller, but does not affect the size of the fruit. These trees tend to mature more quickly and be of a size that makes taking care of them easier - especially for short people like me. Semi-dwarfs growing about 15 ft tall and 15 ft wide and dwarfs about 10 ft tall and 10 ft wide. A drawback of semi-dwarf and dwarf trees, however, is that they may need staking for their whole lives, being that the "dwarfing root stock" is not as vigorous or strong as the standard root stock.

You will need at least two trees from different "lineages" to cross pollinate and produce fruit. Reputable fruit tree catalogs and websites will tell you which types are compatable for cross pollination.

As for varieties of apples, there is a type of apple for nearly every climate.

Stark Brothers lists apples that will grow from zone 4 to zone 9, in colors from pale gold and bright green to rose blushed, classic red to a deep red-black. To add to the variety, there are also hardy, spicey and tart crab apples.

I can see pairs of semi-dwarf apple trees dotted around the property

• A pair just outside the chicken runs - shade and food near by, fallen leaves for the hens to play in during autumn.
• A pair at the north entrance to the fenced garden - one on each side of the garden gate - some shade in the summer from which to survey the gardens, with a handy snack near by. Leaves close by to gather into the compost bins
• A pair to frame the front entrance - roots not as invasive as bigger trees, spring flowers and fragrance - maybe crab apples here.
• A small group in the pasture, trunks and main rooting areas fenced off from sharp hoofs, but still providing some shade and munchies.
• Maybe a standard tree or two on the edge of a clearing in the woods - no staking, no tying, no fuss - a few fruits for us, but mostly something for the wildlings and for the future

Some resources:

• Dave's Garden - look in the fruits forum.
  
• Stark Brothers - where I purchased from a few years ago - very helpful staff; informative catalog; reasonable prices. We'll see in a few years how the trees do.
  
• The Virtual Orchard - interesting site; this article deals with bees and pollination.