Very nice looking apples, especially since no sprays were used. You have to really appreciate those rare occasions where you get to harvest fruit that just becomes available to you. Normally, we have to work sooo hard, to enjoy a harvest that looks that good.

It amazes me that I can expend so much energy and effort and still not get apples as good as these from my own trees. It has been my observation that some of the best untended no-spray apples have been found on isolated single trees that are fairly exposed and are miles away from any other apple trees. I think there is something to this, but haven't figured it out.

Around here there are many old farm sites that have apple trees planted by previous owners. Many of the new owners are not interested in harvesting and processing apples (or lack the knowledge of how to process them) so the trees go untended and unharvested. I often drive by places and see big old lonely apple trees with a carpet of rotting windfalls laying underneath. In the past I have stopped at some of these places and been given permission to pick, and I always give them something in return but never cash on principle (if I am going to pay cash then I will go to an orchard operation). So many missed opportunities, so much waste.

" has been my observation that some of the best untended no-spray apples have been found on isolated single trees that are fairly exposed and are miles away from any other apple trees. I think there is something to this, but haven't figured it out.""

It is simple, but not.

The easiest way to explain it, without going on a tangent, is that large blocks of same specie plant side by side will be a sign that says "land here and eat me" to pests. A single or few apple trees in a diverse forest has the best chance of not being attacked due to less stress.

If i have one large patch of lettuce, slugs will find one and spread across the patch. THere goes my entire crop. IF I spread out the single plants or have smaller patches, the slugs finding that one patch may help the spread on the rest of the lettuce.

canadianplant - Your explanation is logical to me, I had been drawing conclusions along that same line of thinking. As an insect, why bother wasting your time checking out those lonely single trees when you can win the jackpot at that orchard your parents lived in last year. LOL

It seems that everything humans like to grow and harvest attracts some form of pest or critter. On my place, in trying to make my own personal food haven I have unwittingly caused an explosion in critter populations. Sprays, dusts, and proper growing methods can keep insect pests in check but then I get rabbits eating the vegetable seedlings, raccoons eating the sweet corn, squirrels eating the apples and pears, woodchucks and mice chewing into the tomatoes, somebody as yet unidentified chewing on the exposed tops of the root vegetables, birds ruining the grapes, deer eating everything. Local turkey populations are exploding so I expect to see them feasting here any day now. Thank goodness we are south of black bear territory or I am certain that they would be picnicking on my stuff as well. I have no choice but to allot the time to make a continual, constant effort to protect harvests and to control populations. Netting, chicken wire, electric fence, bait, traps, .22 rounds, shotgun shells. Perpetual preventive maintenance tasks added to an already busy gardening, harvesting, and processing schedule.

Oh well, the rewards would not be as satisfying if gardening was simple and easy.