The Apple. One of my favorite fruits.

Plucked straight from the tree it’s crisp and juicy.

I know, I know, there are millions of juicy, delicious fruits 10 times more exciting than an apple. But I like apples for their simplicity and practicality. Throw them in a purse for a mid-day snack or your carry-on bag for a treat on the flight. They seldom bruise and always satisfy. Not to mention……An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Right?? And I’m certainly one who avoids trips to the dr.

We have a few apple trees around the ranch, 18 to be exact. All different varieties. And all scattered about in a handful of yards. My parent’s have 4 trees at their house. Each of which they planted the year we were born. This year, my little sister’s tree produced the most incredibly sweet and juicy fruit. The perfect size, and the most beautiful shade of deep red. They were spared for eating while most from other trees were mashed into sauce or peeled into pies. We try to can applesauce every year, although last year our trees did not produce enough fruit. So this year we had to pick double the apples to restock everyone’s pantries with sauce. The end result was 135 quarts, which took us about 10 hours to complete (check out the video that shows the applesaucer that my Grandpa rigged). It was a long day, but well worth all the calloused hands and back pains. We also brought about 10 boxes of apples into a local farm that pressed the fruit into 20 half quarts of cider. Unbelievably, we still have apples on the tree. We’ve invited friends to pick and will use what remains for snacks and treats.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love fall!