Believe it or not, they do grow apples in Arizona. We picked these at a Date Creek Ranch outside of Wickenburg. After you turn off the main road, you drive on a bumpy dirt road in the middle of the desert for quite a while. Then, you drop down into a valley and there is a working ranch complete with a peach/apple/pear orchard. The fruit is pesticide free and wonderful! We go every year for apples,sometimes peaches if we don't get them locally. This year the grand kids were old enough to go with us and experience the joy of picking fresh fruit. Colin did want to know why we didn't just go to the store and buy some apples but I think he enjoyed it once he got there.
I will make applesauce and freeze it and maybe a pie or two. (some apple crisp, muffins or whatever, that's a lot of apples folks!)
The ranch has cattle (hormone free) that they sell and there is pork available too. They also have horses, which made our horse loving girl very happy. I took carrots so we could feed the horses and the folks at Date Creek were great about letting the kids do that.
Here's the kids feeding "Sophie"
Gratitude's
Fresh, juicy, crisp APPLES
Great folks who share their outdoor space with us city folks
A great day with DH, DD and grand babies
The diversity of this great state............mountains, desert and fruit orchards!
Monday, September 3, 2007
Arizona Apples
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2 comments:
OK, ok, you have my mouth watering!
Working many years in an apple market at a family-owned orchard, I give you my best storage hints:
Tie the apples up in a plastic bag, making it air tight. Before closing up, insert a wet paper towel. Go back in every couple of days to rewet the towel. I put mine in grocery plastic bags, and then into a white garbage bag-garbage bags are not "food grade" and you shouldn't consume food that has been stored that way.
Your apples with thrive, and keep for MONTHS in the 'frig. with constant temperature and moisture.
I was thinking about apples this morning! I live in an area of Missouri where there are apple orchards within driving distant. DH and I go buy a bunch each year to eat and can. I'm hoping our late severe freeze this year didn't ruin the crop.
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