First apple of the season

I have been following an organic spray program recommended by Michael Phillips author of The Apple Grower the past couple of years and this year I am committed to making sure I don’t miss any scheduled spray applications. We progressed through the early spring applications that included neem oil, fish fertilizer, probiotics, etc. and have now moved onto a product called Surround. It is a clay product that protects the fruit. This was a picture I took this past weekend and it appears we have a good fruit set this spring. I hope as my community orchard of 150 trees begins to bear in the coming years to begin a small pick your own operation and add more trees. This will be coupled with a pick your own blueberries operation in late summer as well. More to follow.