Fruit Share

Posts Tagged ‘Harvest’

Shaking Apple Trees

Filed Under : Uncategorized by admin
Aug.25,2010

We had a great time picking apples on Tuesday night.  Gorgeous, delicious Goodland apples.

We picked as many as we could with our super tall step ladders.  But this was a very tall tree and we could only go so high.  In our eagerness to get every last apple, we did the only thing we could think of - we shook the apples from the tree.  We cringed as we watched and listened to them plummeting to the ground.  They landed pretty hard and most have big bruises on them now.  They’re still useable for applesauce and juice, but they’re not so great for eating, slicing or giving away.

Oops, maybe shaking the tree without a safety blanket to catch them before they hit the ground is not such a great idea.  Lesson learned – unless you intend to whip up a big batch of juice or applesauce right away, shaking apple trees is not a good technique for harvesting apples.

Since they’re in no shape to be given away, we’re researching the most effective way to turn them into juice.  Stay tuned as we find out what options are available to us apple shakers!

Brought to you by the good folks at Fruit Share Winnipeg.

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Apple Picking Time Set

Filed Under : Volunteers by admin
Aug.20,2010

We’ll be on our ladders picking apples in the neighbourhood bright and early tomorrow morning.  Can’t wait to see what we’ll be getting.

If you’re interested in joining us, sign up now and we’ll send you all the details.

Stay tuned for more pictures!

Brought to you by the good folks at Fruit Share Winnipeg.

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Manitoba AppleCrabs

Filed Under : Manitoba Fruit by admin
Jul.30,2010

On July 29, we had our first apple harvest thanks to Lynda and Darrell.

These delicious 4-6 cm applecrabs (cross between an apple and a crabapple) are a light green with a red blush.  They’re crispy with just the right amount of sweetness, great for eating just as they are or for any number of recipes. My kids declared that they are picture perfect apples.

Now, what to do with 200 lbs of picture perfect apples?!

Today, we’ll see which community organization would like 66 lbs of applecrabs.  And then, we’ll be busy making apple juice, apple sauce, apple butter, apple crisp, apple kuchen, apple cobbler, apple pie, apple muffins, or whatever else suits our fancy.
Brought to you by the good folks at Fruit Share Winnipeg.

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Top 5 Questions about Rhubarb

Filed Under : Manitoba Fruit by admin
May.25,2010

Here are the top 5 questions we hear about rhubarb and some links to all things rhubarb.

1. Are rhubarb leaves really poisonous?
Yes, rhubarb leaves are really poisonous.  High levels of oxalates and anthraquinone glycosides that are present in rhubarb leaves are believed to be the culprits.  Check out  The Rhubarb Compendium for more information.
Having confirmed that the leaves are poisonous, let’s keep things in perspective.  You would need to eat about 5 kg or 11 lbs of rhubarb leaves to cause death.  That’s a lot of rhubarb leaves!  Of course, you’d need much less to get a tummy ache. 

In other words, don’t make rhubarb leaf salad for dinner tonight!

2.  Can I put rhubarb leaves in my compost?
Yes, you can compost rhubarb leaves.  Since we don’t eat our compost pile, there is no danger to us.  And, because the components break down so quickly, there’s no danger to the microbes in your compost bin either.  Even when you finally use your compost, the acids will have been decomposed and won’t affect the acidity of your compost.
3.  How do I know when rhubarb is ready to harvest?
Despite what someone may have told you, do not wait until the stalks turn red!  You might be waiting for a long time since not all rhubarb varieties will ever turn completely red.  Instead, rely on the size of your rhubarb.  Start harvesting when stems are about 25 to 40 cm or 10 to 15 inches long.  Check out Purdue University for some more information on rhubarb harvesting.

4.  What’s the proper way to harvest rhubarb?
Our best advice is to pull out the large stalks on the outside of the plant.  Run your hand down the stem until you’re close to the ground then gently pull with a little twist.  The stem should come right out.  Leave at least four or more stems in the middle to ensure further growth.
5.  How much rhubarb in a…?
Here’s our rhubarb conversion chart.  It comes in handy when making all those delicious recipes!
In Metric Measurement
1 bunch = 5-8 stems
5-8 stems = 2.2kg
2.2 kg diced into 1 cm pieces = 875 ml 
In Imperial Measurement
1 bunch = 5-8 stems
5-8 stems = 1 lb
1lb diced into 1/2″ pieces = 3 1/2 cups 
We also like the information provided by Canadian Gardening and the University of Illinois on growing, harvesting and cooking rhubarb.
Brought to you by the good folks at Fruit Share Winnipeg.

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Our First Fruit Sharing

Filed Under : Manitoba Fruit by admin

And so it begins.

On a cloudy May long weekend, a desperate plea from a friend and neighbour about rhubarb launched Fruit Share into action.
It was a small harvest of 1.5kg or 3lbs of rhubarb.  It required only one volunteer travelling by bicycle to harvest, but it was and always will be our first harvest!
True to form, Fruit Share split the fruit three ways.  The  homeowner asked for her 1/3 to be left standing in the rhubarb patch.  The remainder was split 50/50 between the volunteer and an unknown senior living at Fred Tipping Place (a senior’s apartment building on South Osborne).  
Yes, it was a small bundle that we shared.  But it was just the right size to get a huge grin and a big thank you from a lovely gentleman who enjoys making rhubarb crisp.  That little batch was all he needed.
Thanks to Julie for sharing her bounty and making three families very happy on a cloudy May long weekend.  
Brought to you by the good folks at Fruit Share Winnipeg.

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