Doll's Orchards, LLC

Safe to say not too many people were saddened as they said goodbye to 2020 and welcomed 2021. Still facing challenges from the pandemic but all of us are hopeful for a more “normal” 2021.

At the orchard we are proceeding with the “normal” pruning or trimming of the apple trees. A non-producing season last year created tremendous limb growth and sprouts. It’s been more of a chore than usual. We’re anticipating about 20 percent increase in labor hours this pruning season. While the negative aspect is more time spent pruning, the positive is the extra growth proves the trees are healthy. The tree fruit bud for this year looks good, healthy and strong. Fruit bud for this season was developed during the summer months of last year.

An interesting comment I read recently about pruning is that just as everyone cooks a steak to his/her own liking, such is the same with pruning. Orchardists have their own techniques. Some hand prune as we do while others prune mechanically. Pruning is labor intensive. With limited labor supply orchardists have to determine what is most cost effective. Large orchards tend to prune mechanically because of the labor shortage, costs and the overall magnitude of the task. The overall objective, however, is the same, open up the trees to allow sunlight and chemical applications to get into the inner parts of the tree’s canopy.

We have certainly missed attending the trade shows and presentations that are sponsored annually by the Horticultural Departments of the state sponsored universities such as Purdue, Michigan State, and Ohio State. Several of the universities sponsored virtual presentations of classes for vegetable and fruit growers. Certainly this was a good alternative to get the information to the growers but we did miss the actual interaction of going to the the trade shows and exchanging thoughts and ideas with the vendors. This exchange of ideas is how new processes for production and management develop and move a small business forward.

We’re certainly trying to make 2021 a better year for our customers. With a little luck and lots of help from Mother Nature, we hope to be able to have something to offer our customers this year. Take good care.

Thanksgiving Day was celebrated somewhat differently for all of us this year due to the challenges of the Covid-19 virus.  Onward we go, however, as we move forward into the winter months and the trees enter their dormancy.  Expected snow this week will lower the ground temperatures and thus encourage the trees to become dormant. With dormancy, comes the task of pruning.  We expect pruning to be a somewhat lengthier process this year because with no measurable fruit the trees’ production was in the formation of branches and sprouts.  Quite a bit of unneeded and unwanted branches and sprouts create more time consuming pruning measures.  Trees need to be  “opened up” so air, sunlight and chemical applications can benefit the fruit on the interior branches.  Bacteria and insects are constant predators to tree fruits and both will take advantage of any opportunity to “attack” anything that is not protected.  Overgrowth in the trees keeps fruit protection at a minimal level.

So soon, the pruning equipment will be taken out to the older parts of the orchard and work will begin.  Right now, maintenance of the equipment is underway and the compressors and pruners are getting a thorough check.  Hydraulic hoses are being replaced and engine tuneups are being conducted.  Nothing is more aggravating than a breakdown once pruning is underway.

Not only actual cutting of unwanted growth will be conducted this year  but there will be removal of trees as well.  Over the past several weeks there have been heavy and damaging winds in this area.  Heavy winds and rain wreck havoc in an orchard.  Trees can be uprooted if the soil becomes too wet and caught in cross winds.  At times, we can salvage the tree by pulling it back in place and  staking it with metal posts.  With a little bit of luck the roots reestablish themselves and the tree continues to grow.  There are other times though, that a complete uprooting occurs and then nothing can be done to salvage the tree.  Heavy cross winds will also twist and snap the trees at the point of the graft and there is no other option than to haul it away and pull out the stump.  A tree broken off at the graft will not regrow.

According to the calendar, this year is winding down but we consider pruning as the actual beginning of another season.  So, onward we go!

We are expecting the first killing freeze of the season this week.  Not really looking forward to it but it’s that time of the year in southeastern Indiana.  We just need to get used to the idea of colder temperatures.  With a very lean harvest this season, there is not as much anxiety or stress about these freezing temperatures as in past years when we had apples on the trees that still needed to be picked.   The fruit itself doesn’t freeze with a dip in temperatures but the stems freeze.  The weight of the apple then causes the stem to let loose and the apple drops to the ground.  Usually after a hard freeze (25 degrees to 28 degrees) we have about three days to pick fruit before it drops.

Overnight freezing temperatures for several successive nights puts the trees into a dormant state.  Fruit trees need to be dormant before annual pruning can begin.  So next up on the orchard “to-do” list will be waiting for dormancy and then pulling the pruning equipment into the orchard and getting started.  Most years we are not really anxious to get started.  This year, however, it will be a bigger challenge and we will need to go after it as soon as it’s feasible.  With no fruit production this season, many of the trees added too much new foliar growth and that will need to be removed by pruning.

The area Farmers’ Markets have closed for the season and buying fresh fruits and vegetables from local growers will be put on hold until next Spring.  All the vendors who set up at the markets certainly appreciate the support of the local consumers.  It’s a “win-win” for both.  Remember, “we are all in this together.”

Due to limited produce and great sales, we are now closed for this season.  Looking forward to a more normal harvest and sales season in 2021.  Put us on your “must stop and shop” list next year.  Thanks to all!

This is the final week of apple picking.  What a bummer!  Not much to harvest this week, Suncrisp, Myra Fuji, Chesapeake and Snow apple.  These varieties will be offered for sale on this Friday, October 2nd.  We will again open at the u-pik location at 10:00 a.m. How long we remain open for sales depends upon when/if we sell out.

Quite an unusual season for orchardists in this area but doing the best we can.  No one can change or control Mother Nature.  This season was a defining example of just that.  We have fingers crossed that next year will treat us a little more favorably.

Thanks to all of you for supporting us this season.  We truly appreciate seeing all of you.

Please be advised that our hours have been changed.  Since we only sell what we grow and our crop was almost entirely wiped out by the Mothers’ Day weekend freeze, we have had to reduce our hours.  We had planned to have produce available on the weekends.  However, these planned hours of business were dependent on product availability and subsequent sales.  Due to an overwhelming response from our customers we have sold out each of the past Fridays and have been unable to open on Saturdays and Sundays.

With over forty varieties of apples in the orchard, possibly the fruit of fifteen varieties survived the freezing temperatures.  There is very minimal fruit on these “survivors.” We pick what fruit is ready on these “survivors” and offer it on Fridays.   We are dealing with circumstances beyond our control.  We genuinely wish things could be different as we miss going to our markets and offering more convenient hours to our customers.  We truly love to sell apples but wow, we just can’t change what Mother Nature has dealt us this year.  Thanks for your support and understanding.  Guess all of this is not too surprising as this is 2020!

It’s Labor Day weekend and we’re spending it a little differently around the orchard this year.  What is usually a very busy opening of the apple season was somewhat more quiet than in past years.  There was no hustle and bustle of customers sampling apples and enjoying the “fruits of our labors.”  We were able to open this past Friday (September 4th), but with limited amounts of apples we sold out rather quickly and were not able to open our sales doors on Saturday and Sunday which was our initial plan.  Our hours are dependent on how much product we can make available each week and how much is sold each day.  We will open each Friday in September and whether we open on each Saturday and Sunday of that weekend is dependent on Friday sales.  We only sell what we grow and when our limited supplies are gone we can’t replenish until the next weekend when the next varieties ripen.  We will make every effort to keep the information on social media and of course, use our phone contact if there are questions.

We have over 50 varieties of apples in the orchard but with the damage from the late Spring freeze, many varieties were completely wiped out for this season.  Since we have limited varieties and thus limited amounts of fruit to pick, our harvest and subsequent sales have been altered drastically.  This week the plan is to pick Crimson Crisp and Pixie Crunch.  We never know exactly what will be coming into the sorting room until we finish picking.  Besides a loss of fruit, the fruit that we do pick is sometimes damaged with frost rings and not in a condition to offer for sale.  We do plan to reopen again on the 11th of September and offer these varieties to our customers.

The following week, the 18th, our plan is to have Yellow/Golden Delicious available.  This is the apple variety that was a mainstay in most orchards for many years.  It is referred to as “Mullins” Golden Delicious by many in the nursery business.  We are fortunate to still have this variety as it is getting more scarce every year as newer versions are being developed and planted.  Not considered an heirloom variety, but it’s probably close to the top of the list to do so.

“We’re in this together.”  Let’s keep this in mind as we work through this harvest season.  We will do the best we can and thanks for supporting us in our efforts.  We always appreciate the patronage of our customers.

Just a reminder that our business hours have changed somewhat for this season only.  We will open beginning September 4th from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm at the u-pik location.  There will be signs posted.  We hope to be able to remain open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, thereafter, but please remember these hours are tentative and dependent on the amount of produce we can make available to our customers.  WE HAVE A  LIMITED AMOUNT OF APPLES as we sell ONLY what we grow.  We do not contract buy from other sources and when you buy from our orchard, you buy what has been truly locally grown and harvested by us.  We do love to sell apples but we are dealing with circumstances beyond our control this season.

It most definitely is an understatement to say this year is presenting new challenges for all of us.  We’ve started picking the apples that survived the Mothers’ Day weekend freeze and normally by this time in the season, we are busy, busy, busy, but not this year.  We have picked the Blondees, Gala and Sansa and really not much coming in from the pickers’ efforts in the orchard.  Picking the ripening fruit is quite a challenge this season as most trees have a few apples here and a few there.  Too many to just leave hang and drop to the ground but not enough to justify setting the ladders just to pick one or two at each set.  The flavor of the fruit is good and overall we are satisfied with the appearance as well.

Numerous times we have been asked what we are doing with all our time since the harvest is so small.  Well, I’d like to say sitting on the back porch and watching the sunrises and sunsets but that’s not quite what is happening.  We are working to maintain control of the grasses, weeds, insects, fungus and bacteria.  All of these factors are not dependent on if the trees are producing fruit. They are a part of the natural order of life in the orchard.  While we spend countless hours in our control attempts we are fighting a somewhat loosing battle.  More rain than usual during this past month promoted growth of the weeds and grasses while high humidity created conditions conducive to fungus and bacteria.   So not too much time is spent on the back porch but quite a bit on the mowers, tractors and use of the weed-eaters.

The most difficult aspect of all these challenges this season is not being able to go to the local Farmers’ Markets and meet our customers, both old and new.  We feel that “grower transparency” is a vital link between the grower and the consumer at the local markets.  Again, we personally may not be able to participate this season, but we strongly encourage everyone to support the local grower.  Make the slogan, “Buy Locally,” more than just a slogan but a weekly household routine.

The apples that survived the Mothers’ Day weekend freeze are beginning to ripen and will be harvested in the next several weeks.  There are not many apples and picking will be a challenge but we hope to offer what produce we have to our customers beginning Labor Day weekend.  Due to circumstances beyond our control, namely a smaller harvest, we will be unable to maintain our usual business hours.  We needed to make a change in the hours, namely we will open only Friday, Saturday and Sunday beginning on September 4th each day from 10:00 am until 6:00 pm.  All apples will be sold at the u-pik location.  The u-pik will be open for those who want to walk through the orchard but there will also be  apples  which we picked, washed and bagged, available for sale as well, in the sales building.  We will continue to open every weekend thereafter as long as we have produce available.    It’s a different year for us in terms of harvest and sales but we will endeavor to do the best we possibly can for our customers.

Cooler temperatures are needed to add the finishing touches to the Gala.  Cooler temperatures “color” the apples to their enhancing hues of deep pink and red.  Nothing tastes like a Gala and luckily we will have some of this variety available for sale.  This variety will probably be the first apples we pick this season.  The earlier apple varieties, Gingergold, Sansa and Zestar,  fell victims to the freeze.  Apples, in general, are later in development as most of the first bloom apples froze and the fruit on the trees are second bloom fruit which are about 10 days later, thus, our later date for opening.

Farmers’ Markets are active and the vendors have beautiful vegetables to offer to  consumers.  Our area market is robust with sweet corn, tomatoes, zuchini, squash and melons.  Visit your local market and support local growers.  It’s a win, win for everyone.  Remember, “we’re in this together.”

Heavy losses resulted from the late Spring freeze.  Many varieties were entirely wiped out and other varieties have been greatly reduced.  Harvest will be lean.  We are now working to develop a plan to harvest and market what is left.  Tough decisions and difficult times are ahead for the next few weeks.  Our goal, however, is to maintain the u-pik location and bring product to our local area Farmers’ Market.

Whatever the consequences of the late freeze, one is not the lack of weeds.  Hot temperatures with abundant sunlight and adequate rainfalls have made perfect growing conditions for many of the invasive weed species of this area.  Weedeaters are used on a daily basis as are the tractors and mowers.  It continues to be a discouraging ride through the orchards and not see much fruit, but we doing the best we can with taking care of what’s on the trees.

With a little more time available, odd and end jobs on the to-do lists are getting completed.  The “trademark” red apple that welcomed our visitors has been repaired and repainted.  It was a unique work of art designed by an artist who used chainsaws to carve it from a one hundred sixty-five year old tree stump of a massive pine tree that stood in the front yard.  Upon the tree’s demise, our idea was to keep a part of this landmark tree for nostalgia purposes.  We  were fortunate to make contact with a gentlemen who designed and carved the apple.  Over the years (fourteen) water seeped into the base and the apple and rotted both from the inside.   Many labor hours were involved to remove the rotted wood, fiberglass, epoxy and paint it. It was remounted this past weekend and again welcomes our visitors to the orchard business.  It stands as a perfect reminder that we are still a “growing business” and we will continue to strive every day to offer the best product we can to all our customers.