Apples, Apples and more apples. What do I do with them.?

A huge Boskoop apple tree. - This tree is 71 years old and produces huge quantities of apples. It has an exceptionally heavy crop this year and I don't know what I can do with all the apples.
@Colmuc (707)
June 2, 2009 3:17am CST
The apple tree in the picture is 71 years old. Yes even older than me! This year it was so beautiful with masses of blossom and is now covered in small apples which will be ready in October. The variety is Boskoop and they store fairly well over winter. I love apples but their is a limit to what I can personally use. After giving all my friends as many as they want I always have too many left. This year it could be several hundred kilos! What can I do with them?. Apple crumbles, stewed apples with custard, apple pie, grilled apple, apple chutney, baked apple and apple sauce are great but what else is possible? All ideas very welcome! Thank you.
5 people like this
19 responses
@derry123 (610)
2 Jun 09
does any one near you make cider or real apple jouice !! we have an enviromental group that collects your apples , picks them for you if you prefer , and makes lovely drinks to buy ... I would love a couple of pound for a crumble **
@derry123 (610)
3 Jun 09
Thanx Colmuc, It would be a long trip as Im in London *
@Colmuc (707)
2 Jun 09
Hi Derry, I heard that there is somewhere in the area that makes apple juice but it works out more expensive than buying it from a shop plus you have to clean the apples and provide bottles. I don't know if any environmental group exists that would come and pick them. That would be the ideal solution. You can have as many as you want but it is "take away" only.
2 people like this
@ethereal1 (215)
• Australia
2 Jun 09
I guess you could see if any charities for the homeless would like some, I'm sure there would be people in your area who are in need of some good fresh food. Apart from that, erm, I like tea-cake with cubes of apples spread throughout the mixture. Gosh, I think you listed just about everything else I can think of to cook with apples though...
3 people like this
@Colmuc (707)
2 Jun 09
Hi ethereal, thanks for your response. You have given me an idea. I might try stewing the apples and including them in my own special pancake mix.
2 people like this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
2 Jun 09
Food shelves will also gladly accept them if they are in good shape etc. Donate some to schools also. Call around and see whom could use them. HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB!!~
@catdla1 (6005)
• United States
2 Jun 09
Did you know that apple sauce can be substituted for the fat in baking? It works great in both cakes and brownies...and surprisingly you don't really taste it. With the extras you are going to have, are there any food banks near you where food is collected and redistributed for the poor? Or, how about kitchens or any large institution? Schools, hospitals or places such as that? You might approach grocery stores to see if they'd be interested. When I lived in New England, my neighbor used to set out baskets of the apple drops for the deer to eat. Of course they tended to ferment a bit. One year a black bear managed to find them and ate all the apples in both baskets. For the rest of the night we had a drunk blank bear (with the runs) meandering around the neighborhood. It was gone the next morning, no doubt looking for something to fix the hangover...
1 person likes this
@catdla1 (6005)
• United States
2 Jun 09
Maybe you'll start a new craze! Apples are harvested in the fall, so the hard cider should be ready right after Octoberfest...lol
@Colmuc (707)
2 Jun 09
Hi catdla, I never heard of using apple sauce as a fat substitute. I wonder how it would work in my treacle scones. Many thanks for that tip. I don't have any deer or bears to feed here and don't know of any organisation that might be interested. Will need to check it out.
1 person likes this
@Colmuc (707)
2 Jun 09
I will try it in small quantities to see how it works. I love cider but it is almost unknown in Germany. The only place I can get it is in an Irish or Australian pub.
1 person likes this
• India
2 Jun 09
You can donate the remaining fruits to some charity where orphaned, poor or old people are supported. Let them have a nice food at-least once and that too because of you. Their blessings will give you a prosperous life . Hope you'll do it !
3 people like this
@Colmuc (707)
2 Jun 09
Hi Jevendiran, I do not know of any such home in the area but will ask around. If I find one they can certainly have as many as they want. Thanks for responding.
2 people like this
• United States
2 Jun 09
Growing up on the farm, mom always made big pans of apple crisp (apple crumble). We served it to all the farm workers and neighbors. We loved to eat apples on the way to school and when we returned home each day in the fall. Dad used to take the left over apples and make apple cider from them. Of course, we also had our own natural vinegar with the mother in it (sooooo healthy and good for you). Since we raised a cow every year for meat, guess what the cow liked to eat. That made for good steak. I like to use applesauce in my cooking in place of fats when baking. How about making apple filling for apple pies (don't forget the cinnamon)! Yum, I'm getting hungry. P.S. The best recipe I have ever seen for apple crisp is listed in the old Mickey Mouse Cookbook from Disney World it is called "Apples Supreme."
3 people like this
@Colmuc (707)
2 Jun 09
Hi sysdexlicwriter, I love apple crumble and always put cinnamon in it. Great!. I never thought on making vinegar. Will find a recipe and give it a try. I wish I had a cow. It could have as many apples as it wanted!
2 people like this
• United States
2 Jun 09
Did you try dried apples? They dry well especially if you get one of those machines that dry them for you. Plus, the apples are smaller when you dry them and they are easier to store. Just an idea.
1 person likes this
@Colmuc (707)
2 Jun 09
Hi cowgirl, never thought about drying them and never heard of anybody doing it. Will certainly check out the possibility. Thanks for the idea.
@lkbooi (16070)
• Malaysia
3 Jun 09
Wow, your old apple tree is still very fertile eh! I love apple and I believe surely you will share some with me if I live near to your place Yeah, it’s really a great amount. It is better to get some income by selling them to the fruit stalls in your place, rather than to get them rotten. Or you can donate the apples to some charities to raise funds, or to find some friends to hold a grand party served with different delicious recipes of apple dishes and desserts. Hopefully all the participants would enjoy cheerfully in the wonderful party. Happy posting and have a nice day!
@lkbooi (16070)
• Malaysia
4 Jun 09
Yeah, I understand your problem now. It’s just like people in my place, rambutan trees are available in almost every house. We could give away the excessive fruits to friends who live in town area only where they don’t have place to plant the fruit tree. Thanks for your invitation Colmuc. Germany is quite far away from my country, Malaysia. Surely I will like to visit your place if I were to have the chance. To be frankly I’m not good in cooking and I’m afraid that I might spoil the soup
@Colmuc (707)
3 Jun 09
Hi lkbooi, you can see from my last few comments above that there is no chance of selling them. I like the party idea. If I organise one I will invite you. can you please come a few days earlier and help me cook and bake?
1 person likes this
@subha12 (18441)
• India
3 Jun 09
Better give me some! I am kidding. Actually we don't have apple trees in this part of world. It must be very nice to see. If you can donate some to needy people, it will bring some smile to them.Also if still left can sell some. it will give extra cash.
@Colmuc (707)
3 Jun 09
Hi subha12, thanks for responding. See my last two answers above. No chance to sell them and there are no needy people here.
@underdogtoo (9579)
• Philippines
5 Jun 09
Apples are great although we can't grow them in my neck of the woods. We get our apples from China and Japan and sometimes Korea. I especially like Washington apples which are big and juicy but more expensive. Cheers!!
@Colmuc (707)
7 Jun 09
Hi underdogtoo, Thanks for responding. You have many other fruits that are better than apples. I wish I could grow in my garden some of the exotic fruits from your lovely country.
@hotsummer (13835)
• Philippines
3 Jun 09
oh. that is nice to have a tree that bears apples a lot. you can do apple shake, apple pie and sell them. there are so many things you can do about it. and give away to charities if they will accept you are lucky to have so many apples now, here in my country one apple is $0.50. quite expensive for me. what kind of apple is it.
@Colmuc (707)
3 Jun 09
Hi hotsummer, no chance of selling them. See my comments above. I wish I could get 50 cents for each apple. I could be a millionaire. The big tree is the heaviest cropper but I have two others.
@Colmuc (707)
3 Jun 09
Sorry, forgot to mention it is a Boskoop which is good for cooking and also stores well. The other trees are a James Grieve and a Cox's Orange. Both are excellent eating apples but do not store.
@HelloMickey (1655)
• Hong Kong
8 Jun 09
Apple sorbet for dessert is good to have in this hot summer day. That's so good to have an apple tree. :)
• Hong Kong
9 Jun 09
Don't worry~ I'm glad that you have been Hong Kong many times, hope you like our city. I am happy that you will try to make apple soberts, I can imagine how refreshing it will be. Good to have apple soberts in summer time.
@Colmuc (707)
9 Jun 09
Hi, HelloMickey, Thank you for your response. I love to hear from someone in Malaysia which is my favourite country. Apple sorbet sounds like a great idea. I had never heard of it but have found a simple recipe that I will certainly try. Many thanks for your help. Col.
@Colmuc (707)
9 Jun 09
Sorry, I got you mixed up with somebody else. Have been many times in Hong Kong and the Conrad Hotel is my favourite world wide. Will be passing through in October on my way from Beijing to Bangkok with Cathy Pacific.
3 Jun 09
Make apple sauce, pies, crumbles, milkshakes, give them to local schools family etc mgrahqm 126
@Colmuc (707)
3 Jun 09
Hi young lady, thanks for responding. I do make what I can and give as many away as possible. Local schools probably have apple trees in the playground or most of the kids have them at home they are also a better cooking apple than to eat raw. I have three freezers and freeze what I can but need space for my other fruit and veg. I store loads in a cellar but usually have to throw a lot away in the spring. Graham is a Scottish name. Are you lucky enough to have been so blessed?
@vickycity (154)
• China
3 Jun 09
sell them.
@Colmuc (707)
3 Jun 09
Hi vickycity, It is hard enough trying to give them away. No chance of selling them. The shops want perfect even sized waxed apples than have been produced by using protective chemicals. My apples are not chemically treated and are of varying sizes with occasional imperfections.
• Indonesia
3 Jun 09
Hi Colmuc, why don't you sell your apples in the local market?? I think it's good to make extra income from the apple tree. How's that??
@Colmuc (707)
3 Jun 09
Hi always-natalia, sounds easy but it is not possible. This area produces so many apples that you cannot give them away. People will only pay for very good looking apples which have been chemically treated and are unhealthy. Strange but true. There are also people who buy only processed apples or apple sauce so that they don't have the work preparing them.
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
2 Jun 09
IO have two apple trees in my yard. They are only 3 years old but I manage to get a couple hundred this year it seems. If I have many left over after baking etc or ones damaged from worms and bugs, I use them in my compost bin. Another idea is make cider or jams etc with some. HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB!!~
@Colmuc (707)
2 Jun 09
I always put a lot in my compost bin and they mix well with the grass cuttings. Why did I not think about apple jelly?. Thanks for that. Only problem is I cannot eat anything with sugar and I would have to give it all away.
@calyxus (825)
• Philippines
2 Jun 09
I want apples!!! Could you give me some? I'll be good, promise!
@Colmuc (707)
2 Jun 09
Hi Calyxus, You can have as many as you want in mid October but you will need to collect them.
@zzyw87 (1254)
• Philippines
3 Jun 09
Wow that is really a lot. I hope I can grow apple trees in my backyard so that I can have tons of apples to eat and give away too. If it was me, I would get a few kilos of apples for my personal use. I would make them into the desserts you mentioned. I would also eat it as is and even blend it and make it into a fruit shake or mix it with other fruits. Then I would also give a lot of apples to my family, relatives, and friends. If there is still a lot left, I would give it to the friends of my parents and siblings. If there is still a lot left after giving it to the aforementioned people, I would just sell it or give it to charity, beggars, and street children. At least, I was able to help the less fortunate in some way.
@Colmuc (707)
3 Jun 09
Hi zzyw87, I will freeze as many as I have space in my freezers for. Here almost every garden has an apple tree and the streets are covered with them. Behind my garden is an old railway track which has been converted into a pleasant walk way. It has several apple, pear and damson trees beside it but nobody picks them. There are no beggars or street children and the only charity organisation I know is the Salvation Army hostel 50 miles away and I doubt if they would be interested.
@technoobs (406)
• Philippines
2 Jun 09
Better have them be shared for it be more fruitful for the years to come. I wish I had one too at our backyard.
@Colmuc (707)
3 Jun 09
Hi technoobs,I am happy to share them but it is not easy to get rid of them all.
• Indonesia
3 Jun 09
hello colmuc, nice photo, i wonder how you like aplle very much, i also like aplle, its good for our healthy, usually if i have lot of aplle stock i will made another cake from aplle, or give to my neighbour. for me not necessary if we have more, the important is what we have must be usefull,
@Colmuc (707)
3 Jun 09
Hi under_pressure, thanks for your comment. Yes, enough is enough as we say but I cannot tell the tree to produce less. I have two other apple trees which produce smaller quantities of lovely eating apples.