gather

 oh what a lovely warm week this has been… 

the orchard is just gorgeous!

 our jonagolds, cortlands and macintosh are still available to pick. 

this weekend we will begin to harvest three 
additional varieties…all relatives of the macintosh.

plentiful and wonderful...

mcgowen

one bite and these will be your new favourite!

                                                   

so flavourful with a wonderful texture and aroma, 

they have a rich sweet taste with a hint of berry.  

mcgowens are a cross between a mac and a jersey black...

their smaller size makes them a perfect snack!

they are a brilliant all purpose apple… 

 and hold their shape well when baked. 

did you know that a mcgowen is a parent apple to the honeycrisp?

i love how they appear to have freckles! adorable!

spartan

a cross of a mac and a newton pippin, 

spartans are exceptionally juicy and crisp.

 with a sweet mellow flavour they are a favourite for cider. 

they lend a wonderful flavour to savoury dishes too,

 pairing well with onions, parsnips, blue cheeses,

 walnuts, rosemary and curry. 

excellent for soups and chutneys,  

they are also well suited for pies.

snowdan

a sister apple to the spartans and a bit of a mystery apple…

also from the macintosh family.

crisp and juicy with white flesh, snowdans have a delicate flavour.

you can use snowdans anywhere you would use a spartan. 

 they are marvellously thirst quenching! 

 do you have a favourite apple recipe? 

the apples we are currently picking are all brilliant 

for baking as well as enjoying fresh.

 find two classic apple recipes here…

bon appetite! warm hugs,

laura 

carl laidlaw orchards

welcome autumn

hello autumn!

  i love how mother nature does her gradual costume change…

…and i love wearing my favourite sweaters again.

they feel like like old friends!

i also love old fabric…

i have been collecting cheery tablecloths, 

embroidered gingham aprons, hankies, bark cloth curtains, 

linen tea towels, quilts, and vintage dresses for forever.
i have a vintage bathing suit hanging as an art piece. it’s lovely!
how fun is this autumn design?

it is a skirt…

previously loved….my new favourite!

enjoy putting on your favourite cozy sweater 

and welcoming some crisp autumn days. 

happy autumn, 

laura 

carl laidlaw orchards

wander

ohh what a delight to wander through the orchards 
while enjoying an apple or two!

this is how i spend most mornings.

 i usually get a soaker from the dew, but it’s worth it!

there is a special fragrance the apples bestow 
and if you are still for a moment you will hear the music of crickets,
honey bees, birdsong, and the river. it’s magical!
 we are so lucky! you really must visit!

still available this weekend for picking are

the macs, royal galas, and bartlett pears.

we will start picking…

cortlands (my favourite), jonagolds and honey crisp....

excellent to eat out of hand, 

cortlands are also ideal for apple pies, crisps or crumbles

… mild, juicy, and sweet with a hint of lemon. 
because they resist browning when sliced,
 they are a good choice for a cheese tray.

you need two hands to pick them or a partner in crime…
they often grow in twos…twins...

and when you pick one, the twin falls. 

jonagolds are wonderfully juicy and sweet
 with that gorgeous creamy yellow flesh. 

with golden delicious and jonathan as parents,
 they are fabulous for everything… 
apple cake, baked apples, pies, tartes …

 such a big, beautiful apple…easy to share with a friend!

a first date in the orchard perhaps?

this is a jonagold espalier against the barn foundation.

our honey crisps are so sought after! 

they are everything their name suggests! 

so sweet and explosively crisp and juicy!

our honey crisp orchard is tiny…
this will be the only weekend they are available.

mark and spencer planted sunflowers this year….

they make me smile every time i walk by.

 i just love the orchard

it looks like you may need your rain boots this saturday.

 that’s o.k. …we have the best puddles…

and we can always lend you a pair if you forget yours! 

see you soon!

laura

carl laidlaw orchards

harvest

we are so happy to be open again!

isn’t it such a treat to eat a fresh picked apple?

currently we have 4 varieties of apples 
that are perfect for picking…
macintosh, gravenstein, gingergold and royal gala.
 we are still picking bartlett pears.

gingergolds are lovely…

sweet and mellow

we are using  gravensteins to make our apple pies…

they are marvellously complex…
just the right amount of tartness yet sweet

the macs are such a classic! 
crisp and juicy, with that famous tanginess!

one bite and i am instantly reminded of my childhood!

 our bartlett pears are are wonderful!

this is the time for storing bartletts. 

they are still green and firm….but will ripen at room
 temperature in a few days after picking.

so sweet and juicy! 

we love to enjoy them with a nice stilton cheese.  

we have just started to pick the royal galas.
 everyone loves them! 

so sweet, mild, crunchy and juicy. 

i especially love their colour….

the prettiest of pinks!

this is the apple my friend jackie from blossom bakery 

recently used on her signature gourmet flatbread pizzas. 

these are sooo delicious!
 we have been offering them here for several years… 
jackie does a marvellous job of combining fresh seasonal ingredients

 and presenting them in such a beautiful way

…you can tell she is an artist too!

my favourite is the apple, beet, swisschard and brie.

exquisite!

we will also be carrying her fresh peach salsa this weekend

along with her “petals”...

delicious crackers that are perfect for the salsa 

that gal is brilliant!
we will be offering samples all weekend…
see you soon!

warm hugs,

laura 

 carl laidlaw orchards