And the winner is.....

And the winner is.....
Originally uploaded by TerryB_VT.

Finally picked up my medal from the 2006 Great Lakes Olde World Syder competition. Second place, French Cider.


TB

Deer Fence!!

Think you don't need deer protection for your young trees? Think again! I have always said that deer are likely the greatest pest of young fruit trees in Vermont. Here is a four-year old State Fair tree on Antonovka, full-size rootstock:

This tree is planted at the edge of my yard, thirty feet from my front door, OUTSIDE the deer fence. Obviously planting next to a house will not keep deer away.

Then we have a three-year old Newtown Pippin on M9 fully-dwarfing rootstock planted maybe fifty feet away INSIDE the fence:
I'm 6'2", so this dwarf tree is already at eight feet or more in it;'s third year, and started fruiting last year.

A quick shot of part of the fence:
Ten strands of electrified high tensile wire. It was relatively cheap (~$1000) for the protection it has provided and area it covers. Considering the value of what's inside, it's a bargain.

Contact my fence guys at Wellscroft fencing for help protecting your plantings.

TB

Cider givin' you the shits?

I've had another #1 page rank in google from someone looking up why cider/apple juice gives them the shits.  It's nice to be recognized folks, but I don't have the answer.  My site pops up because 'cider' and 'apple juice' are all over the place, and on the general cidermaking page there is a mention of "Uncle Eddie's 'give-you-the-shits' cider".  Now I drink a lot of cider and a bit of apple juice (aka sweet cider), and I don't get said gastrointestinal problems.  Maybe it's because I'm used to it, maybe I just make good cider.

I could venture a guess as to why you're seeing the gravy train after drinking cider/juice, particularly the sweet, unfermented variety. There's a lot of readily fermentable sugars in juice, so maybe juice combined with your gut flora is creating an in-body fermentation and your butt is acting as an airlock/blowoff tube.  Maybe it's the large shot of soluble fiber which is going through your intestines like a pipe roto-rooter.  These are my two guesses.  I'd google it, but it will only refer me back to myself, the google cider shit expert.  Again, I don't have that problem.

If you stumble across this page in a search engine looking to resolve a personal problem, I wish you the best, but can't offer much advice except to keep drinking cider so that your body gets used to it.  With that said, everything is best in moderation, as you may just be overpowering your bowels with too much good stuff.  Good luck on your further search, keep a clear path to the loo, and don't knock cider in general.  It's good stuff and good for you.


TB