It might be a few weeks late but the bloom has arrived!  About half the orchard is blooming today, which is a good thing.  Under normal circumstances, the trees usually flower around the opening of fishing.  This year, they are about 2-3 weeks behind.  But based on what I am seeing this weekend, I would say that we will have some apples this fall.  The big question remains as to how many will we have?  The Honey Crisp still haven't begun to flower yet and the State Fair which is usually one of the first to bloom, still hasn't flowered yet either.  Time will tell and that's one of the things I enjoy about the orchard, you just never know.  I've been doing this for along time now and every year, its different!
  The bees are also off to a better start compared to last year.  The dandelions this year are everywhere and that's gives them a huge boost early on. Also, now that the apples are beginning to bloom, the bees are in heaven!  I always tell people to leave your dandelion alone and let them do their thing.  They only last a few weeks and then they are gone.  But they give a huge boost of food to all pollinators.  Walking into the orchard today, with the smell of the apple blossoms and bees everywhere, it just doesn't get much better than this.  Its something that just doesn't happen all that often so we need to enjoy it while its here because just like that...it will be gone for another year.

The season is underway and as it has been the last few years, the weather is playing with us.....again. Under normal circumstances, the trees usually are blooming this weekend.  Right now, they are about 1-2 weeks away from that happening.  The picture I put up is of a Chestnut Crab which is usually the first to bloom each year.  As you can see, they are getting close, but still a week or better from bloom.  I will put up some pictures of the trees when they are in full bloom, as it is quite the site to see.  The bees will be in heaven when it happens.
  The bees are also doing there best and I'm always amazed at how they are able to find pollen, but then that's what they do.  Trees that should have bloomed a month ago are just now blooming.  Maple and oak trees. are what they are finding now.  I planted about an acre of wild flowers and between that, the apples and the dandelions which are about to pop, the bees should be fine.  Lets hope and pray that this summer will be a more normal one and that the rain will happen more like it should.  If all goes well, we will have a good crop this fall.  Fingers crossed and here's hooping!