Growing fruit in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales is a challenge, and apples are no exception. Oh dear, so much competition from the wildlife, including bush rats, possums, parrots and satin bowerbirds! I suspect a possum is the culprit in the following photo.

Crimson rosella caught on a raid.

Some low hanging fruits have survived against the odds.

Good grief, look at the teeth marks on this one. Do kookaburras like apples?? 😫

Now of course you can put nets over your trees, but then you risk birds getting caught up in them and I love all the creatures in my garden. I would be happy for the sweet creatures to swipe every last apple, except….this is a very special tree. It’s a graft from an old one in my parents’ garden in Tasmania; which was already a mature specimen when we bought the property in 1951. We think it’s an English Bramley, producing cooking apples that become soft and fluffy when cooked.

My lovely older brother sent me the baby tree 7 years ago, just before the original one died after being struck by lightning. He also carved me a tiny Scotty dog from the rescued wood. I’m sure you can appreciate the depth of my emotional investment.

This year has been more stressful than ever because it has been the wettest summer in my 20 years in Blackheath. We just haven’t had enough sun to ripen the fruit, and the longer it remains on the tree the more opportunity there is for theft and destruction.
I have enlisted the help of my associate Editor Des. He is not a particularly willing guard, but it’s his 21st birthday in a couple of weeks and he is hoping for a decent present! 😎 Bribery is a powerful force. By the way, Des is a gentle soul and would never use that stick!

The cheeky crimson rosella has become a daily visitor.

Call me an optimist, but I haven’t quite given up on the dream of an apple pie, or enjoying some stewed fruit on my porridge;

I’d be willing to let them have the fruit of my other tree in exchange for the Bramleys. It’s a CRABAPPLE.
Lovely historic story of your grafted ‘Bramley’ apple tree, and I also rather like the look of that dish containing your stewed apple!