It was a medium tree. It was unruly. It was messy. But all in all it produced some really delectable treats.

Spicy crabapples, Crabapple jelly, Crabapple chutney, Crabapple sauce, Crabapple pepper jelly, Pickled crabapples, Candied crabapples.

During the fall when the apples ripened and started falling off the tree, dad and mom would pack the trunk with “blueberry” baskets, and the six of us would cram into the car and off we’d visit Lee and Muriel’s to help pick the crabapples from their tree.

We’d never get all the apples. The one’s at the top of the tree being the most difficult. They’d eventually fall off the tree, landing in the drive and all fall they’d go “squish-squish” under the car tires when we’d pull up to visit each week.

The years following a pruning the tree would respond by having a tremendous number of apple blossoms in the spring and an equally colossal number of crabapples in the fall.

One year following a pruning, the tree responded excessively. So many apple blossoms with an equal number of crabapples, so much deliciousness.

Ahh fun childhood memories.

Picture from Northern Ontario Flora