Picking Day 8: A New Variety

The weather has turned toward autumn, much to my delight.  For the last two mornings I have worn a long sleeve shirt into the orchard and armed myself with a hot cup of tea.  Rain has also threatened for the last two days.  We have been picking in the Lansing orchard where one can see the rain rolling over the western hills across the lake.  The lake kept most of the rain on it's western shores, as mist and a few rainy gusts were the only inclement weather that intruded upon our picking.
We have moved past the Galas and into Macs and Honeycrisp as well as Jonamacs.  Today I picked Shizukas for the first time; a sister apple to the Mutsu that ripens earlier in the season.  If I had not been told otherwise I would have had little trouble believing I was picking Mutsu.
Unfortunately I did not carry my camera with me today so the following picture was taken after the fact.  Tonight we are baking the first apple pie of the season with some Galas and Honeycrisp.

Shizuka 2010

Mutsu 2009