Grappling with Apples

Talk about growing fruit in Michigan's Fruit Belt with other farmers and the conversation almost always turns to pests. This bug. That blight. Moths. You name it. I hear a lot about "you know, you can't grow fruit, especially apples, without spraying." Well you can. But your "yield" may take a hit. I guess we're about to find out with our first run of apples just now planted. I was out watering our new trees today, just as a spring sprinkle started, and this is what was beginning to pop on our pink lady trees: these deep pink blossoms that makes the effort worth it, and reminds us of the world's deep and beautiful colors. All of them.