Windfall apples - sauce...

We have two apple trees that I planted about 18 years ago.  I was told they are "Transparent" apples, but I really don't know.  I have never sprayed them, and I've only done serious pruning one time.  I do need to do that again this coming winter. 

I took out a basket yesterday and picked up nearly half a bushel of apples from the ground.  I think this is the best crop we've had so far.  Obviously, since I do not spray, they have lots of damage, but they weren't too bad at all!  So, I washed them and then cut out the buggy bits and bruises from falling.

Here they are in my 22 quart stock pot.  I added a quart of home-canned pear juice so I could cook them without scorching.  Water would have been fine.

After cooking on the lowest temperature that my stove can deliver and occasional stirring, this is what they looked like.

Next they took a whirl in our Foley Food Mill  which is worth it's weight in gold.  I got my first one about 1978.  Mine is not stainless steel like the one in the link, but it's still working very well.  My understanding is that during WWII, the Foley Food Mill was one of the few items the government allowed to be re-tinned, because it could save so much food. 

And here you can see all that was left in the food mill from ALL of those apples!

I ended up with this much in the 2 - gallon soup pot:

Here is the applesauce processed in pint jars.  I ate some first. 

I am very pleased.  It has been a good gardening year so far... nice temperatures and plenty of rain.  I think the apple trees are quite happy also.  I've always wondered, since I don't spray if we would ever get much out of them.  This year, the answer is yes!  I am hoping for more.