Horse Apples! What caused the bumper crop.

[MortalWombat]

We had plenty of hedge apples and walnuts, but no black cherries, no hackberries, and no persimmons this year.

 

[cqaigy2]

Not heard them called horse apples before, but then, the only bois d'arc trees i've seen was planted at a place down by the Columbia river by Maryhill. Horse apples around here are what is left over after the horse is done with processing it's food. We used to throw them at each other as kids, to the dismay of our parents.

We had a bumper crop of apples and this year and last.

 

[Bob77064]

I've seen websites selling them for use as an insect repellant in your house, but never tried them.

And I'll never forget the first horse I had when I was less than 10 years old; an old tall sorrel gelding. We were told that he was a retired rodeo bucker that wouldn't buck unless a flank girth was used. Back then we didn't have any bois d'arc trees in our pasture, but the landlord did and I'd get those horse apples and feed them to that old horse. He loved them like a kid loves candy.

And I've never seen another animal eat one. The horses I later had wouldn't touch them.

This is from ebay "All Natural Insects Repellent Anti-Spider Osage Oranges hedge apples Pk of 4" for $7.99 At that price I could make a fortune selling mine.

 

[MossRoad]

Better than road apples.

 

[MossRoad]

I've heard of them also being used to repel insects. They say if you put them up around the edges of your basement you'll repel spiders. I figure if someone has enough gumption and enough open spaces to get to the edges of their basement, they are probably the type to dust spider webs themselves anyway. That's why there's no spiders. Not because of the hedge apples.

 

[Circle W]

Other than the previously mentioned insect repellent, is there any other market for hedge apples? I have a creek with thousands of bois d' arc trees and enough of those suckers to make a small fortune if so.

 

[dave1949]

Other than the previously mentioned insect repellent, is there any other market for hedge apples? I have a creek with thousands of bois d' arc trees and enough of those suckers to make a small fortune if so.

Creativity is needed. LOL

Some places have pumpkin throwing contests using an onager/catapult rig. Some people shoot taters from PVC cannons. These are all fun and manly activities involving projectiles, machines, loud noise and splats.

You could host an annual hedge apple shoot off. Best distance, most accurate, highest rapid firing rate, etc. Work on it with some savvy marketing, take 20% of the concessions and retire early. :laughing:

 

[tcreeley]

-along the lines of the "Corn Maze" in Corinna! If it is there- use it!

 

[SPIKER]

Hear of them used to repel spiders in basements too, we tried it as kids (tho brother and I enjoyed spiders too) had fun throwing them at each other but was more fun shooting them out of trees w BB guns or sling shots, (was smart enough to not shoot 22's in air.)

Was thinking about making a sales of Slippery Elm Bark on Evil-bay see if the natural product sold like the powders and chipped stuff...

Mark

 

[Stimw]

Had the trees growing around where I lived in Ohio. We always called them "Milk Balls"! My Dad told us the Osage Orange Tree name.
You didn't climb that tree either!!! Big stickers! wood was super tough too.
We had a standard Poodle that loved to chew on them. He would also let one roll on a hill and then chase it.