Do you like the look of them apples?

I planted this Spartan apple tree 4 years ago as bare root stock. The first year it was just a stick with a few leaves. The second year two apples grew but didn't make it to fruition. Last year there were none. Not a single one. This year we have four. I am too scared to touch them to see if they are ripe yet in case I cause one to fall. They feel like a precious bounty. I'm sure there must be some advantages to buying trees as bare roots, but I don't think I'll be doing it again.