All About Apples

One of our all-time favorite varieties, with a perfectly balanced sweet/tart flavor and texture that rivals or beats honeycrisp, at least when first picked. A smaller apple, and very grower friendly, Pixie Crunch does not keep as well in storage, but always sells out for us long before that’s a problem. Developed at Rutgers University in 1971.

Introduced by the university of Minnesota in 1977, Sweet Sixteen is a mid-season apple with super-sweet, juicy flesh reminiscent of Honeycrisp, and hints of sugar cane and cherry soda.

A cross between Gala and Florina from Angers, France, in 1985. Arguably superior tart flavor and firmness to either of its parents.

Florina which is also called Querina, is a French cultivar that combines the traits of the Jonathan, Golden Delicious and Rome Beauty apples: a mild, sweet and aromatic candied flavor, sometimes reminiscent of bubble gum. It was developed in Angers, France by the “Station de Recherches d’Arboriculture Fruitiere,” in the 1980’s, though its ancestry is entirely American.

A modern, disease resistant apple suited to organic production, Topaz has been described as tasting like a SweeTart candy! Crisp, very tart and pretty, with a long storage life. A cross between two Czech variety apples, the Vanda and Rubin, the Topaz apple was developed in the 1990’s at The Institute of Experimental Botany in the Czech Republic.

One of the most exciting new varieties we’ve planted, Crimson Crisp is sweet with hints of melon, orange and spice. It stores exceptionally well, and along with several other varieties from the Perdue, Rutgers, and the University of Illinois cooperative plant breeding program, immune to some of the pests and diseases that plague other apples, making it one of the best apples to grow organically. New Jersey, 1971.

Shizuka’s flavor and texture are reminiscent to its “sister apple” Mutsu, but sweeter, with an almost buttery taste. Developed in Japan as a Golden Delicious cross in the early 20th century.

A Golden Delicious x Cox Orange Pippin cross from the New Jersey Apple Breeding Program, selected in 1963. Excellent flavor, disease resistant, and good storage qualities.

Similar to Winesap in flavor and texture, Winecrisp is a new variety developed by the Perdue/Rutgers/Illinois breeding program in 1990 for its genetic resistance to apple scab.

A Macoun cross with the characteristic tart flavor and crisp flesh of its parent. Developed in 1955 by the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station to be immune to apple scab, it can be as flavorful if not superior to Macoun. A favorite for fresh eating, sweet and hard cider.

Introduced by the University of Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station in 1942; tart and juicy with the characteristic aroma of its parent, Jonathan. Idared is an unparalleled apple for pies, sauce and baking whole, as its flavor is not diminished by cooking.

Dr. Thomas Ashmead discovered this variety growing in his Gloucester England garden around 1700. Sharp, crisp and dense with a kaleidoscope of flavors from champagne and pineapple to orange blossoms. A shy bearer and one of the best varieties for hard cider. Regularly reaches 18% sugar.

Believed to be the oldest American apple, from Roxbury Massachusetts, part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony southwest of Boston, mid-1600s. It may not be the prettiest; its skin is mud-green, flecked with brown russet spots. But its high sugar and acidity make it ideal for hard cider. Containing upwards of 15% sugar, fermenting to a potent 8% alcohol.

A cultivar originating in East Bloomfield, New York around 1800. Hints of pear and strawberry and an initial tartness that broadens. Highly aromatic, tart, firm and large fruit with great storage potential. Unsurpassed for baking and cider-making (both hard and sweet). The saying goes “when baking pie, use a spy.”

A chance seedling discovered in New York City around 1750, growing along the banks of the Newtown Creek, which separates the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn. Also known as Albemarle Pippin, it was once one of the most commonly grown (and exported) apples in the US. Excellent storage, a unique aroma and flavor and excellent potential as cider apple.

Introduced by the University of Minnesota Fruit Breeding Program in 1978, Keepsake is very hard and crisp with yellow flesh and an exotic spicy, almost savory flavor. Good for fresh eating and cooking. The fruit will store for 6 months. Tree is of medium vigor and easy to manage.

J.H. Kidd of New Zealand developed this highly aromatic apple in 1924 by cross-breeding Cox’s Orange Pippin with Delicious. In turn, Kidd bred his “Orange Red” with Golden Delicious to create the Gala variety we know and love. Posses the unique flavor and aroma of Cox, but harvests later and, retaining its crisp texture longer in storage.

Considered by many to be one of the finest American apples for hard cider making, Golden Russet possesses delicate tannins and high sugar content, with firm flesh and a dry bright, pineappley taste. It is also one of the most delicious russet (rough-skinned) apples for fresh eating. Discovered as a seedling in New York c. 1845, likely of English Russet parentage.

The Esopus Spitzenburg was discovered in Ulster County, New York, sometime before the American Revolution, but gained fame in 1790 when Thomas Jefferson said it was his favorite apple. Some of our farm’s Spitzenberg trees came from his Monticello estate! Spitzenberg rivals Honeycrisp in taste tests, is an exceptional cider apple, and regularly reaches 18% sugar in our orchard.

Hints of cherry and anise in this exceptionally flavored English apple, first grown in 1830, at Colnbrook in Buckinghamshire, England

Excellent tart flavor and unique texture not unlike a pear make Calville Blanc the preferred apple for tarte aux pommes in France. It has a unique knobby, vaguely square shape, and possesses an unusually high amount of vitamin C. First discovered in France or maybe Germany, unknown date; first recorded in 1598.

An heirloom apple with a cult following- this tart variety originating in Kansas in 1866, and lives up to its name with a vinous, spritely flavor. Good keeping apple with crisp, dense and juicy flesh.

Crunchy, sweet, with the characteristic wine-like flavor of the McIntosh. Introduced in 1936 from the Federal Agriculture Research Station in Summerland, British Columbia, the ‘Spartan’ is notable for being the first new breed of apple produced from a formal scientific breeding program. Sometimes sold as “Aceymac.”

A workhorse processing apple discovered as a chance seedling in Rome, Ohio, 1817. This variety’s ease of growing, balanced flavor and predictable size have made it one of the most popular apples for processing. Not bad eating when picked from the tree and enjoyed out of hand, the Rome is best for apple sauce and pies.

The story of Red Delicious can be seen as a parable for modern food production. Discovered in 1875 as a chance seedling growing in Iowa, the original “Hawkeye” or “Delicious” apple did in fact have a delicious flavor. But as breeders selected strains that were redder, more uniform in shape, and yielded more apples per tree, that deliciousness was lost, and the bland variety we know today was born. Nonetheless, when picked ripe, Red Delicious still has echoes of the mild sweet flavor and aroma of its ancestry.

Not to be confused the the diminutive lady apple, Pink Lady is a wonderfully crisp, tart and sweet late season apple which stores exceptionally well. Bred at the Western Australia Department of Agriculture in 1973.

One of the tartest apples we grow, folks are always surprised when they first taste a fully-ripened Granny Smith from a Northeast apple orchard. They are sour, juicy, and quite different from common supermarket Granny Smith. This Australian variety was first propagated by English emigré Maria Ann Smith, in her orchard in 1868. Here, our cooler weather gives the Granny Smith a unique pinkish blush.

A large, green apple with crisp juicy flesh great for eating and sauce. A cross between Golden Delicious and the Indo variety, it was developed in Japan in 1948 and named after the Mutsu province, but it is often rebranded as “Crispin” in US supermarkets. Impressive for its uncommon size, texture, and sweet-sharp honeyed flavor.

One of the best apples we grow for fresh eating. Sweet-tart, with a fine-fleshed crisp bite. Mcintosh x Arkansas Black.

An early season eating apple with the fine, tender flesh and the rich aromatics of its parents McIntosh and Jonathan; one of the best apples for single varietal cider. Good reliable bearer without the McIntosh’s propensity to drop before harvest. Mac x Jonathan cross from the NYS Agricultural Experiment Station in 1944.

An exceptional dessert apple, with qualities of both its parents, Jonathan and Golden Delicious. Crisp and bursting with a juicy, honeyed flavor, the Jonagold was developed by Cornell University in 1953.

“Honeycrisp apples are infamous for their sweet-tart flavor, and incomparable crunchy juiciness. It was developed in Minnesota in 1960, a cross of “Keepsake” and an unknown variety.”

One of the most important apple cultivars in the US. When picked tree-ripe, it is crisp with a balanced honey-sweet flavor, and perfumed aroma, with a hint of tartness. One of the best all purpose apples we grow. It was discovered as a chance seedling in Clay County, Virginia in 1905.

Bred in the 1930s at the Tohoku Research Station in Fujisaki, Japan, the Fuji apple didn’t hit markets until 1962. Fuji possesses crisp flesh, a very sweet taste, and excellent storage potential. Consumers deemed it worth the wait; it has since become one of the most popular varieties in the world.

One of the best McIntosh-style apples, the Empire may be the signature variety developed by Cornell’s Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York. It possesses a sweet vinous flavor and crunchy texture that makes it great for fresh eating, with a medium to long storage life. McIntosh x Red Delicious cross, bred in 1945.

One of the McIntosh’s most impressive offspring, the Cortland apple doesn’t brown easily, making it a top choice for salads, and its balanced flavor makes it a good apple for single varietal cider. Developed at the NYS Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, NY, in 1898.

A great late-season, all purpose apple for eating fresh, baking and cooking. A chance seedling discovered on a Washington orchard in 1987, Cameo stays crisp in storage for months. Parentage: Golden Delicious x Red Delicious.

The classic northeast dual purpose apple variety, McIntosh’s highly aromatic and vinous flavor is still prized by many for baking and fresh eating in-season. Named after John McIntosh, a New Yorker farming in Ontario at the turn of the 19th century, who discovered the seedling on his farm in 1811.

Super tart and flavor packed, with a rich spicy flavor, loads of acidity and sugar, which make Goldrush a wonderful apple for hard cider in addition to fresh eating. What’s more, Goldrush is very grower-friendly and keeps in storage for about 6 months. Could it be the perfect apple? A descendent of the Golden Delicious developed by the Perdue/Rutgers/Indiana breeding program. The first seed was actually planted in Indiana in May 1973, but the variety was patented in 1992.

Officially the second most popular variety in the US now (after Red Delicious), Gala is sweet, flavorful, aromatic and attractive, retaining its crispness for months in cold storage. Golden Delicious x Kidd’s Orange Red, developed by New Zealand orchardist J.H. Kidd in the 1930s.